Ovila Quad - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

russwbeck

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer pours wonderfully into my Ovila Chalice. Deep brown with a small light brown head. The retention is pretty decent, but I wish there was more lacing. 3.5

S: Big dark fruit hints with a nice roasty undertone lead to a pretty sweet aroma. The booze is not noted in any way. 4

T: The taste has the balance I would expect from these two breweries, just outstanding. The dark fruits provide the base for the roast and sweetness to explode. The booze really is not even there. Clean taste and finish as the fruits take you home. 4.5

MF: Heavy body with a lower than average amount of carbonation. The crisp, clean finish really bolsters the drinkability of this already well-balanced beer. 4.5

O: This beer almost certainly will age well. The sweetness is doing a lot of work here, and most likely would shine with a few years on it. Really glad I picked this up. I can't wait to try the barrel aged versions. 4

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 21:33:22 | More by russwbeck

beertardis

Rhode Island

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

06-15-2013 01:20:35 | More by beertardis

ypsifly

Michigan

3.1/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

12.7 oz corked and caged bottle poured into a chalice.

Dark, heavy brown with a noisy foamy head of rich tan that settles down leaving a slight foamy ring. A nice island of carbonation forms in the middle with wispy tendrils.

The rich nose of dark fruits, belgian yeast with notes of spice fills the room. I'm really liking the nose. I get a faint whiff of the abv when sniffing up close, but you can smell those plums and yeast from a distance. They got the aromas right on this one.

The taste is, sadly, not as interesting. Malty upfront with some plum and then an astringent aftertaste with lots of alcohol. It was like I was going down the road and made an unexpected wrong turn into someplace unexpected and bad. That's the best way I can put it. I think this shouldn't be drank fresh. The alcohol flavors just knock everything off balance.

The mouth is a bit thin and the alcohol leaves a slight burn. Not liking the mouth.

Overall, this started out with much promise but went south quickly. The nose is amazing, but the latter atributes just didn't hold up. Having said all of that, I am buying another bottle or two as I think this might be a good candidate for cellaring. Once that heat dies back some other flavors may develop and be allowed to come through.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2013 03:54:29 | More by ypsifly

Gschaf

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -24.2%

06-13-2013 15:32:38 | More by Gschaf

Pensfan0782

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -24.2%

06-12-2013 22:44:25 | More by Pensfan0782

JayQue

Virginia

3.69/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Good take on an American version of a Quad. SN got the richness, the dark fruit and yeastiness. A bit weak on the spices and overall complexity. Pours a dense brown with very little light getting in. Head is about right, delicate bubbles, fairly small with a quick fade (like most Quads). Minimal lacing.

Good aroma of dark fruit and malt. A bit light on the spices.

Taste is pretty good. It is rich, the dark fruit, presence of Belgian yeast and malts are just right. Could use more spices, a little candi sugar to add to the mix.

Mouthfeel is rich witha light alcohol bite. Just right

Overall not bad. I would drinkk this one again. Just not up there with the better Belgians.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 13:41:11 | More by JayQue

Fargrow

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -17.9%

06-11-2013 02:32:28 | More by Fargrow

mychalg9

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1%

06-11-2013 00:24:17 | More by mychalg9

tomholland

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

06-08-2013 01:50:06 | More by tomholland

monkehthecat

California

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%

06-02-2013 08:05:44 | More by monkehthecat

anhigdon

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

05-27-2013 22:36:10 | More by anhigdon

Spaz7

California

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-24-2013 21:02:46 | More by Spaz7

amcaleh

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%

05-23-2013 18:06:53 | More by amcaleh

Dave7500kl

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +19.9%

05-16-2013 23:37:36 | More by Dave7500kl

maximum12

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this recently at a beer dinner & went back for seconds, thirds, & fourths, so figured I better buy a bottle for myself & sample it under less trying circumstances...was it really that good? Huh. 12.7 oz. bottle consumed after a wild weather day - 99 today, 24 yesterday. Why, yes, I do live in Minnesota.

Pour is a respectably dark syrup color with adequate carbonation. Nose is aggressive & lovely: overbearingly sweet malts, squashed plums, deep Belgian candy. If you have diabetes, shy away.

Ovila Quad brings some life to what can be a quiet, staid style. The trappings of office are visible: heady sweet, candied sugar, lovely spiced yeast, fathomless malts that drift into the sphere of caramel. Plums accent the entire hot chuss with aplomb, slicing into its sugary heart & providing a lovely counterweight. Alcohol waggles its hips at me after several sips: wooo. Spiciness on the finish builds too, & provides a blanket of comfort after a sip is through. I'm curling this like I've been main-lining Creatine.

Put my name down as a fan. When I first saw 'quad' & 'plums' on the label my first thought was 'bloody fucking blasphemy'. Now it's 'yum'. This is an excellent beer, & I'll be tracking down a four pack for future consumption.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 02:50:44 | More by maximum12

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1%

05-12-2013 20:06:17 | More by BeerForMuscle

JamesStreet

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +1%

05-10-2013 19:33:29 | More by JamesStreet

cadaugherty

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-09-2013 00:02:09 | More by cadaugherty

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1%

05-03-2013 00:46:10 | More by ummswimmin

reitzbrewing

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

05-01-2013 01:35:37 | More by reitzbrewing

minterro

Michigan

4/5  rDev +1%

04-29-2013 01:21:31 | More by minterro

FlussigkeitMut

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

04-28-2013 21:34:46 | More by FlussigkeitMut

mrebeka

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

04-28-2013 15:41:18 | More by mrebeka

coldriver

Texas

4/5  rDev +1%

04-28-2013 00:37:55 | More by coldriver

HipHopinHooligan13

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%

04-27-2013 23:55:26 | More by HipHopinHooligan13