Archive for March, 2010
Craft Beer Persona
Sweetwater “Dank Tank” BSP Quad
Man, I have not had a Belgian style quadrupel in a long, long time. There was a time when I’d grab all of these I could get my hands on (and there really aren’t that many). However, due to either my ignorance or a lack of this style on shelves, I haven’t touched one in a while. And, oh, how I have missed it! I was quite excited to see this particular offering from Sweetwater. Quad isn’t a genre I’d generally associate with this typically lighter and fruitier Georgia brewery. However, they always make a good brew, so I’m anxious to see what they can do with it.
This quad pours a rather dark brown with hints of purple throughout. When held up to a light, the beer is rather clear, which isn’t always a case with this variety. There is a thick caramel head that surges up on the pour and diminishes slowly, leaving spiderwebs of sticky goodness down the glass as it recedes. The aroma here is dark and sweet, full of grape and dark cherry, but with a thicker caramel hint to it, as well. In the mouth, this is pure flavor – reminding me of why I like this genre so much. There are a number of notes to this beer, and they are all so big and bodacious that it’s amazing they play nice together. On the front of the tongue, it’s a light fruity sweetness, reminiscent of dark grapes. As the beer progresses down the tongue, this sweetness is joined by some light toffee and molasses, then with more pronounced dark fruit with some acidity. Finally, a good biscuity sweetness settles over the tongue while an acidic burst kicks in as the beer goes down the throat. Finally, we’re left with a melange of the biscuity malt and light grape flavors in the aftertaste. Frankly, it’s just a lot to deal with, but the balance is surprisingly pleasant. There’s no need to pair this beer with any food, as it’s a dessert in it’s own right. This really isn’t a beer I’d generally reach for on a 70-degree March night, but I’m glad I did tonight. It’s tasty.
