Big Sky Biere de Noel

Brewed by Big Sky Brewing Company
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Missoula, Montana USA

750ml bottle courtesy of Jonpol. Pours amber/copper with a thin sparse off white foam. Smells of sugar, some tarte cherries, dark fruit, some earthy character. Tastes nutty with some tartness and lots of sweet malt. No alcohol burn to speak of. This could use some more balance, but its otherwise an enjoyable beer.

Bottle thanks to kyzr: Pours a viscous faintly carbonated murky mahogany with some thin, off-white bubbles. Aroma of lightly sweet caramel malts and some vinous oaky notes. Body starts with decent fullness, but not much carbonation, and a light toasty malty sweetness with big, almost overwhelming vinous character, and some slightly acidic cherry notes. Pretty interesting, but could use some more sweetness for balance.

750ml bottle shared by immy. Thanks. poured a hazy dark orange color with a soapy off white head. Smelled of sour fruits (especially apple and cherry). The flavor was similar; sour cherries and red wine. Boozy, sweet, acidic, and strange all at once.

(750ml bottle, 2007 vintage, thanks Immy) Minimal beige head atop hazy mahogany body. Aroma is moderately sweet, Bourbon/boozy, plum/raisin. Taste is sweet, boozy raisin, sour (infected?). Minimal carbonation, full body.

GABBF 08 - This was absolutely beautiful. Exactly what I look for in a holiday style. this was really big and boozy, but still well balanced. Lots of dark fruits, and brown candi sugar notes. Some slightly sweet toffee maltiness, and also some wood tannins. I had to go back for a couple more sample of this and the blue hair.

750mL bottle, courtesy of Immy. Thanks, Tim! Pours a murky, reddish-brown color; thin off-white head with patchy lacing. Boozy aroma, showing plenty of red fruits, dried fruits, and sticky candy sugar. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: tons of boozy dried red fruits, slight tartness; pitty red fruits and mildly tannic; lots of stuff going on but a muddied expression and plenty of alcohol coming through. Lengthy finish, showing lingering cherries, dried fruits, and a touch of brown sugar.

Dark red/plum colored body with a small filmy head with large bubbles forming at the edge of the glass. Flavor is insanely boozy, not like a 15-20% beer would be, but more of an unbalanced, completely out of place and unnecessary vodka note stuck in the middle of what would otherwise be a decent beer. But instead it’s hot, sharp, boozy, and sweet… it’s just an absolute mess. Sticky cherry pits and such are in there, some chewy malt as well, but overall there’s just semi-moldy cherry flavored cheap booze all over this thing.

Pours a cloudy deep brown with 3 fingers of light brown head. Wow, this has a fruity aroma. Aroma of caramel, wood, spices and toffee are all distinguishable as well. Flavor of fruits, sugars, toffee, yeast, malt, nutmeg and some woodiness. Very complex flavor profile, I’m really digging it.