Four Witches - New Holland Brewing Company

GR_Rick

Michigan

2.7/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Bottle labeled 2012 vintage

Going into this with very little expectation, as I'm not sure what to expect from a "black saison" (on the label).

A: Pours a nice deep brown (almost black) with a thin khaki colored head. Nice looking beer.

S: Smells a bit like black licorice with some root beer-like qualities coming as well. The more I smell, the more I think it's similar to a "root beer barrel" candy. Also get a little bit of grape juice. Smell is unlike any other beer I've had... so far, so good, i'm still happy.

T: Wow, much stronger tasting than the nose suggests. Starts out almost faint-cola like. Perhaps that's the root beer smell I was getting. Can't really put my finger on the middle, but it ends with a little bit of a "funky" bite. Now I'm seeing (from the "funk") how this is a saison. Getting a little bit of black licorice as well, which hangs in through the shorter finish. Taste is different, but isn't necessarily anything special..

M: Thinner than expected given the dark color. Pretty highly carbonated on a relative basis, as well. Not bad, but I'm struggling with the disconnect between color and feel; the two don't seem to match well for me.

O: An interesting beer that tastes like nothing I've ever tried. I feel a bit like I'm at Short's trying one of their new experiments. Worth trying if you like black licorice and/or you like to try "outside the box" beers, but not something I can see anyone wanting to buy and consume a full six pack of. I also don't see myself finishing even this entire bottle (poured out about 1/2 - 1/3rd post review). Worth trying, but grab a friend or two and split the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 02:40:15 | More by GR_Rick

Gotti311

Wisconsin

2.25/5  rDev -34.6%

06-12-2013 16:44:06 | More by Gotti311

UWBadgerFan4Life

Wisconsin

2.5/5  rDev -27.3%

06-12-2013 01:30:08 | More by UWBadgerFan4Life

Fargrow

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -5.5%

06-11-2013 03:05:47 | More by Fargrow

Kerrie

Michigan

4/5  rDev +16.3%

06-10-2013 23:53:39 | More by Kerrie

mrebeka

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -5.5%

06-08-2013 20:57:09 | More by mrebeka

Molson2000

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +9%

06-03-2013 23:02:19 | More by Molson2000

rkf1976

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%

05-10-2013 03:24:37 | More by rkf1976

AlMarzo

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -5.5%

04-13-2013 11:46:08 | More by AlMarzo

Zachtheporter

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +16.3%

03-12-2013 19:30:50 | More by Zachtheporter

jamiecoppin

North Dakota

2/5  rDev -41.9%

03-10-2013 17:26:31 | More by jamiecoppin

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.04/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Unique, but something I could not drink much of. Black, very dry. Like the base for something that had to be added, and it wasn't. Aroma was OK. Bottle from Steve. Some licorice. Low drinkability. Missing hop, mouthfeel, malt. I may cook with it though.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 05:18:09 | More by northyorksammy

scottfrie

California

2.75/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle into snifter. Thanks for the bottle jbck109.

A: Pours near black with a finger of fizzy dark brown head that quickly bubbled away into basically nothing.
S: My first thought was this beer was infected but upon further inspection it may be just a strange bill of ingredient. I’m still getting a strange kind of infected cherry sweetness, but notes of anise, caramel, booze, and chocolate come through as well. Clove and a little bit of dark fruit too perhaps.
T: Anise and spices dominate along with that strange dark fruit cherry taste. I get notes of root beer and cola, cherry cola, as well. This tastes like black licorice cherry rootbeer cola if that makes sense.
M: The carbonation is super airy and froths up on my palate. I’m not saying this beer is infected, but the carbonation sure does froth up in a way that reminds of infected bottles of stouts I’ve had in the past. Medium body, frothy soda mouthfeel.
O: Anise cola with a splash of cherry. Definitely strange, not sure I like it. Not undrinkable, just not my taste. Thanks for the tick though, Jay.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 04:47:23 | More by scottfrie

DaveHack

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -5.5%

12-27-2012 14:04:10 | More by DaveHack

sendbeer

Georgia

1/5  rDev -70.9%

12-03-2012 20:42:15 | More by sendbeer

TastingRoomCharNtony

2.5/5  rDev -27.3%

12-01-2012 00:49:37 | More by TastingRoomCharNtony

NilocRellim

Minnesota

2.85/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured cold from the bottle, this beer was pitch black. It had a nice cream-coloured head, while sitting on the black beer, looked very nice. The smell was very strong and very complex. There were notes of spices, burnt barley, molasses, and a dominant anise smell. The taste followed the smell like a map... Very complex, almost too complex, with the anise taste overpowering the other flavours. The anise flavour lingered for a bit while the aftertaste of roasted barley took over, which was a nice finish.

Would I buy it again? No. I enjoy the taste of anise, but this beer had too much going on.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 05:41:41 | More by NilocRellim

leprechaunandfatman

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +23.5%

11-12-2012 00:57:41 | More by leprechaunandfatman

rolandboy

Michigan

2.75/5  rDev -20.1%

11-10-2012 18:55:03 | More by rolandboy

kynap55

Michigan

2/5  rDev -41.9%

11-09-2012 00:52:51 | More by kynap55

Crosseye

4/5  rDev +16.3%

11-06-2012 02:17:00 | More by Crosseye

duceswild

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%

10-30-2012 05:12:26 | More by duceswild

Giggy

Michigan

4/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: a dark brown leather couch color with a thin tan head.

S: aroma seems lighter than appearance. Nutty, spices, apple, wood.

T: spicy, licorice, pepper, vanilla, cherry, cola

O: Great beer. Mild with flavor. Alcohol is well hidden, very balanced.

Serving type: on-tap

10-18-2012 22:32:53 | More by Giggy

Minkybut

Virginia

2.73/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I poured this beer into my tumbler at 45 degrees. The beer poured a really black color with a nice big tan head. However the head did not last long but the lacing lingered pretty well. The beer smelled spicy and cloves flowed over the edge of the glass. I was hopeful. Alas though the beers head faded away quickly and the taste was just not good. I will not buy again.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 23:04:36 | More by Minkybut

neckbracesub

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%

09-28-2012 15:15:24 | More by neckbracesub