4 Calling Birds - The Bruery

Metalmonk

North Carolina

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

Damn this beer looks amazing. Color is the abyss where black and darkest brown fight it out. The head is a foamy, creamy toasty tan color. It doesn't last long, no doubt in part because it's an 11-percenter, but it sure looks good while it's there.

Interesting aroma, a tough one to call. Some generic holiday spicing that defies easy description, it's herbal, a bit minty, kind of candy-like, and doesn't offer much in the way of the big malt presence that surely has to be here (given color and ABV).

While the aroma seems a bit elusive, 4 Calling Birds lays down a decisive flavor. Not a normal one, but a decisive one. There are definitely elements of gingerbread here, as promised on the label, and a wide variety of spices emerge too, including anise, clove, and allspice. Candied fruit and honey are detected in the sweet layer that dominates this beer, but thankfully it just escapes being overly sweet. Definite chocolate vibe throughout. Overall this beer is like a liquid interpretation of the German holiday dessert bread, Lebkuchen.

Luscious in feel. Absolutely luscious. A smooth, velvety, totally fantastic texture that I'd rather sink into and enjoy than try and describe further. It just IS. Oh yeah.

I've liked all the Bruery holiday beers...too much to cellar them for a decade or so, as the series is designed. C'mon, seriously, who's got that kind of time? I'm no believer in Mayan prophecy or other such nonsense, but seriously, it's about the present tense, and this one tastes really good, right now.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 00:08:39 | More by Metalmonk

PEIhop

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

06-18-2013 23:38:23 | More by PEIhop

DeutschesBier

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

06-07-2013 14:37:07 | More by DeutschesBier

savagepm

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

06-06-2013 01:22:40 | More by savagepm

craftbeerasian

Florida

4/5  rDev +4.7%

05-30-2013 22:22:45 | More by craftbeerasian

blguillen

California

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

05-29-2013 20:35:57 | More by blguillen

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

beernads

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

05-17-2013 08:03:11 | More by beernads

moonknight31

California

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

05-14-2013 22:07:54 | More by moonknight31

drlovemd87

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

05-10-2013 16:59:58 | More by drlovemd87

blknikon

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +4.7%

05-08-2013 19:00:00 | More by blknikon

IPAyForHops

California

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

05-03-2013 01:01:33 | More by IPAyForHops

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

CheapBeerBuzz

California

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

04-17-2013 06:35:48 | More by CheapBeerBuzz

Hugonaut13

Illinois

2/5  rDev -47.6%

04-12-2013 16:42:00 | More by Hugonaut13

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

gpawned

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

04-03-2013 22:02:39 | More by gpawned

aranton

New York

4/5  rDev +4.7%

03-27-2013 00:55:13 | More by aranton

brheuer

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +4.7%

03-25-2013 00:28:32 | More by brheuer

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

4.75/5  rDev +24.3%

03-24-2013 19:01:22 | More by wisrarebeer

Sparky44

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

03-23-2013 22:29:47 | More by Sparky44

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

03-20-2013 01:03:24 | More by orangesol

DruRho

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +17.8%

03-19-2013 00:56:37 | More by DruRho

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