Ommegang Three Philosophers

Brewed by Brewery Ommegang (Moortgat)
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Cooperstown, New York USA

750ml. 2008 bottle. Poured in too much yeast, glass is murky but still looks nice mahogany and rich. Dregs boost the yeasty aroma, which is also vineous, a little hot, and with tonnes of ripe fruit, just loads of it. Smooth soft carbonation. Deceptively drinkable, quite smooth. Great breadlike background adds depth, complexity, and solidity to the fruit-forward brew. Some wet wood character and a lingering sour cherry finish. Nice stuff, nice balance of flavors, stronger than it seems.

Subtle aroma of cherries and vodka. Looks very murky, hazy with good, but thin head retention. Flavor is a mix of dark fruit and brown sugar with some alcohol on the back. Palate is great, smooth, full body and creamy. Overall, very enjoyable beer that drinks like a strong dark belgian with a dark cherry twist.

Excellent aroma, had me excited until the first drink. Strong burnt dark chocolate flavor. No hint of cherry, would be good as a mixer, but at this price not worth it.

750ml corked and caged. Pours a clear light brown/dark amber with a moderate sized tan head, nice retention and lacing. Aromas are pretty mellow, some fruit, cherries, malts and caramel. Flavors are were it’s at in this brew, it’s basically the same but more mention to the fruit and cherries. Palate is smooth and slightly creamy.

On tap at the Bavarian Lodge, Lisle, IL. Presented in a 3 Philosophers logo tulip for the occasion. Poured a dark brown color with ruby tones. The head was light tan, foamy, and left some nice, clingy lacing. The aroma was sweet, with vinous and tangy fruit notes, mellowed by a light blanket of caramel. The flavor was sweet malt, wine notes as the aroma, and tangy fruit, more specifically dark cherries, with a little cranberry astringency. Can’t forget the nice, warming alcohol. A fine sipper. Only got better with a little warmth.

This one scores high for appearance. A very beautiful beer. Sparkling dark red color with a one inch foamy lasting tan head. This looks great in the glass. The aroma is of raisins, plums, brandy, chocolate covered cherries, yeasty fruity alcohol and overipe fruit. Taste is overipe fruit, chocolate, a touch of oakiness, (maple syrup? ) sweet and sour leading to a mild tart bitterness in the finish. Its meduim body leaves a nice lacing on the glass. Not as outstanding as some of the other world class beers of this style, but definitely a tasty, enjoyable brew that I will have again. The fact that it’s brewed with cherries adds a touch of a lambic feel to it as well.

TAP: deep brown pour, nice white head with good lacing. Cherry and banana on the nose, more of the same on taste, and a nice creamy mouthfeel. Exceptional beer.

Bottle from Green’s. Pours a deep brown with hints of red and a two-finger lingering white head. Spicy malt and cherry aroma with roasted character. A lot of flavors at play. Difficult to distinguish some of them although there is definitely cherry and some other citrus flavors, malts, a little hops and a strong twinge of yeast. Despite the taste amalgamation it is nonetheless a rather light beer. Delicious, although a bit sweet for large-scale consumption.