The Four Horsemen
Thimble Island Brewing Company

A: appears as opaque dark brown, but if held to the light, it's crystal clear mahogany; 1 finger light brown head that receded to a splotchy cap; nice lacing;

S: molasses, brown sugar, and dark fruit;

T: dark fruit up front; middle through the finish is all molasses; mild to moderate bitterness at the end; as it warmed, the molasses morphed into dark chocolate and dark fruit;

M: full bodied; moderate carbonation; lightly dry finish; hides the ABV well;

O: not sure how old this undated bottle is; no hop character except for some bitterness; I would have guessed this was an English barleywine;

My first sampling of another local brewery. I have never tried TI flagship IPA seen at the local grocery and package stores but with St.Patties weekend corned beef and cabbage dinner just two days away it was time. TI did a great job labeling the The Four Horseman 12oz four pack. Eye candy means you check it out. The beer rates well-with all quality review features. It meets and exceeded what an excellent brew should be IMO. You get the best whiff of the aroma as your glass empties I'm just starting to appreciate a good dark stout brew and this was excellent. Another pint please............

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$ 3.51 (Including tax)/12 oz bottle ($ 0.292/oz) at BevMax, Danbury, CT
Undated bottle at 42 degrees into a hand washed and dried JK snifter
Aroma herbal, somewhat mediciney,
Head large (Maximum eight cm; slow, gentle pour after yesterday’s Thimble Island foam bomb), tan, creamy with rocks, diminishing to a 1.5 to two cm layer of creamy foam
Lacing poor – a few small islands of tiny to small bubbles
Body dark amber, nearly opaque
Flavor – not much, a little hop bitterness; no malt, no alcohol, no diacetyl
Palate medium, watery, fizzy

I’m not at all happy – another drain pour from Thimble Island. Nice label though.

Appearance 4, Aroma 3, Flavor 2.75, Palate 2.75, Overall 2.5

 

 

Best offering by this brewer. Tasty, malty, light bitterness.

 

 

 

Sampling a cellar temp growler picked up at the brewery and poured into a snifter. The beer pours a dark mahogany color with some garnet highlights, but not much light passes through my glass. A fizzy beige head of 1 cm foams up and fades to a sturdy edge layer and wispy island that remains through the sampling.
Aroma from the beer is some grassy and pine hops with just a bit of citrusy notes blended in the suite of hop notes. I also get some dark chocolate malt notes and a bit of booze. Also some molassess and a bit of general roasted note. A complex nose that is to be expected from two complex beers.
the first sip reveals an average body with very fine and spacious carbonation.
Flavor is similar to te nose with a mix of some sweet roasted malt up front that rolls to some bitey and citrus hops with some grassy vegetal notes and a bit of lingering bitterness.
I dont get any hint of the booze on this beer and it is easy to drink. A nice blended "black and tan" but with a bit of booze that catches up with me after several glasses. Worth trying if you like black IPA or bigger complex beers.