The Stoic - Deschutes Brewery

disasturbater

2.08/5  rDev -45.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Made a mess getting the wax off- I hate when breweries dip the mouth of the bottle in wax, which admittedly may prejudice me against it.
A: Pale orange, a little cloudy, with a great deal of sediment. You may want to pretend you're pouring a fine wine when you pour this beer; do it very slowly and carefully. Overall, looks fine.
S: Sour cherries is the best way I can describe it. Very unusual for a quad, actually rather reminds me of a fruit lambic. I hate lambics.
T: The taste reminds me of a lambic too. The flavor is lighter, fruitier and less complex than a typical quad.
M: Not bad, reasonably smooth. I don't feel the urge to spit it out, anyway.

Overall I didn't like it. It really isn't very representative of the style in my opinion, and where it diverges from the norm it does so in ways that I personally find unpleasant. I seriously considered tossing it out after the first sip, which is something I never do. To be fair, it did grow on me a bit over the course of the bottle, which may have something to do with the high alcohol content; it doesn't taste nearly as strong as it actually is. To each his own I suppose, but I won't be buying it again.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 05:11:21 | More by disasturbater

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A bottle from Blue Dog in PA, a little trickle of stuff flew in during beer week. Saw this and never had it.

Off with the wax, The Stoic is lighter in color than your average dark Belgian Quad. A amberish deep orange color grace the glass with some beige bubbles up towards the top. Good retention, minor stick.

Smell is straight up Pommegrane and Rye. The oak and whiskey are not so large with a malty quad base. Some cherry with caramel and orange. I dig the smell, it beats a mound of Candi sugar all day.

The malty sweetness is not lost here in taste. Some sugar and malt come up, but not at St. Bernardus levels. The Pommegrant and Rye barrels really shine and make way for some woody flavor with warming, yet none of the whiskey, which is fine by me.

I see they say drink this bottle in a year. I guess you could age this, but I would agree that some of the ripe rye and etc will get lost, as this will only become more sweet with time and dare I say it, more like a regular quad. The body was a sturdy medium with bubbles and activity on the mouth, just a small splash of alcohol.

Drink it up.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 02:26:22 | More by onix1agr

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Best 08/04/12

Pours amber with a finger of cream colored head. Some head retention & lacing

S: Cherries, oakyness, vanillas

T: Follows the nose, a touch of Chardonnay & sourness up front. A touch of vanilla & oak, cherry tartness & some raisin as this warms, a touch of warming booze as well there's a bit of pineapple & grapefruit showing up as well. Finishes with much tropical fruityness, some citrus bitterness, Chardonnay dryness

MF: Fairly chewy with slight carbonation & dryness

A super solid quad with a barrel aged twist. I would buy this again & age it just to see how that rolls

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 02:42:43 | More by russpowell

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.85/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz waxed bomber bottle. Best Before Date of 8/4/12. Poured this one into a Lost Abbey tulip.

Reviewing this as a "beer" not based on style, as this is not a traditional Quad by any stretch.

A: Pours a cloudy hazy orange color. About a half finger of slightly off white head. Nicely carbonated. You can see ting bubbles streaming off the bottom of the glass.

S: I don't smell any oak or barrel. I get tart cherry mostly. Almost sour like. Also, there is some clove or spice of some sort. I have heard comparisons to a blend of sour and hefe and I can see that here.

T: I get some tart cherry right up front. Then some sweet maltiness goodness. It IS sort of like a Hefe and a sour had baby. It's not a quad. Getting that banana note. Some of that clove-ish flavor. But it's not bad beer. Clean finish.

M: it's not full, more medium.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 15:24:56 | More by inlimbo77

LeeryLeprechaun

Colorado

3.88/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a pale orange color with a white head that sticks around for the entire time it takes to sip on this tasty treat.

The aroma is dominated by isoamylacetate and sugar with some malt lying in the background.

The first sip hits you with banana, malt, alcohol, sugar, and is sweet and sticky. It is very tasty.

Overall the beer is rather enjoyable. It just does not mesh with what my idea of a quad is very well. It is pale, there are no toffee, caramel, dark fruit, or other typical quad flavors present. The beer states on the label that it was made with pomegranates, they do not come through at all. However, this is still a great beer and I would highly recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 13:10:57 | More by LeeryLeprechaun

greenmonstah

New Hampshire

3.9/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle best by

A - Caramel orange in color, crystal clear, with plenty of chunky sediment that made it out of the bottle. I need to pour more carefully next time! Half a finger of tan head lasts for a long while.

S - Orange blossom, rye whiskey notes, sweet with lightly spicy yeast. Some clove and a bit of pear. Pomegranate is subtle but adds a nice fruit character

T - Really complex. Definite vinous and oak character. Pomegranate. Rye whiskey. Spicy with clove and rye. Mellows out in the end with sweeter pomegranate. Bready, too. Unripe pear. A very sweet beer, with adjuncts like pomegranate providing the bulk of that flavoring, but it is also sharply spiced.

M - Medium in body, way too watery. This is very wet throughout, and not as chewy as I want it to be.

O - A very unique and very tasty quad. The additions made by Deschutes by aging the beer in barrels and adding pomegranate really stand out and make this a beer unlike any other I have had. There is only a hint of alcohol in this 11% beer. I will look forward to this each year.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 20:17:19 | More by greenmonstah

Rhettroactive

Virginia

2/5  rDev -47.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

From 22oz black wax dipped bottle to CBS snifter on 5/12/12
*From notes

A: Clean, slightly chill hazy orange-amber in hue. A standard pour yields a 1.25 finger white head. No real lacing, decent collar.

S: Ugh. A Quad that smells like chipotle chilis. Awesome. It's got this odd, Mexican spice vibe that is wholly unlikable. As it warms, I do get a touch of Sauvignon Blanc must.

T: Not good. Not good at all. Pork fat and liquid smoke reign supreme. Letting this warm does nothing for the beer, as I begin to get an overload of rotting pimento. There's a kick of sweetness on the finish that sticks out like a sore thumb. Not a single facet of the flavor profile succeeds in accomplishing anything remotely close to average or above.

M: Well the carbonation is pretty pleasant. The weight could be better, but it's not out of line, just a bit lacking.

O: After falling in love with Hardywood's Bourbon Cru (a Bourbon Barrel Quad) the night before, I was stoked to finally break into my one and only bottle of the Stoic. You can imagine my disappointment and frustration with what I found. This should have been an exceptional beer, all the elements are there for success. Yet in the end, the finished product comes nowhere close to quaffable.

A major failure from a consistantly solid brewery. Do everything in your power to stay far, far away from this train wreck in a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 19:06:48 | More by Rhettroactive

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.18/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a white head. Color is a bright golden orange.

Aroma: A lot of fruits. Oranges and pomegranate. French oak with rye spice. Wine flavors. Belgian yeast, bananas, and cloves.

Taste: Mimics the nose, but it is very yeasty and bready. Reminds me of an amped up wheat beer.

Mouthfeel: Dry and spiced. Medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends really dry.

Overall, a unique beer. Not a quad in my book. No clue as to what this really is, style-wise. But, I kind of like it. Somewhat drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 23:46:04 | More by mothman

videofrog

Texas

3.65/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a 22oz bomber into a Chimay goblet, careful not to disturb yeast sediment on first pour. Best by 08/04/12.

A: Darker orange, coppery color, more translucent than most quads. Thin white head dissipates quickly.

S: Sweet malts up front. Pomegranate more pronounced as the drink warms. Spicy notes with oak in the background.

T: Sweet and bready malts up front. Faint hop bitterness in the middle. Finish is dry and woody/oak. Spicy alcohol and pomegranate sweetness are also there.

O: Enjoyed this more when stirring up the yeast sediment for the second pour; it added a good funk/slight sour and more spiciness. Glad I let this sit outside of the fridge a while as it gets better as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 02:33:19 | More by videofrog

billab914

Virginia

3.48/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured into my CBS snifter. It poured orange amber in color with just a trace amount of white lacing clinging to the edges of the glass.

The aroma is very floral, fruity and spicy with the Belgian yeast spices playing a big role in the flavors. The fruity, sweet, almost honey like pomegranate juice mixes with a little of the wine barrel character. The fruity, sweetness is a little too overpowering though unfortunately, and I don't get any of the rye whiskey barrel.

The taste is also dominated by the sweet, fruity, juiciness and the Belgian yeast spice. Again, I get some hints of the wine barrel, but none of the whiskey. The finish is dry with the spices and a little more of the wine barrel to it.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with carbonation being moderate. Overall it was a decent and interesting beer, but not one that really stands out. The sweet, sugary, fruitiness and spice dominated a little too much and seemed to overshadow some of the flavors I was looking forward to unfortunately.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 02:09:23 | More by billab914

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From notes... Another gem that was a part of a recent trade from joemcgrath27.

A - Pours a slightly hazy copper brown colour, finger of head with some retention and no real lacing.

S - Cloves and bananas, juicy fruit gum, bubble gum and some yeast phenols.

T - Nice balance between sugary fruit sweetness and a sour bitterness. Bananas and cloves dominate alongside a hint of abv heat, the juicy fruit gum comes through and a hint of wooden oak and peat on the finish.

M - Medium bodied, but can come across as heavily carbonated, smooth going down adn a hint of dryness on the finish.

O - Complex and flavourful, incredibly (and dangerously) drinkable at 11%, and all around world class. Certainly a fruitier take on the style, so if you're not into the sweetness you might not find it as enjoyable. I on the other hand wish all quad's had this sweetness to them. Delicious!

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 00:27:03 | More by andrenaline

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.28/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

the stoic is one heck of an interesting beer. pours murky light amber color with a slight pink tint and an effervescent white head. looks much lighter than most quads ive had, coming in almost honey colored rather than that deep caramel color im accustomed to in these. it smells tart and sour, yeasty, and lots of fresh fruit. the flavor is much more tempered by the wood aging, and the rye flavors come through very nicely and compliment the tartness of the pomegranates. never really tasted anything quite like this, its oaky, almost sour, and even flowery in the yeast. feel is very excited carbonation and a lighter to medium body. alcohol flavor and feel is entirely absent. amazing. this would be quite drinkable except for the abv strength. overall another exceptional beer from deschutes. theyve got to be one of the finest operations in the country.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 19:01:51 | More by StonedTrippin

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz wax-dipped bottle poured into a snifter.
Best By 08/04/12, 11% ABV

Thanks to Wisrarebeer for this bottle!

A - Bright maple golden in color, The Stoic is a light-colored quad with just slight cloudiness hazing it. The densely-packed ivory head dots the snifter in lace as it settles slowly.

S - Abundantly spicy, The Stoic showcases Belgian yeast doin' it's thing; earthy clay, cardamom, coriander seed, and trances of banana Runt fruitiness. The complexity goes much deeper, however; fruity alcohol including raisin and light cherry, oak-infused white grapes, and a very faint vinegar-like wine aspect. Sharp rye whiskey is noticeable through the finish but almost as an afterthought in how complex the beer smells.

T - Yeast takes center stage again, pushing past all the other goings-on to provide light banana and spicy earth notes. Pomegranate is much more noticeable and serves the beer well with it's underlying wine characteristics. Sweet white grape and warm, boozy alcohol immediately follow and segue into the caramel-malty finish.

M - Warming phenol alcohol is strong in this one! Subtle-yet-gripping, it faintly things out the round, full-bodied mouthfeel that finishes with a tickle of higher carbonation. Lip-smacking dryness is welcome as it begs for another sip, quietly, without being bothersome.

O - Similar to a lightly spiced holiday dessert wine, The Stoic exudes significant complexity. Within it's extensive production process, this classic style undergoes a wonderful transformation into an elegant sipping beer with a broad depth of unique flavors to satisfy even the most discerning palate.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 15:32:34 | More by BeerFMAndy

quirkzoo

Colorado

3.6/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I have had this beer before but it still surprised me how light it pours, gold, with just a touch of orange and a very small white head that recedes quickly. The aroma is very sweet, lots of complex fruity belgian yeast esters, lots of berries, overripe strawberries, blueberries, slightly acidic smelling but not in a sour way. Some definite light caramel maltiness in the background and a touch of oaky tannins. The taste is nice, similar to the aroma but slightly more muted, not as bright. Very light bitterness, just enough to balance the high notes of the flavor. The mouthfeel is nice, very smooth, especially for 11%. Overall a friend shared a bottle of this a while back and I decided to pick up a bottle for myself, not quite as good as the top level Belgian quads but a very decent American attempt at the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 05:23:12 | More by quirkzoo

Tilley4

Tennessee

3.1/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Been loving some Belgians lately and I cracked this one open on a particularly muggy April evening...

Sweet boozy aromas are almost overwhelming right up front. The pomengranates are definitely prevalent as is the barrel aging as there is quite a bit of vinous quality to this. I'm getting some of the bourbon barrel as well but I'm not digging it like I do in Boulevard's version. Aromas all over the place...

Sweet and boozy... Vinous and raw... More bourbon burn than I was expecting and not as much flavor as I was hoping... A rare miss from this brewery for me... I like Deschutes a lot and everything I've ever had from them has been amazing but this doesn't do it for me. I finished but... it was work.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 20:27:10 | More by Tilley4

DavidST

Texas

3.3/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a goblet, best by 8/04/12. This pours a slightly hazy golden color with a short lived white head. The smells are of belgian yeast esters, banana, brown sugar, other malts. The feel is medium a little tingly. The taste is disappointing, a little yeast, some sugar, some bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 02:09:19 | More by DavidST

txbrewer

Texas

3.95/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Apple juice with an off white head. No sediment in the bottle and it was quite clear in the glass.

S - Malty sweet, easy on the hops and bitterness.

T - Malty,raisins??, mild hop and an almost fruity note. Even though the bottle says 11 % ABV, it does not come through in the taste.

M - Light carbonation lets the malty sweetness linger with a very mild hop finish.

D - Yes, quite so. They should make plenty more of this.

A third of this was barrel aged (half wine and half rye) and I am guessing that is where the fruity and raisin taste is coming from. Quite nice for the malt and hop balance in this one. Picked this up at Whole Foods so I may have to go back and grab a couple more bottles.

UPDATE- Read some other reviews and something is off. Seems that some people got the cloudy with and without the yeast - mine was clear with nothing remaining in the bottle at all???

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 21:57:05 | More by txbrewer

claspada

New Jersey

2.73/5  rDev -28.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Pours a semi-clear peach/amber color with a small white head that is not typical for most Belgian ales; mild spotty lacing and a decent amount of chunky yeast which must have been aroused trying to get the wax off the bottle.

Aromas begin with all Belgian yeast phenols; bubblegum and banana are huge here. There are other light fruity esters in the background but I wouldn't be able to discern pomegranate if I didn't know from the bottle/research.

The taste begins super, super phenolic and estery as well. It features apple, pear and white wine grapes establishing dominance; it is followed by spicy yeast and more lighter vinous elements; slight oaky dryness, in the finish.

The mouthfeel is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation and some warmth in the gullet. Finish is dry but not as dry as I would like and/or expect from a Belgian ale, which are usually dry, and one aged on oak should also be extra dry.

Overall, this is a decent Belgian Golden Strong but definitely not a quad to my palate. There is a lot that went into this beer but the sum is less than the parts. Too estery and phenolic with not enough pomegranate or rye barrel; probably could have used more time in the barrel and/or more fruit additions. I will have trouble finishing the second glass because this is just not flavorful/enjoyable for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 03:08:14 | More by claspada

kojevergas

California

3.9/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served on-draught into a 25 cl Leffe goblet at The Daily Pint in Santa Monica, California. Reviewed from notes. I'd had this before from the bottle and knew it was good already.

A: Pours a 1.5 finger head of nice cream, great thickness, and good retention for the style. Colour is a semitransparent copper. No yeast particles are visible.

Sm: Bretts, clean fresh malts, some funkiness, and bright esters. A moderate strength aroma. Very pleasant. Fresh and clean.

T: The malts are layered and brilliant. Very fresh with wonderful orange citrus esters. Complex and subtle, but I preferred it out of the bottle when it was yeasty and more complex. A touch cidery. A bit appley. Very well balanced and built.

Mf: Smooth, crisp, and wet. Not too thick/thin. Smack-your-lips lovely. Delicately light on the palate. Quite pleasant.

Dr: Incredibly drinkable. This was better out of the bottle with the yeast. I'd have it again, preferably bottle-aged. A lovely quad from Deschutes. Hides its ABV insanely well. Give her a go, lads.

B+

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2012 03:22:51 | More by kojevergas

Mebuzzard

Colorado

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

At 11% abv, this is a nice drinking beer.
It looks pretty dog-gone good with a bright golden pour, and nice dense foamy head.

hints of apple, pear, caramel and pecan dance around the nose.

Flavors are those above plus some faint citrus and vanilla. Somewhat sweet in the middle but it dries out fairly well. Not sure about the Quad category, though. A bit light all around

Very nice beer and I drank it all in about 15 minutes. I was celebrating :)

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 22:07:45 | More by Mebuzzard

gtermi

Texas

3.95/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: pours a nice orangish gold with a thin white head tht quickly fades.

S: There is a nice amount of "Quad" scents, but the pomegranate for sure sticks out on the nose. There is also a nice fruity smell that I seem to pick up the more I have my nose in the glass.

T: Again has a very nice quad flavor, but then it starts to really show the pomegranate flavors that dominate the flavor. It is very nice and different for a quad.

M: To me there is a little bit too much carbonation in this beer. It is very crisp and burns a little going down. With a high alcohol beer like this, I like it to be more of a smooth carbonation.

O: For 14 dollars I much would have rather bought a St. Bernardus 12, but its hard to compare to that. This is a very good beer from a great brewery. This isnt your typical quad and I respect Deschutes for stepping out of line with that.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 05:55:13 | More by gtermi

jar2574

Missouri

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

Debatable whether the black wax top adds to the experience or merely annoys the drinker by forcing them to work harder to get to their beer. The beer was poured into a Chimay goblet so the head was thinner than if it'd been put into a pint glass. The beer is a cloudy dark orange color.

The smell is citrus hops, Belgian yeasts, very nice.

The mouthfeel is pretty thick with a slight alcohol burn on the tongue and not that much carbonation.

The taste is slightly acidic and very complex. Different fruit flavors - grapefruit, pomgranete and cherries. Oakiness from the aging process, I guess. And a little bit of sourness and funkiness, maybe from the yeasts.

This warmed up quite a bit as I drank the bottle and it was as good at room temperature as chilled.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 00:36:36 | More by jar2574

siradmiralnelson

Iowa

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

Poured from 22oz wax dipped bottle into chalice.

A. Poured a half finger of head that disappeared very quickly. Very little retention. A little bit of lacing. Color is surprisingly a pretty vibrant orange color. Strange color for a quad.

S. Some dark fruit, a little bit of pear, some clove, and a little banana. Get a lot of different belgian aromas, not all quad smells though. Some candi sugar. Raisins, and pear are predominant. Has a little bit of bitterness. Smells a little bit more like a BSPA than a quad. A little bit of alcohol aroma, but not much.

T. Pear, light fruit, alcohol, clove, caramel, lots of flavors going on. Doesent really taste like a quad. Really a cross between a Belgian Strong Pale Ale and a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. When you get past the fact it doesn't taste like a quad, you can focus on all the flavors going on. Pretty sweet. Not much trace of alcohol. Actually drinks pretty easy.

M. Medium/full bodied. Low carbonation. Finishes sweet.

O. Overall this beer definitely misses the mark as a Quad. All in all though it is still a pretty tasty Belgian beer. Has a lot of the flavor components of a BSPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 00:29:50 | More by siradmiralnelson

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - hazy copper orange, thumb of head dissipated to a thin covering, lots of suspended floaties
S - fruity aromas of banana and tropicals, mild spice notes with some graininess
T - big tart tangy fruit flavours up front, a tropical fruitiness brings out the pomegranate infusion, mild touch of rye and woodiness from the barrel again, very unique
M - medium body with a slight creaminess, gives way to a tartness leaving a puckering feel, with the big ABV very well hidden
O - a very unique quad in terms of flavour mixing, the addition of fruits and different barrel aging is a nice touch, a must try

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 02:14:36 | More by joemcgrath27

DocJitsu

California

4.1/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy golden copper with a white head that attenuates quickly. This is not my style, but I was pleasantly surprised. The bouquet is characterized by raisin, green banana, and Fruity Pebbles. Flavors of sweet green banana and raisin that finishes with tart grape. This beer drinks like a Belgian without that usual undesirable yeast finish.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 16:57:08 | More by DocJitsu