2nd Anniv Quad
Wanderlust Brewing Company

A bottle purchased two years ago in Arizona that's been sleeping in the fridge. I decided to review it because I felt it held up well. Pouring it in a 14oz. dailyware Belgian glass.

Look- Pours a mahogany tinted brown producing a creamy finger of khaki colored foam. It slowly settles to a thick ring around the glass.

Smell- Burnt caramel, plums, tart cherries, figs, a hint of whiskey and oak.

Taste- Tart cherries, plums, figs, caramel, a small dash of whiskey and heavy oak in the finish.

Feel- Mildly tart with a very dry finish.

Overall- While I'll never know what it tasted like fresh, this isn't too shabby. It's pretty straightforward dark tart fruit complemented by some heavy oak. Nothing over the top, just a drinkable beer that could be disguised as a mild sour. The age may have changed it, but it certainly didn't ruin it.

 

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass

L: Pours a semi-opaque deep mahogany color. Three fingers of off-white head. Nice lacing.

S: Dark fruits and oak. Hints of vanilla and cherries.

T/F: Tart and fruity. Figs and cherries..... vanilla and oak, as well as notes of caramel. Tartness approaches a sour but isn't. Complex and delicious. Well carbonated and smooth.

O: A pretty awesome Quad and loved the tartness. Worked well with the malts and high ABV. Wish I had a few more bottles to cellar.

 

500mL poured to snifter

Pours deep red-brown, nearly black. maybe 1/8" of effervescent bubbles that lay down to just a tiny ring

Aroma is an interesting feast of black grape, oak, vanilla, cherry, apple, orange, plum... more wood than whiskey

Flavor follows the nose ... something of a sherry soaked fruitcake with delicious barrel presence, more whiskey here than in the nose, but not overpowering, smooth buttrery oak on the back. Sweetness is well in check

Mouthfeel is odd but I like it... tingly effervescent at first, fades quickly to near-still. Surprisingly light bodied for a big quad, which probably should be a demerit compared to the typical quad, but it works well for me in this instance.

First Wanderlust I've experienced in a bottle, and this was definitely their best effort I have come across. Out of the ordinary for the quad style with atypical light body, low residual sugar and clear dark red color. Barrel elements are maybe not five-star level, but significant and not an off-putting hint to be detected anywhere. Goes to show you, never count out the locals: I've had some challenging brews from this brewer in the past I flat didn't care for, after this they are on myb radar big time, and I need more bottles of this wonderfulness.