Quad
Brewery Extrava

 

A- 12oz slim can poured into a snifter with a mahogany-brown body and a frothy-foamy one finger crown. The head dies down fairly quickly to a small belt. A few small sheets of lacing immediately with rare spots during the sipping phase.

S- Sweetness and malts that are toasted just to the point of roastiness and pumping the brakes the moment it reaches that state are highlighted in the aroma alongside strong yeast presence. Dark fruits, esters, alcohol and strong Belgian yeast spice join the toffee, very nutty, slightly charred, bready and caramel malts. Dark candi sugar comes to mind. Sweetened and spiced raisins as well.

T- A ton of Belgian yeast spice here alongside the rich sweets, strong malts and other yeast flavors. Figs, raisins and dry cherries with caramel, cola, nutty, alcohol, vanilla, brown sugar, estery and bitter spicy notes (if anything it is the alcohols accentuating that sharp Belgian spiciness). Some cherry candy, candi syrup and toffee as well. Doesn't come off as sweet necessarily because of the alcohol and yeast flavors.

MF- Medium bodied and on the lighter side for the style but well within the range that it supports the flavors nicely. Carbonation is at a moderate level and it ends with a nice warmth.

Reviewing the sweeter Belgian styles is always a treat as they bring wonderful complexity and often impressive balance. Glad I found Extrava this past week but a bit unfortunate it is up in Portland (sarcasm), I just wish some of these Belgian focused brewers would move a bit further south toward me. The spiciness is a bit too strong but there is a lot of flavors and for the most part the balance is there between the sweet, spicy, hot and fruity.

 

Enjoyed on tap at the brewery today.

A - Poured a nice clear brown garnet hue with a thin off white head that fades to leave light lacing and thin wisps.

S - Aromas of sticky malts, caramel, flashes of esters and Belgian notes.

T - Taste is similar to the nose big caramel and esters, loads of Belgian notes and slightly mineral and chalky. Big dark fruits, prune and raisin as well as candi sugar.

M - Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated, creamy, alcohol peeks through.

O - Overall this was a very solid Belgian Quad. Lovely malts and esters. Really enjoyable.

Serving Type: on tap

Draft at the brewery
Light foamy head, very clear chestnut ruby color

Nose sweet candy, dark candi sugar caramelization, little nutty toffee, toasted grainy and caramel, dark fruits fig date like, light alcohol and toffee

Taste big malt, darker caramelized malts and toffee, candy sweet toffee and a little butterscotch, into candi sugar and caramelized brown sugar, toffee, light perfumey alcohol, a little nutty, dark fruits with fig date prune, light winter spices, light bitterness

Mouth is med bod, creamy fluffy carb, light alcohol warmth

Overall very good quad, not as much fruit as I expected but the malts and candi sugar came through nicely, alcohol is right where I wanted it, very enjoyable