Ichor - Sly Fox Brewing Company

drcarver

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

is to be noted this review is for an ichor that was cellared for 18 months.

A - dark black color with off white head and terrific lacing.

S - dark fruit and grapes through and through. its the closest to wine I have even smelt a beer, but it is still beer with slight roasty malt overtones

T/M - similar to a red wine. sweet start but dry finish. grape and cherry overtone, but is grounded by a earthy maltiness

D - my wife and I killed the bottle in 20 minutes and still felt like we savored every drop. we had one when the case was first purchase and busted this one out of the cellar to celebrate pizza night. so much better after sitting around!!

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2010 01:01:14 | More by drcarver

Minotaur

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Into a tulip glass; this pours a deep oak brown with black shadow just below the head. The head is frothy light cream and thick: two fingers up over the rim of the glass but staying perfectly in line.

The aroma is candi-sugar, deep bready malts, prune and molasses. It smells as dark and rich as it looks.

A bready, just slightly yeasty lightness hits the palate; the expected experience is something syrup but this is not the case. It is pleasant on the tongue with a brandy like alcohol flavor and warmth. There is the remote taste of toasted malt on the back of the tongue. Sweet but also a tiny hint of sourness to compliment. Not the deepest or most complex beer that I've had but one of the outright tastiest if you like dark, sweet Belgians.

The taste of cherry, plumb and a slight bit of noble grassy hops rounds out the flavor.

The mouthfeel does end up being slightly thin, but not to the point of being objectionable.

It is very drinkable for such a massive beer. I've had it on tap as well and that presents an even more aromatic and deeper experience. Top of the line of USA Belgian Quad styles - up there with St. Bernardus and a slightly less complex Westvleteren.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2010 01:30:49 | More by Minotaur

deaconoflove

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Ap. Poured into a giant goblet producing a nice tan head. I said dark brown with amber bits, but others have been more imaginative...purple, copper, burgandy, orange...very nice by any account.
Sm. I said Hops! nice strength, citris, tart fresh. Woof said smells like grape flavored something, but in a good way.
Ta. I said fresh grapefruit with a little honey, caramel, and chocolate in the background. Clean finish. Woof said, I like wine better.
Mf. Full but light and crisp.
Dr. Very easy to drink it down, just knocks my socks off too quickly.
Summary: This is good stuff, love it.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2009 00:56:14 | More by deaconoflove

rhinos00

Colorado

3.8/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 750 mL bottle into my Rochefort chalice. Drink by date of 2/14/2012.

A- Pours a dark burgundy. When held into light, shows great clarity and amber hues. Produced a thin layer of white. Reduced to a ring upon consumption. Slight lacing.

S- Potent nose. Lots of ripe figs and raisins along with sweet candied malts. The aroma is there, just lacking a bit in complexity.

T- Honestly, this almost is like drinking fig juice (or at least how I imagine it would taste). Upfront the taste packs a huge wallop of dark fruits. Caramel malts and fruit juices give off quite the sweet finish. Much like the aroma, almost spot on, just lacking some complexity.

M- It's unfortunate, but this part of the beer had a negative impact on the taste. Way too thin for a quad. Somewhat undercarbonated as well. To be successful this beer needs to be much more viscous.

D- Drinkability suffers from the thin, undercarbonated mouthfeel and the lack of complexity in the taste. The sweetness in the taste grows and over time becomes overplayed and tiresome. There needs to be more going on to cut it.

Overall, the common theme I noticed is that the basic flavors and aromas are there, but just not complex enough to put this beer on the next level. The sweetness in this beer is unchecked and too one dimensional...not too mention the ridiculously thin mouthfeel. With some changes this beer has potential.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2009 03:07:13 | More by rhinos00

Patrick

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a dark brown that looks like molasses when light shines through it. A fluffy light tan head sits on top and does not go away, great retention. Very active carbonation.

S: Smells of dark fruits like plums and prunes, some figs too. Some slight spicy scent is there from the yeast.

T: Lots of dark fruit and sweet candi syrup hit you right up front. The middle has more of the candi sweetness, and the end finishes out with hints of dark fruits and a bit of alcohol.

M: Smooth, full bodied, sweet, sticky.

D: I like this beer a lot, too bad Sly Fox doesn't make it to Boston.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2009 23:31:18 | More by Patrick

thain709

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - A dark brown with some light shining through...a big tan head forms and slowly fades...nice lacing

S - Very sweet on the nose...big doses of grapes and other fruits

T - Once again...very sweet here...but it works...malty flavors and sweetness mixing with wine qualities of grapes and a little bit of dryness

M - Medium to full bodied...lack of carbonation makes for a smooth mouthfeel

D - This was my first Quad and I must say it was pretty tasty...you usually can't go wrong with Sly Fox

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2009 17:39:57 | More by thain709

Phelps

Arizona

3.88/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a dark purple brown with orange highlights and a tight tan head, which dissipates quickly with no lacing. Tons of champagne bubbles.

S: Smells of sweet prunes, purple otter pops, with a slight alcohol burn in the nose.

T: The flavor is interesting in that it doesn't really hit until after you swallow. I get an explosion of yeasty thickness, prunes, dates, raisins, a heavy alcohol warmth, and some bready spiciness like a fruitcake. A great taste, but it's still a heavy beer and the alcohol isn't completely hidden.

M: Medium body, light carbonation.

D: I couldn't drink more than one bottle of it, but still a decent sipping beer. Not my cup of tea, due to heavy sweetness and the assault of flavors after the swallow, but still good.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2009 03:34:22 | More by Phelps

ZimZamZoom

West Virginia

4.47/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750 into a goblet. About a year's age on this bottle. This one pours a deep brown color, with a nice dense tan head. Free of any floaties which is always a plus.

Aroma is thick and bready, full of dark fruity wonders and spicy pleasure. Prunes, and even licorice come to mind. Lovely. The taste follows along nicely, with mysterious dark fruits, almost a fruitcake thick bready spiciness. It all entwines around the alcohol warmth nicely. This is a great beer.

Big bodied, yet smooth and definitely easy to sip on. No doubt that it is a big beer but the alcohol is subdued in its presence. A great sipper on a cold Sunday afternoon.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2009 12:20:46 | More by ZimZamZoom

treyrab

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to nittanybeerfan for popping this one tonight. Thus far I have not had anything from Sly Fox that I enjoyed, but this changed my mind!

A: Pours a dark, rusty copper brown with a solid one finger head, but that does not last for more than 30 seconds. This is opaque, but only because it is dark, as it is pretty clear, not hazy.

S: Smell is very sweet and complex with tons of dark candi sugar. The yeast spice makes its presence shown as well, accompanied by incredibly sweet, bananas...like the kind that have been sitting on the counter for a week.

T: So incredibly sweet like a bag of sugar. Dark fruits such as raisins, figs, prunes and red grapes really make their showing here. The candi sugar sweetness comes in as well as the spiciness.

Overall, this was a solid Quad. I prefer my quads to be more on the dry side, and this was way beyond sweet. But good nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2009 16:40:13 | More by treyrab

coldmeat23

Oklahoma

3.83/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

GLASS: Goblet
TEMP: Cellared @ approx 50 degrees
Thanks to sholland119 for this one!
My first from Sly Fox!

Very dark ruby-brown colored liquid. One-finger head of very loose off-white colored foam. Minimal retention, but quite decent lacing.

Big malty nose. Smells sweet and delicious. Lots of fruity esters. Dark fruit and just a touch of burnt caramel. Dried cherries. Oaky, with a hint of smoke. Lots of raisins.

Much like the nose. Big maltiness, here. Huge notes of dark fruits. Raisins and cherries, mostly. Brown sugar and a touch of molasses. Hints of caramel and candi sugars. Nice light pepperey spice in the finish.

Medium to full-bodied. Nice and creamy smooth. Very good carbonation level.

Nice and easy to drink, but the strength of it, combined with the sweet maltiness of it, would prevent most persons from drinking more than one.
Very good Quad, nice representation of the style. Sly Fox, I'd like to know you better.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2009 02:05:25 | More by coldmeat23

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Abbey style quad.

A: Pours a dark ruby red color with a slight off white fizzy head that soon dispersed.

S: The nose was fruity with fresh cherries and faint smoky woody tones along with dried fruit and alcohol.

T: The initial flavor was fruity and sweet with fresh cherries, caramel and dried fruit (raisins, prunes). There was a nice Belgian yeastiness as well. Finishes sweet, malty with some candi-sugar sweetness.

M: very smooth and soft carbonation provides a wine like texture and palate on the tongue. A fruity cherry finish with some alcohol warming.

D: Good drinkability and worth checking out but falls short when compared to Belgian quads.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2008 23:34:08 | More by beerthulhu

deanhead

Vermont

3.7/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark cola like appearance. Highly effervescent , and a multitude of bubbles, yet disintergrated into a flat looking drink,

Fruity and buttery scent with notes of juicyfruit gum. Earthy esters with sweet candylike notes.

Cola like malty tatse, sweet and yet somewhat bitter. I wonder if they mashopped this beer. It's viscous and boozy, silky and raisiny.

light mouthfeel, yet warming and sticky...Sweet finish

Very big beer that just keeps giving back. This beer is moderately exciting. Drink it with a friend.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2008 03:21:24 | More by deanhead

joepais

Maine

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Kempleton for this one
Bottle poured into a tulip produced a good two fingers worth of off white head. The body of this brew was a wonderful maroon color and the head left a little ring of lace around the glass

Aromas of dark fruits and grapes filled my nose a good quad smell that is for sure. This had one of the best noses on it for an American Quad

Flavors of dark fruits, caramel and a slight alcohol warmth that arose as it warmed in the glass medium to thick mouthfeel light carbonation on the tongue

Drank it today and I must say I enjoyed every drop I was quite impressed by this brew. Dead on Style wise for a Quad, I would have thought it was a Belgian. Great job Sly Fox keep it up. I would by it again for sure

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2008 21:37:23 | More by joepais

WesWes

New York

4.2/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a brown color with a thick frothy tan head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is great. It has a very fruity yeast aroma along with a solid crystal and roasted malt scent. The alcohol does sneak through as well. The taste is good. It has a very drinkable crystal malt flavor as well as a fruity yeast finish. It's warming in the swallow, but it's not too powerful. This is a tastey beer. The yeast really brings the flavor together. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a silky smooth drinker. It's a slow drink, but an enjoyable one.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2008 23:00:14 | More by WesWes

jwc215

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750 ml cage-corked bottle, poured into glass chalice:

Pours dark cola brown with a thin head that becomes a swirl.

The smell is of dark fruit, especially raisins, with toffee, kola and a whiff of alcohol.

The taste is of sweetened dark fruits (raisins and prunes) with candy sugar. Grassy notes are subtle, and a bit medicinal/herbal. A slight flash of sour peeks through. It becomes sweeter/maltier as it progresses, with complexities becoming more and more hidden. Sharp alcohol gives it peppery spicing, but also some boozy heat. Finishes with a warming sweetness.

The feel is effervescent at first. Carbonation doesn't hold up, though the medium-ish body does, giving it a touch of watery thinness to it.

Overall, it's a decent stab at the style - certainly has characteristics showing that it is (trying to be) a quad. It doesn't miss the mark completely, and has enough to it to keep on with the sipping, but it seems to lose some character as it warms/progresses. Sippable, despite heat, nevertheless.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2008 01:40:02 | More by jwc215

irishkyle21

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with no head and leaves almost next to nothing as far as lacing goes. Has a dark and murky brown color.

Smells sugary, lots of dark fruits, alcohol and a mix of wood and tobacco.

Tastes of sweet malts (toffee), nice mixture of fruits (wine like) and booze.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2008 05:50:22 | More by irishkyle21

orbitalr0x

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This bottle had been in my cellar at least a year. It pours into my glass a dark cola brown color with mellow carbonation and a small off white head that leaves quickly. Aromas being with dark candied malts and fruits. Brown sugar, cherry, slight vanilla and an earthy, somewhat spicy yeast tone. Raisins and caramel work in as well.

First sip is a smooth rich maltiness upfront. Dark candi sugar with brown sugar sweetness as well. It rolls into cherry, vanilla and a spicy, earthy yeast flavor. Dark raisins come in on the finish. Overall the brew is incredibly smooth and silky with a touch of bitterness on the end.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a mellow, laid back carbonation. It could be a little more carbonated but I can't really complain. An easy drinking American brewed Quad that's well worth seeking out. A yummy treat from Sly Fox.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 23:52:49 | More by orbitalr0x

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Vintage bottle from 2002.
Pours a deep amber to almost black color with a small white head. In the aroma, reminds me of asiago cheese, hints of caramel and a touch of alcohol. In the taste, plum-ish and really quite like a LaTrappe Quad. A smooth big bodied mouthfeel and a dry, Belgiany sugary palum in the aftertaste. Great representaion of style, very La Trappe like. Sweet and dry in all the right places.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2007 20:44:13 | More by OWSLEY069

RyanPB

New York

2.55/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Really didn't like this in the least. So little carbonation I thought it was a bad cork, until I read some other reviews. Looked great in terms of color, but no nose to speak of. Weyerbacher's Quad is superior across the board to my mind, including price in my neck of the woods. Thinking back on the Odyssey, perhaps the brewery's philosophy is different than mine.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2007 22:49:28 | More by RyanPB

BloodySamFlint

New York

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Out of 750ml Corked bottle,
A- Pours Murky dark chocolate brown, Zero Carbonation leading to no head.
S-Hint of spicy alcohol, chocolate and apple maybe?
T-rich malts, and the high alcohol content is well hidden, doesnt really make me think of a Quad, but pretty good.
M-smooth, but the lack of carbonation really hurts the score.
D- Not a session beer because of the 10% abv but not that hard to drink.

Quads are my favorite, from my experience this isnt a good representation of the Style. The carbonation factor really killed the score for me. It does taste good, and the smell is definitely the best quality of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2007 04:35:27 | More by BloodySamFlint

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A rich and sweetish combonation of fruit and mild spices that was a delight to sip with supper.The promise is that this could age, I think it was 1.3 years in my basement. It was very little carbonated, and may be better on tap.
German Pils and Roast malts and Belgian Candi Sugar, German Tradition hops. The alcohol was present. Very much like an American take on the quad, still very good.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2007 02:32:00 | More by northyorksammy

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to gottajiboo2 for the chance to taste this ale. Shared w/ octopus87 decanted into a La fin du monde tulip cool.
A - The cork emits a high pitched 'poit' as it is pulled from the neck. Shades of raisins and date, a kind of dark caramel brown. The head appears and vanishes like whack-a-mole. The color of medium strength coffee as the liquid settles the head has a fine bead.

S - Very port and sherry-like aromas w/ raisin essence and dark candy sugar w/ a coriander and clove spiced essence Vinous aromas w/ tropical fruit esters and a bit of fusel odors. The nutty belgian malts peak out from under the boozy aroma.

M - Rich, sweet, candy-like, boozy and smooth. Harly a hint at the potency it contains. Sweet and spicy as it rolls down. Slightly low in the carbonation dept, but the feel suffers only minimally.

T - A big dose of sweetness w/ a brandy-like dryness in taste. Candy sugar and dry husky, lighty toasty malt w/ fruit and spice essence. Slightly oily w/ it's slick malty and light roasted taste w/ a woody aspect. Rum like as it warms w/ a subtle alcoholic bit. Sweet toasty as it comes to the smooth finish.

D - A bruiser it packs a wallop w/ concealed intensity. Half of the 750ml is a meal in itself. I love it, but a glass is filling a full of flavor, Prost!

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2007 12:09:25 | More by Slatetank

brentk56

North Carolina

2.75/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Appearance: I knew there was a problem when the cork released without a sound...pours out without producing any carbonation; rich caramel color

Smell: Caramel and dark fruit aroma

Taste: Starts out with a caramel sugar solution flavor that adds some dark fruit by mid-palate; no flavor progression after the swallow

Mouthfeel: Rich and syrupy; no carbonation

Drinkability: Like drinking liquid caramel; where's the quality control?

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2007 22:25:59 | More by brentk56

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is an aged version of the original bottling that was released in early 2003. It has been cellared since the day I bought it.
Appears a deep, rich mahogany with a dark red hue. A small, off white head slowly fades out into a film and collar.
Smell is of tons of candi-sugar, vinuous, port wine, roasted nuts, tobacco, cocoa, hints of cola, slight oxidation with mild cardboard notes, caramel, light cherries, wood notes, figs, & sawdust.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas with a light bubblegum, cherry, and caramel flavor rising to the top of the palate.
Mouthfeel is of low CO2, full bodied with light cardboard, nuts, semi-dryness and a slightly rough ending.

I had this side by side with a fresh growler from 2007 and a bottled version from last year. I rated this version almost identically to the fresh version. Next to each other they looked the same. Nose wise and flavor wise, this has matured a bit and would be appealing to those who appreciate a more dense aroma and flavor as opposed to the fresh, more estery version.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2007 20:58:45 | More by weeare138

Phatz

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A bottle shared with Mac300 and his wife Jess, and DarkerTheBetter at the 5th Annual Philly/BA gathering. What a treat that we ended up at Sly Fox. I enjoyed this beer though my deer friend Jess did not. The beer has about as much carbonation as a smooth bottle of wine. AKA, none. That was a turnoff for her. I felt the beer is tasty nightcap type of beer but cetainaly minimal on drinkability.

Appearance: Pours a dark brown color with a touch of ruby to the hue and very very little colar around the edge even after a hard pour there was little head that dissipates right away.

Smell: Dark fruits and warm alcohol. Plum prune raisin cherry and brown sugar in the nose.

Taste: Like the nose it is dominantly sweet and warm. It seems reminiscent of the wheat wine I had the other night the warm green grape and sweet wheat attribute but the cherry and fig attribute are there as well with some sherry.

Mouthfeel: Very viscous and yet slick smooth edges due to the fact that there is no carbonation.

Drinkability: It is a *sweet* nightcap beer. I was happy to be sharing one bottle.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2007 05:55:13 | More by Phatz