Wizard Burial Ground
Brewery Vivant

Wizard Burial GroundWizard Burial Ground
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From:
Brewery Vivant
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
Quadrupel (Quad)
Ranked #29
ABV:
13.8%
Score:
93
Ranked #3,322
Avg:
4.19 | pDev: 8.35%
Reviews:
80
Ratings:
324
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 19, 2023
Added:
Nov 27, 2013
Wants:
  31
Gots:
  97
Bourbon Barrel Aged Quadrupel

2014 - 10.0% ABV
2015 - 10.4% ABV
2016 - 12.3% ABV
2017 - 11.8% ABV
2018 - 10.0% ABV
2019 - 10.0% ABV
2020 - 11.7% ABV
2021 - 10.8% ABV
2022 - 14.3% ABV
2023 - 13.8% ABV
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by KAP1356:
Photo of KAP1356
Rated by KAP1356 from Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Jan 18, 2019
More User Ratings:
Photo of NorsemanOne
Reviewed by NorsemanOne from Utah

4.24/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2022 variant

'You shall not pass' printed on bottom of can along with 11.07.22 canning date

Poured at fridge temp into a tulip glass and let warm up.

Pours a ruddy bronze with a small and fairly even head, though completely faded away. 4

Aroma is big bourbon and vanilla, along with being boozy intoxicating. 4.25

Oaky, slight caramel and vanilla sweetness, but a good and hefty dose of boozy heat and lingering burn. 4.25

Body is sticky, though not syrupy thick, but full nonetheless. Warming and biting alcohol and smooths out as it warms up. Recommend warming up and sipping. 4.25

Overall very good and my first quad. Much akin to straight bourbon though significantly more pleasant and dynamic in my opinion. I'd certainly enjoy again and again. 4.25
May 19, 2023
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Mostly cloudy lighter brown appearance with a finger of tan foam. Aromas of strong bourbon, caramel malt, prune, date, and raisin, with mild yeast. Taste is boozy quad with a caramel dipped date and raisin flair, bourbon forward in barrels by a wide margin, dark fruit complexity is far less than nose but what it does have is potent. Feel is a little light but plenty full, yeast depth is limited, very warm and smooth. Certainly not too classical in construction but enjoyable
Apr 08, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by Patches826 from Massachusetts

Mar 29, 2023
Photo of Ozzylizard
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania

4.49/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Wizard Burial Ground 2022 from Brewery Vivant. 16 oz can. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Received from @Whyteboar in NBW BIF #16. Reviewed 19/12/22. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Stamped on can bottom “Packaged on 11/07/22”. Served at 55.2 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 60.8 degrees.
Appearance – 4.25.
First pour – Pale Gold (SRM 4), clear.
Body – Deep Gold (SRM 6), clear. Under direct light, same. When rear lite, still deep gold.
Head – Average (Maximum 1.5 cm, aggressive center pour), white, high density, quickly fizzing away to create a broken ring of bubbles and no cap.
Lacing – None, not surprising at 14.3 % ABV.
Aroma – 4.5 – Fruity with caramel, sweet, eventually bourbon wafts by. The oakiness is mild and not particularly tannic, almost like a softer woodiness. No hops, no yeast. Very weak ethanol hangs on the exhale.
Flavor – 4.5 – Flavor follows the nose – lightly sweet and caramelly, no hops, no yeast. Bourbon and barrels are secondary players in this symphony. No ethanol (14.3 % ABV as marked on label) aroma or taste. Marked gastric warming occurs then fades. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 4.5 – Medium, almost syrupy, soft but lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4.5 Unusual coloration for a quad, distinctly more gold than ruby; still, quite attractive. Both the nose and flavor are well integrated and harmonious, providing mutual support and synergy. Even the slight syrupiness on the palate works well with the flavor and aroma. Delicious!
Dec 19, 2022
 
Rated: 4.43 by Jacob_Schneider616 from Michigan

Dec 16, 2022
 
Rated: 4.03 by RBorsato from Virginia

Apr 04, 2022
Photo of larryi86
Reviewed by larryi86 from Delaware

4.29/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
16 oz can, 2017, poured into a tulip

A- A clear brownish ruby red with a small tan head.

S- Bourbon, some dark fruits, toffee, some vanilla, oak, hints of caramel.

T- Dark fruits, figs, some raisins, bourbon, some vanilla, oak, slightly earthy, caramel, some toffee.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- A well done Quad, nose is a little weak but the taste checks all the boxes for a quality Quad.
Feb 06, 2022
Photo of mjvlasic
Reviewed by mjvlasic from Michigan

4.55/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Color is dark brown. Smell is slightly sweet. Taste is slightly sweet, very malty. Taste is that of more of a dessert type of beer. Feel is smooth.

Overall, this is worth the hype. I would be interested in getting this again.
Feb 04, 2022
 
Rated: 4.34 by Dharmelink from Wisconsin

Jan 30, 2022
 
Rated: 3.6 by beerrat from Virginia

Jan 12, 2022
Photo of Beersnake
Reviewed by Beersnake from California

4.1/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a can at fridge temp. Pours a nice dark brown (almost reddish) with a light layer of tan head. Quickly dissipates, leaving no lacing. Nose is amazing. Toffee galore. Bourbon, wood, vanilla, and figs. The taste follows the nose, with super smooth and rich toffee. Wow. It's definitely sweet, with very little boozy taste. Grapes, apples, and figs. A big of earthy/grass taste. It's on the edge of being a tad syrupy, but it's still within the range that I like. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and the aftertaste is predominantly sweet toffee. Overall, a really nice done BA quad.
Dec 28, 2021
 
Rated: 4.23 by Furlinator from California

Dec 26, 2021
Photo of jkblr
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

4.31/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
16oz can PACKAGED ON 11/17/20 (13 months ago) poured into a Chimay chalice at 51° Fahrenheit 11.7% ABV per can. The beer pours bright ruby tinted amber with light khaki colored head. The head recedes to a pencil thin ring and island of tiny bubbles. The aroma is mild with caramel, oak and dark fruit. The taste is semisweet caramel, toffee, vanilla, mild bourbon, medium char oak and deep, rich fruit flavors. Mild bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with less than medium carbonation and a somewhat dry finish. There's a hint of booze, but I'd have never guessed 11.7% Overall, excellent.
Dec 12, 2021
Photo of Captain69
Rated by Captain69 from Illinois

3.74/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
slightly strong quad ale alot of flavors come out the bourbon from the barrels and vanilla makes in very enjoyable
Dec 12, 2021
Photo of BigIronH
Reviewed by BigIronH from Michigan

4/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a beautiful translucent caramel with a fizzy white head bubbling up to a finger and reducing to a still headless liquid. Aroma is caramel, raisin, and booze. Taste follows suit with a burnt sugar sweetness up front and some dark fruit undertones, finishing with a good alcohol bite. Feel is smooth and syrupy, delicious beer!
Dec 10, 2021
Photo of snaotheus
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington

4.12/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2021-12-05
16oz can served in a tulip. 2018 vintage. "PKG #111918 B1" stamped on the bottom. Received from @Whyteboar in a NBS BIF #14 associated LIF.

Pours a rich copper, mostly clear, small head. Smell is rich dark fruit, dates/raisins mostly, also boozy. Maybe a hint of a banana fruitiness.

Taste is fruity, candy-sweet, really nice. Tons of raisins and plums, vanilla makes it more candy-like than fruit-like. Something in it reminds me of root beer or maybe horehound. Brown sugar / molasses.

Mouthfeel is thick, rich, almost syrupy, kind of sticky, smooth. Overall, this is really interesting and really good.
Dec 06, 2021
Photo of kemoarps
Reviewed by kemoarps from New York

4.09/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Thanks to @FBarber for sending this along as one of the mystery beers during NBS BIF #13, fulfilling a longtime want. Thanks Frank!

Review written completely blind

4.25Pour is a beautiful crisp amber. Little swell of sappy off-white head that settles down to a cozy little cap... honestly it reminds me of old school PNW IPAs (maybe a little dark/amber for that, but in that vein), and it makes me real nostalgic.

4Nose is sweet, but not in like a juicy NEIPA sweetness, more in like a barleywine/ryewine/wheatwine kind of way. Like caramel/boozy raisins/etc. Yum.

4.25Flavour carries a lot of the same. Boozy raisins and very sweet caramel and a bit of depth with some leather and a little spicy tobacco. Above it all is still that candy sweet, like the sweetness of dulce de leche, but not quite as... bold/rich/thickness of that. Finishes with that tobacco spicy character which is nice. I would guess some sort of barrelling, but could easily be persuaded against as well.

3.75Much thinner than the flavours listed above would suggest. Not quite watery, but certainly thin. Small blanketing pricks of carbonation help give it some body. I don't know what the ABV is, but I would not guess this is is something that warrants a 'high abv' label, just based on tasting it. I'm not saying it tastes sessionable or anything, but it doesn't carry it's octane on its sleeve, as it were, to mix some metaphors.

Revealed to be a 2018 can. Thanks Frank!
Apr 26, 2021
Photo of Wolvmar
Reviewed by Wolvmar from Michigan

3.69/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Jan 2021 Review
2019 vintage, canned Dec 2019. Poured into a pint glass.

Pour: deep ruby/mahogany color. One finger tan foam head. Lots of bubbles, minimal lacing, layer of clouds. Other than no lacing and a small head, a very attractive beer. 3.75

Nose: bready malt, dark stone fruit. Not particularly fragrant. 3.5

Taste: sweet, bready malt, brown sugar, vanilla, oak, sweet bourbon, distinct cherry flavor, very smooth, slightly sticky. Enjoyable but maybe a bit too much going on. 3.75

Feel: sticky, low carbonation, although plenty of bubbles. Smooth and easy drinking. 3.75

Overall: I’m not real familiar with a quad, or a BA quad, but this, as others note repeatedly, tastes and feels like a BA barleywine. Interesting and works on a cold evening. Probably not a got to or something I’ll seek out again but wouldn’t turn it down. 3.75
Jan 10, 2021
Photo of elNopalero
Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan

3.99/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Canned 1/21/18
Hallows Eve 2020 beer.
Pours a caramel colored tan. Big boozy barrel aroma, lots of vanilla and bourbon notes. Nicely carbonated. Lots of caramel sweetness, little roughness on the end. Touch of cola character that it doesn’t quite shake.
Dec 15, 2020
Wizard Burial Ground from Brewery Vivant
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 324 ratings