Blasphemy - Weyerbacher Brewing Co.

phiberoptik

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle, poured into a white wine glass, this pours shades of gold, copper, and amber. Lighter than I expected for a Quad, with a small head that quickly results in a rim around the top.

Alcohol up front, raisins, wine grapes, some oak and vanilla notes as well as a hint of peppery spice. Oddly enough this nose reminds me of a attributes of a French Pinot Noir.

Hot, no hiding the alcohol here. Bourbon, vanilla, oak, sweet raisins, spice, and very little bitterness. Warm/hot finish.

Medium bodied, prickly carbonation, hot all around.

Overall this could have sat for a while. The 11.8% ABV acts like a watered down liquor on the throat. There are some great aromas but the taste is just very under ripe.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 00:27:01 | More by phiberoptik

MaxSpang

Ohio

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

Served in a Chimay goblet.

APPEARANCE

This beer is a murky reddish brown color. It's extremely hazy, and had almost no head or carbonation coming up on the side of the glass. Not the prettiest beer, but it looks characteristic of the style save the lack of head.

SMELL

This beer has a huge dark fruit smell. I could smell it as soon as I popped the cork off! Tons of overly ripe apricot, cherries, and even some banana. The alcohol is only the alightest bit present, which adds to the huge complexity of the aroma. Did I mention fruit? This also has some nice raisin-bread character. There is a TON in the nose.

TASTE

Whoa! This is like a karate kick to the tongue. It has just as much dark fruits as the nose, and then some. There is a big amount of flavor that I can only describe as a banana that is black from over ripeneing - YUM. Tons of raisin and plums, and tons of sweet breadiness almost like cake. The alcohol comes through in a big way, and it's almost hot but it works nicely in this beer. Did I mention fruitiness? The Belgian yeast comes through right at the end, bringing some slight spice, earthiness, and black pepper. This beer tastes delightfully sinful.

MOUTHFEEL

Not as dry as other quads I've had, nor is it as carbonated. In fact, there's hardly any carbonation in this at all. It is big and chewy but not syrupy. Did I mention fruits? Woops wrong section - the alcohol is nice and warming. This is a big ol' stankin beer and the lack of carbonation accentuates it.

OVERALL

Ah, I love a nice fruity quad. This remids me a lot of Insanity from Weyerbacher, except a lot more... Belgian. Did I mention fruit? This sinful ale is sold all over the place around here, so it's a prime candidate to buy a bunch of and age. This rocked my socks off, but I say who needs socks? I won't tell the folks at church about this one, because that would be... Well, blashphemy.

Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 00:12:16 | More by MaxSpang

bsp77

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review #666

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Snifter.

Appearance: Dark orangish-brown that glows red in the light. Some off-white head and lacing.

Smell: Very malty and sweet, with plums, raisins, figs and banana. The barrel-aging comes through with vanilla and bourbon. Slightly musty as well.

Taste: Overripe fruit (almost decaying) of plum, figs and raisins. The barrels provide the other half of the flavor profile with vanilla, bourbon and coconut. While fairly sweet, there is an oaky finish that prevents it from getting as cloying as their standard Quad.

Feel: Fairly low carbonation, chewy full body. Fairly smooth and warming. Wish it was slightly more effervescent.

Overall: While still a little on the sweet end, it is amazing how much better the barrel-aging made this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2011 00:11:15 | More by bsp77

fatmcb1

Texas

4.15/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle into a wine glass

Pours a hazy light brown that leaves a thick ring of head.

The smell is very sweet, lots of candied malt. Also, there is plenty of dark fruit - figs, raisins, and cherries. Reminiscent of some brandy qualities.

Taste encompasses all of the previously mentioned qualities, but adds some layers. The bourbon and oak really come out more in the taste. Also, there is definitely some vanilla. A very complex taste!

Full body and low carbonation, which works well for this beer.

Overall, it is enjoyable, and definitely a sipping beer. Big full nose and taste. I particularly liked how they integrated the bourbon barrel without it overpowering the other flavors.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 00:33:12 | More by fatmcb1

rapidsequence

Virginia

3.03/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

22 oz bottle. $7.99. I think I got it at Whole Foods in Raleigh. I've had it for at least a year, but there's no date, so I don't know how old it really is.

Appearance: Cloudy, rusty color. Little head, almost no lacing-- maybe two little spots. A lot of the cloudiness is chill haze, and it mostly clears up on warming. Meh.

Smell: Smells very sweet and very fruity. Raisins and some lighter stuff like apricots. Yeast is bready and a little spicy. Ethanol is pretty noticable. Nice vanilla notes.

Taste: Tastes good up front-- sweet fruit and raisins, overripe bananas, little clove, and some nice oaky notes. As it gets to the back of the tongue though, its all ethanol and solventy heat. The aftertaste is pretty good though.

Mouthfeel: Soft and sticky, then sharp and thin as you swallow what tastes and feels like bad moonshine.

Overall: All in all, I don't really care for it. I do quite like some aspects of it though-- the raisiny and yeasty smells/flavors are good, and the barrel aging seems to have done the beer well. However, like the regular QUAD, this thing is a hot, boozy, mess.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2011 00:38:46 | More by rapidsequence

kirok1999

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a cloudy light copper with a huge head and sticky lace. Smells of candy, apples and mild spices. Taste is massively fruity, lots of fresh apples, raisins, mild mulled spices, just a bit of alcohol, candy sugar and a hint of dark caramel. Feels dense yet a bit fizzy. Overall a nice quad and it pairs well with cheese.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2011 00:12:20 | More by kirok1999

Beer4Baltimore

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - cloudy dark caramel color with no head to speak of.
S - mildly sweet lightly fruity fragrance that is very pleasant. Some alcohol in the nose.
T - we're moving from mildly sweet smells to a quite sweet taste but some of that sweet is from the high alcohol which becomes very apparent now. I get wood; in the taste that is, as well as a little spice. Fruity = figgy
M - viscous but flowing. The alcohol leaves a tingly aftertaste. Carbonation is low.
D - it's good but it's not your everyday beer.
Overall a nice brew if your in the mood for sweet and mellow.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 00:44:14 | More by Beer4Baltimore

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

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750mL bottle poured into snifter

Pours a clouded auburn color with some ruby hues. A thin beige head fades quickly leaving some bubbled lacing and thin film.

Plenty of fruit scents with pear, apple, and dates. Some oak and bourbon with spice. Light warmth and vanilla, sweetness as well.

Rich and warm up front with candied fruit notes. Burnt sugar with dates and some apple/pear tones. Sticky and somewhat sweet with oak and vanilla bourbon tones and a dash of spice. Finishes sweet and warm.

Fuller medium body, decent carbonation, sticky and full on the tongue. This bottle definitely benefited from about 6 months of age, as the harsh boozy tones mellowed out and allowed the fruit and oak flavors to shine through. I'm glad I have another bottle or two.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 03:49:04 | More by xnicknj

Doshkin

Maine

3.55/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a - in my opinion, the appearance was the best part of the beer. it poured a deep copper, cloudy with sediment at first. as the sediment settles, the beer clears to a beautiful maple copper color. this is a great looking brew.

s - mildly fruity. the alcohol is very prominent. mild banana aroma and heavy whiskey bourbon smells.

t - strong alcohol flavors. definitely a bourbon or scotch flavor with some mild fruity sweetness. the twang of alcohol i get kind of reminds me of a homebrew batch i made with 64 oz of maple syrup. there are lots of fermentable sugars boosting this brew for sure, which is kind of contradictory to the liquor tastes it gives off.

m - thick, viscous. strong twangs hit all around the edges of the tongue and then at the back of the throat when swallowed.

o - if you like whiskey or scotch, i think you will really really like this beer. it is very bold in its alcohol content and it comes through in the smell and the taste without holding back. it is balanced out with a little bit of fruit.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 00:26:57 | More by Doshkin

jale

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to Chris for this bottle.

A: Pours a dirty cloudy light brown with very little head.

S: Light roasted malt, oak and apple cider.

T: Booze upfront followed by oak tannins and a strange fermented apple type taste/feel? I get a hint of burnt sugar and caramel as well. The taste is slightly sweet to me. As it warms I get raisins and figs. Drinks like a cream sherry.

M: Medium body with low carbonation.

O: I think I've had this bottle for a while but I really like this beer, in a strange way.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 00:11:41 | More by jale

ujsplace

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had at Union Jack's on the Manatawny.

This is a deep, hazy, brown colored brew that has a one finger thick head that fades to a whispy layer.

Smells of raisin, dark fruits - cherries and maybe fig. Also smells of sweet candied malts,
earthy hops and a descent level of alcohol.

Tastes of big malts, rich buttery caramel malt with lots of dark fruits - cherries, figs, apricot and mayby some over-ripened peaches.

Thick and luscious, creamy.

A very good quad from Weyerbacher. Love the style and this one definitely holds it's own.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 01:34:49 | More by ujsplace

Spica66

Indiana

4.18/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Received in trade from randomdanger. Thank you, Will!

A: Deep copper-brown color. Decent head formation and retention. Carbonation hangs on. Some lacing present.

S: Deep raisin and caramel with a hint of apple. Very light on the Belgian funk. Smells like a well-aged barleywine.

T: Very complex. Caramel, deep fig/raisin with a hint of apple brandy. Excellent balance. Nothing jumps out and grabs you.

M: Extremely smooth body and proper carbonation. A little too hot for my taste.

O: This is the first Quad that I have really enjoyed.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 13:49:32 | More by Spica66

morimech

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml cork and caged bottle. Reddish amber color with one finger of head that did not hang around for very long. The head settles to a thin cap. Moderate amount of lacing is left on the glass.

Intriging aroma. Dark fruit, brown sugar, vanilla, and alcohol. Smells a little like brandy.

The taste is brandy like as well. Surprised this was aged in bourbon barrels. I pick up a lot of caramel, raisins, and vanilla. The alcohol is very hot and that hurts the score for me. Almost seems the ABV is in the teens. Sweetness is kept in check.

The alcohol affects the mouthfeel as well. The alcohol evaporates off the tongue. Enough carbonation to let me know I am drinking a beer.

A lot of nice things going on but just too boozy to be thoroughly enjoyed.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 19:00:53 | More by morimech

magine

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a amber tea like color. No head to speak of, very little lace. Cloudy and a tawny brown. Some off white spotty laceing that rims the glass. Good looking quad.

Smells of raisins and other dark fruits. Good maltiness and some booze as well. Smells good.

Earthy hops; balanced brew. Dark fruits and a nice yeasty malt in here. Smooth and finishes slightly dry. Good quad.

Very good stuff here, nice balance and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 14:47:31 | More by magine

HopsYeast

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

a-poured out of 750ml corked bottle with no head. has a cloudy body with an amber color and small amounts of sediment.
s-granny smith apples stuck out to me and the others when i tried this. also hints of burnt sugar. there is a very hidden aroma of anise.
t-malty apples, others sweet fruits but nothing overbearing. it is all balanced very well with generous amounts of malt and yeast. there is a very soothing warmth of alcohol at the end after you ingest.
m-zero carbonation and very drinkable.
o-very nice quad. another weyerbacher beer not meant for anything but sipping, savoring, and enjoying. this is a good beer to have cold or room temperature. ours was cold and as the night went on it came to room temp and we all notices that more flavors released as it came up to temp.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2011 01:19:00 | More by HopsYeast

polisanl

Florida

3.48/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

2011 bottle poured into Chimay goblet. Pours a murky brown with a reddish tone. Small white head that reduces to the glass edge. Smells of sweet caramel, fruit and alcohol. Tastes of sweet banana and other dark type fruit at first. No denying there's lots of belgian yeast. Oak and vanilla flavors as well. Very complex and lots going on, but flavors are short lived due to the booziness that follows immediately after. Medium bodied with little carbonation. Truthfully, had a hard time finishing. I would definitely share AND age the next one, to mellow out that alcohol burn. This could be a high rating beer at the right age, especially for the price.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2011 14:57:11 | More by polisanl

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The first pour was ruby red with 1 finger of white head that dissipates quickly. Low carbonation and some decent lacing. The second pour got all the yeast and yielded a murky copper color.

N: Sweet bourbon, oak, vanilla, dark fruit and nail polish remover.

T: Ripe plum and other dark fruits, toffee, banana and some cherry. This is followed by some huge bourbon, oak and vanilla flavors. Some light barnyard flavors also make an appearance. Finishes with some sweet red grape, wood and coriander spice.

M: Medium-full bodied, smooth, warming and semi-sticky.

O: This is a nice, rich & sweet sipper. Very complex with a lot of sweet notes; some of which I can decipher. Nicely done oak-aging. Weyerbacher did this one just right.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2011 23:48:04 | More by justintcoons

Spider889

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Purchased the cork and caged bottle for $8.99 at 101 Bottles in Kent.

Poured into a Lost Abbey tulip. Fairly good clarity, the beer is a ruddy dark amber color. The off-white head was fast to rise to a couple fingers high.

Smells every bit of 11.8%; very boozy. Lots of heavy bourbony fusel alcohol and maybe a hair of vanilla.

The flavor is rich, varied, and complex. At first the strong quad flavors come through. Lots of nutmeg and raisin along with some sweetened fig. The bourbon actually tastes more like brandy to me. The alcohol is quite sweet. With warmth Blasphemy takes on some cinnamon and bread crust flavor, which then leads into a pseudo-fruit cake flavor. The beer finishes with a mild phenolic band-aid flavor which I imagine is attributable to the whiskey barrels.

Blasphemy isn't offensively hot or overpowering, but it's boozy enough that the alcohol is well felt and the beer is a definite sipper. Low carbonation with a medium body.

Overall this is a really satisfying beer, with a great value, though I couldn't drink it very often.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2011 06:05:57 | More by Spider889

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

4.08/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice barrel aged quad, with a long lingering range.

Presentation: 750 ml brow caged and capped bottle. Nocturnal purple sky label with the image of a crow resting on a stone cross and the silhouettes of barren trees, with a gothic-metal-retro typography, a bit cliche but not as bad as other Weyerbacher designs. Lacks apparent bottling or freshness date, or any other info. Shows Alc. by Vol. (11.8%) Served into a tulip glass.

A - Lightly hazed deep amber to amber brown pour, with a short and short lived head, minimal surface memory and lacing.

S - Nose is nice but a bit soft, with a good sweet yeastiness, fruity touches, and a soft hint of bourbon.

T - The taste expands the nose beyond expectations and takes the brew to another label. Long and hefty range, malty sweetness, unfermented sugar and fruity spectrum with prunes figs… quite a bit of bourbon, hint of wood and vanilla.

M - Medium to medium-full body with soft carbonation, some nice sweet stickiness, long lingering flavor with an emerging boozy touch.

O - Quite a nice sipper, pleasing range and nice notes.

Notes: Maybe not a brew for the ages, but in general they do their barrel aging fairly well. In a soft, almost subdued manner that actually works pretty well. This is a quality and nice take at aging a US quad and worth the occasion.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 13:42:15 | More by Daniellobo

DrStiffington

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I've had this once before, and really enjoyed it. Here goes. Pours a very dark brown, almost a mud color, into my tulip glass. Smell is strongly of alcohol (I don't remember that from last time), some fruit, like raisins or, hell, I don't know. The taste is somewhat sweet, with a slight fruitness. There is definitely a noticeable alcohol burn as an aftertaste, but that's not a bad thing here. I dig it. This beer is thick and creamy. A lot going on here. I will get another couple of these soon. At under $7 for a 750 mL bottle, this beer is a steal.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 02:00:22 | More by DrStiffington

LiquidCucumber

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - A hazy brown, almost rust. Looks like it will be a complex drink.

S - Fruits like fig and prune. A touch of booze and wood too, but not too much.

T- Sweet fruits; raisin, fig, prune and even a touch of raspberry. Strong booze factor and only a touch of American oak.

M - Lighter than expected but still covers the mouth and leaves you wanting more.

O - A very tasty brew, and a good value from one of my favorite breweries. Glad they brought this one back so I could try it. The base Quad is one of the best (if not the best besides Three Philosophers) of the American style and I am glad the barrel aging helped make it a more striking beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 01:26:31 | More by LiquidCucumber

KAP1356

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes. Cracked open a bottle of the latest (2011) batch on release day. I have been so psyched to try this guy. Poured into a Weyerbacher tulip...

A - Pours a hazy dark brown/amber color with a nice small cap of eggshell white foam that slowly recedes to a collar.

S - LOTS of Belgian spice right up front; more than other Quads I have encountered. Caramel, toffee, and vanilla come next with subtle oak undertones and rum soaked fruits (raisins, plums, dates). Really have to search the bourbon out, but it is there as it warms.

T - Sweet and spicy right off the bat. Alcohol soaked fruits (plums and raisins mostly) come next with toffee, caramel and vanilla. Some alcohol heat in the throat, but nothing offensive at all. Diggin' what's goin' on here.

M - Nice smooth, creamy feel. Medium to full bodied with lighter carbonation. Alcohol heat sticks around a bit, but is a nice warming feel. Highlight of the beer for me.

O - Barrel is well integrated, more oak than bourbon, and was a great beer to get to have. Really looking forward to how aging works this one out.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 03:25:17 | More by KAP1356

boomer31

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Insanity and Heresy are both great barrel aged beers so I was very excited to pop this one open tonight.

A - Pours a deep gold with a touch of read. Nice off white head, thick but does not stic on the glass

S - The nose is candied fruit, belgian yeast and bread. A definate belgian brew from the nose.

T - Very nice mix of sweet fruit, yeasty bread and vanilla oak from the barrel. Sweet is the key word. Long finish, sweet long finish. Love the barrel character

M - Full and rich quad, low carb, sticky sweet

O - Overall a good beer. I like my barrel aged beers with a lot of barrel This has the sweetness and the barrel character bt a touch too sweet.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 23:27:17 | More by boomer31

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A 750ml C&C bottle for $7 from Jersey into a Weyerbacher tulip, split with oglmcdgl. Wathching the season 8 opener of Curb.

Blasphemy into the tulip pours out a very pronounced brown shade with some light reds towards some light. Alot of sediment on the bottom of the bottle so watch out. A small cap of off white foam, no stick.

Smell is different for a quad. I like the American versions a bit more because the candi suga is not as big. A spice rack of spice with a underlining vanilla scent, not overly run over from bourbon, but there is some barrel character. Spice and vanilla, slight bourbon, that's about it.

Taste is very spiced up, a few of them and barrel character. oak over bourbon, vanilla gives off a faint sweetness melding nice like with the spice. Plums with a small grape hit and some alcohol on the back end, nothing to shake a stick at, it aint all that hot.

The heat is very laid back, it's there but not a deal breaker. It works well and remains in the aftertaste and would do me good in the dead of winter eating some christmas ham. Feel is a step up from medium and the carb is light and not bitey. Pretty smooth sailing with some kinks in the way.

All in all, Im glad Dan made this again, it gives me another tick and it shows what chops the brewers in Easton have. I don't think this spent a whole lot of time in the barrels, but enough to keep the bourbon from overpowering the base quad. I'd drank it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 05:30:14 | More by onix1agr