Sixpoint Express

Brewed by Sixpoint Craft Ales
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Brooklyn, New York USA

750ml growler via Larry Goldtwins. Thanks Dude! Pours orange with a tan ring. Nose is sweet and rich, and somewhat bland. Taste is sweet and rich and not as hot as the abv would suggest. Its tasty and drinkable but a bit too bland for the style.

Growler from Bierkraft. Pours a cloudy caramel with a tan/white head. Aroma is of vanilla, cinnamon, and oranges. I like it. Medium/heavy body. Sweet malt at the front with a little smokiness and some spice, followed by warming alcohol and then a finish of tart fruit. So far this is my favorite from Sixpoint, although it’s a little outside of the style guidelines.

This is not as dark red as the stanadard Quad. This is the first thing that registers. The aroma is wheat, ceeal grains, spices, clove. The appearance is a hazy orange, white head. The flavor is wheat, orange peel, clove, hops. The finish is maimnly a spiciness left on the palate. Medium body. Decent Quad.

On tap at Bellport Cold Beer and Soda. When I gave my glass to Jeff from Sixpoint to try this beer, I was given a sample that barely covered the bottom of my glass. When I asked him for a bit more, he told me that this was a "strong" beer and I should be careful. Hell, I’m old enough to be this guy’s father! I walked over to Dave’s tap and proceeded to pour myself a proper sample, thank you Dave...pours a hazy golden amber with a moderate off-white head. Very pleasant, sweet smelling aroma filled with brown sugar, caramel and raisins. The flavor is quite similar with again brown sugar, caramel and raisins. I was very pleasantly surprised by the smooth texture and nearly full mouthfeel of this beer, and the lack of the characteristic Sixpoint hops bite at the end. A very nice domestic quad.

Tap @ Gingerman NYC. Hazy amber color with a thin off-white head. Malty and fruity with the smell of an empty box of raisins. Not the paper part but the residue of the skins and fruit. Some notes of oranges comes out with warmth. Taste of browned fruit flesh. Short yeasty spice finish. Sticky with a medium body. Dry finish.

Tap at Barcade: (Sixpoint’s 4th Anniversery Party) Nice muddy brownish/copper pour- cannot see through it at all. Sweet yet rounded aroma- plummy, light vanilla notes and a touch of dark fruit skins. Slick and warming. Sweet and bitter flavor, yet cohesive and well integrated. Honeyish, light vanilla, apparent bitter fruit skins- plum/prunes and a nice smooth bitter fruit skin tannin finish. A balanced and unique rendition of a Belgian Quad. A gentle giant.

Tap at Barcade. This ain’t a quad. Super sweet and peanuty, grainy aroma. Brandy and raspberry notes. Prickly, sweet flavor, perhaps cactus, some honey, with a very thick body. Orange color is not nearly dark enough. Cloying and boozy, couldn’t even finish my pour.

Tap at Barcade. I never thought I’d see these old Sixpoint beers, but here one is. hazy deep orange-brown coloured brew. Very thick creamy persistent head. Aroma is immediately very rich and sweet. Toffee and caramel aroma, dried apricots, plums and a rich cherryish fruitiness. Some nice spicy hops are there in flavour and aroma, but the rich malts are what is really on display. Flavour is quite rich and fruity with some lovely figgy and lightly plummy fruitiness and a soft leathery character. There is a fairly fruity grapey/vineous component on the back of the beer. Fruity and spicy yeast, but not overly so. This treads the line between barleywine and quadrupel, but does so in such an elegant and understated way that it works. The years have been kind to this beer and I hope to see it again.