Tag Archives: Quad

Samuel Adams Tetravis

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samuel-adams-tetravis

For the third and last review of my short series on the Samuel Adams Barrel Room Collection I have a Belgian Quad called Tetravis. The nose has honey and figs, and promises a distinctly Belgian brew. The middle is more of the same, with raisins and currants, mostly sweet, but just a little bit of tartness and some spiciness towards the finish. The finish itself is mellow with smooth vanilla and banana coming to the fore. Right at the end is a distinct note of raspberry. Again this is a big beer (10.2% ABV) that hides the alcohol very, very well. Another really nice beer, making this a fine collection from the Boston Beer Company.

I give it a 4.3 out of 5.

Moylan’s Hop Craic XXXX IPA

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moylans-hop-craic

Moylan’s Brewing Company of Novato, California is a specialist in big beers, be they Imperial IPAs, Scotch Ales, or Barleywine-style ales. (Among others.) However, they felt they hadn’t taken the Imperial IPA theme quite far enough, and perhaps to rectify that, a Quadruple IPA might be in order. Thus, we have Hop Craic, a American Quadruple IPA. This is a massive IPA in every measure. It’s got a heavy body, the alcohol is a stout 10.4% ABV, and the hop notes are huge and balanced with strong malt flavors. The nose is strongly orange citrus but with a bit of molasses in the background. The middle bursts with lemon and orange, followed by pine, but then transitions into a heavily malty finish with notes of toasted grain and packed with brown sugar and syrup. The end of the finish is burned toast and pine. It’s exceptionally well balanced for such a powerful beer, and I’m enjoying it immensely.

I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

New Belgium Cascara Quad

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new-belgium-cascara-quad

A Belgian Quad from New Belgium Brewing’s Lips of Faith series, Cascara Quad has a number of interesting additions including dates, cherries, and Cascara tea. The nose is rich with figs, cherries, and leather. The middle is smooth and heavy, with notes of dates, plums, cherries, and brown sugar. There isn’t much new in the finish, just subtle hints of molasses and cloves. There is no bitterness in this beer at all, so fans of big Belgians should be fans. The yeast is also subdued, so there’s no particular funkiness here, as you often find in Belgians. This is a very nice, well executed American rendition of the Belgian Quad.

I give it a 4.3 out of 5.