Urthel Samaranth - De Leyerth Brouwerijen (Urthel)

Blindpigbiz

California

3.98/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Smell: dark chocolate with heavy malts and butter carry thoroughgoing one's olfactory senses

Taste: very heavy dark fruits--ripened plums specifically--with powdered sugar, malty hints throughout, and a warm bourbon spice carries during the duration of this beers life in your mouth

PAIR with a funnel cake and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, or with a pretentious hamburger

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2013 21:58:04 | More by Blindpigbiz

haazer

Pennsylvania

4.01/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A - A iced tea brown looking brew. Darker by the head, and lighter at the base. The head pours to 1 1/2 fingers of condensed tan foam. Lasts in a 1/4 " layer for some time.

S - Strong smell of dark fruit on first whiff. Plums and raisins mostly, a bit of caramel, and Belgian yeast.

T - A wonderful blend of plum, molasses, carmelized malts and the right balance of sweetness. The yeast makes its presence known and adds another level of complexity. The booze is well masked here but warming to say the least.

M - Mouthfeel is just right. Between a medium and heavy body, and mid level carbonation. Pretty drinkable for the punch this packs honestly.

O - I thoroughly enjoyed this quad. The nose didn't live up to the taste but that'd be my biggest complaint. Great complex flavor, awesome mouthfeel. A case of this could probably last forever but a 4 pack would be a great pickup.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2013 22:22:48 | More by haazer

MShirokov

Illinois

3.64/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Not bad. The main thing this beer had going for it was a distinctly "nutty" aftertaste, which I found interesting. Other than that it kinda tastes like "normal beer" which isn't bad at all, but I was expecting a much more complicated flavor from a "quadrupel."

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 15:05:00 | More by MShirokov

pjwilson

California

4.38/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

First days of spring. 750 poured into Chimay chalice.

A: lighter than expected. Amber brown. Nice thin head and fizzy carbonation.

S: nice Carmel and plums

T: classic dubbel taste. Raisins, figs and hints of Apricot.
No alcohol at all

M: very light smooth and drinkable

O: this is a winner for sure. Nice take on the style that is different than the Trappists.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 23:08:18 | More by pjwilson

DJoe

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had the Urthel Samaranth Quadrum Ale from a bottle, poured into a tulip glass.

Appearance was smooth: chocolate brown, with a 1.5 finger head

Aroma was great. Mixture of chocolately sweetness and alcohol.

Mouthfeel was spiked a bit by the high alcohol content

Taste: definitely a sipper. Strong alcohol is notable but not overwheliming. Some obviously hints of chocolate and caramel. Well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 02:36:06 | More by DJoe

thierrynantes

France

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer bottle (33 cl.) purchased from Bières & Chopes, and tasted in 2013.

Appearance : dark amber color, with tan foamy head.
Smell : sherry and wood aromas.
Taste & mouthfeel : sweet, with roasted malts and caramel, alcohol presence in finish.
Drinkability : a nice beer in the Belgian style Quadrupel.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 20:11:15 | More by thierrynantes

endovelico

Portugal

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Samaranth is a Quadrupel in the vein of other heavy, alcoholic, mead-sweet Belgian brews such as Gulden Draak and Kasteel. Despite the 11.5% ABV, the alcohol isn't that protuberant, but this is more to the credit of the cosmetic effect of the abundant sweetness.

The ubiquitous notes of raisin, toffee and caramel make themselves noticed aswell as notes of orange zest, anise and clove. Within the Quad style, this beer is to the aforementioned Belgian monsters what the West Flanders Ale style is to the Oud Bruin style. A profile more geared towards caramel and dried fruits notes as opposed to dark fruit.

Overall, a great brew but not quite as refined as the elite of the style. The aroma needs some sophistication, the taste could use a bit more complexity and the carbonation is plainly just off.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 23:06:18 | More by endovelico

searsclone

Arizona

3.95/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

poured from a bottle into a chalice

hazy reddish honey caramel color with diminishing head

smell is burnt coffee, burnt sugar, roasted and smokey malts, and alcohol

taste is dark fruits, roasted malts, spices, sour yeast, alcohol and a buttery finish.

mouthfeel is crispy and sharp, medium body with a long finish of warming alcohol.

overall, slightly to bitter for my taste with a huge alcohol warmth finish. I have another bottle of this that I am saving, hopefully time will help balance it out.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 20:10:17 | More by searsclone

eric5bellies

Australia

4.23/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Drank from my St Bernardus chalice

A - Pours a clear dark nutmeg colour with an off white head that retains well and laces

S - Heavy malts and dark fruits

T - Up front some nice dark fruits and malt followed by spice and raisins. There is also fig present with a very slight boozy finish.

M - Medium body and carbonation. smooth

O - Really good example of the style and very well balanced with hoidden alcohol. Reminds me of the Pannepeut but a little more refined.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 16:12:13 | More by eric5bellies

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy, deep copper color with one finger of foamy khaki head with speckles of sediment leaving a creamy layer of lacing throughout the beer.

The scent is of apple, yeast, sweet bready malt, and peppery alcohol.

The taste is of sweet bready malt, dark fruit, yeast and peppery warming alcohol.

Medium body, very creamy with a prickliness from the alcohol, low carbonation.

This was a pretty flavorful beer, the alcohol presence is overpowering at times but it is still tasty.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 20:38:07 | More by BeerCon5

DavidST

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 33cl bottle into a goblet, coded bottle date. This pours a cloudy yeast filled tea brown color with a small thin tan head which quickly dissipates to a thin film. The smells are very fruity and malty, you get a load of ripe dark fruit, some cherries, a little Belgian funk and brown sugar. The feel is medium with a creamy high carbonination. The taste is good enough, the alcohol is very present and you get some heat, besides that there are dark fruit, candied sugar, malts.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 01:19:59 | More by DavidST

drpimento

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured at a good temperature with a nice, cream-colored head that slowly settled. Color is a clear red amber with lots of bubble trails. Aroma is malt, fruit, a bit of brandy. Flavor's like nose, mainly sweet with some back tang and bitter; also hint of fish. Body and carbonation are good. Finish is like flavor, boozy, and of average length.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 00:52:56 | More by drpimento

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A gift from a local publican, I have had this in standby for a few months and this seemed like a good time to open it.

From the bottle: "Traditionally Top Fermented And Bottle Conditioned Amber Special Ale"; "Dutch with a Flemish Touch".

I employed a very gentle pour as lees were visible in the bottom of the bottle. This resulted in a dearth of head, but a very clean, deep-amber liquid with NE-quality clarity. Nose had a dried, dark-fruitiness to it, like prunes, raisins and figs, very apropos for this time of the year. There was also a yeast-driven mustiness and a definite alcohol burn noticeable on the nose. Mouthfeel was medium and my first thought was "Brown Sugar!" thanks to it s massive malt presence on the tongue. Phew! Next, I got some real heat from the alcohol and once that passed, the fruity esters really asserted themselves. Warming, the fruitiness became even more prevalent and so did the heat. The finish was extremely dry, thanks to the yeast really having done its job. I would bet that there was not much in the way of fermentable sugars when all was said and done. My my my. Many thanks for the hook-up!

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 22:50:09 | More by woodychandler

Zorro

California

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Clear light brown colored ale with a small yellowish tan colored head.

Smells malty and strongly of raisin and fig. Strong brown sugar and fruit this has a bit of fruitcake aroma to it. Spicy ethanol caries a pepper scent. Slight grape but a stronger brandy aroma.

Starts out neutral and woody with a brown sugar after taste. Fruity and on the sweet side has a distinct earthy flavor. Tasty with lots flavor, fig shows up after awhile. Could be a little more complex but it nails the style perfectly.

Mouthfeel is full.

Overall very tasty! Very much a sipper and quite good. Not the best Quad but I would never refuse a glass of this.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 01:26:25 | More by Zorro

bump8628

Oklahoma

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Well-aged bottle - 2 years old, a local store had them on clearance for $1.99 each so I grabbed a few. Cloudy dark amber with two fingers of creamy khaki head. Nice and rich while maintaining a quenching dryness. Toffee, gingerbread, plums, figs, and slightly charred sugar. Mild hop bitterness puts the balance toward the malt side. Alcohol is noticeable, but lends just a subtle warming quality that is quite pleasant on a fall evening.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 23:37:12 | More by bump8628

draheim

Washington

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750mL (cork: 42/08; label: 14:38 K1L8) into a chalice. Pours a crystal-clear dark amber w/ a 1-finger head, vigorous carb. Not just lace, but a thin uniform residual film remains on the inside of the glass.

Aroma is bready malt, dark stone fruit, spices.

Taste is smooth and super dry. Fermented dark fruits, grapes, Belgian yeast, warm booze.

Mouthfeel is dry and clean, velvety.

Overall a solid, drinkable quad.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 05:19:07 | More by draheim

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Review from 9/2010 notes. Poured into a Nostradamus flute glass. Pours a nice dark orange-red amber. Minimal head and lacing. Aroma of sweet malt, Belgian spicing. Medium bodied with some creaminess. Dark and sweet fruits, malt. Somewhat dry at the very first, blending into malts and fruits. Sweet and dry finish. Very complex and tasty. Alcohol a bit forward, detracting from the overall experience. Still a very nice and tasty quad.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 19:25:27 | More by LiquidAmber

Arborescence

Finland

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Cloudy, brownish, pours a dense creamy head with a brown tint. Not so pretty, murky even, but intriguing...

Aroma: Toffee, cardamom, currants, very interesting!

Taste: Cardamom type flavour with burnt sugar and dried fruit. Alcohol kicks in strong in the aftertaste, but lots of malt too.

Mouthfeel: Lights carbonation, a little soupy, heavy body. Thick, but not too heavy.

Overall: It's really a little bit too sweet for me, but certainly different and interesting.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 04:45:22 | More by Arborescence

Neorebel

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a ruddy amber color into my Belgian glass, with a 1" off white, foamy head. Some haziness. Great lacing as the beer went down. The nose of this one is very citrusy, with tangerine, lemon, and sweet grapefruit notes to it. When drank, a huge malt flavor dominates, with sweet candy, apple, dark fruits (raisin and fig), molasses, and cherries. Very yeasty as well with only a slight spiciness. The ABV is warming, yet perceived as not too boozy. It's full bodied and it coats the palate very well. Overall, I would say this is very tasty and enjoyable, but not on the same tier as say the St. Bernadeus Abt 12 or Rochefort. Could use some more balanced complexity as this is primarily just very sweet and fruitier than the other quads I have had.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 16:45:20 | More by Neorebel

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle served in trappistes rochefort glass.

pours a rich, hazy, deep reddish amber tone with less than a finger of head; moderate lacing.

in the nose, sweet was my first thought; dark fruits, yeast, subdued spice, and at 11% abv, of course the alcohol is in there as well. taste largely follows the nose. good but not great, not up there with my favorite quads. not as complex as perhaps i was hoping. more malt than i picked up in the smell and an almost (but not quite) cloying sweetness vaguely remimiscent of a barleywine, but by no means is this a dealbreaker. to me, just an example of what separates a good quad from a great one.

medium-modied, low carbonation. drinkability is average to slightly above - will finish the bottle but that will be enough.

original review on: 07-19-2010

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 20:44:20 | More by BostonHops

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.55/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served from tap into a Trappe Door tulip. Poured red-orange with a two finger off-white head that subsided to one finger very slowly. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, bread, fruit, spices, and vanilla. The flavor was of sweet malt, fruit, dark chocolate, bread, wood, and vanilla. It had a light feel on the palate with mild carbonation which gave it an almost creamy texture. Overall this was a pretty decent brew. To be honest, there were quite a few notes that I was not expecting in this one. The vanilla note was definitely the biggest surprise to me. Granted it did add a nice touch to the other flavors there, but it just felt a little lackluster overall to me. While good, it just felt a little off to be labeled as a good brew. Worth trying if you get the chance, but that is about it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2012 11:00:05 | More by thagr81us

superspak

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

11.2 ounce bottle into chalice; bottle code K08E8. Pours super clody reddish brown color with a small 1 finger fairly dense khaki head with good retention that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Slight spotty lacing on the glass; with a decent amount of carbonation streaming up. Aromas of big molasses, caramel, dark candi sugar, pepper, fig, raisin, toffee, and light yeast spices. Big malty aromas here with a good amount of complexity. Taste of big caramel, toffee, molasses, raisin, prune, dark candi sugar, pepper, roasted nut, biscuit, and light yeast spices. Lingering notes of molasses, caramel, toffee, dark fruit, and roasted nut on the finish for a while. Great flavor balance with no cloying sweetness at all. Medium carbonation and full bodied; with a very creamy and slick mouthfeel that is fantastic. Very smooth to drink but is still definitely a sipper. Alcohol is extremely well hidden with only a slight warming after the finish noticed. Overall this is an outstanding quad. Big flavor, complexity, and balance. Very smooth and highly enjoyable to sip on.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 04:41:09 | More by superspak

Ricelikesbeer

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Reviewing from memory; I drank this one last night for easter. The cork was nearly impossible to get out of the beer by hand, I had to use a wine opener. 11.5 abv is pretty burly, I'm suprised how this one turned out.

A:

Light brown appeared to be unfiltered with some slight yeast haze. Medium carbonation, settled quickly in my delirium goblet.

S: Figs, dark fruits, and plenty of sugar aromas. Some slight breadiness from the Malt. Smells like cooked brown sugar.

T: Plenty of sugary flavors up front, and lots of complexity. There is a range of pit fruits, toffee and sugary sweetness, and even some rummy alcoholic flavors. There is a long, lingering booziness, but it is not hot or solvent, just a warming sensation in your mouth and head. Their is enough bitterness/dryness to balance this monster out, but just barely.

M:

Beer has a nice fluffy/ ligher sensation in your mouth, and doesn't come across very thick or syrupy like some strong darks out there. The mouthfeel lends to the drinkability and finish of the beer.

D:

This is definitely an after-dinner type sipper, or a dessert beer, but it is still balanced and drinkable despite it's high abv and complexity. I would reccommed this to anyone who likes big beers or belgian strong darks. Might be my favorite Urthel beer so far.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 17:23:11 | More by Ricelikesbeer

BeardedRiker

Texas

3.6/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

It's still my birthday so it's time for me to drink a beer that my brother and his girlfriend got me. How many quads have I drank in my whole life? I bet I could count them on one hand, if that.

I poured the Samaranth into my goblet, bringing up a little off-white head that fizzed away very quickly. The beer is a lovely clear bronze. A fair amount of bubbles rise to the top throughout drinking.

She smells of sweet apples, white grapes, plum, and intense caramel sweetness. There is a breadiness in there as well, like a sweet bread (not to be confused with sweetbread).

Wow, this is sweet as Hell, if Hell was like a candy store. All of the fruits I mentioned, it's as if they were all sugared and then put into a carbonated beer. It's so sweet it's as if honey was poured in. Caramel malt! It's definitely boozy, which makes it have a warmth, but you can barely taste it because of the sweetness.

Medium-bodied with medium carbonation. The insane sweetness makes the mouth slick on the cheeks and sticky on the tongue.

I'm sorry, but this just isn't my style. I'm not sure what else to say. I hate to give a rating that's so below the average, but if I don't like it, what the heck else am I supposed to do?

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 05:07:19 | More by BeardedRiker

sfprint

Germany

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

exp March 2013
A: Short head, dark hazy thick chestnut brown, gloating bits of sediment, slow rising single bubble columns of carbonation.
S: Mild, slightly sweet scent, plum
T: A little tart, flavors hang back which i find pleasing. slight plasticy edge, but otherwise a very nice quad, implied lemon.
M: Alc astringent tartness, low carbonation, but thick.
O: Good for a quad, but i'm not in love.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 16:20:00 | More by sfprint