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Orthus
Thirsty Dog Brewing Company
Beer Geek Stats
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- From:
- Thirsty Dog Brewing Company
- Ohio, United States
- Style:
- Dubbel
- ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- 88
- Avg:
- 3.95 | pDev: 10.63%
- Reviews:
- 9
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 20, 2020
- Added:
- Jun 01, 2008
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 3
Orthus was the two-headed hell hound brother of Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guarded the gates of hell. Orthus is a Belgian dubbel brown in color, 7 grains, 3 hops, Trappist high gravity yeast.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania
3.96/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.96/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
$ 18.35 (Including tax)/750 mL bottle ($ 0.722/oz) at Oppermann’s, Saginaw, MI
Undated bottle at 42 degrees into a hand washed and dried JK snifter, allowed to warm to 45 degrees (per bottle notes) before consumption
Aroma – can definitely smell the barrel – woody and vanilla
Head – large (Maximum 6.2 cm, aggressive pour), tan, frothy, diminishing to a very irregular lacy ring and a complete layer with rocks. Second pour gives the dense creamy head with a few rocks which is more typical of a dubbel.
Lacing excellent – wide bands of tiny bubbles covering the inside of the glass
Body – dark brown with just a hint of red, clear
Flavor – initially bourbon barrel and slightly sweet. Careful sloshing within the oral cavity releases some caramel but no particular fruity esters. Hops are not tasted but may be noted in the slightly bitter aftertaste. Alcohol is not tasted nor is a post-consumption gastric burn present. No diacetyl.
Palate – medium, not quite creamy, lively carbonation
This leans more to the BBA side and seems less of a dubbel to my taste. For me, this is one and done – there are equal or better BBA beers at much lower prices.
Appearance 4.5, Aroma 4, Flavor 4, Palate 3.75, Overall 3.75
Jan 07, 2017Undated bottle at 42 degrees into a hand washed and dried JK snifter, allowed to warm to 45 degrees (per bottle notes) before consumption
Aroma – can definitely smell the barrel – woody and vanilla
Head – large (Maximum 6.2 cm, aggressive pour), tan, frothy, diminishing to a very irregular lacy ring and a complete layer with rocks. Second pour gives the dense creamy head with a few rocks which is more typical of a dubbel.
Lacing excellent – wide bands of tiny bubbles covering the inside of the glass
Body – dark brown with just a hint of red, clear
Flavor – initially bourbon barrel and slightly sweet. Careful sloshing within the oral cavity releases some caramel but no particular fruity esters. Hops are not tasted but may be noted in the slightly bitter aftertaste. Alcohol is not tasted nor is a post-consumption gastric burn present. No diacetyl.
Palate – medium, not quite creamy, lively carbonation
This leans more to the BBA side and seems less of a dubbel to my taste. For me, this is one and done – there are equal or better BBA beers at much lower prices.
Appearance 4.5, Aroma 4, Flavor 4, Palate 3.75, Overall 3.75
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
4.29/5 rDev +8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Opaque brown with two fingers of tan foam. Aromas of bourbon, dark fruit and caramel malt, sweeter overall. Taste opens up by building on these sweet notes with oak, molasses, big dark fruit with some booziness, a hint of nuts and decent yeast. Feel is warm and full yet finishes decently yeasty, smooth
Mar 16, 2016Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio
3.14/5 rDev -20.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.14/5 rDev -20.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Mild dark fruits, a little roastier than I'd expect, with brown toast and notes of cocoa dusted almonds. It's a little boozy and also has notes of citrus and coffee.
Dec 20, 2015Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio
4.18/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Thoroughly enjoyed from the 750 ml bottle in a snifter. This bourbon barrel aged dubbel pours a nice medium mahogany with a nice head of off white verging on khaki foam that settles to a thick ring, thin pooling layer, and subtle lacing. Nose of brown sugars, subtle bourbon barrel, dark berries, and vanilla. Flavors exceed the nose with brown sugar and bourbon to the front and sides that fade to a blackberry and tart pie cherry note awash with brandy. Back of the taste shows hints of vanilla and candy sugars with some oak and bourbon notes that finishes subtly dry. Great mouth feel with solid carbonation. A must for the Belgian lover and bourbon lover alike who would rather there be balance between the brew and the barrel.
Excellent
Cheers
Dec 06, 2015Excellent
Cheers
Reviewed by UrbanCaveman from Ohio
4.48/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.48/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
750 ml bomber, poured into an oversized wine glass at ~45 degrees F.
Appearance: Pours a deep, murky mahogany brown, which lights up with a uniform ruby tint when subjected to an iPhone flashlight. Forms about two fingers of dense, pale beige head, with fantastic retention. Lacing is off the hook, with thick sheets clinging to the glass, punctuated by ridges marking each sip.
Smell: Sweet candi sugar, caramel malt, and cherry-plum liquor wafts right out of the glass, in a heady, strong aroma. There are vague hints of oak wood, vanilla, and pure win in the nose.
Taste: Phenols and liquor indeed, this punches right out of the gate with a nigh-astringent spicy dryness, which casts the oaky-vanilla notes from the bourbon barrel in sharp relief. I am reminded vaguely of a spiced rum, with noticeable but not overbearing alcohol heat and flavor, caramel sweetness, and a spicy character somewhat like a rye bread with a peppered crust. Faint tones of cherry and prune swim in the background. The finish is a dry caramel - black cherry combination which is not unwelcome in its short time lingering.
Mouthfeel: On the light side of medium or the heavy side of light, this packs some serious carbonation - more than I'd expect from a beer aged 11 months in a barrel, but goes down dangerously smooth.
Overall: Thirsty Dog's barrel aging program does it again. The bourbon notes work fantastically well with their phenolic dubbel recipe. I'd repeat this, perhaps not quite as often as Wulver, but often nonetheless.
Nov 18, 2015Appearance: Pours a deep, murky mahogany brown, which lights up with a uniform ruby tint when subjected to an iPhone flashlight. Forms about two fingers of dense, pale beige head, with fantastic retention. Lacing is off the hook, with thick sheets clinging to the glass, punctuated by ridges marking each sip.
Smell: Sweet candi sugar, caramel malt, and cherry-plum liquor wafts right out of the glass, in a heady, strong aroma. There are vague hints of oak wood, vanilla, and pure win in the nose.
Taste: Phenols and liquor indeed, this punches right out of the gate with a nigh-astringent spicy dryness, which casts the oaky-vanilla notes from the bourbon barrel in sharp relief. I am reminded vaguely of a spiced rum, with noticeable but not overbearing alcohol heat and flavor, caramel sweetness, and a spicy character somewhat like a rye bread with a peppered crust. Faint tones of cherry and prune swim in the background. The finish is a dry caramel - black cherry combination which is not unwelcome in its short time lingering.
Mouthfeel: On the light side of medium or the heavy side of light, this packs some serious carbonation - more than I'd expect from a beer aged 11 months in a barrel, but goes down dangerously smooth.
Overall: Thirsty Dog's barrel aging program does it again. The bourbon notes work fantastically well with their phenolic dubbel recipe. I'd repeat this, perhaps not quite as often as Wulver, but often nonetheless.
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina
3.6/5 rDev -8.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.6/5 rDev -8.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
On tap.
The beer was a little flat but I didn't let this influence my ratings as much as it would if bottled. Still, the feel and look suffered. Less yeasty than many others of this style, and not as complex as the best versions of this style.
O. Worth trying and, in my case, revisiting.
Feb 02, 2015The beer was a little flat but I didn't let this influence my ratings as much as it would if bottled. Still, the feel and look suffered. Less yeasty than many others of this style, and not as complex as the best versions of this style.
O. Worth trying and, in my case, revisiting.
Orthus from Thirsty Dog Brewing Company
Beer rating:
88 out of
100 with
35 ratings
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