Three Philosophers Belgian Style Blend (Quadrupel) - Brewery Ommegang

counselor

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Popped the cork and a nice swosh of CO2 escapes. Th ebeer pours a dark reddish brown with a fairly thin head. The aromas on this beer are thick, caramel, apples, maple, rich and heady. Also, some musty, wet barn like aromas. The flavors are the same, dark rich plums and sauted cherry, caramel, melted butter. Deep malt flavors conceal the alcohol until I drew some air across my tongue and got an ethanol shot in the back of my nose. I have another that I'm going ot cellar, but I'll be buyin more of this years

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2004 19:01:46 | More by counselor

granger10

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

As I popped the cork a rush of foam followed. Very carbonated. Upon the pour a semi-massive head ensued but it stayed controlled for the most part. Dark red, slightly purple in color with a thick, dark tan head. Bubbles race to the top. Explosive in appearance. Smell is mellow and very vinous. I can't get much more than that. Taste is intensely complex. Obviously cherries are present and are the first thing that comes to my mind while drinking this beer. Many more vinous, dark fruits are there such as plums, grapes, figs, red apples, and maybe even pears. The malt backbone though is caramel, a sweet caramel taste and that holds everything together. Hop taste is a little on the weak side but it is very floral when it comes out. Yeast is strong and a little overbearing at times. Very dry finish. Alcohol flavor is also very noticeable and sometimes too much. Super thick in body. Maximum effervescence. This beer is definitely is sipper and finishing 750ml will take awhile. However the flavors are amazingly complex and they fit together very well. A unique and intriging brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2004 17:34:00 | More by granger10

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.33/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Brewed 2003, Sampled February 2004
As I pop the cork I get an immediate aroma of cherries. The cork did not pop very vigorously though, so it seems that this may not be very highly carbonated. It pours though with a vigourous carbonation. It is a muddy amber-ruby color and is toppped by a light brown thick head. There are meaty, malty, cherry, and alcoholic notes in the aroma. As my nose incorporates the aroma the smell of cherries fades and one is left with a spicy Belgian ale nose.

This beer has a creamy mouthfeel to it, but it is not too thick for a Belgian quadrupel, in fact it would be on the light side for some of that designation. It is fairly sweet, and finishes with an alcoholic astringency which is not all that strong. There is definitely some cherries in this beer, but I like that it is fairly subtle and is only one component of this beer. This beer has a soft acidity to it, that is not directly traceable to the Kriek addition. There are fruit notes of raisins, plums, and fig. Though it is sweet up front it finishes with a spicy astringent dryness that is evocative of some herb/ spice that I can't quite think of.

This is a very well made beer. You can tell that a world class brewer put this beer together. Having said that it is missing something; though it is quite complex a couple of other dimensions would be wonderful here. Perhaps a bit of acidity & a bit of Brettanomyces character would be wonderful (I know this is a ridiculous request as these things are not too controllable, but De Dolle gets some of this right, at least sometimes). A very rich beer that is quite satisfying, I definitely like this best of the Ommegang products.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2004 23:09:15 | More by Gueuzedude

mschofield

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy bronzed brown, with a small tan head. Laces stickily. Well carbonated.
Cherry aroma with malt under, a slight plastic note, and anise.
Very fruity plum, apple, apricot, cherry, pear, and raisin!. Malty sweetness with a little spice and clove, quite sweet.
Very varied in the taste and aroma, a lot of different flavors come out here, then hide away for another to appear.
Medium-full feel, smooth.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2004 18:09:43 | More by mschofield

Crosling

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I have been waiting to try this one for awhile now. Finally I got my hands on a 12 OZ bottle...Boy do I wish this was a big fat 750. I'll live though.

Poured into my St. Bernardus Goblet.

Deep rustic burgundy in color with a full dense Ommegang head. The head is dying but is leaving a dense moss of foam completely covering the liquid. Lacing is very very sexy. A thin layer sticks after each sip. Wa hoo!

Nose is full. Sweet dark malts, plums, raisins and lots of cherries.

Tasted it.

I'm going to go get some crackers and cheese. This ale definately needs some sort of food to go with it.

No cheese but I did find some wheatables. Anyway, onto the tasting.

First things first, the alcohol just hit my palate hard which is very disappointing. I really am trying to like this but I just can't. Some red licorice and plum flavors but where is the black cherry from the Kriek? A nice malt backbone but damn this is hard to finish. Finish is dry, leathery and lingering but very unpleasant. I really thought this would be my brew but oh well.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2004 05:53:01 | More by Crosling

merlin48

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very nice presentation in a corked and caged 750ml bottle, served at cellar temperature into a goblet. I had to use a corkscrew to get the cork out. Pours a deep mahogany with a moderate beige head that has good retention. Looks like a fine sherry when the head settles down. No lacing was noted. Aroma is intriguing, with a spicy background of clove and coriander, and various fruits up front. Mouthfeel is thick and velvety, not much carbonation. Taste is smooth, with a caramel flavored background that reminds me of chocolate covered cherries. Although this is blended with Lindemann's Kriek, I taste a lot more fruits than cherries. Plums, apricots, raisins, and prunes, stand out more than cherries. I really can't taste the Kriek at all, but this one has an abundance of fruitiness. Not a lot of hops here, but I love the flavors. I hope I can resist the urge to uncork my other bottle for awhile. This is a very interesting American effort at a Belgian quadruple, and I like it a lot.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2004 22:27:53 | More by merlin48

edchicma

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An excellent brew, but somehow I was looking for more. It started with a beautiful burgundy color and a great head. Smell was fruity with a light malt essence and very little alcohol presence. I had hoped for a bit more. Taste was initially sweet, then burst into a strong cherry presence....definite alcohol notes. Mouthfeel: after initial sweetness. a very, very dry, alomost wine-like presence that was nice. Easy to drink for a high abv...but definitely a sipper.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2004 15:18:58 | More by edchicma

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.22/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a one-fingered head that doesn't leave any lace. Light carbonation, medium bodied. Nose has black cherry overtones, starts on the sweet side finishes smooth and mellow. A very good quadrupel too bad this limited brew is no longer available. $7.50 for a 500ml bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2004 01:45:38 | More by jdhilt

SheepNutz

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev -1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750mL bottle poured into a tulip-style glass. It pours a deep reddish brown color with three fingers of light tan head. There is a fair amount of lacing left on the glass. The smell is full of fruit, including cherry and plum. It is a sweet smell, that has a hint of alcohol in it as well. The taste is malty and sweet, with only a hint of cherry. There is more of other fruits in there; raisins, dates, and currants. The finish is fairly sweet, a little tart. The mouthfeel is extremely thick and fairly smooth. The drinkability also fairs well for a beer of such high alcohol. A new wintertime treat for me!

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2004 04:11:59 | More by SheepNutz

JamesBerry

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Just as good as I'd expected. Poured beautifully deep and dark, with a golden head. Within its phenolic aroma are detectable hints of cherry. Tart, roasted flavor and mellow mouthfeel. Much more alcohol flavor than the other Ommegangs, but it's to be expected for such a strong beer. I think I might well save my other bottle for a while, let it age, and then compare.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2004 01:59:30 | More by JamesBerry

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.4/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 750ml (1 Pint 9.4 fl.oz.) bottle with a gold colored wire cage & steel cap. The cork was a bit of a Belgium bugger to remove. Ripped, rather than teased out, there was a very loud “thrup” echoing around the room for some time whilst a little whisp of condensing grey gun smoke exhausted to atmosphere.

The swish neck label announces this as ‘Brewed 2003’. A large 270 degree obverse label is very well presented. Helpfully labeled with lots of information at various points on the white background label as a ‘Top-Fermented, Bottle Conditioned Ale with Cherry-Lambic Added, Quadrupel’. Stated strength is 9.8% ABV.

I followed the recommendation of serving this at 50-54°F, but ignored the Goblet suggestion and instead flew in the face of wisdom and used a straight sided Gueuze Tumbler.

Appearance: Clear dark brown body that looks to have a dark cherry red tinge, or is that my imagination. A light yellow tan head forms easily and rises faster than the pouring Ale in the glass. It settles down slowly and uniformly to a ½” thick covering that rises with an inverted meniscus edge at the glass wall. Finger slashes of foam like lacing cling to the glass walls. A swirl reveals lots of dissolved carbon dioxide.

Nose: Warm malts, alcohols, dark skin cherries, plums, light caramel with a hint of medicinal toffee, the nose improves the closer it gets to ambient.

Taste: A creamy feel entrances the beer. Dark bitter cherry skins are prevalent in the beginning. The malty Belgian-base beer underscores the fruit, but only breaks through in the middle. The malty Dubbel feel is dominant in the latter third and is quite spicy at times. Finishes with a mildly warming yet thick malty caramel ending. Intriguing.

Mouthfeel: Very creamy feel, tons of small bubble carbonation aids a coarse velvet blanket on the tongue. I have a feeling that this will get smoother with age as the levels of conditioning diminish.

Drinkability: I like the dark cherry caramel feel to this offering, which mixed with the smooth body and intriguing malty Belgian base all contributes to an imbibational treat. Beautiful.

Overall: The obverse label promotes Ommegang Three Philosophers as “Created by blending a rich malty Belgian-style ale with Lindemans Kriek, a classic cherry-Lambic from Belgium, our Quadrupel is cultured yet wild, curious yet wise, and the preferred drink for all mental travelers”.

Wow, that’s quite the entrance, as the Big Head once said, “why be waste time being conceited when you know that you are already better than everyone else”.

I have been impressed with all of Ommegang’s offerings that I have tried to date, and this is no exception. It is a very interesting experiment. But I would certainly like to drink a vintage example of this, as I feel age may well improve this further.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2004 07:31:46 | More by TheLongBeachBum

beerman599

Connecticut

3.4/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This was an really interesting beer as i'm not a big belgian beer fan. it Started off too cold so I let it sit around for a while before tasting it to let it warm up. When cold, it's a bit thin and bitter, but when it warmed up, it became much more complex. some spicy/yeasty and a little cherry nose. Tartness from the lambic was mixed and mild and only came through as it warmed to the point where it should have been served.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2004 00:01:13 | More by beerman599

marcobrau

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours with a fluffy, loose head of foam. Lightly rustic, powerful cherry aroma. The first sip (served a bit too cold) tastes syrupy with a cherry cough drop flavor -- this isn't a bad thing -- although I thought I'd taste more malt. As it warms up I notice some malt flavors and the bitter finish is more pronounced. I notice the alcohol towards the finish. This beer is not as full bodied as I had expected, nor as complex. I was hoping for more complexity and perhaps that sugary, caramel charcter I've found in a St. Bernadus Abt 12, which also could be considered a quadrupel. Despite these perceived shortcomings, I did enjoy Three Philosophers, and will definitely drink it again. Another fine, and creative beer from Ommegang! I really appreciate the blending of a strong dark ale with Lindeman's Kriek.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2004 02:26:36 | More by marcobrau

freed

Oregon

3.93/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

..more regards to weefishheads and PDX Beernight version1..

After some confusion over the difference between the 750ml bottle and 12oz bottle, we tried the 750ml bottle. Popping the cork forced a fair amount of foam out the top. Once poured, the copper, almost ruby hued liquid settled with little head. It also left no fingerprint on the sides of the glass as it disappeared.

The armoa was somewhat cidery but plagued by astringent and alcoholic smells. The taste had some of these minor problems, but was otherwise quite tasty. The sediment accented the fruity and tart tastes, probably the yeast itself giving the flavor. Much like a cider, there was a very dry, tart finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2004 01:45:26 | More by freed

CharlesRiver

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had two of these bottles in my cellar. The second one I will keep for a year or so and compare with this one. Very cool 750ml bottle, mostly white, which clearly states that it was brewed in 2003. I found the exact glass at Julios in Westborough, MA. As a side note, this is one of the nicest glasses I have ever seen.

A wonderful looking beer. Cloudy reddish-brown in color with a small tan head. The smell is typically Belgian and reminds me a lot of their Ommegang beer. Maybe a tad bit sweeter. The first thing I notice is the huge malt backbone. Cherrys, raisins, yeast and bananas are all tastes that I pick up. The taste kind of switches from malt to sweet. The 9.8% alcohol is very apparent in this young beer as it leaves a great warming feeling at the end. I think one year in the cellar will do this beer some good. Interesting fresh, but I think it may smooth out over time.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2004 00:59:00 | More by CharlesRiver

Charthepirate

New York

4.9/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

My god, simply my god. On to the review...

Poured a kind of deep red, almost wine like in it's appearance, except for the big gorgeous foamy head that adorned the top of my chalice.

Smelled of dark malts and cherries.

Three philosophers is a beer to ponder. Deep, complex, round and wonderful. Starts with initially sweet dark chocolate, cofee, cloves, and orange. The coffee and chocolate quickly turn to a more roasted bitter flavor. Shortly after the sweet and swourness of the cherries comes in. Spicy sour and sweet, the cherries round out the beer as at passes down your gullet. It leaves a warming as it goes down, and the aftertaste is of french roast coffee, slightly bitter. Simply wonderful.

A beer that feels round, and full in the mouth. Carbonation is just right, keeping it from being too chewy.

So flavorful I'm not sure how much of this my taste buds could take. It hides the alchohol amazingly well though.

Just amazing beer, if you can find it pick it up.

Char

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2004 06:31:16 | More by Charthepirate

RocketWidget

Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev +8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First of all, is this a Belgian strong dark? This is blended with a lambic! But anyways...
Goddamm, now that’s how a beer should look. Pours a magnificent amber red, almost like a red wine, except for the darkness, cloudiness, and exceptional foamy, thick, everlasting head. One of the strongest, thickest beer smells I've ever smelled! When opening the bottle, i smelled it right away...complex and malty, sweet and spicy, a plethora of smells.
Taste is very, very good. Malt overrides all, yet I can still detect cherry flavor from the lambic, coffee flavor, sugar flavor, bitterness of the lambic, carbonated spice, and a very underlying hint of hops. What can I say that hasn't already been said? An exceptional combination brew, and one of the best I've ever had!

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2004 04:18:17 | More by RocketWidget

WesWes

New York

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark burgandy color with an ample white head that fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has the traditional dark Belgian aroma; malts, spices, yeast, etc., but there is a lingering aroma of cherries added by combining a Tripel with a lambic, producing a Quad. The taste is brilliant. It is a strong beer, but you wouldn't know it. It has a dark feel to it. It tastes like the regular Ommegang, but with a nice cherry aftertaste that really compliments the flavor. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a full bodied beer with low carbonation, which suits it perfect. This is a great beer. It drinks well. I wish it wasn't a seasonal brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2004 00:16:52 | More by WesWes

bewareOFpenguin

Massachusetts

4.88/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Unbelievable, they say it couldn't be done. But it was. I tasted both the lambic and the belguim ale, and they mixed well. Two for one. Dark and carbonated, fruity, yet dry. I had so many great tastes in my mouth I felt like I never tried beer before. And one bottle, 750ml, will do you. Any more and lights out. A perfect feeling.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2004 15:23:48 | More by bewareOFpenguin

NickLovesBeer

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Three Philosophers comes in a 750ml brown bottle corked and caged with no freshness date in sight.

Three Philosophers pours a rich and cloudy brown with a nice size tan head with fantastic lacing. The smell of cherries and sweet malts dominate. The taste is unbelievably complex, rich and full bodied with a distinct cherry finish. This brew masks its alcohol content incredibly well, so much so I could drink it all day.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2004 17:07:42 | More by NickLovesBeer

Billolick

New York

4.72/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

enjoyed from a growler from Half time in Poughkeepsie
Growler sat in my fridge for about a month (they said it would only be good for a week, Ha.)
very dark, very flavorful, wonderful taste, mouthfeel and long finish.
Nice lingering cherry finish. Srong malt, candi sugar and burnt fruit flavors. Exceptional creation in brewing, seek this one out if youre a Belgian lover.

Serving type: growler

01-12-2004 02:29:11 | More by Billolick

Gavage

New Jersey

4.6/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This was a great find. The ale poured a hazy bronze color with a relatively thin head. The aroma was unique. Earthy tones, cherries, other fruits, and lovely sweetness were easily detectable in the nose.

The flavor was exceptional and complex, as sweet malt and cherries were most dominant, but some spiciness and bitterness rounded out the flavor. Alcohol was slighlty noticeable. Flavors slighlty changed while the ale warmed during the session, keeping this a very interesting beer rating session.

Very smooth mouthfeel. The malt and cherries rode the tongue after swallowing for a short time. A slow drinking ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2004 12:54:11 | More by Gavage

bewley

Rhode Island

3.93/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Brewed 2003, 750 ml

Nose: hints of caramel and bourbon soaked cherries.

Nice white head subsides to a reddish amber colored liquid that is redolent of dark, berry filled forests and pathways strewn with mulch and wildflowers. As far as fruit flavored brews are concerned, this stuff blows away that insipid Sam Adams Cranberry Lambic that I tried last week. (Just thought I'd add that bit.) An interesting and very nice beer indeed.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2004 04:51:31 | More by bewley

jahred

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I'm sooo glad I picked up 3 bottles of this brew while back east, even though carrying them around was a huge pain.

The beer is a beautiful reddish dark brown color, with a nice very lacey head. Smells of malt and dark, sour cherries. This beer could be interesting.

Tastes mostly at first like a dark brown ale, not necessarily Belgian in style (though I don't mind). I get malt, caramel and chocolate. Quite, quite rich. And then, there it is, in the aftertaste. It is. Sour cherries. That is amazing. The cherry taste gets a bit stronger as the beer warms, but always exists only in the aftertaste.

I could drink this stuff for hours and hours. I'd be really toasted by the end of the evening, but quite happy.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2004 01:09:28 | More by jahred

Foxman

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It pours a deep, clear ruby, with amber highlights at the edges. A dense, lush head, light tan, builds quickly and retains well, slowly dropping to a plush carpet of foam. Frothy, delicate lacing winds lazily along the sides and length of the glass.

The malt sweetness hits right away in the aroma, but it's just as quickly overshadowed by citrus and clove. There's some honey, and spice notes reminiscent of those in mulled wine. Apple and cherry lurk sneakily within the vapors.

Again, the solid malt flavor gives way promptly to a honey sweetness well tempered by oranges and a clove/coriander one-two. Cherry and apple notes assert themselves in the middle of the sip, delivering a sweet tanginess. The finish fades from a complexity of flavors to a yeast champagne tartness. The alcohol lurks but never truly steps forward. I even noted, in some pleasantly strange way, the flavor of mustard spice at the back corners of my mouth. I will say that with all the taste elements it takes a little effort to keep track of just what's going on.

It's medium bodied, and the heavy carbonation dances on the tongue, like little flavor-packed fireworks, bringing a bubbly glow to the overall feel.

Simply, it's as interesting as the name would suggest. Sweetness, tartness, and tanginess are all well-represented here, and to top it all off, you could even call it savory. The ABV glows more than genuinely impacts, but it's there and it does its work well and fully. I have another bottle I'd like to age, but, as is, this beer challenges the palate and then rewards the effort, making it drinkable and enjoyable. Though, of course, moderation is the watchword in this instance.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2004 22:53:53 | More by Foxman