Lost Abbey Judgment Day

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

blackish chestnut body, chestnut brown at edges. aroma is rum, oak, raisins, doughy/bready malt. flavor is dark roasted bready malt, also dried black mission figs, prunes, and a bit of oak/vanilla. some rummy heat in the end/finish.

Bottled. A murky red-brown beer with a thin rim of head. The aroma is sweet malty with strong notes of over ripe fruits and prunes. The flavor is sweet with notes of alcohol, prunes, and over ripe fruit, leading to a dry and slightly woody finish.

Unfortunately, I have acquired a couple of the bottles that have the known "corking" problem. This opened with no pop, and poured a carbonationless liquid. The smell is great. Rich, dark fruits. Mostly the clearly stated raisin. But more dark cherry, blackberry as well. The taste is quite good. Full on the mouthfeel and rich. I prefer my beers not overly carbonated and this is surprisingly good. It needs just a hint of carbonation to add to the mouthfeel, and to slow down my consumption of this thing. Without the carbonation to slow you down, this thing just goes quick. A very satisfying beer that is close to the way I like them, just needs a touch of carbonation and this would be top shelf.

Bottle: Thanks Flaco Alto! Deep brown/burgundy in color with a fading bubbly tan head. Has a sweet fruity aroma with lots of raisin and plum-like fruits. Also has brown sugar, evident Belgian-style malts and a nutty hint. The flavor is less sweet than anticipated from the aroma. Somewhat thin in body, but the malts are evident in the flavor. Some dark maple qualities and dried fruits (figs, raisins, dates) The later flavors give off some earthy qualities like peat, tobacco, and a hint of smokiness in the finish. Not bad, but a bit overrated.

Bottle poured dark brown with a nice off white head and lacing. Aroma is sweet and spicy with a sweet yeasty flavor and tonsof floatys. Good beer!

Deep brown, the color of pureed raisins , with a small tan head. Both aroma and taste contain raisin and figs with a rich, roasty undercurrent. $10/22oz

Date: May 22, 2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Mail Order
Vintage: 2007
Appearance: dark muddy brown with ruby edges, wispy beige head, touch of drippy lace
Flavor: sweet malt flavor with lots of dates and raisons and other ripe dark fruits plus a hint of alcohol after warming a bit
Overall: rich malt flavor, lots of ripe fruit, balancing roasted bitterness is a bit too much and distracting and should fade with age, only a touch of sweetness comes with warming but the bitterness holds it back from being all it should be, richness continues to grow and picks up some chocolate along the way

Date: December 31, 2008
Mode: bottle
Source: cellar stock
Vintage: 2007
Score: 3.9 to 4.1
Appearance: clear dark brown with ruby edges, fine tan head, bits of lace
Aroma: rich and sweet fruity aroma, light spicyness
Flavor: rich fruity flavor, caramel sweetness brings out the rich ripe fruity esters, light bitterness still present but has subsided allowing the fruit character to emerge, nice spicyness, fleeting hint of alcohol
Overall: age is helping this one along nicely

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 4.1/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: ***+/4

Date: September 01, 2008
Mode: Bottle
Source: Brewery
Vintage: 2008
Appearance: clear dark brown, fine tan head, bits of drippy sudsy lace
Aroma: sweet caramel and brown sugar aroma with lots of fruityness, a hint of chocolate
Flavor: rich and fruity flavor, lots of dark fruits, dark caramel sweetness brings out the fruity character, hint of chocolate adds complexity, little to no bitterness