4 Calling Birds - The Bruery

alexgash

Connecticut

3.89/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle.

Dark cola brown body. Solid finger of dense, khaki brown head. Nice lacing. Big, bold nose. Lots of sweet, candied fruits mixed with chocolate licorice, gingerbread, root beer, and Tootsie Rolls. Hints of various spices as well. Very Christmas-y.

Sweet, fruity malt up front. Caramel and gingerbread sweetness fill in. Maybe a little cola. Becomes a little more chocolate-y with notes of licorice, root beer, vanilla, and maybe cinnamon. Rummy, warming finish, with light roasted malt and dark chocolate bitterness. Full-bodied, syrupy feel. On the sweet side, and definitely more appropriate for cold wintry nights!

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 01:10:17 | More by alexgash

Etan

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

750ml into a snifter.

A: Pours a blackish-brown with a small head of coarse light tan bubbles.

S: Charred ginger, heavy all-spice, licorice, dark bread. Smells like a slightly burnt gingerbread cookie.

T: Cola, gingerbread, cinnamon, slightly astringent roasted grain, molasses, warming booze (slightly fusel), dark chocolate, banana-like esters.

M: Thick-bodied with very light carbonation. Very syrupy.

O: Definitely reminiscent of gingerbread, but the roasted malt could be toned down a bit. This beer is just too syrupy, sweet, and spiced to handle more than a few ounces of.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 01:07:21 | More by Etan

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.53/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Pours a solid dark brown with faint garnet highlights at the edges and a huge fluffy tan head that recedes to lace on the sides of the glass. Aroma's of holiday spices, thick caramel and molasses with a slight fruity twang. The spice character for me is quite strong and overpowers most of the nose, but I actually think it is starting to tame a bit from the first time I had this brew. The flavor is sweet and malty up front with lots of thick sugar, caramel, and molasses. The spices and yeasty flavors provide a nice balance midway through before a shot of ethanol hits that I can trace moving down my throat. Sweet lingering sugary gingerbread house sits on the palette like gum drops long after every sip. Thick body with a sweet somewhat syrupy mouthfeel, and a light to moderate level of carbonation. I think I enjoyed this a lot better than when this was fresher, I think the flavors have come together a little bit better. This is no two turtle doves, but I enjoyed sipping on it for a while.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 23:40:49 | More by johnnnniee

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.2/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a very dark russet amber with a one finger fine tan head with great retention and lacing. Inviting aroma of molasses, dark fruit, bready malt and cinnamon. Flavor of dark fresh and dried fruit, molasses, nuts, sweet and a touch of toasted malt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Medium bodied with some creaminess. I did not review this fresh, but now it has taken on a mellow, well integrated flavor that is very nice. The spicing is very winter holiday, but done witghh the rit touch. I liked the balance of dark fruit and malts. This Is my favorite so far of this series, and of course I only got one bottle this time. Figures.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 03:30:52 | More by LiquidAmber

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.81/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

The beer is chestnut brown with a thin beige collar. The aroma offers brown bread, yeast, holiday spices, cinnamon. Thinner than I expected. Slightly sweet with notes of molasses, hints of dark fruit. A touch of alcohol in the finish. Lingering bready yeast. Pretty tasty.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 00:53:25 | More by Huhzubendah

yamar68

Minnesota

3.53/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pretty damn dark for the style - a frothy finger of pale brown head retains well, leaving its mark above and beneath.

Root beer, ginger, birch syrup, caramel spice, molasses, brown sugar... meh...

Tastes like an xmas beer. Figs or dates with some of that root beer and molasses. Belgian yeast buried in here somewhere. Nutmeg... cardamom... shit like that.

I'm all for the long term vertical idea but why not release tried and true cellar beers instead of awkward spiced Belgians - Stone, Bruery, let's do BA stouts or sours or something from now on.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 21:50:26 | More by yamar68

ThickNStout

Georgia

3.39/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

750mL bottle from Luekens Liquors online. 14.99. Bottled late 2011. Served in a Wild Heaven snifter.

Pours deep chestnut hued brown with one and a half fingers of ecru head.

Smells tart and funky with a strange note of decay and more subtle sweet hints of nutmeg, ginger and bran muffins.

That tart/sour note is still pretty big in the taste but doesn't cover underlying layers of gingerbread, plums, currants, nutmeg, raisin bread, cinnamon, caramel and an almost chocolate sweetness toward the finish. A healthy dose of booze but not quite as much as I'd expected. There is a whole lot going on in this beer.

Medium full feel and approaching creamy with mild but fizzy carbonation. Long semi sour, chocolatey gibgerbread funk finish.

An interesting brew for sure. I think I'd have rated it much higher if not for the strange sour aspects (particulary in the nose) and the almost too thick aftertaste. Despite it's faults I enjoyed it and think it might even continue to age well as long as the sour doesn't take over.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 05:05:08 | More by ThickNStout

nimrod979

Maryland

3.8/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle. I usually save them for a year and crack em open when the new year's beer comes out. I was a little later getting to this one.

Appearance: Very dark brown with a thin beige head. Almost no retention and no lacing.

Aroma: Non-descript spices, perhaps ginger and nutmeg. dark fruit, estery belgian sugars, chocolate and an interesting sourness.

Taste: Dark fruits, plum and raisin, figs, sweet malts, some caramel. Hints of nutmeg and ginger. A slight sourness going on. Lingering chocolatey finish. Plenty of interesting flavors going on. The beer is a tad sweet with a little bit of a boozey presence, and I think one pour is certainly enough, but still enjoyable.

Mouthfeel: Slick mouthfeel, medium-full body with very very soft carbonation. Some booze, but no burn. Interesting. Decent.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 02:42:09 | More by nimrod979

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.81/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bottle opened on 1.14.13

A - Pours a dark cola brown with a huge 2 and a half inche light brown-tan head that fades slowly.

S - Ginger bread cookie, cloves, cinnamon.

T - Booze, oak, ginger bread, chocolate.

D - Good carbonation with a medium body with a bitter finish.

O - Very Christmasy, a boozed up ginger bread man.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 06:31:58 | More by HuskyinPDX

dirtylou

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle, split, served in de koninck chalice

Dark, murky and full of floaters. Spicy, rich dark fruit, booze-forward. Nothing particularly interesting about this beer - the previous beers in this seemed better. A little medicinal in the finish - this one is only going downhill from here, drink up.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 00:51:55 | More by dirtylou

tdm168

North Carolina

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

Thanks to jtd1969 for sharing this one.

A - dark blackish brown with a thin brown head that has little retention

S - funky Belgian yeast, dark fruit, faint sugar, faintly tart

T - dark fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, faint roasted malts, bittersweet, faint burnt sugar, faint bitter finish

M - full bodied, a bit warm, some alcohol, well carbonated

This is a nice beer. It has some unique qualities and the use of spices was well done. At times it was a bit sweet and sugary and the alcohol was noticeable in the finish, but otherwise it was a nice sipper that is definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 23:22:33 | More by tdm168

dbrauneis

New Jersey

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

A: Pours a clear very dark mahogany in color with light to moderate amounts of gentle visible carbonation near the surface of the beer and a fair amount of garnet red highlights. The beer has a finger tall dark tan head that quickly fades to a small patch of very thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Minimal amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of dark fruits and malts with a bunch of spices - licorice/anise really stands out but there are more subtle aromas of nutmeg and cinnamon.

T: Upfront there is a malty flavor with more than a touch of dark fruit flavors followed by a light amount of sweetness. There are moderate amounts of spices including anise/licorice, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

M: Slightly heavier than medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth.

O: For as big a beer as this is, the alcohol is really well hidden. This beer is pretty easy to drink and there is a good amount of complexity to the flavor and smell.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 01:50:34 | More by dbrauneis

largadeer

Kentucky

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

750ml bottle aged for 1 year. As a gingerbread inspired beer, this more or less hits the mark. The body is a hazy dark brown topped by two fingers of dense, clinging froth. The nose is heavy on molasses, tart dark fruit and caramelized banana, with an undertone of spice. A year of aging has caused the spices to drop off considerably; I remember them being almost overwhelming when the beer was fresh. Nutmeg seems the dominant spice now, with a touch of ginger. On the palate it's still somewhat boozy and could probably benefit from another year of age. Banana and dark fruit esters wash the palate first, followed by rich molasses and a slightly astringent and bitter kick of nutmeg and allspice. Sweetness is moderate, not cloying by any means, and there's a sturdy dark malt backbone that does taste a hell of a lot like gingerbread. The finish grows a bit harsh after a while, making it a chore to drink more than one pour. Further aging may improve this. As it stands, it's a solid but flawed beer. If I had any more bottles, I'd give them at least another year.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 00:06:42 | More by largadeer

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

2.05/5  rDev -46.3%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Dark brown. Head is quick to fizzle out into an amoeba shaped skim.

Smells rancid. Slightly rotten, fermenting dark fruit to be exact. Very potent nutmeg and cinnamon on top of that trash heap.

Brute force, Ronnie Coleman strong gingerbread spices with that same fermenting dark cassis, elderberry and soggy tobacco in back. Yuck.

A double drain pour. My wife and I have a tradition of drinking the previous years Christmas Bruery offering while opening gifts. After dumping 3 French Hens we said 4 Calling Birds would be our last if it went down the drain...

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 16:01:13 | More by donkeyrunner

brewdude1982

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This was a 750 ml poured into a snifter.

It pours a dark brown with a tan head and tiny bubbles. Good carbonation. Decent lacing. It smells sweet with a figs or cantaloupe. It tastes malty which immediately dissapates into sweet and then finally into some of the spices. It has medium body. I would recommend to anyone into darker belgiums.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 20:23:21 | More by brewdude1982

bigaltemple

Colorado

2.85/5  rDev -25.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Pours dark brown, and appears almost black in the glass. Two-finger, dark tan head becomes a thin cap, but shows good retention. Hit and miss spots of lacing.

S - Plenty going on here, but it just comes across a little too jumbled for me. Heavy dosing of spices, with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and lots of malt.

T/M - Much like the nose, a lot of spicing that just doesn't come together for me. The aftertaste is the same, and lasts way too long. Mouthfeel is actually decent, with a full body, and just prickly enough carbonation.

O - Don't plan on drinking again, unless all twelve are in front of me.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 04:18:30 | More by bigaltemple

kylehay2004

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: almost no head on a deep dark amber brown body.

S: lots of dark fruit including raisin, plum, fig and cocoa with a nice dark chocolate and vanilla presence. hint of gingerbread and roasted malts.

T: dark chocolate, vanilla, dark molasses, light peppers, dark fruit mostly plum and strawberry, roasted malts, well hidden booze, tart and as usual very complex

M: fairly thin for what I was expecting. moderate carbonation. not very dry for the style.

Overall: this one is really drinkable, more so than I would think. Definitely very complex

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 03:45:12 | More by kylehay2004

nickfl

Florida

4.3/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours with a small head of light tan foam on top of an opaque, dark brown body. The head settles fairly quickly but leads decent traces of lace on the glass.

S - Graham cracker and chocolate, with some roasted nuts, caramel, and ginger.

T - Spicy chocolate up front with caramel and bready malt. Some clove and ginger in the middle with a bit of vanilla, and more chocolate in the finish.

M - A moderately thick body, average carbonation, and a reasonably dry finish.

D - Nicely done, this beer doesn't sound good to me when I read the description, but it is actually very good. The spices and malt blend better than I would have ever expected and it is oddly drinkable for a beer of this strength.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 03:41:41 | More by nickfl

jsanford

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very dark mahogany with a dense ivory head that settles to a thin haze with a thick ring and soapy lacing. Nice aromas of dark fruit, Belgian yeast, raisins, red wine, and French oak barrels. Taste is really close to the nose, more dark Belgian flavors backed up by a sizeable amount of oak and red wine. Surprised by the wine character, but it's certainly pleasant. Mouthfeel is fairly slick, with a medium-full body and lowish carbonation. Solid addition to the Christmas beer line-up, but nothing too crazy.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 03:02:29 | More by jsanford

draheim

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750mL into a tulip. Pours a deep cola brown w/ a thick oily head that settles like root beer foam.

Aroma is fruity, malty, spicy with an oaky tartness in the background.

Taste is rich and dense. Gingerbread spice, sweet dark malt, fermented fruit, oak, molasses, brown sugar, and warm booze.

Mouthfeel is thick and chewy, sticky.

Overall a dense, complex holiday brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 04:40:39 | More by draheim

russwbeck

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed directly after having it on-tap at the Rusitco Festivus event.

Less head than the tap version, still no lacing. The aroma is a bit more balanced. Sweeter, less spicy. The taste follows the smell in being more balanced. The cask makes this a lot better, my guess is the barrel aged version would actually be pretty good as the barrel effects seem to curb the sub-par taste of the beer. The body is heavier, with less carbonation. Something I would expect from a cask offering. I enjoyed it a lot more this way, which surprised me. Still a bit disappointed overall.

Serving type: cask

08-27-2012 01:59:16 | More by russwbeck

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared by Pino, 750ml into some tulips.

Pours almost black with a purplish tinge. Tan head, light retention and some good lace. Nose is fairly typical of a dark Belgian ale, along with some nutmeg, cinnamon (gingerbread-y as the label suggests). Loads of aromas that remind me of Christmas. Taste has some dark fruits, more nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and Christmas cookies. Good mouthfeel, filling. Minimal alcohol. A very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 05:03:38 | More by liamt07

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from ladyofmuchbeer

Deep brown colour, ring of off white head, some lace. Smell is spicy with liquorice or more specifically nibs candy, gingerbread and nutmeg, some darker fruit and touches of yeast, a fairly big malt presence is there as well, very much a christmas beer. Taste is also quite spicy, gingerbread and big dark malts, cinnamon, nutmeg, belgian yeastiness mid palate, fruit and liquorice finish and aftertaste. Lightly carbonated, full body, good feel. Nice spicy belgian here, not over the top but super well done, alcohol nowhere to be found in this on either.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 21:29:20 | More by peensteen

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at Teresa's, Wayne, PA

Served in a tulip glass, a dark brown color, nearly opaque, with a small ringlet of bubbles for a head. Aroma isn't quite full, but there were still definite notes of coffee, chocolate, molasses, and light spice. Taste follows the nose, coffee, semi-sweet chocolate, molasses and burnt sugar, Jager-like licorice essence, lighter hints of spicy gingerbread and fruitcake. Medium body, fairly chewy, a bit artificial and candyish all over. Not bad, but not really something I'd go out of the way for. Aka, a typical Bruery beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2012 23:52:54 | More by Rifugium

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A bit beyond its prime, but oh well. The first thing I notice is that initially it smells like Great Lakes Christmas Ale. Lots of ginger and cinnamon upfront, but I get strong notes of dry woody oak as well. For a winter-type beer, I want sweet and spice, but its just not enough. I get a good bit of Belgian yeast, but that doesnt help it out. Theyve got the foundation for what should be a fantastic beer, but they need more oomph. it gets better as it warms; becomes more sweet and palatable.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 03:10:32 | More by VncentLIFE