Three Philosophers - Red Wine Barrel-Aged
Brewery Ommegang

Three Philosophers - Red Wine Barrel-AgedThree Philosophers - Red Wine Barrel-Aged
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From:
Brewery Ommegang
 
New York, United States
Style:
Quadrupel (Quad)
Ranked #64
ABV:
9.3%
Score:
91
Ranked #7,630
Avg:
4.08 | pDev: 6.37%
Reviews:
45
Ratings:
100
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jun 19, 2023
Added:
Jul 01, 2019
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  7
After a three month sojourn in red wine casks, our celebrated blend of quadrupel ale and authentic Belgian kriek reaches new realms of complexity. The wine barrels impart subtle flavors of oak and dark fruit, and impose an appealing tannic structure.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Treyliff:
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16oz can poured into a snifter

A- pours a murky brown color with a one finger foamy off white head that reduces to a ring around the glass

S- Belgian candy sugars and spicy yeast, followed by figs, raisins, dark cherries and plumbs. Light oaky and vinous undertonewith just a hint of tartness

T- initially sweet with notes of raisins, dogs, caramel candies and prunes. Followed by a slight acidic cherry tartness. Mid-palate gives notes of spicy Belgian yeast, dark breads, molasses & brown sugar. The finish gives more peppery yeast, as well as just a hint of wine barrel that enhances the cherry note on the linger

M- medium-heavy body with moderate carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel and a slightly warming finish

O- the barrel nitrsnare subtle, but compliment a solid base beer
Oct 01, 2019
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.94 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Jun 19, 2023
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16 oz can from Bier:Thirty. Dark brown pour with cap of beige head. Sweet aroma, raisins, grapes, molasses. Grapes, wine become more prominent in the taste, sweet, sugary. Not usually a fan of wine barrel, but works marvelously here.
Jan 31, 2023
Photo of NCSapiens
Reviewed by NCSapiens from Indiana

4.11/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Nice variant. I was curious if the barrel aging would overpower the beer and if it would make it better or worse. Turns out it is really good. Not too boozy or oaky, the aging is subtle and adds a nice wine flavor. Worth trying for sure.
Jun 04, 2022
Photo of nick_perry
Reviewed by nick_perry from North Carolina

3.43/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
I mostly just get wine and oak flavors. I think wine barrel aging is a mistake for this beer. It takes away any other flavor complexity it might have.
Jun 04, 2022
 
Rated: 4.15 by BradtheGreat7 from Ohio

May 26, 2022
 
Rated: 4.21 by d5001986 from Wisconsin

May 26, 2022
 
Rated: 3.95 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Dec 13, 2021
Photo of wl2bill
Reviewed by wl2bill from Wisconsin

4.19/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
As I sit and ponder while enjoying this glass of beer I get all the components listed on the lable. For me it starts quad then a hint of media and wine. The finish is all tart cherries. Great beer.
Nov 13, 2021
 
Rated: 4.04 by BirdsandHops from Oregon

May 29, 2021
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.23/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
As the countries of Belgium and France share a boarder, its reasonable to think that the same indigeonous yeast would historically ferment both French wines and Belgian beer, and impart similar character to each. With Ommegang's wine barrel treatment of their darker, stronger Belgian ale, Three Philosophers pulls these two tastes even closer together.

Tawny and hazy brown, rusty even as the the Red Wine Barrel Aged Three Philosophers patiently floats a creamy, racy column of foam. With the familiar caramel, spice cake, stone fruit scent rolling from the nose, the added wine influence brings a tartness and fruitiness to the nose in addition. Sweeter, creamier and with a caramel nougat maltiness, the bold suggestions of brown sugar, toffee and sorghum stretch across a cakey foundation of flavor.

While the fruit flavors pull forth and share the taste of dark, dried and pitted fruits, the common date, fig, raisin, apricot medley is eventually balanced by a spiciness of peppercorn, allspice, clove and cinnamon that all stem from the yeast character. Adding a pep of fruitiness, the taste of red grape carries a brightness and a mild tartness that keeps the session on the fruitier side of balance. Trailing into a wine-like warmth, the late taste is shy with bitterness with a vinous overtone.

Full bodied and on the creamy side of dryness, the beer's ample carbonation provides a lift that's part zesty but also part creamy as the beer finishes fruity and spicy with a medium long extension of predicted red wine and oak.
May 24, 2021
 
Rated: 4.14 by JakerLou from New Hampshire

Apr 18, 2021
Photo of Peach63
Reviewed by Peach63 from New York

4.55/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours reddish brown with a 1 inch tan head. Minimal lacing.

Aroma is roast malt, currants, raisins, molasses, grapes, toffee.

Taste is roast malt, currants, raisins, plums, grapes, chocolate, oak, wine, tannic acid.

Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. Dry finish.

This is a very good tasting beer.
Apr 08, 2021
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
16oz can. Stamped on can bottom is best by date of '051321'.
Kind of clear, amber brown colored body. Big multi finger light beige head upon pouring settles back to thick cap. Leaves behind torn sheets and scattered spots of lacing.
Aroma of toffee, rich dark fruit, with notes of oak barrel and red wine.
Taste is rich and complex, but the red wine barrel does detract a bit from the base beer. There is still the swirl of toffee and dark fruit but the red wine barrel steps in before too long and adds in its tannins that does not allow full expression of the quad malts and phenolics. Dry on the tongue in the aftertaste.
Fuller mouth feel. Some numbing of the tongue. Very good carbonation.
The wine barrel has a definite effect on the expression of the base beer, but this effect is diminishing rather than additive. Overall the beer is more complex but not necessarily improved.
Mar 22, 2021
 
Rated: 4.12 by RickS95 from Indiana

Mar 13, 2021
 
Rated: 3.97 by BarrelAgedG from California

Mar 08, 2021
Photo of Alieniloquium
Reviewed by Alieniloquium from Florida

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16 oz. can. Pours deep brown with a big khaki head. Smells of bready malts, dark fruits, red wine, and oak. The wine is a backdrop and augments rather than being the main attraction. Tastes of dark fruit, bready malts, and, again, red wine permeates without dominating. Dry with lingering red wine and oak. Medium heavy. Dry, well carbonated. This is outstanding. A really nice incorporation of the wine barrel to an excellent quad.
Feb 21, 2021
 
Rated: 4.5 by Wheels2532 from Pennsylvania

Feb 13, 2021
Photo of backblast
Reviewed by backblast from Alaska

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Got a bit of grape tartness at first and a bit of the wine barrel followed and it has a wine/fruity nuance throughout. It has a far bit of carbonation.
Feb 13, 2021
Photo of mushroomcloud
Reviewed by mushroomcloud from Texas

4.18/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12oz bottled 8-19-20. Opened 2-6-21.
Big hiss upon uncapping.
1 finger sand colored head, good retention as it sizzles away slowly. Lays in as a solid cap and never moves.
Amber brown with limited clarity. Spotty, slippery lacing.
Toffee, dark fruit (black cherry) and subtle wood barrel aromas.
More of the toffee/caramel in the flavor up front followed by a slight tart cherry and darker fruits. Some booziness and a noticeable barrel vanilla.
Medium + body with subtle carbonation and a creamy mouthfeel. Lengthy and slightly off-dry finish.
Outstanding.
Feb 07, 2021
Three Philosophers - Red Wine Barrel-Aged from Brewery Ommegang
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 100 ratings