Four Horsemen
Idle Hands Craft Ales
- From:
- Idle Hands Craft Ales
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- Belgian Quadrupel (Quad)
Ranked #35 - ABV:
- 12.9%
- Score:
- 92
Ranked #5,894 - Avg:
- 4.22 | pDev: 6.87%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 10
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 07, 2022
- Added:
- Jan 18, 2015
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 8
SCORE
92
Outstanding
92
Outstanding
Abbey Style Quadruple brewed w/ spices
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by IrishChocolate from Texas
5/5 rDev +18.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +18.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Drank 5, puked, then rallied. Hello!
Damn it feels good to be a gangster.
Just What I am,
Neighbors knocking on the door,
Asking can we turn it down?
Yeah
Jun 05, 2021Damn it feels good to be a gangster.
Just What I am,
Neighbors knocking on the door,
Asking can we turn it down?
Yeah
Reviewed by brureview from Massachusetts
4/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Not a traditional quad.
Usually, a Belgian quad will have more depth, perhaps a slightly more sticky body.
Caramel color with 1F head in an Orval glass. It’s interesting that the Idle Hands pics show a snifter-
I’lll try that on night 2.
Very spicy, gingerbread, some dates in the aroma. Usually a traditional Quad has more raisin, dates, and plum in the aroma and taste.
The emphasis is the gingerbread, spice a hint of plum. Excellent, but different.
A pronounced bitterness in the finish. Perhaps a bit dry.
Excellent quad- but not my choice for the style.
Note: the ABV on this year is 11.7.
Oct 09, 2020Usually, a Belgian quad will have more depth, perhaps a slightly more sticky body.
Caramel color with 1F head in an Orval glass. It’s interesting that the Idle Hands pics show a snifter-
I’lll try that on night 2.
Very spicy, gingerbread, some dates in the aroma. Usually a traditional Quad has more raisin, dates, and plum in the aroma and taste.
The emphasis is the gingerbread, spice a hint of plum. Excellent, but different.
A pronounced bitterness in the finish. Perhaps a bit dry.
Excellent quad- but not my choice for the style.
Note: the ABV on this year is 11.7.
Reviewed by StoutElk_92 from Massachusetts
4.52/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.52/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
2016 vintage
Pours a cloudy dark maroon red brown with a beige khaki colored foam head that sticks around with good retention. Smells extremely rich and malty with some fruity notes in there, thick caramel, toffee, mapley molasses, brown sugar, dates, dried fig, raisins, apricot, hint of dried banana, slight plum, prune, cherry, dried dark fruit, black grape, mild bubblegum, clove-like sweet spice, subtle coriander, orange citrus, grains of paradise, toasty bread, char, with floral earthy hops. The taste is a little less intense and pleasant than the aroma right now I think, and hitting the right marks for 13% abv. Tastes mainly like dried fruits, dates, figs, apricot, prune, raisins, banana, some red apple, plum, cherry, dark fruit, black grape, mild bubblegum, peppery clove-like sweet allspice, charred toasty bread, dry caramel, toffee, slight mapley molasses, dark caramelized sugar, chocolate, gingerbread, roasted malt, red grapes, subtle coriander, orange citrus, grains of paradise, with floral earthy herbal hops. Feels medium bodied, a little chewy, creamy, crisp and dry with a smooth moderate carbonation. Overall a real nice and unique quadrupel ale.
Aug 29, 2020Pours a cloudy dark maroon red brown with a beige khaki colored foam head that sticks around with good retention. Smells extremely rich and malty with some fruity notes in there, thick caramel, toffee, mapley molasses, brown sugar, dates, dried fig, raisins, apricot, hint of dried banana, slight plum, prune, cherry, dried dark fruit, black grape, mild bubblegum, clove-like sweet spice, subtle coriander, orange citrus, grains of paradise, toasty bread, char, with floral earthy hops. The taste is a little less intense and pleasant than the aroma right now I think, and hitting the right marks for 13% abv. Tastes mainly like dried fruits, dates, figs, apricot, prune, raisins, banana, some red apple, plum, cherry, dark fruit, black grape, mild bubblegum, peppery clove-like sweet allspice, charred toasty bread, dry caramel, toffee, slight mapley molasses, dark caramelized sugar, chocolate, gingerbread, roasted malt, red grapes, subtle coriander, orange citrus, grains of paradise, with floral earthy herbal hops. Feels medium bodied, a little chewy, creamy, crisp and dry with a smooth moderate carbonation. Overall a real nice and unique quadrupel ale.
Reviewed by mnj21655 from Massachusetts
4.35/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2019 vintage. 500 ml bottle packaged AUG 2019 poured into a tulip.
Pours a medium brown in color with some mahogany highlights at the edges and a finger of long lasting cream-very light tan head. Aroma is malty and perfumy with peppery and dried fruit notes. Flavors are similar to the aroma but are a bit more defined. Lots of rich, bready caramel malt upfront with raisins, dried cherries, pepper, and some more indistinct spices in the finish. This is a bit sweet upfront but the finish is relatively balanced. Medium plus body and carbonation, creamy. Alcohol is pretty well hidden. I haven’t had many quads lately but this is super tasty. It has the right balance of flavors for my palate and is way too drinkable. I might have to grab a few more bottles for the cellar, it’s a pretty good value.
Apr 16, 2020Pours a medium brown in color with some mahogany highlights at the edges and a finger of long lasting cream-very light tan head. Aroma is malty and perfumy with peppery and dried fruit notes. Flavors are similar to the aroma but are a bit more defined. Lots of rich, bready caramel malt upfront with raisins, dried cherries, pepper, and some more indistinct spices in the finish. This is a bit sweet upfront but the finish is relatively balanced. Medium plus body and carbonation, creamy. Alcohol is pretty well hidden. I haven’t had many quads lately but this is super tasty. It has the right balance of flavors for my palate and is way too drinkable. I might have to grab a few more bottles for the cellar, it’s a pretty good value.
Reviewed by sokol_1993 from California
3.83/5 rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.83/5 rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Great smell: full of dark fruit and maltiness.
However, it had some strange tastes: it was as if the yeast was dead, and they were imparting their deathliness onto the beer itself. The feel was too sweet, without anything to balance it.
It was an okay brew, not comparable to its brethren across the sea.
Dec 30, 2018However, it had some strange tastes: it was as if the yeast was dead, and they were imparting their deathliness onto the beer itself. The feel was too sweet, without anything to balance it.
It was an okay brew, not comparable to its brethren across the sea.
Rated by robrio89 from Connecticut
4.61/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.61/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Its incredible how drinkable this beer is at 12.9%. One of the best belgian styles ive had.
Feb 24, 2018
Reviewed by Dope from Massachusetts
4.49/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.49/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
9/16 bottling date. 13% ABV
A: Pours a very dark mahogany. Tall and thick brown head. Excellent head retention but fairly thin-to-nonexistent lacing.
S: Yum. Brown sugar, dark bread and some spices. Molasses and toasted sugars too.
T: More of the same, all sweet flavors. Big brown sugar, molasses, toffee and some caramel/toasted sugars. Belgian spices come out in the finish and aftertaste, a touch of pepper, some earth, some dark fruits. Maybe even allspice and...tobacco I think? Just a hint of alcohol sting in there as well, nothing compared to the 13% ABV though.
M: Heavy, sweet but not syrupy. Feels big and belly-warming but no real harshness. I would have expected 8-9%, not 13%.
O: Damn this is a hidden gem of a quad. Definitely more americanized with the big sweet flavors but DAMN they are good. It's not syrupy or cloying at all, the high ABV and the spices and the breadiness really helps counterbalance it all. Really well done, I'm gonna pick up some more of this.
Jul 23, 2017A: Pours a very dark mahogany. Tall and thick brown head. Excellent head retention but fairly thin-to-nonexistent lacing.
S: Yum. Brown sugar, dark bread and some spices. Molasses and toasted sugars too.
T: More of the same, all sweet flavors. Big brown sugar, molasses, toffee and some caramel/toasted sugars. Belgian spices come out in the finish and aftertaste, a touch of pepper, some earth, some dark fruits. Maybe even allspice and...tobacco I think? Just a hint of alcohol sting in there as well, nothing compared to the 13% ABV though.
M: Heavy, sweet but not syrupy. Feels big and belly-warming but no real harshness. I would have expected 8-9%, not 13%.
O: Damn this is a hidden gem of a quad. Definitely more americanized with the big sweet flavors but DAMN they are good. It's not syrupy or cloying at all, the high ABV and the spices and the breadiness really helps counterbalance it all. Really well done, I'm gonna pick up some more of this.
Reviewed by GimmeASchlitz from Massachusetts
4.33/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.33/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
I've been saving this bottle for a good occasion. Opened on 4/7/16.
Poured into a tulip glass. The color was a nice dark caramel color and when in different lighting, a nice dark amber with maroon coloring. The head was a nice two fingers high and foamy.
The first smell gave me a hint of roasted cereals and plums and figs. You also get a bit of spice.
Served at about 55 - 60 degrees. The first few sips give you the malts and slight dark sugar taste. There's also the sweet, dark fruit flavors that hint out like plums and dates. The alcohol is not present. As it warms up you get more spices in the character with the fruit and the alcohol taste comes through. I tasted cloves.
The feel is very little carbonation until it warms up. It's a nice feel, not watery or sticky.
Overall it is a very good beer. You would never guess it was high in alcohol at 11.8%. It was well worth the wait and was thoroughly enjoyed.
Apr 08, 2016Poured into a tulip glass. The color was a nice dark caramel color and when in different lighting, a nice dark amber with maroon coloring. The head was a nice two fingers high and foamy.
The first smell gave me a hint of roasted cereals and plums and figs. You also get a bit of spice.
Served at about 55 - 60 degrees. The first few sips give you the malts and slight dark sugar taste. There's also the sweet, dark fruit flavors that hint out like plums and dates. The alcohol is not present. As it warms up you get more spices in the character with the fruit and the alcohol taste comes through. I tasted cloves.
The feel is very little carbonation until it warms up. It's a nice feel, not watery or sticky.
Overall it is a very good beer. You would never guess it was high in alcohol at 11.8%. It was well worth the wait and was thoroughly enjoyed.
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