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Saint Arnold Divine Reserve #4

 (RETIRED)
Percentile
97
overall

bottling
unknown

on tap
unknown

distribution
unknown

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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
1173.85/5.03.79/5.0Special9.5%95.7Thistle
Commercial Description:
This is a Wee Heavy that one of our brewers has been working on for a couple of years and the final results are well worth the wait. The color is deep ruby on its way to black with bright clarity (especially considering it is unfiltered) and a thick, tan head. It has a nose of Irish coffee with hints of peat. The body is sweet and creamy--not thin, not heavy. Almost refreshing, if a beer this big can be described as such. Caramel malt, smoke, coffee and orange come in and out of focus several times as the beer moves across the palate, then it finishes with a light spiciness. We again used our St. Arnold yeast which added a nice layer of complexity to this already multifaceted beer. Enjoy at 45°F or warmer.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 JMFG (1514), Florida, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Oct 16, 2007  
Courtesy boboski. Dark amber/copper with a sparse light tan head. Nice aroma with a defined peat character (yay!) and a caramel-malty background. Sweet caramel on the taste and the peat creeps in nicely with the dry, slightly peppery finish. Smooth and pleasant to drink. Would like to try again.


 mgumby10 (1858), Jupiter, Florida, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/103/516/20
Oct 14, 2007  
Courtesy boboski. Pours a slightly hazy caramel brown color, with a small off white head. Smells of big caramel and malts, sweet sugars, and light dark fruits. The mouthfeel is lightly carbonated and almost syrupy. The caramel malts are the most dominant flavor. tastes like a scotch ale. Really smooth and easy drinking. I liked the fact that the biterness was kept to a minimum. Nice sweet finish and lingering aftertaste. Good beer.


 zamco17 (134), Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Oct 12, 2007  
thick rich beer, smells great too. pours deep red brown. best texas beer ive ever had. thanks for the gift


 BBB63 (4232), La Porte, Indiana, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/58/104/516/20
Oct 12, 2007  
Bottle from Marcus and served in my LaChouffe tulip:

Rich flamed maple hue with a fading but never disappearing head and excellent lacing upon the glass work. The aroma ahas notes of walnut, caramel, peat bog, scotch barrels, fig, over ripened dates, tar, tobacco and a soul searching earthiness that benefits the genre to a tee, REALLY NICE and INVITING!

Nice heavy old school malt greets the taster supported by lovely layers of twangy fruit and salty ocean side peat. There is one serious smoky and charred malt towards the finish as well as a hit of star anise, espresso, and wood. Heck you could call this a smoked beer with that wonderful finish. Anyway, the mouth feel is a tad thin for all that flavor but is also oily and yet biting which works nicely to display the best qualities of the brew.

Dudes and ladies, if you want a deep profile and lush layers of flavors, than this is a beer you need to get your hands on. LOVELY! no wait...yes that was it after all, LOVELY!


 hopscotch (5487), Vero Beach, Florida, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/515/20
Oct 12, 2007  
Bottle… Very dark, lightly hazed, burnt orange ale with a small, fizzy, beige head. The vinous, malty aroma offers notes of chocolate, wood, red wine, toasted nuts and vanilla, alongside light smoke phenols. The flavor is woodsy, vinous, smoky and sweet with a hint of vanilla. Alcohol and hop bitterness is an afterthought. Mildly boozy. Medium-bodied with an oily mouthfeel and fizzy carbonation. Chocolaty, vinous, drying finish. Thanks to ughsmash for sending the bottle my way!


 Ty5592 (1015), Lansdale, Pennsylvania, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Sep 23, 2007  
Dark brown/rubyor with small tan head. Dark fruit nose with light bandaid notes. The taste was rich and malty with darkfruit and roasted notes. Sweet, smokey, light bandaid finish. This some goood stuff!


 shigadeyo (2263), Harrison, Ohio, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/104/518/20
Sep 15, 2007    Updated: Sep 22, 2009

Rating #55 for this beer.
. . . . . . . . . .
9/15/2007: Oh yeah! Now this is what I have been craving... Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 4 pours a clear tawny brown color with a scant, foamy head around the edge. The aroma is rich, malty and sweet with dark fruits (rasins and dates), a meaty smokiness (light peat), chocolate and caramelized malt. Carmelized malt and a deep smokiness meld together wonderfully in the slightly dry flavor. This is also a hint of chocolate and tobacco in the flavor as well. The alcohol is well-blended into the flavor and quite warming. This beer has a medium-full body and is very smooth. The carbonation is made up of extremely fine bubbles which create a nice, mellow mouthfeel. This is and excellent beer and pretty much what a good Scotch Ale should be.

12 fl oz. bottle from buckybeer. Thank you Mark! Total Score: 4.1
. . . . . . . . . .

2007 Vintage

9/17/2009: Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 4... Aroma: Rich, deeply caramelized malts; hints of dark fruits; smells like a real, traditional Scotch Ale should! Appearance: Extremely deep brown with some fine sediment in suspension; low carbonation and a fairly non-existent head. Flavor: Wonderfully darkly caramelized malts, a touch of charred wood, good alcohol presence - it’s there but complements the flavor well; a touch of peat and cigar-like smoke and chewy dried apricot in the finsh. Palate: Medium-full, average mouthfeel. Overall: This is a damn solid and damn fine Scotch Ale that tastes like a real, traditional Scotch Ale should taste like!

12 fl. oz. bottle (twist-off cap; "Take no pilsners!") from buckybeer via trade. Thanks Mark! Total Score: 4.2


 TChrome (1299), Bedford, Texas, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/517/20
Sep 14, 2007  
Beer pours clear mahogeny brown color with a dissipating tan colored head. Aroma is very richly malty with some toffee and a light smokiness, no sign of the big ABV in the nose. Flavor is sweet malt with raisins, caramel, and smoke. Finish is dry and spicy. This is a yummy beer and my favorite of the Divine series. I hope it holds up better than #2 which has gone over a cliff.



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