Urthel Samaranth | De Leyerth Brouwerijen (Urthel)

4.47/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I purchased this in a Casino Supermarket in France,

Poured the 330ml bottle in a Chimay chalice, pouring a 1inch head quickly fading

Beautiful amber color with good retention.

Smells caramel and dark fruits, and taste follows the nose.

Overall: an excellent Belgian quad unheard of and worthy of every of your pennies.

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3.75/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Cerveza de un color dorado oscuro, con una cabeza espumosa que persiste por un buen tiempo. Ligera, con una carbonatación media. Aroma frutal y un poco de levadura. Al beberla destaca el caramelo y un poco de frutas secas. Graduación de 11.5%.

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4.53/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

2013 750 into a snifter

Deep brown with a small one finger beige head. Quick to dissipate. Caramel and dark fruit on the nose. Taste follows the aroma. Nice spicy Belgian esters, no heat, big mouthfeel. Long time want the meets expectations. Phenomenal!

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4.23/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

11.2oz bottle coded K17I12 poured into a teku glass at fridge temp 11% ABV per label. The beer pours light to medium brown with a pretty good volume of floaties even after an easy pour. The head is tan in color and recedes to a fat ring. No lacing. The aroma is fig, raisin, date & caramelized sugar. The taste is more of the same with semisweet caramel, liquid fruit and slight booze all swirling around before a mildly bitter finish. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied, adequately carbonated and mostly dry in the finish. Overall, very good to excellent. I'm assuming this is a 2012 bottle and it was purchased discounted and at room temperature. Properly cellared, this could be dynamite. The only thing taking away from this beer is the sediment. Smells and tastes great.

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4.04/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy copper color with a medium top of beige head that dissolves quickly. Aroma is of dark malts, caramel, tofee, bread, apples, raisins, dates, figs and spices. The taste starts sweet with good notes of dark and dried fruits, while is a good amount of malts in the back with notes of roastiness, dark bread and caramel. The finish has a a slight bitterness and some notes of spices, with the malty background still in place. The flavours are actually balanced great, and the aftertaste has a good lenght and strenght. Soft and oily mouthfeel with a moderate carbonation and a medium body.
A good example of a quadruple.

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4.05/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From cervezasespeciales. In Teku glass. Playing Khimera. Abv well hidden. Soft dark fruits notes that grows on you the more you have and light metal notes that dissipate with time

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3.77/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured to a Duvel glass.

A: Body is coppery with a two finger thick white head. Average retention and no lacing.
S: The aroma is very strong on belgian candi and malts' roastiness.
T: Taste is very sweet due to the high sugary contents on this beer. Both the malts and belgian candi. It ends with a high alcohol finish. Could be smoother.
M: Body is medium. Carbonation is medium. Alcohol presence is very high. Sweetness is high.
O: Not sure if this can qualify as a Quad but could be an interesting Belgian (Dark?) Strong Ale.

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3.94/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear copper apparance for this certainly big quadrupel. It's definitely less complex than darker versions of quadrupels. It's a lot on the nuts, has a vinous astringent way of presenting itself. Its semi-dry character makes this estery forward ale a nice offering and a beer you can drink down easily even with the high ABV

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4.06/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Burgundy colour with some haze and a fluffy head of foam. It sinks quite fast, but the retention is nice and the surface stays covered. Full nose of dates, cinnamon, caramel and hops. The taste follows the smell, though with some added spices like cardamon and pepper. The alcohol is present, which is no surprise at 11.5 abv, but i'm amazed how subtle it blends with the other flavours. It drinks very smoothly and gives a pleasant alcohol warmth. Nice winter stuff.

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4.67/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

P- what is a murky burgundy red with a fin off-white bubbly head.
S- smells like heaven! Loads of dark fruit raisins dates cherries. Tons of melted caramel and Belgian yeast.
T- Taste follows the nose. Tastes like heaven. Fruits are candied. Slight alcohol and hop burn.
M- goes down like Silk. Medium to full-bodied quad. Nice warming from the alcohol. This is a great winter beer.

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4.24/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Pours a chestnut, raison burgundy color with a thick, ivory colored lacing ring.

S - Plums, raisons, toffee, dark Belgian candy sugar, cherry. Nice dark fruit aroma.

T - Follows the nose: raisons, plums, dates, cherries, some dark toasted Belgian candy sugar sweetness, toffee, and some minimal traces of alcohol (but overall well hidden). No alcohol heat permeating on the way down.

M - Big and full bodied, silky smooth texture.

O - This is a fine Quad.

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4.05/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

330ml bottle poured into a chalice.

Hazy dark brown in color with a little amber tinge, the pour forms up thick foamy tan head with good retention, it slowly subsides to everlasting bubble sheet on the surface along with plenty of sticky lacing patch on the glass-side.

Prune, plum, cherry, dark grape, and dried dark fruits combine into mellow fruitiness affair. Solid malt aroma with a sweet breadiness and caramelized sweetness remind me of fruit cake when combines with the aforementioned ester from yeast. Others than that, there are also sugar, spice, and slight chocolate.

Deep fruity ester covers whole the taste buds, it reminds me of dark fruits, cherry, dark grape, prune, and plum. Thereafter, significant bready sweetness from malt takes over the palate together with a caramel, honey, vanilla, chocolate, and sugar. That is very sweet overall. Anyway, there is some peppery and spice to counterbalance in the middle where same time hop also provides a wee bitterness to fight against that sweet taste. Alcohol is hidden at first but gradually exposes from the middle until reach its peak at the finish with a dry boozy sweetness.

Rather full body with velvety smooth mouthfeel from its soft effervescence that nicely sweeps all over the palate, finish is dry and with some residual sugary sweet.

Complex as Quad standard while same time tasty, hefty, and intense as Quad standard too, it develops on the palate and grows on me sip by sip. No doubt this is a great brew and perfect for sipping in any special occasion.

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3.35/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Color: brown burgundy, with a slight haze. Beige head, high, average life.
The aroma mainly dark fruit, a touch of roasted, delicate liqueur, nuts, fresh-baked bread.
Taste: dark fruit, roasted plums, light roasted nuts, parched crust of bread.
Gentian "burnt", dry, short but intense.

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4.16/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

In reading through some of the reviews, I'm guessing this yeast and other undetermined variables make this beer somewhat unpredictable.
That's OK, that is part of the charm of Belgians... particularly their Quads (which I usually like... a lot in winter.)
One aspect makes this an average Quad: its sweetness doesn't really get controlled until the very end... after I sipped the last of the ale, the bitterness came out. By then, it was too late.
I enjoyed this and recommend it to Quad lovers, but this one is not balanced enough to be a champ.

Samaranth is listed among the "1001" and deserves to be there. Its got all the quirks Flemish brewers (but actually is contract-brewed by the Dutch Trappists at La Trappe.)

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4.27/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Look: dark brown, with not a lot of head, but it doesn't dissipate quickly
Smell: full of molasses and sweet maltiness.
Taste: Really alcoholic, announcing the hideous level in there. Nevertheless, lot of sweet molasses taste, some chocolate. A little bit to sweet actually. Not that much hoppiness, but it does appear after the molasses taste went away.
Feel: full body. A lot of sweet aftertaste. Become bitter after a while, but not from the hop.

330ml bottle in wishbeer, Bangkok
A good quad, but somewhat to sweet for me.

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4.29/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

330ml bottle from Beers of Europe (£3.39):
A very nice Quad from Urthel & one that was quite an easy beer to drink despite the fact it came in at over 11% abv. The balance of the beer was a good one with the dark fruits working well with the caramel sweetness & the warming alcohol touches were mainly right at the end, although it was easy to tell it was a strong beer from the start; an excellent beer & on that surprisingly was even better than the bottle of Hop-It I tried from the same brewery back in 2014.

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4.49/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

L:
-pours a slightly hazy dark red with a medium to big,frothy,beige head
-medium carbonation visible
S:
-caramel,toffee,plum,raisins,figs,chocolate,strawberry,vanilla
T:
-caramel,toffee,chocolate,grainy,figs,sugary,strawberry,toasty
F:
-high carbonation
-full body
-alcohol warmth
O:
Great Quad with a little too much sweetness

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4.56/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I love this beer. Figs, raisins, dark fruit influence throughout and the alcohol at 11% is well hidden. Of course it gets better and better as it warms. Well executed!

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3.88/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Mahogny colored, clear, beer with a small, beige, head.

Nose: Caramel, brown sugar, raisin, fudge, molasses an chocolate.
Taste: Caramel malt, burned sugar, dark fruit (plum, raisin), spices and cocoa.
Body: Full body and crisp carbonation. Smooth, warming finish.

Great Quadrupel!

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3.97/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Good solid beer, with a consistent foamy head that lingers for a while, even though the initial thick layer dissipates quickly.
Caramel-dark amber colored, little light passes through. The taste of alcohol is poorly masked and pretty strong upfront, but caramel and spices are also present. Carbonation is ideal, makes it easy on the palate and well balanced overall.
Distinct aftertaste of smoked plums, giving an unexpected sweetness that makes it very drinkable, despite the high ABV. A must try!

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

Poured from a bottle into a chalice, the beer is an opaque, caramel-brown coloring, with a foamy, light, fluffy head on the pour that disappears after only a few moments in the glass. Aromas of cherry, apple, rich caramel, molasses, date, raisins, and hints of chocolate. Wow, this is rich! Flavors are very smooth and sweet, with a heavily roasted forward note enhancing the following apple and caramel blend. It's like a delicious apple pie. Candi sugar, molasses, brown sugar, dates, fig, and cherry all blend in nicely, as well. This is a very layered, rich palate. The body is huge, but kept in check with a healthy dose of carbonation to lighten it up without sacrificing any of the feel. The aftertaste is rich and sugary sweet, heavy on the fruit, like a piece of fruitcake. The finish is smooth, slow, and soft, with a solid fruity linger. This is a really good beer.

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4.56/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wow! This was spectacular with chunks of sediment suspended in the glass. Medium brown with thin beige head. Heavy body. Thick, slick mouthfeel. A sipper, but delicious.

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4.75/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Urthel Samaranth has a thin, cream-colored head, a medium brown, murky appearance, and not much lacing left behind. The aroma is of rich, sweet, candied fruits, such as fig or dates. Lots of bread, as well. Taste is of sweet bread crust, spiced bread, fruits, fruit bread, some bitterness, and brandy notes. Mouthfeel is medium to heavy, and Urthel Samaranth finishes between wet and dry, with a sure alcohol presence.

RJT

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3.59/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Pours brown with a large fading head.
Nose shows sweet caramel, solvent-like booze, brown sugar and treacle.
Sweet and boozy flavour. More brown sugar, booze and some bready malt.
A little harsh and boozy.

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4.25/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Hazy red/brown, rich head. Dark fruits, rum, candies. Very sweet and boozy, like Gulden Draak or La Trappe Quad. Nice dessert beer, but not on the same level with Rochefort, Westvleteren, Chimay or St. Bernardus strong dark ales.

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