Pizza Port Carlsbad Belgian Style Quadruple

Brewed by Pizza Port (Carlsbad)
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Carlsbad, California USA

Name: Belgian Quad
Brewery: Port Brewing / Pizza Port
Date: October 26, 2008
Mode: Hand Bottled
Source: Trade
Appearance: muddy brown, wispy tan head, streaks of drippy lace
Aroma: sweet dark fruit aroma, rum raisons, touch of peppery alcohol, brown sugar sweetness, light spicyness, breadyness gives it a spicecake character
Body: big body
Flavor: rich dark caramel and brown sugar flavor, nice deep dark fruits ripen as it warms and a sweetness emerges, light spicyness , balancing earthyness, fleeting hint of alcoholic heat leaves a peppery touch, light bitter finish
Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 4.1/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Tap at Pizza Port Carlsbad. Hazy deep brown brew with a thin tan head. Aroma is quite sweet and very banana-laden. Dark fruit, raisins and rich chewy malts, a bit of light toastiness. Fruity plummy sweetness and a soft rummy spiciness as well. Sticky and lightly sweet. Decent balance though with a nice mix of candied fruit and brown sugar on the back. Soft licorice and a bit of clove as well. Pretty solid brew really. Alcohol is well hidden and the nice orangey character works well with all of the other stuff going on in here.

On tap at Pizza Port Carlsbad $4.75 for a 10oz glass. Poured a amber brown color with red hues and a thin off white head with good lacing. Smell is mixture of spice, malt, and a trace of alcohol. Taste is not as hot as I expected, in fact I couldnt believe it was 11%. The main flavors I picked out was a mixture of sweet carmel and cherry with a vinousness medicnal herbal flavor and yes a little alcohol on the finish. The mouthfeel was excellent with it being a full body beer with active carbonation but still seems to be not overcarbonated and smooth on the palate. I thought with the high alcohol content that one would be enough but I had another. Not a session beer but still very quaffable.

Tap at Carlsbad. Pours a deep brownish amber with a medium creamy off white head that laced. Aroma of Belgian yeast ester, dArk fruis, caramel and nuts. Flavor of the same. Lots of Belgian yeastines.

Tap @ Ørsted Ølbar.
Pours very dark brown, lightly muddy. A small, staying, creamy, beige head on top. Super aroma with raisins, plums, light caramel, alkohol, liqourice notes, chocolate, ginger. Fat and creamy mouthfeel. Medium to low carbonation. Pleasant flavour, soft alcohol viniousness, some chocolate, plums, raisins. The alcohol is well hidden. Actually feel close to the classic Belgians, though is a tad too dry and chocolate-y. Still wonderful, though.

Tap @ PP Carlsbad. This was quite nice, it had a lot of character, rich and tasty, and is a great example of a well made version of a Belgian classic.

Draught @ Ørsted. Average beige creamy head that mostly lasted. Good display of lacework. Cloudy reddish/mahogany color. Aroma was dried fruit, yeast, toasted malt, mild caramel, light port wine like. Over the palate came mild alcohol, prunes, dates and a hint of floral notes. Full bodied with an average carbonation and mild alcoholic thick texture. Moderated to heavy sweet flavor with light bitterness. Lingering prunes, yeast, fruit and warming alcoholic notes. Quite nice Quart.

On tap at PP Carlsbad: Pours a dark amber mahogany with a thin-lacing wispy off-white head. Has a sweet dark caramely nose with nice bready yeasty character and some dark fruity notes. Body starts rich and sweet with some brown sugar and raisin complexity with authentic Trappist yeastiness before a slightly drier finish that hides the alcohol fairly well. A nice Quadrupel.