New Glarus Unplugged Belgian Quadruple

Formerly brewed at New Glarus Brewing Company
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
New Glarus, Wisconsin USA

Transparent dark copper orange pour has a small, frothy, spotty-lacing cream-colored head. Sweet toasty caramel malty aroma has plenty of brett character that reminds me a lot of some Russian River beers. Body starts fairly full and malty sweet with a good amount of carbonation and funky brett balance. Has a slightly tart, biscuity, barnyard finish with some added oaky bourbon complexity. Definitely a unique example of the style, but pretty well done.

Bottle into stem glass. Purchased at Discount, Milwaukee. Sparse, sticky lacing left by a moderately lasting eggshell head over a very clear, copper beer (lighter in color than I would expect from a quad). Smell is surprising too; I swear I can smell Rodenbach-esque sour cherry, with apple and ginger. Medium full in the mouth, coating the tongue. No one flavor really sets the tone, stays smooth and understated. The alcohol is noticable only in the effect, not in the mouth: after just a few sips on an empty stomach, I can feel my face flush. The coating lasts well into the finish. Light fruit flavors and syrupy grains, none of the breadiness I would expect from a quad. There is some bourbon-flavored cherry on the tip of the tongue in the finish, otherwise the flavors are cidery, nutmeg, allspice, some yeasty fuzzy things going on, and some light confectioner’s sugar on the top. The impression is definitely Belgian, but not at all abbey; it’s more like a belgian strong with cherries, something De Dolle might make with the syrupy sweetness its major attribute. Good, but not what was expected (which is why I think it is rated so relatively low).

Pours brown, moderate head. Thick mouth feel. Strong aroma of yeast and caramel. Flavors of caramel, fruit, alcohol, vanilla, and spice. Very heavy beer, but very excellent.

Pours a fine sherry or sourwood honey color with a dusty head. A bit fizzy. Sour odor, close to stale beer or cider vinegar. Vanilla bean and tart apples. Fine and ligth bodied. I don’t get that much fruit forward, but late in the back. Very delicate and subtle. Fine.

12oz bottles acquired in a few trades. Poured a medium and see through golden/orange color with a larger sized white head. Aromas of cherries, wood, light vanilla, yeast, and lightly spicey. Tastes of vanilla, wood, caramel, brown sugary sweetness, some dark fruits, and light yeastiness. Very light bourbon in the tastes. Sweet. Alcohol content overall well hidden.

Foam Rangers tasting. Deep reddish brown pour with small head. Nose is pitted fruits, vanilla, nuts, grapes, spicy cinnamon and oak. Flavor is cherry, vanilla, bourbon, charred oak and sugary sweetness. Just a great beer from a great brewery.

Bottle from Hezron, shared with Fin, Loz and Traci at our American beer tasting night. Bright copper, fine off-white head. Floral aroma, rose petals, mint. Golden raisins and a touch of alcohol fumes. Lingering around the edges dried apples and old barn boards. Lots of gentle dried fruit flavor, verly light alcohol warmth, sherry. Rather sweet, but an easy-going sweet that finishes without stickiness. A bit of lingering walnut. The tasting party agreed that this seemed more like what we’d expect from a barleywine than a quad (some of the soft sherry notes compare favorably to Harvey’s barleywines), but a lovely well-balanced beer whatever name it sits under.

Thanks panantap-thanks a bunch. Very carbonated and bright gold color. Small white head. Nose of strong spices and malts. Tastes of bitterness, spices, sweet/sugary with alcohol very present. An interesting take on a quad-different but very good. Bourbon is really not noticeable. I need at least 2 more of these. Have Bleeng will trade.