Sixpoint Express

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

[2005 Draft @ Barcade] Poured a murky purple brown color with a small, off white head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of raisins, cocoa, roasted malts, caramel, and a bit of alcohol. Taste of dark fruits, raisins, roast, chocolate, sweet toffee, and a bit more alcohol in the finish.

Draft of 2005 version at Barcade. Orange amber color with pretty much no head. Aroma is hard alcohol, I guess from the maltiness, and some caramel. I thought this was either a barleywine or a whiskey aged beer of some sort. Flavor was the same, not too good.

On tap at the Barcade, 2005 vintage. Color was a little unusal for the style; orange-amber color with smallish head. Aroma was very malty; some fruit and caramel. Flavor was pretty similar. Didn’t pick up on too much spice. Liked it a bit better than the Bolshoi.

BA BBF 06. A bit light in color for a quad, reddish amber as opposed to a very dark brown. Aroma was dark malts, spices, yeast, some fruit. Taste was the same. spices and yeast in the finish.

Hazy dulled apricot in color, raising a shy off-white head. Strong fruitiness goes from pears to apricot, while the gently defined yeast brings forth date squares and French toast nuance. Supporting floral hops. Still fruity on the palate, appearing a bit thin for what it tries to be and not as complex as most, but lovers of high alcohol stuff will likely enjoy the show as the alcohol gains some importance with the liquid warming. Light-medium body with a rather oily edge and very soft carbonation that slowly becomes completely absent. Good.

Sample at EBF 2006. After the horrific Grand Cru, I didn’t know what to expect...thankfully, I could tell almost immediately that this was in a different class: it pours with a bit of lasting head atop a light, hazy amber body....the nose of brown sugar, baked fruits and light alcohol amidst the caramel-brandy center is pleasant....lots of fruity esters, banana and cherry prominent in the decadence, but there isn’t a whole lot besides thick, almost syrupy textures and sweetness....smooth mouthfeel, alcohol not really noticeable in the flavor.

Any first impressions?
-A ring of head surrounds the shrouded placid orange.
-Biscuity malts, strawberries, and syrupy peaches surprise the nostrils.
-Fruity esters abound, offering cherries, cranberries, apples onto a mild caramel formation.
-Carbonation’s somewhat complacent, revealing the body’s relative frailness.

What if you dig deeper?
-Alcohol is well-hidden for that strong of an ale.
-Not that complex at all to my palate, and inferior to the quads I know.
-Watery passages are not appreciated by the liquorous malt sweetness.
-Reminded me of Founders Bad Habit Quad quite a bit; maybe just not my style of quadrupel.

Sampled at Extreme Beer Fest ’06.

Pours brown and tannish like the quads I am used to, but that is where the similarities end. A bit of a floral nose can be detected on this one as can some sweet strawberry like qualities. Tastes of salt water taffee, toffee, caramel and candy apples with an allspice and nutmeg finish. Good, but a bit forced.