Kuhnhenn Fourth Dementia (4D) - Kuhnhenn Brewing Company

badbeer

Iowa

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Garnet color with a beige head that quickly recedes to a ring around the glass and leaves spotty lacing. Aroma is quite sweet with caramel, toffee, and dark fruit, but there still is a noticeable amount of hops (English variety?). Taste is vinous, has some brown sugar, dark fruits, a hint of spice it seems, and some grassy hops also coming through. Light carbonation and medium to full bodied. An enjoyable beer. Bottle courtesy of hoppymeal.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2009 04:01:06 | More by badbeer

BeerBucks

New York

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%

06-17-2013 20:14:43 | More by BeerBucks

vonnegut21

New York

4.48/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2011 vintage poured into a tulip.

A: Deep black pour, slight tan head. Minimal lacing.

S: Lots of fig and raisin. Caramel and brown sugar notes linger. Lots of dark winter fruit character. Very nice.

T: HUGE fig, raisin and plum presence on the first sip. Caramelized brown sugar, molasses and slight roasted chocolate flavors follow. This has almost a port wine character to it. Very warming. A big ol' fig bomb. I need one of these on a cold winter night. Delightful.

M: Thick and viscous. Coats the tongue and provide a nice touch of warmth.

O: This was just excellent. I'm sure it's great fresh as well, but I think the two years in the cellar really took this one up a level. Quite possibly my favorite old ale. I can't wait to crack the BB4D sitting in my fridge. I don't think that one is making it until cold weather returns...

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 14:44:05 | More by vonnegut21

alelover

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev -0.7%

06-17-2013 13:59:14 | More by alelover

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2012 Vintage tasted 17/6/13 (13.5%)

Let us assume that Kuhnhenn Fourth Dementia is indeed the product of some alternative universe, one where flatness, sludgy murkiness and muddy brown colouring are considered aesthetic qualities for a beer to have. In the eyes of that world it would be a model beer... but in this one it looks like something you'd unclog from your bathroom sink.

Just smelling 4D you'd want to have some tissue on hand in case it sticks to and hangs off your nose; its aroma comes across incredibly resinous and viscous. It's as if the brewery covered tree bark in a hard caramel coating and smeared figs and bruised plums across it. The glass smells as though it's been glazed in some kind of anise seed wax.

Persistence in trying to pick out more and more from the aroma might result a headache - it's that intense - but sipping the beer is a sweet and sublime exercise in relaxation. Vanilla candle and caramel flavours really come to the fore along with all kinds of Christmas-cake dried fruits and spices. The musty oak barrel notes crumble into a chocolate and port-like finish.

High alcohol may give the beer sherry-like undertones but a near chewy maltiness provides enough body in the form of dark toffee and chocolate-covered wafers. A bleached-out, long-steeped English Breakfast bitterness mingles with figs, dates and plum pudding on the finish. The earthy, bittersweet profile is reminiscent of a strong chestnut honey.

4D doesn't have to be sipper but it's a wise to way to consume a beer that is both strong and complex; each mouthful reminds one of just how much can be derived from only a few measly ounces (bought with, it must be said, more than just a few measly dollars). Mind you the beer's high price tag is reflective of a rich beer, one that gives even more with bottle age.

Any Kuhnhenn in the cellar means life is good. Kuhnhenn beers - the barrel-aged offerings in particular - are objects against which to measure the rest of your life. Though they aren't cheap, these beers aren't about being well-heeled – they're about being well-off, in the sense that you have the fortunate circumstances to enjoy some of America's most rare and unique ales.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 04:16:01 | More by biegaman

Schlais

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -6.5%

06-12-2013 01:12:00 | More by Schlais

TallSaint

New York

4/5  rDev -6.5%

06-11-2013 04:11:24 | More by TallSaint

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.11/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle opened on 5.26.13

2010 Vintage

A - Pours a dark caramel brown with a small dark tan head that fades away quickly.

S - Caramel, toffee, dark fruit, booze.

T - Caramel, dry fruit, booze. A touch of some oxidization.

D - Heavier body with low carbonation.

O - Boozey dark ale with lots of caramel and dark fruit flavors.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 04:46:42 | More by HuskyinPDX

Bigtwin

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev -0.7%

06-09-2013 17:10:48 | More by Bigtwin

chase2634

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -0.7%

06-09-2013 14:39:22 | More by chase2634

BColton1

Rhode Island

4.25/5  rDev -0.7%

06-08-2013 12:36:17 | More by BColton1

cosmonick

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%

06-08-2013 02:12:37 | More by cosmonick

HoppyLuckyGoGo

California

4.25/5  rDev -0.7%

06-06-2013 18:55:29 | More by HoppyLuckyGoGo

POTABLE83

New York

4/5  rDev -6.5%

06-06-2013 12:40:44 | More by POTABLE83

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -6.5%

06-05-2013 00:36:52 | More by Rifugium

Lare453

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +11%

06-05-2013 00:13:05 | More by Lare453

alexsergio

New York

4.75/5  rDev +11%

06-04-2013 00:25:29 | More by alexsergio

TKEbeerman

Florida

4.25/5  rDev -0.7%

06-04-2013 00:22:30 | More by TKEbeerman

Mscarpen

Tennessee

4.25/5  rDev -0.7%

06-03-2013 18:04:18 | More by Mscarpen

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2012 vintage. From notes.

A - Dark amber pour with half a finger of brown head. No lace and no retention with booze legs.

S - Aggressive. Whiskey, tons of dark fruit, port, lot's of spirits. Serious spirit/caramel/boozy fruits. Deep.

T - More spirit barrel, sugar, dark fruit, whiskey, vanilla, port. Complex.

M - Mild carbonation, full body, sweet spirit-like finish.

O/D - Wonderfully complex. Lot's of stuff going on with a deep boozy character and richness to compliment it. Drinks more like port. Liked it lot's.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 15:23:36 | More by tbeckett

GrindFatherBob

New York

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%

06-02-2013 12:35:24 | More by GrindFatherBob

tgeorgf

Maryland

4.75/5  rDev +11%

06-02-2013 02:04:11 | More by tgeorgf

DaGio

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -24.1%

06-02-2013 00:40:14 | More by DaGio

DrIPA

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -12.4%

05-30-2013 19:59:19 | More by DrIPA

dasmusik

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -12.4%

05-28-2013 21:58:20 | More by dasmusik