Scratch Beer 44 - 2011 (Team America)
Tröegs Brewing Company

Scratch Beer 44 - 2011 (Team America)Scratch Beer 44 - 2011 (Team America)
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From:
Tröegs Brewing Company
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
Quadrupel (Quad)
ABV:
9%
Score:
84
Avg:
3.65 | pDev: 10.96%
Reviews:
30
Ratings:
38
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Sep 19, 2014
Added:
Apr 21, 2011
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  3
Based on the winning recipe by Team America from the Troegs Metal Brewer in fall 2010. Featuring Special B and CaraBelge malts with a combination of Magnum hops for bittering, and Saaz hops for an herbal contrast to the caramel malts, along with Demararra sugar. For a unique twist on this style, we used a combination of Saaz whole-leaf hops, and more than 40 pounds of Zante currants in the hopback. We pitched Westmalle yeast for a complimenting spicy balance.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4 by DrBier from Pennsylvania

Sep 19, 2014
 
Rated: 2.5 by beernads from Florida

Jul 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by prdstmnky from Vermont

Jun 28, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by Agold from Pennsylvania

Aug 11, 2012
Photo of dafla67
Reviewed by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Tulip glass (June 2011 - Phila Beer Week event)

A: red-brown color; small head that disappeared quickly

S: sweet aroma -- sugar; currants, spices

T: tastes as it smells. begin with the sweetness followed by the spices and ending with the currants. None of the flavors are overly strong but subtle. The alcohol becomes more obvious with the spice flavors.

M: medium body; not too much carbonation

O: I'm not a Belgium beer drinker but I thoroughly enjoyed this beer. Actually, tasting this beer led me to trying a bunch of Quads last June.
May 24, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by ygtbsm94 from Utah

Jan 29, 2012
Photo of JayAre46
Reviewed by JayAre46 from Texas

4.12/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
thanks for the extra someone! poured into a snifter, dark brown with some ruby edges and a thin layer of bubbles on top that leave some soapy lacing. the nose is full of belgian yeast, bready, a little nutty with some raisins. the taste is very bready with a good nutty dryness, dark fruits and a lightly cooked molasses. the belgian yeast plays a good role and is not too overpowering making this a solid breakfast bew. medium to full, the body is really nice on this one, the carbonation is present and plays just enough. very nice surprise, really enjoyed the body and belgian nutty combo. well done.
Jan 19, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by DaveHack from Pennsylvania

Jan 17, 2012
Photo of yourefragile
Reviewed by yourefragile from District of Columbia

3.4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Bottle shared by Thorpe.

Brown body with a wispy light tan head and spotty lacing. Yeast and toasted malt on the nose with light dark fruit. Sweet and yeasty flavor, mellow with dark fruit and malt. Slightly thin body with low carbonation. Moderate to mild throughout.
Dec 31, 2011
Photo of cosmicevan
Reviewed by cosmicevan from New York

4.12/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
thanks to ThoreauLikeAGirl for this a while back. poured into my 3 philosophers chalice.

a - brew poured a murky purple brown with a thin cream colored bubbly head. is this a quad or a brown ale? sort of looks like a brown...has some quad like looks, but not thick and the head lacks the creaminess.

s - niuttiness with some plums and dark fruit. toasted malts. some cherry and a bit of brown sugar. smells nice.

t - flavor is molases with fig/grape juice. tastes rather fruity. much more than the nose would lead you to believe. it is interesting and different. there is a candied sweetness with a lot of brown ale properties and belgian yeast. tasty, but not quite a quad and not quite a brown ale.

m - a bit thin for a quad, but nice for a brown ale. medium to light bodied. a bit thick and lacking in carbonation.

o - overall, interesting. like i said, kind of like a cross between a quad and a brown ale. more on the belgian side of the spectrum which makes it so interesting. the flavor has some really nice candied belgian yeast.
Dec 27, 2011
Photo of drabmuh
Reviewed by drabmuh from Maryland

3.2/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Bottle shared by Thorpe, thanks.

Beer is brown with a wispy tan head of small bubbles, some lacing low retention, low carbonation.

Aroma is fruity, a yeasty sort of a fruity, with a lot of malt, mild alcohol.

For a description of the taste, read what I wrote about hte aroma, this beer tastes exactly like it smells. It is sweet, yeasty, fruity, dry finish, not a repeat.
Dec 22, 2011
Photo of Thorpe429
Reviewed by Thorpe429 from Illinois

3.11/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Thanks to Ballofruit for this bottle. Served in a SAVOR wine glass.

Pours a moderate brown color with a nice khaki-colored head and a bit of spotty lacing. The nose carries a bit of Belgian yeast and fruit plus some dark malt and a bit of toast. Flavor is along the same lines. Mellow flavors throughout. Medium body and a smooth finish. Boom.
Dec 20, 2011
Photo of Huhzubendah
Reviewed by Huhzubendah from District of Columbia

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle shared by Thorpe429. Thanks Mike.

The beer is a light orange / brown hue with minimal head. The aroma brings brown sugar, malt, spice, Belgian yeast, fruit. The flavor brings fruit, booze and a bit of Belgian yeast. Decent, but lacking oomph and/or aggressive flavor. A bit bland. Apples are prominent throughout. Medium to light bodied with fairly low carbonation. Overall, this was OK.
Dec 19, 2011
Photo of isualum12
Reviewed by isualum12 from Idaho

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Hmm brown? Nope not for me. Great beer though

Look- dark copper with zero head. Little activity but it's there
Smell- great smells like a mile English bitter
Taste burnt hop with malt showing through.
Feel- it's not smooth but it is not overpowering. I enjoy it.
Overall. I like this alot. I wish we got it here in Idaho. Thank for making such a good beer.
Dec 16, 2011
Photo of Stinkypuss
Reviewed by Stinkypuss from Pennsylvania

4.31/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Troegs Scratch Series "Belgian Brown"

Appearance: Pours a vibrant cherry color with small floaties after a careful pour. Active carbonation streams up to the center of the etched glass.

Aroma: One of the most remarkably fruity aromas I have experienced in a beer. Currant and bright tart cherries are up front. Berry juice.

Taste: Cherry fruityness, vegetation, spicy belgian yeast, mild tartness from the currants used in brewing. Alcohol is felt, not tasted. Bitterness is mild and plays with the sweetness. Suggestions of oak/char are also in the background.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, slightly syrupy but manages to finish somewhat dry.

Overall: Hell yes Troegs. This is a good one! Has crossover potential to get the average consumer (and craft/Belgian outsiders) to try something else and enjoy it. Beer fruit juice.
Nov 22, 2011
Photo of Mora2000
Reviewed by Mora2000 from Texas

3.78/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Big thanks to thirdeye11 for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a brown color with a tan head. The aroma is full of malt, with a lot of toffee and brown sugar notes. The alcohol is well hidden, but there is a little bit of dark fruit hidden behind the malt notes in the aroma.

The flavor is also very malty. I get a lot of toffee and Belgian yeast notes, as well as some brown sugar and raisins. The alcohol is more present in the flavor than it is in the aroma, but it is not overpowering.

Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.
Nov 17, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by sideshowe from Pennsylvania

Nov 16, 2011
Photo of scottfrie
Reviewed by scottfrie from California

2.78/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
12oz bottle into Portsmouth snifter. Thanks again, Josh.

A: A rough pour yielded barely an inch of dark tan head over very deep mahogany liquid. The head quickly faded into a thick collar that left a few notes of spotty lacing down the glass.
S: Sweet notes of berry juice dominates. It smells like currant/blueberry juice. I get a few notes of darker fruits as well including raisins, red grapes, and maybe dried dates.
T: Sweet raisins, caramel and fruit juice flavors meld with a touch of wood and damp basement must in the finish. Some peppery spices show up in the aftertaste. This leaves a weird taste in my mouth.
M: Frothy carbonation, medium-full body, tingly mouthfeel with just a touch of alcohol.
O: Wasn’t really digging this one at all. Not sure what it was about the beer, it just wasn’t for me.
Nov 08, 2011
Photo of bs870621345
Reviewed by bs870621345 from Iowa

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a hazy rust brown color with a short lived head and no lacing. Looks like a quad, nothing more than that.

Smells like caramel, plums, currants, spice (both from hops and yeast), and chocolate.

Taste opens with a strong sweetness of caramel, fruits, and toffee, moving into a more spiced finish. The yeast strain is very dominant in the finish and leaves a clean finish.

Mouthfeel is moderate, but a little low on carbonation.

Overall, its good...would love to see this as a year round offering.
Sep 08, 2011
Scratch Beer 44 - 2011 (Team America) from Tröegs Brewing Company
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 38 ratings