Allagash Four - Allagash Brewing Company

Kinsman

New Hampshire

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beautiful pour results in a slightly hazy coppery red color with a thick and frothy, light tan colored head and it has plenty of staying power.

Aroma is notably sweet with hints of caramel and brown sugar and some bready malts linger in the background. Yeast profile seems to add just a hint of clove spice.

Taste has a strong bready and caramel like malt presence with hints of an apple like sweetness. Clove and cinnamon detected in a spice note and finishes with an ever so slight kiss of flowery hops.

Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy but doesn't finish quite as dry as expected. Overall, a different take on the Quad but certainly one worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2011 01:26:26 | More by Kinsman

clayrock81

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a seethru red-tinged copper with bubbly head that died quick and left no lace. The first I notice in the aroma is the yeast...it definitely comes out. There's also that candy, sugary aroma (though mild) as well as that faint citric hop aroma. Thicker and fuller-bodied, chewey even, the beer is greatly balanced. Also prickly with great carbonation, the sticky heaviness of the beer is countered and not murkey. I pick up sweet malts like candy sugar and some bready malts as well. Also picking up some tartness like cherry and a hint of citric hop flavoring. Fines nice and smooth and plush, ABV minimized, so it feels like I'm drinking a great fruit and sweet ale that is heavy and crisp and real easy to drink. A real treat.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2011 22:15:49 | More by clayrock81

YouSkeete

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Orange/red with an almost amber-like tint. Cloudy. Small white head, fades into some lacing quickly.

S: Belgian yeast, fresh dry and bitter hops, thick malt aroma. Fruits such as apples, grapes, and oranges.

T: Smooth, thick and creamy malt character. Hops aren't as strong as i'd had wished. Fruit body quickly comes full force; apples, oranges, pears, grapes. Burn of alcohol lingers. Nice bread-like Belgian yeast flavor, powerful but not overwhelming. Spicy and lemony aftertaste.

M: Milky, sticky. Medium to full bodied with medium carbonation.

D: A great quad, but if youre looking for a more "in-your-face," or heavy quad, look elsewhere. Well done, Allagash.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 02:44:22 | More by YouSkeete

metter98

New York

4.08/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is cloudy light amber in color with some orange highlights and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a two finger high beige head that quickly died down but consistently left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface.
S: The nose has aromas of fruit, spices and yeast.
T: The taste is very similar to the smell and also has notes of malty sweetness.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate to high amount of carbonation. There is a bit of dryness in the finish.
D: The beer is quite drinkable considering its strength because the alcohol is well masked from the taste.

Note: Batch #23

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2011 06:20:11 | More by metter98

Stigs

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml cork and cage. Batch #18. Purchased this at least two years ago at a Total Wine. Split, served in chalices.

A - pours with just a thin amount of short lived light tan foam. settles to a thin film and ring. the beer is slightly cloudy, dirty brown in color.

S - dark fruits, mostly plums and raisins. dark candi sugar. lightly spicy yeast and some sweet phenols. rounded out with some apple, lightly oxidized hops, and some light toffee.

T - following suit from the nose begins somewhat sweet. good amount of raisin and mild red apples. turns a bit bready through the middle, with the addition of red grapes augmented by a hint of clove and banana from the yeast. hops have completely died out at this point, with a slightly cidery finish.

M - medium bodied, low amount yet slightly tingly carbonation. sticky from the sweetness. the 10% ABV is absolutely vanished at this point.

D - this might be slightly past its peak, but still held together quite well. scents and flavors are well meshed but get lost a bit. alcohol is completely gone, making this quite dangerous. a bit different for the style but still a well made brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2011 01:50:42 | More by Stigs

jayavery

California

4.7/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer: Allagash Four
Brewer: Allagash Brewing Company. Maine, United States
Style: Belgian Quadrupel (QUAD)
ABV: 10%

Beer Advocate: Jay Avery
Rating: A+

Allagash four was recommended to me from my buddy Scot Wood. The only other Allagash brew I've tried was the white and for a Belgian white, it's up there in my top 5. As far as this one goes, it is a really BIG BEER. The Allagash Four Belgian QUAD contains 4 malts, 4 hops, fermented 4 times with 4 types of yeasts and 4 different sugars. It's about as complex as it gets. Here's my review...

Presentation:
Reviewed 02/24/2011 750ml Bottle corked and caged Batch # 21. Aged 9 months poured into an Affligem Goblet. Stored in my fridge at 37 degrees, I took the bottle out and let is stand for 20 minutes. I gave it a slow pour then let it stand for another 5 mins. I'm pretty close to 50 degrees at the first sip and it only gets better and more flavorful as it warms.

Appearance:
This one pours a thick amber caramel bronze color with a thin, soapy cappuccino head. Lacing quickly dissipates and the head retention is mediocre at best.

Smell:
Immediately I get an earthy spiced oak barrel nose with fruity esters and a hint of molasses with a bit of sour cherry supplication.

Mouthfeel:
Soft but full bodied almost chewy with a tingle from the carbonation on the backend that lingers on your lips just a bit after each sip. This one is a lot creamier than I expected and thick thru and thru.

Taste:
To say this beer is complex is the tip of the iceberg. No apparent hoppines for me but rich, thick and bready fruitcake with a plum body up front. I get some midrange heat from the 10% abv then it I'm hit with a sugary caramelized malty finish. This one is super Intense, I can truly appreciate the amount of work it took to bring this brew to life!

Drinkability:
A definite beast of a beer and still it does a much better job at masking the alcohol content than a lot of 10's out there, I compare this one to a Trappistes Rochefort 10, only smoother and without the phenolic bite. Dangerously drinkable! I've finished 25cl so far and as I wrap up this review, I'm already too impaired to go grab another bottle. I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow to get more. An awesome quad that stands up in its class to the likes of St. Bernardus 12 and the rest of the 1st class Belgian Quads! If you're into Belgian Stong Darks/Quads and the spicy complexity that comes along with 'em, this is a must try brew! I give it an A+

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 05:31:00 | More by jayavery

bucklemyshoe

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

750 mL bottle at 50 degrees into a Chimay chalice. Batch #22.

A: It pours a clouded, dark red color with a finger of large-bubbled, dirty-white head that recedes quickly and forms a thin layer on top, while the lacing is decent at best.

S: Strong dark fruits, cloves, a little booze, and a hefty dose of candy sugar.

T: Sweet dark fruits, apple, banana, orange peel, candy sugar, mild yeasty spice, and a cereal-like aftertaste. The candy sugar is much more pronounced than in any beer I can think of.

M: The body is medium-thick with a mellow smoothness and a sticky finish. It does not have the strongest flavors but it makes up for it in silky texture.

D: This was good, but to justify $14.99, it ought to be amazing.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 17:33:40 | More by bucklemyshoe

Liverpool08

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark amber, with a nice 1 inch white head that leaves good lacing. Aroma is malty with hints of dried fruits and Belgian yeast. Flavor continues, with some rasins, malts and nice begian funk. There is also a nice little hop bite in there that makes this a unique take on this style. I found this a very easy drinker with good complex flavors thruout. I just wish the pricetag was a little smaller.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2011 23:14:32 | More by Liverpool08

chcfan

California

3.65/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle into Orval chalice

Deep amber in color. Off-white head with good lacing.

Fruit and esters in the aroma, but it is really faint. You have to wait for it to warm up and really get your nose down in there to get the components of the smell.

Taste is right in line with most quads: raisins, not much hops, some sweetness, a little bit of heat.

Four is a pretty solid example of the style overall and not a terrible value comparatively for what is one of the more expensive beer styles.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2011 21:55:22 | More by chcfan

Neffbeer

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle
batch #16 bottled on 7-15-2008 (info from the brewery)
Poured into an Allagash glass

A: Amber color with ruby highlights in the light, fantastic clarity. Decent size two finger head with a bit of lacing as the head fades.

S: It has a sweet nose, but not sugary, more of a muted caramel brown sugar thing. Belgian yeast steps in and plums and apples linger on. There is a nutty bread aspect going on melding with everything, complex and delicious.

T: Slow the bus down, this is rich and dank beyond my expectations. Two plus years on this bottle has brought out some serious sherry/port notes. The caramel/bread flavors blend together magnificently with the fruit. I taste cherries, apples and plums then some subtle spice notes. All of the flavors are working in harmony.

M: Low carbonation which really suits the style. The beer is still quite full bodied and supple.

D: This is an exquisite take on the Quad from stateside. I have another batch 16 in the cellar which I look forward to opening in another year or two.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2011 03:20:52 | More by Neffbeer

impending

California

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

this is not a quad

750ml into a tulip. Pours an orange amber, minor dense bubble head subsided quickly, excellent lacing. The photo of this in a glass on Allagash's website does not match the brew in front of me.

Strong coriander folded into yeasty white bread seeded with other spices. Blindfolded you would never guess a quad, no dark fruits.

Taste is wholly unexpected, an explosion of flavors. The brewers intended a complex brew and they succeeded in spades. The taste evolves dramatically, almost too much perhaps. This brew may cause indigestion, all the sugars are obvious. The alcohol provides a tummy warming. Full bodied creamy mouthfeel.

four does not a quad make
cheers
jd

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2011 06:19:18 | More by impending

magine

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a chalice.

Pours a cloudy (with some sediment) reddish amber color. Has a fluffy off white head. The head settles to a chunky lace island and leaves a lot of creamy lace along the rim. Lace is really sticky and looks great. For a quad this one is tremendous looking.

Brew smells of dark fruits and yeasts, spicy and malty, oily resiny hops. Complex good smell.

The brew is smooth and creamy, dark fruits and spices are in the for front. The hops are for sure the difference maker here. The oily, resiny hops are in the middle and do a fantastic job of tying this brew together, and at the same time takes this quad in a direction that I haven't experienced yet in any other quad. The brew finishes dry and smooth, almost no alcohol for such a big brew. A sessionable big quad - wow thats scary. Has a fantastic mouthfeel and taste, this is a true winner.

Wow - Allagash has some world class brews. This may be the best quad I have had. It is different than any other quad I have had, and this is what makes it stand out. Tremendous stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 04:06:28 | More by magine

billab914

Virginia

3.83/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Picked up this one at the brewery after the tour today. Poured from a 750ml bottle into my brand new Allagash chalice. It poured a deep caramel brown color with a bubbly and frothy off white head filling the top inch and a half of the glass. Pretty nice head retention to it as I drank it.

The aroma shows a lot of citrus and spice to it. It has some pepper, nutmeg, clove and banana flavors to the spice. Lemon citrus, candi sugar and some caramel malty sweetness are present as well.

The taste shows a lot of the yeast spice to it. Up front it's more peppery with more of the banana and clove spices coming in towards the finish. I get more of a sweeter, caramel malt profile out of it towards the finish as well. Some alcohol comes through as well in the finish.

The mouthfeel is on the heavier side with carbonation being above average. Drinkability is decent, it had a lot of flavor to it for sure. It showed a lot of spice to it, but a little of the malty sweetness came through. Pretty good beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2010 23:14:58 | More by billab914

LevitatedEep

California

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From a 750 ml bottle (batch 19) aged for around 9 months into my Chimay glass

A - Lots of floaties, hazy brown / red in color. Yummy lacing as the head goes down rather quickly.

S - Dank and peppery, lots of spice and lemon coming through.

T - Wow this a great quad...very bitter upfront but then a nice cascade of sweet malts rush in and combine to form a wonderful mix...spicy, peppery, citrus mmmm.

M - Highly carbonated and goes well with the taste...very chewy.

D - Goes down well for a 10% er....almost too easy....worthy of another purchase forsher.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 22:20:23 | More by LevitatedEep

Trueant1

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 19
Opened on Christmas day 2010 Aged at least 8 months in my fridge.

Opened with a LOUD POP.
Pours dark cloudy orange with a fizzy off white head. Lots of white sediment floating.
Smells of sweet sugars and malts. "Dank" and "Musty", but not in a bad way.
A great quad! Tastes very sweet but the bitterness compliments it great. A good balance. Where is the ABV? Only slight alcoholic taste and bitterness from it. Very thick brew, coats the whole pallet.
Very carbonated which compliments the sweet/bitter battle.
Loved it.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 22:20:03 | More by Trueant1

misinformed

California

2.9/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Batch 21, poured into a snifter. Reviewed 11/27.

A- Poured with a nice 1 1/2" light tan, foamy head that settled down to a dusting eventually. The beer is dark, burnt orange and semi-opaque.

S- Mostly dominated by yeast. Some fruit and a touch of malt. Alcohol at times, especially after it warmed up a bit.

T- More going on than the smell indicates. Some grassy, floral notes upfront followed by toasted malt, caramel, and candy sugar. Finishes strong on spicy yeast. Alcohol is often detectable as well. The combination of spice and alcohol was very medicinal to me. Really harsh/jumbled flavor profile that doesn't seem balanced at all.

M- Lighter side of medium. Very smooth, no carbonation that I noticed. Lightly dry finish.

D- The spicy yeast flavors overshadowed everything in this one for me from the getgo, so I didn't particularly enjoy it. Flavorwise this reminds me of a Belgian strong pale. Some hops are present upfront, but the maltiness is lacking here. The different flavors just never jived for me enough to really enjoy this. Unfortunately not worth the high price tag.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2010 08:08:45 | More by misinformed

JayQue

Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

NICE QUAD!!! Pours a reddish/orange color with a nice size white head, good retention for the abv and some thin lacing. Looks really good in my Chimay goblet.

Smell is good as well. Malty, dark fruit and plenty of Belgian yeast aroma.

Tastes very good. Dark fruit, spices, Belgian yeast, malt. Rich blend of flavors. Goes down real smooth with very little alcohol presence except warming.

Mouthfeel seems a bit less than rich at first, but picks up as the beer warms and the flavors do their thing.

This is very drinkable for a Quad. I split the bottle, but could have sacrificed the evening and drank the whole thing!!!

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2010 00:49:45 | More by JayQue

beertunes

Washington

3.15/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Bottle from batch #18. Poured into tulip. Poured a slightly reddish brown with barely any head, just a thin ring around the outside edge, but that little head managed to have decent retention and very low lacing.

The aroma was fruity and yeasty, as expected for the style, but much more subdued than I look for. The flavor also was spicy, yeasty and fruity, but again, not as bold as I look for in this style.

The body was very thin for the style, and for me the fullness is one of the things I like best about this style. Drinkability was very good, the beer is smooth and easy to quaff.

Overall, this is an OK brew. I really like the other brews I've had from this brewery and this is among my favorite styles, so maybe my expectations were too high. Certainly worth trying, but not in the same class as Chimay Blue or Ommegang 3 Philosophers.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2010 02:12:30 | More by beertunes

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a snifter. Reviewed from notes.

Pours a moderate brown color with a bit of a reddish character. Single finger of white head and a touch of lacing. The nose brings a bit of caramel as well as a light bit of dark fruit. A bit of yeast character comes through as well.

The flavor is slightly sweet along with some mild dark fruits and a bit of light caramel taste. A slight amount of bread crust. Mouthfeel is a bit light with low-ish levels of carbonation. Interesting and nothing wrong, but doesn't quite hit the mark.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2010 01:15:39 | More by Thorpe429

Gobzilla

California

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a hazy brown with reddish highlights that had a finger of head and left quite a bit of frothy lacing sticking to the glass. The aroma was nice consisting of the signature belgian yeast that comes with the quad style plus citrus character, light fruit notes and some vinous notes that make me think it could have some tartness on the palate. The taste did have some tart flavor but I'm not sure if they were from grapes alogside the belgian yeast, light spice, malts, and very mild hop presence. The brew was medium in body with a good amount of carbonation which had a sweet, slight spice, malty, and tart finish. It drank really good and was enjoyed by some non beer geek heads.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2010 20:19:06 | More by Gobzilla

claspada

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Aromas are Belgian-tastic. Lots of Belgian yeast tones with some sublt malt sweetness over dark fruits and some brown sugars.

The taste is very nice. Starts of with gentle caramel maltiness but quickly transitions to dark fruit and light chocolaty notes. Some brown sugar and toffee set in. The finish is Belgian spicy yeast, but in a smooth dry manner. Really drinkab;e.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied, rather smooth, with even a creamy feel under the tingly and generous bubbly texture. I really enjoy this aspect a lot.

A really nice Belgian Quad. I can't decifer the various yeasts/malts/hops that make up this treat, but it all works in my opinion. Definitely a "lighter" tasting Quad as far as dark grains/mouthfeel goes but this is a really nice sipper. It may not be tremendously assertive early on but holds its own very enticingly as it progresses.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2010 01:37:09 | More by claspada

RedBrewer83

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into snifter...

A: Pours an amber hue with a massive three finger head, rises quickly and falls fairly slowly, and leaves pretty nice lacing.

S: Light dried fruits, hint of candy sugar, hint of bready malt all wrapped up with a few spices, nice balance.

T: Follows nose, lots of light dried fruit, sweet bready malt, crisp floral hops on the finish. Overall a really nice balance.

M: Medium body with a crisp carbonation and dry finish.

D: Incredibly drinkable for 10% abv, overall really enjoyable but a little pricey for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2010 06:05:46 | More by RedBrewer83

mithrascruor

California

4.33/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle poured into a chalice.

Appearance: Pours a hazy brownish-red color that glows in the light. Nice creamy off-white head is fairly dense with decent retention.

Smell: Nice aroma of fruits, yeast, and hops. A bit like a hoppy pineapple cake.

Taste: Initially very much like a Tripel, with the hops and yeast. Pineapple, orange, and apricot come into play, with the nice hop spiciness behind. No real bread flavor. Finishes with a bit of a bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a good deal of lightly tingly carbonation.

Drinkability: Pretty tasty, and no real hint of alcohol, but the flavor is somewhat intense, and takes a while to drink.

A nice beer - definitely not really a quad. The flavor, particularly with the yeast, can be a bit strong. Not my favorite, style-wise, but it is nicely done for sure.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 23:35:34 | More by mithrascruor

perrymarcus

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml corked/caged bottle served in an oversized wineglass. batch #22.

briefly engaged in a vicious battle with a cork - stubborn bastard! emerged victor but at a cost; right hand is now cramped and throbbing...

pours a regal, ruddy chestnut tone with a luminous deep red/orange relection when held to the light. solid finger-plus of a beige head demonstrates considerable retention and nice walls of lacing. a real beaut.

nose is headlined by belgian yeast, sweet maltiness, and a spicy, fruity type of character. shades of a particular belgian quad that i can't quite place... st bernardus, maybe, or koningshoeven.

flavor follows the nose with its sweet malts and belgian yeasts. pretty balanced, with a bit of a hoppy bitterness in the finish. some alcohol warmth. not quite what i was expecting after the nose, but close. a nicely built beer.

medium-plus bodied, creamy mouthfeel. probably not one you'd want to suck down all night, but drinkable enough.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2010 01:09:40 | More by perrymarcus

BobZ

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer is billed as a "one of a kind" ale and it lives up to that description. To my taste it is most definitely NOT a Belgian Quad, nowhere near a Belgian Quad in flavor profile. It is still an excellent beer, not quite sure where I would put it somewhere between maybe a Tripel and Strong Pale Ale. This review is for a 750ml bottle poured into a Duvel tulip.

Appearance: Dark orange, deeper and cloudier than a barleywine. Nice head that builds well initially and sticks around for awhile. Lacing is very good.

Smell: Nice nose which hints at this beer's complexity, floral hops, some dried fruit (but lighter much more apricot than plum).

Taste: Awesome beer, light fruit and hoppy flavor with little bitterness. The hop flavor is exceptional and executed with extraordinary balance and smoothness and again not very bitter, the balance is outstanding.

Mouth feel: Smooth as smooth can be.

Drinkability: Very drinkable, ABV completely masked.

This is a must try beer, not as a quad or a tripel or any style in particular but just as a unique and well crafted brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2010 02:24:51 | More by BobZ