Three Philosophers Belgian Style Blend (Quadrupel) - Brewery Ommegang

Utica_Brew_Review

New York

3.89/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This beer has a great dark amber color. Sweet fruity aroma with hints of banana. Sweet toasted caramel taste--almost a bit burnt. Spicy also. Strong flavors and mild to moderate carbonation. The 9.8% alcohol level really hits you. Great complexity and a strong beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2013 19:02:16 | More by Utica_Brew_Review

mactrail

California

3.9/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

Attractive pour in the St. Bernardus chalice. Dark golden-tinged amber with a full head and lots of lacing. Nice foam with every splash to top up the glass. Mouthfeel is sudsy and rich, with the hot alcohol trickling down your throat.

The dark fruity flavor is definitely there, though it's not my favorite. Some very dark roasted flavors. Malty and scratchy with some non-hoppy bitterness. The long aftertaste is like burnt raisins and gets stronger as you sip. Less of the dry Belgian character though maybe that is more typical for these sweet Quads.

Intriguing, full of character, but not one for sipping more than a small glass at a time. This probably would be better with a bold-flavored snack. From the 750 ml bottle bought at Liticker's in San Diego.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 05:22:28 | More by mactrail

andrewjraab

Michigan

3.78/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A - dark chestnut brown with a big foamy egg shell head.

S - Fruity, malty, slightly phenolic.

T - malt forward, fruity, pears, banana peel, alcohol present, yeasty, bread dough.

O - This was an easy drinking brew with a nice mouthfeel and really nice malt presence. I'm a bit of a neophyte for this style, but overall this was solid. I've got an extra bottle I'm planning to age for a year to see how it ages.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 22:04:43 | More by andrewjraab

mjpolzin

Wisconsin

3.48/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I just don't think I am a fan of Belgian beers. I can appreciate that this was a good representation of the style but the smell and taste are just not for me. I got a very yeasty and bread-like smell. The taste had these same components but also a sour, fruit-like taste. I think this is what exactly what they were going for but like I said, I just don't enjoy this style. I shared a bomber of this with my brother in law and I am glad I did. He likes this type of beer so he got to enjoy it and I didn't have to go through an entire bomber of this by myself.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 05:12:27 | More by mjpolzin

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Into a chalice:

A: dark brown body with light edges near the bottom, one finger foamy off-white head with some light clingy lacing that eventually spider webs a bit

S: cherries up front with plums, sugar, Belgian yeast, malts, light booze really faint in the background, cherries continue to dominate as the beer warms

T: sweet through all of the previously mentioned flavors and combined eloquently together

M: medium, not sessionable - good sipper of a period of time, sticky sweet cherry aftertaste and a dry finish

O: nice to get one of my whales knocked off and am glad I did because I am pretty sure I'll end up coming back to this, very good for its style and very good to me (as Brewery Ommegang really starts to grow on me), also this is a very sweet cherry forward quad in the smell, taste and mouthfeel and for $7.09 for a bomber of this in Maine, definitely worth it.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 17:04:19 | More by kangarooAdam59

JWU

Pennsylvania

4.24/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750ml bottle poured into a goblet.

A- pours a deep, murky ruby/brown, with a huge, rocky light khaki head that dissipates in a few minutes. Good lacing.

S- Deep dark fruits, Cherries (expected), figs, prunes, etc. Some caramel with a heavy does of belgian candy sugar. Some yeasty funk is there as well.

T- Deep dark fruit notes, cherries linger. Candy sugar and belgian yeast are present as well. Some nice tartness there to try and balance the big sweetness of this one.

M- light side of heavy bodied. Ample carbonation. Dry on the backend which plays hand in hand with the tartness mentioned.

O- Not quite the authentic Belgian Quads, but a stellar effort from an american brewer.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 19:24:17 | More by JWU

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.03/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Still ticking my way through the "Beers of Fame."

2012 vintage served in a Delirium Tremens glass.

A: Poured a deep, dark red color, with a bit of brown in the as well. The head was massively spritzy, and boasted about 3-4 fingers.

S: Nice caramel candy scent, as well as a champagne-infused Belgian yeast strain. A bit of high grain cocoa and dark fruit in there as well.

T: Very similar to the nose, but more intense on the fruit end than the candi sugar one. VERY intense Belgian character that started to grate on me a bit after a few sips. Still, very tasty.

M: Awesome! Spritzy and champagne-like, lots of carbonation and a good bit of lacing. Sweet, but the Belgian character cut through it.

O: Really nice, but for $10, I expect no less.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 01:07:37 | More by Chaney

WissBrauSean

Pennsylvania

4.59/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

The beer pored from a 12 oz. bottle dated 2012 and at 55 degrees into a tulip glass was mahogany in color and very clear with a beautiful 2 finger head of tiny bubbles that lasts throughout the drink as a full creamy tan cap with a sticky full and cascading lacing that after a very long wait breaks up into a cracked desert pattern. One of the best I have ever seen.

At first the aromas are of caramel like malt sweetness with perhaps that notable Belgian yeast aroma and a little bit of cherry. Half way through the drink as the beer heats up strong alcohol notes float cherry up to your nose and almost commandeer the malt aroma.

Tasting this beer is orgasmic! You are going to get very nice smooth caramel malts in perfect union (Belgian motto: Strength in Union) with cherry and other dark fruit flavours along with that Belgian yeast taste. Alcohol is in the mix as well, but not crazy hot like you would think with a 10% ABV beer. As the beer warms up, the flavors all become distinct, but still even keeled. Barely any dry hop finish, but it is there and it is just only noticeable making me believe that this is an incredibly balanced beer.

Full creamy sweet mouthfeel with just above moderate carbonation that kind of effervesces the alcohol notes and fruits to your nose as you sip. There is a slight warming feeling as you down your sip.

This beer comes alive as it gets warmer! It's really interesting and entertaining (10% abv) to drink. I have a strong feeling that Ommegang is becoming one of my favorite Belgian breweries! I'm not sure if this beer is absolutely true to it's style, but WOW! I have to give it high 4's!

I'm going to go ahead and give this beer a 4.5 overall. Once I get to know this style better, I may be a better judge, it may go up, it may go down. I don't know, but I am sure to always seek this beer out!

Don't drink crappy beer! Life is too short!

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 02:01:11 | More by WissBrauSean

SurfboardCollector

3.95/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from corked bottle into Duvel chalice.
Dark brown color with creamy one thumb head that quickly diminished.
Strong smell of cherry at first, settling down to a malty chocolate by the third taste.
Taste of chocolate covered cherries with slight alcohol.
Mouthfeel is dessert like, unlike the Belgian Quads which have usually one strong characteristic that defines them.
Overall, I think the price keeps me coming back to this beer. A comparable Belgian costs about 50 percent more in my area.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 23:49:40 | More by SurfboardCollector

BelgiumBill

Virginia

4.19/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2011 uncorked today and poured into an Ommegang tulip glass. The cork came out easily and poured with a 3/4 inch beige head which receded to a ring and thin blanket. The color was nutmeg brown and translucent at the edges.
Smelled of ripe fruits, date, raisin, brown bread. It has candied sweet aromas.
Fruit cake and a little booze as you sip it. A viscous body with some light but lively carbonation. Lingering sweetness in the mouth.
I had this when it first came out and liked it but I was concerned it might not be so good after sitting in my cabinet for over a year. It held up really well. I don't recall all the characteristics of it when I first had it but I feel like it is more complex and subtle than I remember.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 17:45:16 | More by BelgiumBill

BWED

Pennsylvania

3.99/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Draft pour into a tulip at Monk's Cafe, Philadelphia.

A- Amber with some light brown hues. A little hazy. Creamy light tan head, rather thin, and a slight bit of lacing.

S- A dry sweetness hits the nose, yeast esters, with a slight cherry malt combination.

T- Malty biscuit, with a slight tang. It may be cherry, but I think I'm just searching for the flavor since I know it's in there. It becomes more apparent with temperature increase.

M- Smooth, deceivingly high ABV is well hidden, but has a slight warming feel, and a stick bitter tang.

O- I think the combination with the kriek is very interesting. It adds tang to what would be a powerfully sweet beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2013 19:40:28 | More by BWED

DenverLogan

Colorado

3.95/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From corked bottle...packaged 9/6/2012. Label is different from one in BA stock photo...newer design. Says best by 9/2017...I guess I'm jumping the gun a tad!
Significant pop...poured into big Gulden Draak chalice.
Dark copper brown with big tan head.
Big aroma of oak, oats, booze, candy sugar, roasted malts, chestnuts, fresh baked sugar doughnuts.
Modest carbonation and mouthfeel.
Flavors of tropical fruit rind, powdered sugar, roasted malts, chestnuts, alcohol..let's give this 5 minutest to open up...
OK...small head remains...big aroma of alcohol, caramel, roasted malts. Flavors of molassas, bitter tropical fruit rind, alcohol, burnt malts...I'll give this another 5 minutes...
Yeah...this is a big, bad, rough & tough and complex quad...the aroma and flavors stay strong from start to finish. Twenty minutes into the brew it's mellowed only a little, which is fine for a quad. What kinda puts me back is the strong fruit melon compared to sweet malts that I might expect from, say, a Koningshoeven, which has varied quit a bit over the years. Not to be rough, and with quads the flavor profile can vary greatly, but, perhaps largely because of the yeast, this brew doesn't have the taste appeal of a St Bernardus Abt 12, Westy, Pannepot, or Allagash Four, depending what you call a quad. Those beer I love, this one is challenging, but also enjoyable for the big beer seeker.
Re-edit...50 minutes into this beer it's fully opened up. I'm upping the overall & taste categories, but note, it takes at last half an hour for this brew, even in a big chalice, to fully open and start to resemble the qualities of the above mentioned brews.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 02:33:14 | More by DenverLogan

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.94/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle opened on 2.1.13
2011

A - Pours a carmel brown with a fizzy light tan head that is gone almost instantly.

S - Ripe fruit, raisin, carmels.

T - Old dark fruit, carmel, bready.

D - Decent carbonation with a medium body.

O - Sweet and dark fruit, not my favorite right now.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 05:16:26 | More by HuskyinPDX

Mavigo

Michigan

4.53/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Been waiting on this guy for a while, it's pretty expensive, so when Costco had a 3 for 2 deal, a box set of Hennepin, Three Philosophers and Rare Vos, I jumped on it, great deal. Served in a snifter.

A: Pours a deep, rec-brown, cloudy, cherry color, with a short light tan head with bits of lacing

S: Incredible aroma, rich fruitiness, plums, cherries, bananas, simply wonderful, also yeast is very dominant, vanilla as well, malt sugars, very inviting

T: Robust flavor to it, very complex, enriching. Yeast is very present, also fruity notes, cherries, plums, it is a fairly sweet beer, has earthy tones to it, yeast, malt sugars, wheat, barley, hints of citrus even, also alcohol is very present.

M: Fairly balanced, at times I felt it was over carbonated, but the robustness, complexity and richness of the flavors well overcame the carbonation, booze levels gave a nice, complementing warmness to it.

O: Of course, Ommegang, lives up to it's name, I've never been disappointed by an Ommegang beer, and probably never will. Although I got the beer for a good deal, it is generally expensive but it its well worth it, wonderful taste, very rich and robust, very delicious, basically a dessert rather than a beverage, at least once everyone should make the effort to try this.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 01:07:40 | More by Mavigo

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle into a snifter

A: Pours a clear dark amber color with two fingers of off white head.

S: Strong prune aroma in this beer - dark fruits really dominate the smell. As i keep smelling, i get some dark cherry and a hint of sour cherry with the prines. I get a bit of clove and orange bitters in the background, but it's faint.

T: Prunes are still quite strong in the flavor, but the beer is a bit brighter than I expected based on the aroma. I get dark cherries, a bit of toffee, and a nice, subtle sour cherry finish. Spices are fairly restrained until the finish, where I get a nice clove flavor to add some complexity and balance. As the beer warms up, I get more and more spices - cloves, cardamom, and orange bitters. No hint of ABV.

M: Medium thickness for the style with strong carbonation.

O: Age has done this beer well. I got no boozy taste whatsoever, and the yeast brought out some nice spiciness, particularly in the aftertaste. This is the best American Quad I've ever had, but I don't think that's as good of a compliment as most would.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 03:06:00 | More by coreyfmcdonald

Tomhet

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance is a very dark brown with some ruby tinges when held up to light. A 1.5-finger tan head rests atop the body and dissipates rather quickly, leaving a moderate amount of lacing that continues to cling to the glass. Spiced cherries obviously hit the nose first, but this mellows into an blend of herbs, figs, and roasted malts. When digging deep, that cherry note is so fresh and organic that any sort of harsh alcohol presence is immediately cast aside. Some banana is faint along with the overall breadiness that provides a nice foundation for the nose.

The first thing that hits the nose is a mix of the sweet, organic cherries found in the aroma and a bitter earthy hop note with a touch of alcohol. This mellows into a very smooth bready malt taste that gradually caresses the tongue until finishing with a subdued Belgian yeast note with some of the downplayed banana mentioned earlier. Carbonation is medium to low, though the high point of the mouthfeel is the gradual way in which the brew continually reveals itself, as opposed to the typically discrete tripartite view of "front, middle, finish". Overall, a very nice quad and a great go-to beer if you want something a little sweeter than St. Bernardus Abt 12 for a readily accessible quad.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 10:52:53 | More by Tomhet

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this years ago and finally got a chance to enjoy this again since I was given the Ommegang Ales gift pack for Christmas. Yes, this beer packs quite a punch and the bomber I had took quite a while to down but it was worth savoring every sip, and as so many others have commented on here, this is nearly on par with its European counterparts from start to finish.

The pour to this was quite dark, with a solid head and lacing to match. The sediment that floated in this gave it a near-amber appearance in terms of the glow and the edges just let enough light through to give this a radiance that I've never seen in a Quad before. The aroma was mostly that of sugary booze, as was expected. The fruit did not come out in the nose but was certainly felt in the taste. Lots of plum, cherry, and currant, which was quickly reinforced with the sweetness of this beer that lingered well in the aftertaste. The carbonation was spot on - visible but not overpowering and helped ease the transition into the lemony aftertaste that somehow brought out the sweetness of the brown sugar that stayed underneath the heavier flavors of this beer. It was amazing to have a beer this heavy finish so cleanly without any cloying aftertaste that lingered.

However, this booze did linger and even though I couldn't feel the warmth from this, I could certainly notice the alcohol by the time I finished the bottle off. It's here but the way this was crafted relegated the strength of this brew as an afterthought once the serving was over with. It's a testament to this beer that the teeth behind it didn't come out from the onset. Even though it's crafted here in the U.S.A., you wouldn't know it unless the bottle was in front of you. This was solid from start to finish and worth getting your hands on if you have two hours on your hands to enjoy all that this has to offer.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 09:51:23 | More by JerzDevl2000

Jonada

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle served in a goblet. 2011 bottle

Appearance: Murky reddish brown in color with a finger of a light tan head that dissipated pretty quickly.

Smell: Dark fruit, plum, raisins, cherry, banana bread. Alcohol is hidden fairly well.

Taste: Cherry, dark fruit, Belgian yeast spiciness. Starts out sweet but is balanced nicely with a tart cherry finish. Alcohol is bit more present in the taste, but still masked very well.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied. Carbonation is on the lighter side of medium. Really nice mouthfeel.

Overall: One of the best American quads I've had. Doesn't quite reach the level of some of the authentic Belgian offerings, but it's not too far behind. Definitely worth picking up a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 19:42:53 | More by Jonada

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

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

A-Pours a lightly murky chestnut hue. Head is a modestly sized blanket of foam. Mild lacing speckles and dots.

S-Sweet, bready and fruity. I get some bruised bananas, banana bread and molasses.

T-More of the same. Not picking up much pure cherry elements. I get more dark fruit and banana bread. I guess there is some lingering black cherry in there? The flavor is pretty decent but I am picking up some metallic notes. Also the booze is pretty noticeable.

M-Medium-full. Massaging bubbles. Booze dries you out a bit. The feel is mostly creamy. It has nice texture. Aftertaste lingers.

O/D-Not bad. The subtle cherry nuance is actually pretty cool; I'd rather have that as opposed to a cough-syrup cherry overload. Its a pleasant take on the Quad. Probably won't be running back for more anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 18:32:09 | More by VelvetExtract

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.46/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Ommegang - Three Philosophers - 1pt 9.4fl oz "bomber"

Look - Excellent re-branding, the pictures here on BA haven't been updated yet, but I love the new marketing. This brew pours like a dark burnt caramel with a thick, frothy head. When held up, only a faint glow is seen. When held directly in front of a light, the entire brew illuminates red.

Smell - Sweet scent of cherries with a hint of malt, smells hearty and big.

Taste - Malty bite with a smooth cherry finish, the first thing that came to mind from the bite was nicknaming it a "cherry porter".

Mouthfeel - Leaves a bit of a burnt taste, pleasing though, but depends on your preferences I would say. This brew would definitely pair well with something creamy or cheesy.

Overall - Another one of Ommegang's great brews (I don't think I have ever had one I didn't like). This particular brew is a little heartier than my usual preference, but nonetheless, if I had to choose a full bodied brew of this style, I'd pick this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 14:39:03 | More by JMScowcroft

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

750mL bottle poured into tulip

Pours hazy amber caramel color with a frothy beige head. Fades into a slick of film with spotty lacing left behind.

Candied dark fruits, raisins and dates. Warm almost solventy booze character, bready malts and burnt sugar with cherries.

Sweet and warm up front with a plethora of dark fruits and cherries. Raisins, dates and figs with some burnt sugar tones. Strong alcohol presence on the back end with a hefty backbone driven by caramel and fruit. Finishes hot and sweet.

Fuller body, decent carbonation, sticky and heavy on the tongue. Rich, boozy and a bit cumbersome - the love for this beer has always been a little difficult for me to understand.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 01:46:19 | More by xnicknj

MickeyBeer

Illinois

4.21/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass

A- Starts out as a beautiful ruby red color and finishes a deep cloudy brown color. Light tan head that dissipates quickly. No lacing left to speak of. Looks absolutely amazing.

S- Malty sweet smell is dominant. Also a little bit of a fruity aroma similar to apples.

T- Very sweet malty flavor that covers the high ABV very well. Aftertaste is almost lemon/citrus in flavor. Some hop presence that helps to balance the sweetness of the beer.

M- Medium bodied with a considerable amount of active carbonation. Very smooth and drinkable for a quad.

O- I thoroughly enjoyed this quad. It is sweet, malty, and delicious. Very smooth and tasty. Give it a try if you get a chance.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 21:58:03 | More by MickeyBeer

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

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

Poured into a snifter.

A: Clear red-brown with two-finger, off-white, fizzy head that lasted several minutes and left a nice film. Okay lacing.

S: Dark fruit, plums, raisins. Yeast and alcohol.

T: Moderate to high sweetness and light bitterness. Dark fruit and apples. Alcohol.

M: Medium bodied with lively carbonation. Light and crisp. This one will sneak up on you.

O: This was a very drinkable quad.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 04:19:31 | More by SolipsismalCat

themind

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Over all I thought this was a let down for me. I think that I prefer BPA and the double. For the style this brew has a decent mouthfeel and taste. Pours a very small head and is a little thick for my liking. Overall it is a quality beer but not my cup of tea.

Bottom line: Not a fan

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 13:48:11 | More by themind

JudoJeff

4.53/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

From a 750 mL bottle this poured a deep, dark brown amber. It has a weight in the mouth and a smooth feel. The touch of cherry flavor from the added Liefmans Kriek is, in my opinion, just about the perfect amount to add some sweetness to this dark, rich ale. If you tend to be disappointed by overpowering fruit-forward beer yet feel like you want some sweetness, I would strongly recommend Three Philosophers.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 01:53:06 | More by JudoJeff