Harpoon Leviathan Belgian Quad

Brewed by Harpoon Brewery
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Boston, Massachusetts USA

2/3 head; 1/3 liquid--slow to settle. Lots of chunky lace--leaves a ring. Orange-amber color with an appropriate level of haze. Sweet caramel aroma. Light farm smells in the background. The alcohol level is potent to the nose. Potent alcohol warmth. Lots of malt but relatively thin body; average carbonation. The aftertaste reminds me of brandy. Low level of hop--just enough to prevent the brew from being an overly sweet offering.

Bottle (12oz). Fairly clear burnt copper pour with a large fizzy-foamy tan lasting head. Pungently spicy/yeasty aroma, sweet roast caramel, a little herbal bitterness, I don’t get anything close to 11%+ alcohol in this - pretty nice, really, if a bit sweet, almost a hint of molasses. Taste - punent, there’s the ABV, a tad hot, very spicy and sweet, grassy in the tail. Average body, a little astringent from the spiciness, not overly carbonated, but nice and lively on the tongue - a bit of heat in the sweet finish - not overly complex, but quite nice - reminds me of a lighter, simpler Dieu du Ciel Rigor Mortis.

12 oz bottle. Pours a medium to deep amber with a thinning head. Aroma is very plummy and fruity esters, toffee raisin, sweet molasses honey and barrel aged rum- slightly perfumey as it warms as well. Flavor is rummy, sweet candy sugar, raisin, plums, dates, figs, apricot, big sweetness of honey brown sugar, and molasses- but not too sticky- carbonation and phenolic belgian yeast make it moslty drinkable for a big abv beer. not bad.

Bottle sampled at the Belgian tasting at Blacklick Wine & Spirits on 7/16/09. Pours cloudy brown with a thin tan head. Super sweet aroma with bananas and booze. Banana boozy with some caramel malt and a strong finish. This beer doesn’t appear to be poorly made, but it epitomizes what I don’t like about Belgian beers.

Bottle. Nice pour ... held up to the light, it’s fire-engine red, with a firm, but fizzy head. The aroma is huge -- full of grapey sweetness and sugary alcohol. There’s more of the same in the drink, exceptionally strong, sugary full of peppery, grape character. This would be an exceptional drink with some gamey meat dish, and is a nice aperitif tonight! (#3616, 7/19/2009)

Strong malt and yeast taste. Clear amber color with a large tan head. Mild sweet beginning with a moderate yeast taste and a mild alcohol burn in the finish.

(draft) Nitroish beige head atop hazy red-brown body. Aroma is moderately sweet, Belgian yeast, some straw, candied orange, light pepper. Taste is sweet, Belgian yeast, candi sugar, some orange, straw, boozy, raisin/caramel. Full body, light acidity.

Pours dark brown with ruby edges and minimal off-khaki head. Nose is plummy fruit, earthy malt, peppery hops, slight yeasty notes. Tastes malty, very fruity in a figgy and pruney sense, with backup hops, some heat throughout, and a medium density on the palate. Not a bad effort at all here.