Blasphemy - Weyerbacher Brewing Co.

Arenbeer

Connecticut

4.45/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle into a goblet glass

Served at cellar temperature and no date on bottle

A- Pours a really nice copper orange brown with 2 fingers of white head that don't stick around leaving a really tight bubbled rim around the edges of the glass. Nice lacing and legs for days.

S- First thing that hits me is the spiciness from the belgian yeast that gives off beautiful clove and mild banana notes but is quickly taken over by the barrel character in a good way. Tons of bourbon and vanilla with a slight boozy alcohol note that is very well rounded and blends in with the overall aroma and creates a spiciness to it. This beer has a lot of subtle notes to it as well like dark fruits, dark candy sugars, and maybe some molasses.

T- Man I love this beer. It's so well balanced in the super complex array of flavors it has. To start off the base beer comes through once again right away with that classic american belgian quad taste that I love. Tons of dark fruits and belgian candy sugars followed by a bunch of strong belgian yeast esters like banana and clove. After it goes farther down the throat the after taste brings out a strong punch of delicious bourbon with hints of oak, vanilla, spice, and a almost char like finish which can also come from possible roasted grains in this beer. With so many flavors coming through you would think this beer would be a mess or the bourbon would take over but it's so well done and aged perfectly creating a great easy drinking Quad. The alcohol is barely noticeable and definitely sneaks up on you. A genuine sipper

M- Full bodied with moderate carbonation and a really nice smooth finish that's leaves you wanting more.

Overall if you get a chance I say grab this beer. If you were to ask me I would rank this up there with Firestone Walker and their big barrel aged beer like Parabola and Abacus. It's that good! The only mark I give against it is the color, I feel being a Quad it should be a little darker especially when comparing it to the real Belgian ones.

Skål!

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 01:23:08 | More by Arenbeer

Contra

New York

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Well, Weyerbacher took their Quad and aged it in oak barrels, making a fuller line of aged beers. Personally, I find Insanity & Heresy to be fantastic, but that Prophecy needs work, despite being a quality beer. This is my first tasting of Blasphemy.

22oz bottle, served in a goblet.

Like the normal Quad, it pours out like maple syrup. Deep color, minimal head. The aroma is not too strong when I sniffed it, but it does give a good hint at what it tastes like - that being dates, molasses, bourbon, and for a second, coco-butter. The closet thing I can compare it to is if the matching characteristics of a Tripel and a Barelywine were blended. Each sip is incredibly strong, not with alcohol, but the flavors masking the alcohol. Still, it's pretty easy to tell it is high in alcohol percentage. The sweetness, oddly enough, does not leave the mouth feeling dry, which is fortunate. Some might find it a bit thick, but that's really what to look for in this style. "Drinkability" is always a rough category on thick beers like this. Taking this into consideration, it turns out fairly well compared to similar beers.

Overall, I highly recommend it if you like the style. Quads, on their own, are a bit of an acquired taste, so I think the same can be said about Blasphemy.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2007 02:48:06 | More by Contra

nriech

Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dark amber. Decent inch head, lots of lacing.

Smell: Oak, vanilla, rasins, molasses, bourbon. Very very nice. One of those you just love to smell and dont care if people stare at you smelling your beer.

Taste: I get a hit of the oak and alcohol at first. Very good bourbon flavor with some sugary, citrusy aftertaste. Really really complex. Warming reveals some earthy tobacco flavors. Pretty sticky.

Great sipping beer. An awesome example of an oak aged beer. And one thats better than the original unoaked version. I think this might be a little much for the uninitiated craft drinker and should be saved for special in the know people.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2007 13:46:44 | More by nriech

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Reddish copper body, little cloudy, topped by a noisy light tan head that decays quickly to an oil slick.

Intense vanilla aroma, backed with big notes of alcohol.

Big sweet beginning. Not quite cloying, but big time sweet. Lots of caramel. Followed by some oak. Hot tastinghops per se, but the sweetness is being balance. Vanilla and bourbon at the swallow. Alcohol belly burn. Alcohol soaked fruit in the finish. Lot of elements but it comes together well.

Mouthfeel is big and solid. Drinkability while maybe not dangerous is a bit surprising in its ease.

Another big beer winner from Weyerbacher, though the final couple of bottles are heading to the cellar for awhile to try and take a little edge off the alcohol. Worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2007 04:20:36 | More by RonfromJersey

Mauerhan

California

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

cracked this with my good buddy pehlman. yet another awesome beer to add to the list of awesome beers that he owes me.

pours a clear amber color with a one finger white head. small lacing.

smell is by far the best thing about this beer. sweet. dark fruit with a boozy back. seriously this beer smells good enough to bathe in.

taste is good. i get a wide variety of flavors. sweet, bitter, strong booze. tried munching on a few rasinets while drinking and its a match made in heaven.

mouth is slightly thick and sweet with a prevalent booze presence.

a tasty beverage and i am glad that ive had it. not my favorite quad but still rather good. boring review but who really cares.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2008 07:31:24 | More by Mauerhan

bs870621345

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

New Batch just picked up. Wasn't expecting to see this one so soon after the release.

Pours a clear ruby brown color with a tiny bit of head. No lacing what so ever.

Smell is of vanilla, plums, spices, raisins, oak, bread, caramel, and a hint of biscuits.

Taste opens with dark fruits and vanilla mixing with caramel after a moment. Moves into a bread and plum flavor as it sits around after the swallow and a little bit of warming in the chest.

Mouthfeel is full, but not too carbonated.

Overall its good, would love to see what some more time would do to this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 22:51:01 | More by bs870621345

riedia

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A friend and I shared a 750ml Cork and Cage

Appearance - When first pouring Blasphemy it comes out with a deep caramel color. The head dissipates quickly leaving a foggy unfiltered beer. The overall appearance was very typical of a Belgian Quad.

Smell - The smell is very faint, but sweet. There is a hint of fig or date (think fig newton). I would also add that you cannot smell the bourbon barrel aging. However, it comes with a fruity almost flowery aroma.

Taste - When taking a deep sip, the bourbon is very apparent... You get a very STRONG finish... There is also hints of vanilla and almond extract. If you are looking for a regular quad this is not the beer for you. It takes what you think a quad should be.. ramps it up 10 fold.

Mouthfeel - When letting the beer sit on the tongue the beer has a soft warming feel. The beer is almost a little under carbonated ... leaves me wanting a little more

Overall - This beer is intimidating to say the least, when you look at the bottle they have the raven and a cross for a reason. When you read 11.8abv it will scare you, and we were scared .... yes I cried a little. However, the feel, the taste, and the overall appearance lead this to be a very good example of a Quad... although this is released seldom get your hands on this and give it a try.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 00:34:59 | More by riedia

Duff27

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Murky dark orange color. Average size off white head, some lacing.

S- Woo, very nice smell. Hints of bourbon.

T- Caramels, apple cider. Great Belgian yeast spiciness that comes out at the end of each sip. Lower hop profile.

M- Medium mouthfeel, lower end of carbonation.

D/O- Very intoxicating, high drinkability considering the ABV. Every here enjoyed it. Right up there with Boulevard's offering as the best bourbon barrel quad that I've had. Thanks a bunch MaxSpang!

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 03:32:57 | More by Duff27

jdg204

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Another first timer for me from the boys @ Weyerbacher's mixed variety case. Never really got into QUAD's, after this beer, I'll be reconsidering that position.

Appearance - Lovely traslucent bronze color with a thin white head.

Smell - Once you get this in a goblet, bourbon barrel effect comes through wonderfully with a buttery/ vanilla combo.

Taste - This made the brew, the buttery flavor dominated with some hints of vanilla and dark fruits was wonderful. A masterful combo of a big beer and a fine liquor.

Mouthfeel - The buttery flavor really felt wonderful on the tongue and this was a surprisingly smooth drink for 10%+ ABV, aftertaste was a wonderful savory sense and the balance made mouth happy.

Drinkability - Loved it, that simple. I'm going to have to try the non-barreled version as well, but this brew will definetly open me up to more QUAD's. The guys at Weyerbacher have another big brew winner and this bourbon barrel aging is something I'm definetly going to have to investigate as there's an RIS and Barleywine version (Yes, I'm jacked!).

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2007 15:06:51 | More by jdg204

damienblack

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy amber, way lighter than expected. Billowing head formed up and reinforced by some lovely carbonation. Head is peach colored, big and billowing at first, settles over time to be patchy. Lacing still leaves a nice effect. Smells like raisiny sweetness, also like a candied sugar thing going on, very pleasant. All sweet, nothing I don't like.

Overall, a mostly sweet, slightly sour americanized version of a belgian, and a good one at that. Very fruity and sweet, with some alcoholic burn behind it. Almost like a very sweet barleywine. Tastes like plum, fig maybe, dark cherry, all the awesome dark fruits, backed by sweet malts. True belgian in style and implementation. Almost like a belgian dark ale, except lighter in body, but a lot of the same tastes are there. Strong, full mouthfeel, flavorful and coating whilst being refreshing at the same time. Drinkability takes a bit of a hit because of the booziness, but that's only a slight hit. This is my favorite Weyerbacher so far, definitely worth seeking out. The barrel aging leaves its mark all over the experience without being totally distinct, able to be picked out. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2009 09:03:10 | More by damienblack

scottbrew4u

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from the bomber a clear dark amber color with a pillowy off white head that is an inch high. Great lacing on the glass as you drink.

S: Sweet roasted malt and bready malt aromas with candy sugar and bourbon aromas. Hops are a gentle floral bouquet.

T: Very complex blend of sweet aromatic malt, candy sugar, bourbon, and a wonderful belgian yeast strain imparting flavors of vanilla, and spice.

M: Smooth, velvety medium body with a noticeable but well hidden alcohol strength. Light smooth carbonation.

O: Well done beer and one of my favorites of the year so far it can stand up to a good belgian quad. It will also please your palate now or stand up to some good cellaring for later.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 22:58:00 | More by scottbrew4u

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.38/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A 22oz bottle poured into a tulip glass. I was trying to compare this to Quad, and found this one a little more interesting. It had a dark amber color with a thin head. It had a sweet, fruity aroma, with a vinous character. An explosion of taste. Fruity, some chocolate, yeasty, and wine. I thought it was very smooth and mellow. However, I don't think I'd drink this and Quad together in one sitting again. Next time, Blasphemy alone.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2007 22:03:58 | More by lordofthewiens

barleywinebrewer

New Hampshire

4.38/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - reddish dull brown with a decent off-white head
S - Rich vinous malts, vanilla, oak and alcohol warmth dominate.
T - follows the nose but with a nice underlying brush of belgian candi sugar and belgian yeasts.
M - full bodied, medium carbonated, sweet and warming
D - one is plenty at this ABV but well done and thoroughly enjoyable!

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2007 19:30:03 | More by barleywinebrewer

IntriqKen

California

4.35/5  rDev +11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured a dark amber with a smallish just off-white head that melts quickly to a small ring.
Aroma is strongly oak and alcohol, alcohol and oak, with a hint of Belgium yeasts and a breath of banana.
Whoa! There are many, many things going on in the flavor. This one needs 6 months to a year to balance itself out and behave.
Sweet candy sugars, vanilla, brown sugar, oak and whisky...maybe a little rum, more Belgium candy, dark fruits, and lots of alcohol.
I can't seem to stop smelling this brew...it's wild .
I want to try this one after it has cellared a while. Right now it is very hot.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2007 05:02:04 | More by IntriqKen

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.35/5  rDev +11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a one-finger white head that fades quickly leaving no lace. Clear copper amber color. alcohol and oak nose. Light-medium carbonation and heavy bodied. Flavor is sweet, alcohol, woody actually complex. Clean finish. Very warming. $8.00 for a 22oz bottle from Tully's Beer & Wine Wells, Me.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2007 23:18:29 | More by jdhilt

DIM

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

note: I had this immediately after a Quad.

a: Looks very much like Quad. Perhaps the copper color is a bit darker. This also pours with a minimal head.

s: The sour cherries and yeasty wheat notes from Quad are still here, blanketed now by faint vanilla and bourbon aromas. While not an improvement, this is at least an interesting lateral move.

t: Weyerbacher has done a superb job of barrel aging here as this quite a bit better than naked Quad. The bourbon flavors are kept nicely in check allowing the cherry and yeast tastes to remain at the forefront.

m: If only this beer was a bit more lively. Carbonation aside, the texture is silky and thick.

d: This a fantastic treat to sip and savor every now and then.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2007 12:06:29 | More by DIM

Bierguy5

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle, 11.8% abv. Cloudy chestnut color. Small white head disappears immediately. Not much carbonation showing.

Oaky notes show through first, with hints of vanilla and toasted coconut. Dark bready malt, with figs and darker fruit. A whiff of alcohol seems to blend in well.

Darker malt, some fig and date flavors. Darker fruit flavors. Barrel notes come in strong, but not overpowering. Tannins combine with toasty coconut and vanilla. Some heat from the alcohol. Drying at the finish.

Lighter body, carbonation is pretty low. This is a bit hot, and has some amazing cellar potential. Very well made.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2011 20:35:34 | More by Bierguy5

Higravity

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beautiful deep amber color with a slight white hat of small bubbles. The nose is sugary with some smokiness and an oak earthy presence. The taste is sublime the Quad lifts the tongue in joy and the woody oak which is perfectly tuned here hits the tongue in a long aftertaste. The body belies the gravity of the beer, a sipper for certain as the whole bottle with have you singing songs you don't even like.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2007 12:09:13 | More by Higravity

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 12 oz bottle purchased during Weyerbacher's 2007 Open House.

A: The quad has a robust orange color that is highlighted by an obvious reddish hue. As with the Quad that I had last night, the ale is lacking any sediment. The head was large but not to the point that it overflowed the glass. That size quickly receded after pour.

S: The quad's aroma has been almost entirely supplanted by sweet corn bourbon. Some vanilla flavors waft out to match the Quad's cherry remnants.

T: Sweet bourbon in a beer bottle! The strong flavors that define QUAD have been completed crowded out by the barrel aging. Sweet, bitter bourbon notes scorch the tongue immediately, burning with alcoholic heat. As the ale sits on the tongue, some stronger grain flavors emerge, some green grape to remind you of the base on which the barrel aging is built. The bourbon barrel aging was done to perfection here, creating a drink that is bourbon without the punch.

M: Oh sweet, silky sweet bourbon, how I love thee. This beer is a perfect match for the bourbon whiskey fans. Well done.

D: The abv is huge and accentuated by the heat from the bourbon. This is a nightcap, I suspect that I'll sleep soundly tonight.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2007 02:12:51 | More by akorsak

dreadnatty08

District of Columbia

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a medium to dark amber color with good clarity and a solid half inch of off-white head. Aromas of deep oak notes, vanilla, spicy esters, and bready/toasty malts. On the palate, the oak continues to really soften the beer while providing increased complexity to an already interesting Belgian. It finishes thick and viscous with the tannic quality of the wood really rounding things out. Overall, I think this is one of the better oak-aged beers from Weyerbacher that I've tried.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2008 16:22:21 | More by dreadnatty08

SLeffler27

New York

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours like warm syrup into a snifter glass, yet still raises a good two fingers of off-white head over a clear, copper-brown beer, lining the glass with a leggy film.

Wow, the wood really pops with whiskey overtones. The alcohol fumes carry sweetness as they gently, but firmly grab the nose. Blasphemy reminds me of happy hour in my grandfather's drawing room.

Heavily malted, but not overpowering the hoppy bitterness, as it leaves room for vanilla, raisins, and some toasted flavors. A touch of sourness, this quadrupel warms to a strong brandy.

Rich and velvety smooth with warming alcohol and light carbonation.

Blasphemy is a really nice play on Quad, and is equal to the standard Weyerbacher has set. Great any time, but probably best as a sipper with a book or good conversation while sitting in leather chairs surrounded by a cherry-paneled drawing room as a fire crackles below a stone mantle.

Date consumed: 11 July 2008

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2009 20:48:48 | More by SLeffler27

GregSVT

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml corked & caged bottle into a snifter - 2011 Vintage

A: Pours a hazy brown color with a nice white head that fades to a ring and leaves some lacing on the glass. Not as carbonated as I expected but maybe the bottle conditioning hasn't fully set in yet.

S: The nose is full of candied fruit and brown sugar with a vanilla aroma in the background. There's also that belgian yeast aroma that I associate with all belgian quads.

T: The taste is beautiful brown sugar, toasted oak, caramel malt, and buttery bourbon. There's also the belgian yeast flavors in there. Very tasty.

M: The feel is on the thicker side of medium and very oily...this is a big beer and you can tell by the feel.

O: Very well done and I'm glad I have a few more of these to enjoy over the next few years. Definitely worth a try if you like Barrel Aged Quads.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2011 06:22:21 | More by GregSVT

Billolick

New York

4.3/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Blind Tier Ale Hse in NYC a few weeks ago and reviewed from notes. Pours cloudy darkish, smoky almond, minor light tan head and leaving a tiny bubble film and fine light lacing. The nose here is boldly of crisp spicing and alcohol. One sip and its obvious that this a strong, heady and complex brew. Notes of currents, rum, brandy, burnt grains, alot going on here, not for the faint of heart/palate, not for quaffing, and not for fans of pissy yellow beer. Fine night capper/late night sipper.

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2007 14:14:05 | More by Billolick

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

With a lot less Bourbon than might be expected, the Blasphemy version of Weyerbacher Quad might be the most drinkable of the Bourbon barrel series yet.

It pours a clear copper body that reveals streams of tiny bubbles rising steadily towards the surface. The creamy off-white head starts with an impressive girth, maintains it, and then steadily drops to a thin covering - all the while leaving behind a solid wall of creamy lace.

It expresses Bourbon in the nose with some vanilla and wood, and alcohol and spice along with it, but also some very nice dark-skinned fruit.

The flavor is very much the same, and very supple, with a rich malty blanket of dark-fruit woven with caramel-accented fruit and a dark fruit edge. It's very appleish, and malty with a caramelish edge and a slap of alcohol.

Nicely done with just an edge of Bourbon. Worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2007 03:55:23 | More by NeroFiddled

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle purchased as a single from Julio's, Marlboro, MA.

Poured into a Rapscallion glass, formed a 1/2" beige head over the slightly cloudy orangey copper brew. Head fades gradually down to a skim of froth, with plenty of sticky lacing. Aroma is sweet, with vanilla and tart composing a large part as well. Taste follows along, sweet upfront, strong vanilla and tartness in the middle, and then it all closes up nicely with vinous alcohol, heavy on the warmth. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, and the drinkability is very nice, although a little hot, which of course is to be expected at 11.8%abv. I think this is my favorite of the BA Weyerbachers.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2007 00:35:17 | More by ppoitras