Quintaceratops
Brooklyn Brewery

 

Look: It pours brown more on the dark side, but not quite dark brown. It has a tan head. Head retention is average.

Smell: It has a strong, sweet malt aroma with significant cherry notes. The is a moderate medicinal smell that combine with the cherry gives it a cough syrup note. There are additional rum notes well into the background.

Taste: It has a very sweet flavor of malt, dried cherry, medicinal notes, and rum. There is a bit of light spiciness in the background with some orange. It has a strong alcohol note as well.

Feel: It has a medium full mouthfeel with a sweet finish.

Overall, I think the dried cherry and rum created the medicinal flavor. The combinations just didn't quite work for me.

 

Excellent beer for rum lovers. Slight bourbon and sugar taste later. Lighter than expected for an 11% beer. Wish I had another but at $21 a bottle wanted to try it first. Would buy another tomorrow though

This beer shocked me at first. . I bought a 26 oz bottle , and thought I would have to pour it out.
This was my last beer of the night and just filled a pint glasss.

So I sipped on it and started to get the full taste.

You have to sip and let your palet drink in all the flavor.

after I few sips -the candied sugary bourbon vanilla taste came thru. after a few more sips I could taste more flavors

this wasn't a bad be . but I suggest you have a few friends over and drink from small shiffers.

 

 

 

750mL bottle poured into a tulip
A: Molasses, almost black with a one-finger brown head
S: Rum, molasses, dark sweet malt, Belgian yeast
T: Adds cherries and lighter on the dark sugar than the nose, a bit simple
M: Sweet, lighter-bodied than I’d expect given the alcohol, which is mostly hidden
O: Not bad, aged fairly well though I wish I could compare it to its younger self

 

This Quad from Brooklyn Brewing will warm your cockles, especially if you’re a fan of rum and/or bourbon barrel-Aged beer. This one is both. Those notes are very prevalent in the nose as well as is the candi sugar that is part and parcel of good Belgian Quads. Mouthfeel is a tad lighter than many Belgian quads, however. Pleasantly carbonated and very complex, there are a lot of stone fruit notes—including cherry— that appear, especially as the beer warms. Vanilla is present, too. Quintaceratops means “five horns,” and in this case, the fifth horn seems to be the rum notes. Great beer for a chilly night by the fire, or a Christmas Eve treat. At nearly 11%, it commands respect, too. But It was soul-soothingly satisfying.

 

 

 

I had read more than one scathing review of this beer, so it was not without some trepidation that I cracked it open several years after it was bottled to share with my wife. Turns out I thought it was a damn interesting beer and I was happy to have been able to try it.

Body wise this beer is a little bit more light and thin than a quad would suggest. I really enjoyed the rum barrel notes. I picked up some molasses, vanilla, and coconut in the aroma. I think what throws a lot of people is the relative lack of Belgian quad character, it doesn't have much of that candied sugar malt profile or the yeast attributes you would typically find in an Abt 12 or a Rochefort 10, for example.

This beer needs to be consumed and appreciated on its own merits. Go in with the mindset of having a strong, dark and malty rum barrel aged ale and you might just surprise yourself.

 

 

 

 

 

"In this bottle resides Quintaceratops, the splendid progeny of our Belgian-inspired quadruppel abbey ale Quadraceratops. As you will discover, the all-important "5th horn" is the influence of Trinidadian rum and Kentucky bourbon barrels. After months of oak aging followed by re-fermentation in the bottle, this beer emerges smooth, earthy, dry and rummy, with notes of burnt sugar, coconut and vanilla. Quintaceratops is ready to rumble with all five horns. Grab hold and enjoy the ride!" Brewed in the style of a Quadrupel with Dark Candi Syrup, aged in rum and bourbon barrels. Available in 750ml. bottles and on limited draft.

Poured from a 750ml. bottle to a tulip glass.

(Appearance) Pours a crisp, foamy head of a golden tan tone over a very dense dark brown body. Retention is above average and lacing is light and patchy. 3.75

(Smell) Very rummy nose up front, stone fruit syrups and candied sugars generate a heavily caramelized malt body, a moderately spicy backbone of licorice and grain alcohol, rich bread malts. Very unusual aroma. 3.5

(Taste) Spiced rum body with viscous caramelized malts and fruit sugars, tangy, slightly acidic yeast backbone, dry tannins, spicy licorice on the back end. A very unusual barrel-aging experience on an otherwise complex but enjoyable style generating mixed results. 3.5

(Mouthfeel) Texture is slightly syrupy, smooth, slick, mildly residual, medium dry. Carbonation is mild, generating a medium frothiness and a moderately crisp finish. Body is medium/heavy for the style, shy of heavy overall. Alcohol presence is moderate/high and there are no off characters. 3.5

(Overall) This is a very interesting spin on a classic style that generates somewhat of a flavor overload for me. Spicy rum, drying tannins, licorice overdose and grain alcohol really overwhelm the balanced decadence of the quadrupel style, creating something unnecessarily busy. In that regard, there is a time and a place, but more than often, this is likely to offend rather than please. Putting out more than $20 for a bottle of this is also highly risky for something that may pan out to only a questionable return, so I'd suggest holding out for something better. 3.5

Brooklyn Brewery's
Quintaceratops
/5.00

**
08/01/2016
25.4oz. Bottle to snifter, bottle dated Q2, 2015. Started cold, warmed, threw in fridge for a few hours when I left, then left out as I slowly sipped the 2nd half.
Good beer, not great. I think I was hoping for a poor man's FW Stickee Monkee, but it's not really even that.

LOOK: dark brown, silty sediment, fizzy, large tan head.
AROMA: cola, spice, suprisingly weak.
TASTE: Ginger Ale, caramel, molasses, medicinal aftertaste.
FEEL: thick and sticky feel, but with a thin body if that makes sense. The head and sediment are thick, but the beer is thin. Good carbonation.

Not bad at all, but not worth buying again, especially at $23.-/bottle.

**

 

 

 

2015 vintage
~1 year since bottling date

Appearance- Pours a murky deep brown color, mostly opaque. Two finger thick, tan colored head, fizzy and pillowy, sticks around. Good amount of alcohol legs, film like layer on glass.

Aroma- Tart fruits, mostly cherry. Rich, underlying syrupy sweetness. Spicy belgian yeast, dry earthy oak, lots of woodiness. Lots of fusel rum notes, covers up a lot of the aroma.

Taste- Spicy, woody rum notes, fusel and abrasive. Tart fruits, cherry and berry. Hints of syrupy, sugary sweetness. Lingering oak on the finish and spicy, earthy belgian yeast phenols.

Feel- Thin feel for the style, no weight in the mouth and slightly watery. Carbonation is higher which makes the body feel evern more light than it probably is.

Overall- Beer does not seem cohesive or well put together. The barrels have done nothing good here, except maybe cover up the base. Lots of fusel alcohol notes rather than barrel influence, I don’t get any of the vanilla or coconut that is in the brewery description. Not enough of the base quad comes through, just hints of fruitiness, yeast, and the candi syrup.

 

 

 

Poured into a taster glass. Thanks, Brent.

A: Dark brown with a tan one finger head that lingered. Thick lacing.

S: Dark fruits, rum and bourbon, a bit of oak and molasses on the back burner.

T: Wow, what a complex taste. Belgian yeast mingles with dark fruits. Then the Candi syrup slides in with molasses and some barrel aging. A bit of cherry and vanilla, too. Let it warm and the flavors get bolder.

M: Low to medium with medium carbonation. With this much action, you'd figure the mouthfeel would be thicker.

O: Not as bad as some critics are rating it. Glad I got to try this elusive brew. Sorry it's extinct now.

 

Look: Very dark brown, nearly black, and almost entirely opaque with the exception of some minor translucency at the bottom of the glass when light is held up to it, along with a very dark ruby tinge that is barely noticeable. Pours aggressively with a freakishly dense (almost mousse-like) and creamy looking khaki head, about 1-2 fingers depending on the pour. This dissipates after only a couple of minutes into a dense and creamy yet somewhat splotchy film over the body, which is firmly retained. Produces heavy, sticky lacing that creates a beautiful mess on the sides of the glass.

Smell: This one is quite odd, and almost nothing at all like a true Belgian Quad. The smell is permeated with rum and booze along with some bourbon and a lingering aroma of dank wood (oak?) from the barrel aging process. Hiding in the background is some molasses, plum pudding, and burnt sugars. Sadly, these secondary characteristics of the nose are largely eclipsed by the overpowering scent of rum, bourbon, and oak, the presence of which conceals any other subtleties of the smell that may exist, or at the very least makes them exceedingly difficult to detect. Perhaps a little bit of red wine in there as well.

Oh wow, I let the beer warm up for a bit and was treated with a surprisingly complex variety of smells: the smoke from a fresh, cognac-dipped cigar, some lavender, and a bit of scotch-like peatiness. Goes along nicely with the oaky bourbon and rum.

Taste: Very similar to the smell, with the bourbon and rum asserting a forthright and dominant presence surrounded by oak (with the woodiness becoming more prominent in the finish). It's also very boozy; I've had 12-13% ABV beers that were much smoother than this. However, the booziness could perhaps compliment or add strength to the bourbon and rum character, but that's a totally subjective observation. The other base notes, especially those which are characteristic of a Belgian quad, are again subsidiary to the inundating flavors of rum, oak, and bourbon. They do, however, become more noticeable as the beer warms, and the Belgian yeast and candi sugars become faintly discernible in the background, although I would consider the weakness of their presence unsatisfactory for a Quad. The plum pudding and molasses make another appearance and follow up on the malty, sticky sweetness, but this time they are accompanied by some dark cherry notes, spices, and unripe tree nuts. As the beer warms in the mouth, vanilla becomes highly distinguishable, and minuscule traces of bitter chocolate and raw coconut are present as well. A mellow tartness gradually emerges and ushers in a smooth, dry finish with a lingering bitterness in the aftertaste, along with an encompassing sweetness that sticks to the tongue.

Feel: Not at all like a Quad; thinner than expected, and very slick and silky, but with a decent amount of carbonation. It’s definitely not the thick, smooth, and creamy full-bodied feel that you get with an exemplary Quad like Rochefort 10. There's also quite a bit of heat from the alcohol, with very little burn in the throat, and the woodiness from the barrel aging seems to lend it some tartness, ultimately resulting in a mildly bitter aftertaste.

Overall: If I try to critique this beer in terms of whether or not it makes a good Belgian Quad, then it fails quite miserably, but I'll try to be more open-minded than that. I'll start off by saying that this beer had a very satisfying appearance, with its dark heavy colors, ultra-dense creamy head, and sticky lacing coming together nicely, although I wish the head had had slightly better retention. The rum and oaky bourbon went along quite well with the aromas of sweet tobacco and scotchy peat that I was able to detect, creating sort of a "rustic", homely vibe. With both the taste and smell, however, the problem is that the rum, bourbon, and oak were just way too overpowering, although admittedly they would have complimented the other flavors beautifully if only they had been more subdued and more finely balanced, and doing so successfully would have certainly given this beer a reputable (and subversive) distinction in terms of creativity. Sadly, there was very little transition or depth here, and it fails to achieve any real balance.

Ultimately this beer was a missed opportunity; it would have been nice to see the dark fruits and candi and yeast of a Quad finely coated with a forthright complexity of bourbon, oak, and rum. Unfortunately, however, it seems largely one-dimensional because of how overpowering and direct the rum and bourbon are. It's honestly a love it or hate it beer, because if your expectations of indulging in a fine Belgian Quad remain modest, then there is still enjoyment to be had for those who are particularly fond of dark liquors; granted, the balance between the two is still rather poor. Subversive and innovative, yet gratuitous and insulting, Quintaceratops is a failure one step short of being a masterpiece.

Served in a tulip glass.

Appearance: Dark brown-amber with a head which rises to maybe half a finger's length. Drops pretty quick with even lacing.

Smell: Heavy alcohol and light wood notes.

Taste: Has its ups and downs and it's all about how much of it you drink and what temperature the beer is at. High yeast and super sour with a licorice type of taste. Bourbon notes have disappeared from the brew. Complex yes but overpowered but this green rubbing alcohol feels less hit and more miss.

Mouth: Stixky, sour and heavy sour with a feel of spoiled candy.

Overall: Leave it on the shelf, pricey as hell and very hard to ingest. I don't like bashing beers especially from a very reputable brewery. But this is one I would recommend passing, only thing it might have going for it is the

 

 

Turns a Westvleteren chalice very dark brown (clear SRM 24-25) with dark ruby highlights. A dense, creamy, khaki head reaches an inch and a half before it recedes like a glacier, leaving thick, dense till.

Rum aromas are strong with a light background of plum pudding. Pears and a hint of banana punctuate dark spices and alcohol fumes.

Sweet and exquisitely rich like plum pudding. Specific notes of cherry, rum, vanilla, allspice, and Cuba Libra. The flavor is complex with layers of character, although a bit muddled. The finish is modest and long, with a hint of bitterness to balance the alcohol. After significant warmth, a faint smokiness is discerned.

The body is deceptively light, perhaps due to the explosive, soft carbonation and slick texture. Alcohol is strong, warming but not hot. Residual sugar is surprising due to the crispness.

This could easily be a Christmas beer. Precisely what one may want during long, deep conversation on a cold winter night. Also enjoyable while reading fireside. This one warms very well, bringing out smoke, peat, and perhaps faint bourbon.

The beer pours a nice brown head that still hasn't dissipated as of this writing. In fact, it seems to be going quite strongly. The beer is an opaque dark brown. It's certainly lighter than most others of the same style but still looks good.

The smell is interestingly good (at cellar temperature) given the choices but still a little light for the style. The rum comes out the most and the bourbon does as well. The bourbon is much stronger than in the taste and provides a little bit more character than you would expect. The Belgian candi makes a light appearance but not much with a slight coconut note.

The taste is okay and interesting but seems to be a bit . . . lacking. The beer certainly has interesting notes such as the sweet rum note. The dark Belgian Candi syrup makes an appearance and gives a unique sugar note that has the traditional Belgian note but also is a bit more bitter. The bourbon note is also there but the problem is that it gets lost in the rum, which is pretty overpowering.

The feel is certainly unique for the style. It's a lot thinner from the rum (and probably from the double barrel aging). The carbonation is very biting that makes it very light. It's definitely heavy bodied but lighter.

Overall, this beer was kind of a disappointment given the cost. It's certainly an interesting beer with interesting notes and succeeds in that respect but it's not as good as others that have been inventive with the style. Unless someone else is footing the bill, you can probably skip this one.

 

A complete disappointment from Brooklyn. It is watery and thin for a quad and looks like a Coke when it is poured. It smells medicinal and tastes like it as well... Sucks to have to drain pour a bottle especially a bigger and pricier beer. Can't believe they released this...

Might be the worst tasting quad I have ever tasted. Appearance, smell and mouthfeel ok but I could not finish 1/4 of my glass. Dumped the rest out. I hope I just had an infected bottle, because I have had other Brooklyn beers and enjoyed them. Sorry guys, but I need to b honest