Exit 4 - Flying Fish Brewing Company

PhantasIPA

Delaware

3.95/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The appearance of this beer is classic for a trippel; it is cloudy and colored lightly, just as it should be.

The smell is fantastic; HINTS of clove, a weak banana smell and a STRONG spicy smell. I can smell pumpkin spice and nutmeg, almost like a gingerbread cookie.

Exit 4 tastes just like it smells. It is well balanced as far as the clove:banana:spice ratio, yet the aftertaste says to me pumpkin and ginger as opposed to banana and cloves. Not to say the latter mentioned flavors aren't apparent, they just aren't in the forefront of the flavor.

The mouthfeel of this brew is okay. With every sip the back of the throat can feel the strong aftertaste.

Overall I enjoyed this beer. For an American version of a Belgian monster, it does hold its own.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 18:50:42 | More by PhantasIPA

match1112

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a: cloudy apricot colored body. 1.5" of off white head that appears thick and creamy. great retention with some clumpy lacing left behind.

s: banannas and clove, some citrus and spice from yeast and hops.

t: alochol underlies all the other flavors in this beer. there is a small dose of funk from the yeast, some bready malts and more of the citrus and clove.

m: rich and creamy, lively carbonation and an ever present warming from the alochol start to finish.

o: i feel that the alochol dominates this beer a little too much. some time in the cellar might help this blend better, but right now i feel it's too hot and it distracts from the other flavors too much. still not a bad beer though.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 20:17:29 | More by match1112

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

6oz pour (from a 12oz bottle) into goblet glass. Enjoyed at Beer and Grilled Cheese Dinner pairing in Wilmington, DE. No bottle date information present or described.

A: Hop hazed yellow orange. Quarter finger of bright white head. The swirl gives more and it's fluffy and bottle conditioned. Small lacing trails and some alcohol feet.

S: Smells of really nice fruity esters. Pineapple and banana. But also some spicy Belgian yeast notes. Still smells hoppy, and delicious. I really enjoy the nose on this one.

T: You get the faintest amount of hop bitterness on the tip of the tongue. Then the Belgian notes of fruit and spice kick in. Linger on the tongue a while. Clove for sure. The close is long and you gets lots of banana citrus notes. There is a little booze on the back end. Or at least some warming. But for the most part the alcohol is nicely hidden.

M: Medium to full bodied beer. Bottle conditioning helps to clear the palate.

O: This is a solid beer in a style that I really enjoy lately. I would put this up there in the A- to A range for me. Plus the pairing with the cheese might have made it even better!

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 14:44:11 | More by inlimbo77

JJBlock

Pennsylvania

4.72/5  rDev +23.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I am a BIG fan of tripel - this competes against the best! Smooth, mild fragrance, tremendous intial taste which is extremely satisfying and quenching. Only downside is that it is very difficult to find. Why? Could and should be their lead beer. The alcohol content is disguised in a very mellow flavor that has left me with "wanting more"...OK, OK, that is usually the case with a good beer, I agree! This may be my next "go to" beer if I can find it! Just love it!

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 20:45:32 | More by JJBlock

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I picked up a six pack of this brew about nine or ten months ago. I aged the bottle in order to pull more flavors out of the Tripel.

My aging yielded some really good results. You get more of the belgian yeastiness, the sour, and some vineous quality.

This is a very good beer. By aging it I think it ranks very highly among tripels.

The mouthfeel is very good. I really like how the flavor eased off.

New Jersey is not known for the quality of beer making. Flying Fish does a very good job in their "Exit" series. I also recommend their Farmhouse Ale. This is a very good offering by the Fish.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 01:32:42 | More by ummswimmin

Ryanm1

Pennsylvania

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

I love Begian Triples and this one is no exception.

Poured from a bottle to a glass. It was bubbly, moderate head. Golden and slight cloudy. Hazy as the bottle describes it. Slight floral undertone, but can taste/smell clove like its an Easter ham. Slightly bitter at the finish. Not too overpowering for the 9.7% abv.

Like and recommend it!

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 01:03:19 | More by Ryanm1

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

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

Poured into a 12oz pint size glass, color is opaque straw with a nice frothy white head that dissipates to a ring, nice carbonation.

Smell is resiny, slight biscuit, hints of spice and raisans with a solid hop note.

Taste is a estery alcohol upfront followed by mild pale and slight biscuit malts with spiciness that goes down easy.

Mouthfeel is slightly strong on the tongue but the bitterness and sweetness are balanced overall.

A very nice tripel that i picked up for christmas, one my favorites from flying fish

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 19:31:58 | More by mvanaskie13

dfernandez77

California

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Mostly golden, slightly warm, fairly clear (a few flakes from bottle conditioning sediment). Nice white, slightly rocky head, nicely laces with time. Appealing.

Smell: Resin, citrus, biscuits, banana skins, honey. A little candy sugar like booziness. Well balanced. Again, appealing.

Taste: Clean malt backbone, classic fat Pilsner and candy sugar fruitiness. Hop bitterness is forward a little as I would expect in an "American Trippel". Cypress needles and citrus zest hop notes.

Mouthfeel: Again, true to the Belgian archetype. Medium light, slippery, creeps off style with the astringent finish, but you'd expect it with the hop profile.

Overall: Damned impressive. Best of a cleanly brewed Belgian Trippel and bracing American DIPAs brought together. I really like it, and will be getting more.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 05:15:12 | More by dfernandez77

jtierney89

New Jersey

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

Massive massive creamy white head that is crawling away. Hazy golden color with visible carbonation. Interesting nose of floral and grassy hops that mask a subdued clove aroma. Very nice.

Big juicy tropical fruit sweetness up front. Slight grassy hoppiness comes in on the back end to cut and sweetness that would linger. Very smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Not nearly as carbonated as it looks. Some malty breadiness comes through a big on the front end as well with a hint of caramel. Almost no detectable alcohol besides a touch on the breath.

Way too drinkable.

The common Belgian flavors are there but hidden under the beers hop character.

A nice twist on the trippel style with a few more hops than you expect. Not in the least a very happy beer but the amount they add is just enough to make it different.

Not bad

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2011 00:31:15 | More by jtierney89

tzieser

Arizona

4.35/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

looks like another review got purged. i'm glad i keep notes!

a: clear golden color (when properly decanted) with a thick fluffy white head.

s: belgian yeast filled nose (farmhouse/horse blanket) with noticeable floral and citrus hop character.

t: complex flavors of malty sweetness, floral/funky yeast and surprisingly strong hop presence (pine and floral flavors). very good.

m: somewhat dry mouthfeel (in a pleasant way)

quite a fantastic beer. i hope they keep making it. i'm also happy to say that a year or two does wonderful things to the flavor profile of this brew. it gets very fruity and even more complex with time..

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 18:46:17 | More by tzieser

drinkslinger028

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This one for the price can't be beat, a lot of fruit up front consisting of mango,pineapple. A bit sweet with a little heat at the end over all the heat is hidden well. The only draw back here is the head retention lasting only about 45 seconds and minimal lacing , but like I said for the price you can't beat it I will continue to purchase this brew. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2011 06:19:17 | More by drinkslinger028

vande

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: a somewhat thicker looking orange-gold color with a quickly receding thin layer of head....less then a 1/4 of a finger, if that's such a measurement...

S: somewhat sweet and flowery...fruity too... a pretty unique blend of it all...malty, grassy, interesting...

T: Palate was taken aback a bit here...some vanilla/banana blended with a summery taste of floralness mixed in with a bit of yeastiness... pretty good..

M: somewhat thick & creamy... very pleasant!

0: Very enjoyable tripel from the east! glad I have a few more :)

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2011 04:26:07 | More by vande

metter98

New York

3.78/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is golden yellowish orange in color and has a slight amount of carbonation. It poured with a thin off white head that died down but left some lacing on the surface.
S: There are aromas of bananas and spices in the nose along with some hints of grapefruit and orange citrus from the hops.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and slightly sweet and also has some hints of bubble gum, candi sugar and honey in the flavors.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. It is somewhat smooth and thick and also had dryness, particularly in the finish.
O: The alcohol is noticeable in the taste, but doesn’t hinder this beer’s drinkability; however, I’m not sure if I could have more than two of these in a night because the alcohol will catch up with you and the thickness could make it start seeming somewhat cloying. Nonetheless, it’s a nice beer to sip.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 12:26:22 | More by metter98

ujsplace

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Union Jack's on the Manatawny.

Brew is a slightly hazy, golden color. Boasting a creamy white head with some nice lacing.

Smells of candied malts, citrus hops. Tastes of big candied malts, citrus hops, spicey yeasts, banana, clove, oily hops. Very complex flavor.

Medium bodied, creamy with good carbonation.

A unique take on a Belgian Tripel - good stuff from Flying Fish. Not suprising - they have quite a bit of relly good Belgian style brews.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2011 01:11:50 | More by ujsplace

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks goes out ot my boy Lunch for sending me multiples of this one in a past trade as extras! Served from bottle into a Surly Darkness snifter (also compliments of Lunch). Poured a hazy red-orange with a one finger slightly off-white head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained excellent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, bread, and dark fruit. The flavor was of sweet malt, bread, dark fruit, and subtle alcohol. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. I really did enjoy this brew quite a bit which was surprising to me. Based on the trade number I got this one from Lunch, I have had this one AWHILE. Seemed to have held up quite well though if I'm honest. Might hold onto the others for awhile longer to see what becomes of them at a later date. A definite must try if you have the opportunity.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 19:05:21 | More by thagr81us

bubseymour

Maryland

3.83/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - copper color with 2 finger frothy head that holds retention fairly well. Tons of active yeast swirling throughout giving it a murky clarity.

Smell - Lots of spice and citrus.

Taste - Lots of spice and some booziness. Quite smooth and moderately complex.

Mouthfeel - nice

Overall - This is quite a high ABV brew and its noticable. Flavoring is nice and makes it somewhat easy to drink. I think if they took the ABV down a percent and added slightly hoppier notes, it would really be a great beer. Its just a good tripel in my book.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 23:47:46 | More by bubseymour

RandyV

Arizona

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cloudy orange tan in color, kinda looks like ice tea. This smells more like an IPA with some clove with little yeast apparent. There is a hop forward flavor with tangy citrus and mellow pine. The finish is more malt sweetness with the alcohol well hidden for 9%; just a nice warming. This is a very drinkable beer that to me only fits the style in malt finish and ABV. Tasty but not memorable.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 23:02:53 | More by RandyV

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.43/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pretty good looking, tannish and hazy, one finger head that lasted, leaving great sheets of thick lacing with every sip.

Smell is somewhat atypical of a tripel, smells more like an IPA with yeast qualities. I detect some citrus and some hops, with a touch of graininess and just a little bit of yeast.

Taste is more on par for the style, albeit a little on the hops forward side for a tripel. Yeast and spices are somewhat secondary. Alcohol is evident. It's ok but not great.

Feel is pretty thick but very warming, alcohol isn't very well hidden.

Overall it's interesting but I wouldn't seek it out very often.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 20:05:58 | More by AlCaponeJunior

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.15/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Got this 750 in a trade with somebody here, thanks whoever you are. Hazy yellow-orange and just plain murky. Aroma is spicy but muddled and had a bit of esters, meh. Flavor is definitely oxidized, tastes old but a slight bit of pear and grains. This was drinkable but I suspect it is old and I don't much care for old beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 18:27:37 | More by ArrogantB

magine

Pennsylvania

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

On tap at Union Jacks.

Pours a clear slightly hazed golden yellow. Nice tight white head with good bubbles. Creamy lace head with some good patchy lace remains. Good looking triple.

Yeasts, cloves candied malts, banana and some hops. Good nose.

Sweet and spicy, cloves, yeasts and a very good hop presence as well. Grapefruit hops and a slightly dry finish. Very unique blend of hops in this triple.

Different then most triples, this is an American triple for sure. great brew, and probably their best work.

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2011 15:12:22 | More by magine

Halcyondays

California

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

12 oz. bottle,

A: Pours a lovely translucent orange with a moderate white head. Solid head retention, spotty lace.

S: Quite hoppy with a lot of grass and dandelion greens. Some yellow apple esters.

T: Nice mix of pear and apple esters, with a noticable but not over the top American hopping. Earthy at points, some clove notes make an appearance. Semi-sweet.

M: Almost full-bodied, the sugar is a factor but just when you think it'll get cloying it holds back, the structure is good. Light carbonation.

O: A solid American tripel. I don't think anyone who's had a fair amount of the style could confuse this for a Belgian effort, but I like Flying Fish's take here. There's a lot worse in this category.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 04:19:15 | More by Halcyondays

scottfrie

California

3.68/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into Portsmouth snifter. Thanks Jay!
A: Pours a hazy honey amber with a finger of off-white head that faded into a thin film leaving a sheet of thin lacing down the glass.
S: Dominant notes of sweet bubblegum and grassy hops. I’m surprised how much of a hop profile this beer has. I get a note or two of grapefruit and mint as well.
T: Not as hoppy as the nose suggested but that’s okay, this is a tripel after all. I get notes of various fruit juices, apple juice, clove, earthy Belgian yeast, bubblegum, and minty and herbal hops. The finish is sweet with fruit nectars and honey, and the aftertaste has flavors of peach bubblegum.
M: The alcohol not only has a noticeable warmth but it also creates a very viscous mouthfeel. The body is on the thicker side of medium, and the carbonation is sharp on the palate but smooth in the finish.
O: Interesting flavor profile for a tripel but I enjoyed this. The mouth was a bit rough around the edges, but give how high the alcohol is I guess it’s not that bad. There are much better examples of the style, but this one is still worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 04:03:53 | More by scottfrie

tone77

Pennsylvania

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

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a cloudy light brownish color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of fruits, yeast, a touch of alcohol. Taste also has some fruits, alcohol makes it presence known, some yeast esters. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a quality brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 15:18:27 | More by tone77

phantomwyse

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours out a dark marigold yellow with muddy yellow highlights. Three quarters turgid. Topped with a dense and very frothy head of eggshell white – in one word: luscious.

S: Citrus and sweet at the nose, orange zest, lemons, grapes skins, and grapefruit. There’s an earthy undercurrent of dried grass and some musty yeast.

T: The alcohol hits right away, it’s vaguely abrasive and reminds me of everclear. But, this transitions real quick into apple cider, lemongrass, and then a heavy dose of candied sugar.

M: Full medium bodied, moderately chewey, finishing on a dry note.

O: Flying Fish went from being mediocre to being decent in the span of a year or two. Being from NJ originally, I appreciate their craft series having a Jersey Turnpike theme, at last something from the TP that isn’t frustration. All in all, not a bad beer. A little bit heavy handed on the alcohol. But, this is a perfect I just sat in traffic for two hours beer, come home, pop one open, instant calm.

So apparently I've reviewed this beer before circa 6.18.09.

A: pours a muted honey color with just a touch of haze. Good billowy head of pure white at about a finger and a half. Leaves some pretty nasty lacing.

S: At first I get a sort of sharp yeast smell that is quickly followed by a sweet turning sour citrus fruit character -- a little banana, a little lemon, a little orange. At the dead end of an inhale just a touch of alcohol comes into play.

T: There's a sharp citrus fruit presence, biting lemon, pre-ripe banana, fizzy orange. There's a solid yeast taste in the middle, borderline funky that ,at times, is a bit unpleasant. There's a decent wash of light hops at the end that are fairly cleansing. Dry wheat and dead grass pop in occasionally, as well.

M: Alcohol sprints towards the sinus', lighter side of medium bodied, finishes off dry.

D: At 9.7% this beer is approaching dangerous territory, it's pretty well hidden for the most part, but must be respected. Not exactly a tripel in the purest sense of the style, still something generally pleasing, though. I look forward to future beers from this interesting concept for a series.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 23:33:21 | More by phantomwyse

SFLpunk

Vermont

2.95/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

12oz brown glass pry-top bottle thanks to an unnamed Advocate. No freshness date.

Pours a hazy brownish gold with thin to little off-white head. Nose has the classic markers of a triple: grain husks, mellow citrus, some herbal aromas. Palate is slick and sweet right off the bat. Malted grains flavor dominates and is joined with orange blossom honey. I would think an American Triple would be more "unique" than this. Too sweet for me, and I really like sweet triples. This is too loose on the mouthfeel; no structure at all. Not impressed, unfortunately.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 04:02:25 | More by SFLpunk