Lost Abbey Judgment Day

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
San Marcos, California USA

750 ml bottle from Binnys South Loop (Chicago, IL) from initial LA/PP release in Chicago in 2008. Cellared. Poured into a tulip, pours a rich deep dark opaque brown with reddish notes, small tannish brown head that takes time to grow and dies to a film, clings a bit to the glass. Aromas are malty, pushing some nice raisin, plum, caramel malts, light belgian spice, a touch of chocolate and vanilla and faint florals. Not bad. Initial is more medium or light bodied than expected, dark fruits and caramel malts mix liberally, but a bit light on the palate and mouthfeel overall. A warming sensation is immediately evident, hard to mask with the strength and a bit of a down flavor. That is not to say the flavors are bad, I just expected more. Raisin and plum, caramel, vanilla, a touch of cocoa, and darker belgian yeasty spice. A bit of a bitterness in the finish, but faint, leading way to a bit of blandness. This beer finishes smooth, but without a good balance giver. Aftertaste slight spice and caramel with fruits. This has a lot of good elements, and some that don’t quite bring it to the forefront, making it suffer overall in balance. Further in vindicates it a little, with a bit of a fuller and more balanced finish. But overall, lacking in that department

Bottle at the “Drink for Charity” event at Rattle & Hum. Pours a clear dark ruby brown. Aromas of plum, prunes and sweet caramel. Medium bodied with a touch of alcohol with a little more dark fruit coming through. Finishes with a hint of brown sugar and chocolate. Very tasty.

A sweet, strong, warming brew with a rich malt character, with enough hops to lend a distinctive flavor. Quite tasty.

tasted like the 10 Commandments on steroids. Pour was very dark with red/purple highlights. Smelled of strong dark fruits. taste was overpowered by raisins. Way too much raisin. It tastes like raisin resin. IMO, it took away too many of the deep and balanced characteristics you look for in a quad. And it slammed those dark fruits in your mouth.

75 cl. bottle (2009) in my Chimay goblet. Color of thick honey w/ virtually no head; sweet, malty aroma w/ some bread and lots of prunes; flavor is dominated by sweet raisins, heavy yeastiness and a little alcohol; full-bodied, coating and finishes bready. Good, not great.

Pours a dark brown with little head. Aroma is nothing but raisins and raisins. A little caramel but not much else. Flavor is pretty solid with plenty of nuttiness and plum and sweet sugar. Little bit of alcoholic burn on the initial finish, but otherwise is nice candy sweet finish. Good beer, but for the style is nothing outstanding.

Dark brown pour, with almost no head. Aroma of licorice, raisins and brown sugar. The flavor is more raisin, more licorice and a bit later an odd, but pleasant sour fruit note. The flavor is somewhat harsh, I think age would have done this beer well. Awesome date/brown sugar/rum finish though. Good, but not extraordinary mouthfeel. Decent quad but not my favorite.

Aroma: dates, raisins, pretty fruity and malty. Finish is a bit harsh at the start, but then melds into silky milk chocolate. Dries out pretty well. molasses, some candi sugar, slight plum. Low carbonation, good body and mouthfeel, but has too alcohol character. Would be great with another year on it.