Oude Rode Ogen
DuClaw Brewing Co.

I believe they started brewing this again found at Bottle at the Vintage estate in Ohio package date is a little scuffed but it had no sediment which I assume would be a good amount if it was 2 years old and was carbonated. Smell is fruity and taste is surprisingly balanced raisins figs dates and stone fruit. Biggest shocker I got no biting ethanol but this bad boy did drink with a medium to heavy body so more of a sipper.

Overall I was highly impressed with this collab and hope they keep brewing it because I liked it just a bit more than Hell on Wood mostly since it has a high ABV without the addition of bourbon barrels.

12 ounce bottle into chalice, bottled on 10/20/2017. Pours crystal clear very dark brown color with a 1 finger dense khaki head with awesome retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big raisin, plum, prune, fig, cherry, date, pear, apricot, red apple, red grape, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, toffee, dark/brown bread, and nuttiness; with lighter notes of pepper, clove, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, smoke, herbal, grass, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great complexity and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, dark/bready/light roasted malts, candi sugar, and light earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big raisin, plum, prune, fig, cherry, date, pear, apricot, red apple, red grape, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, toffee, dark/brown bread, and nuttiness; with lighter notes of pepper, clove, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, smoke, herbal, grass, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate peppery yeast spiciness and light herbal/grassy/roast bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of dark fruit, cherry, pear, apricot, red apple, red grape, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, toffee, dark/brown bread, nuttiness, pepper, clove, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, herbal, grass, and yeast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, dark/bready/light roasted malts, candi sugar, and light earthy hop flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from bitter/spiciness. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy/bready/grainy, fairly sticky, and slightly slick/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 13%. Overall this is an awesome big quadrupel. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, dark/bready/light roasted malts, candi sugar, and light earthy hop flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the huge ABV. Extremely rich with fruity/spicy yeast and balanced dark/bready malt complexity; well attenuated and not overly sweet/heavy for the big ABV. Nice adequate drying. A really enjoyable offering and spot on style example; though a bit on the roasty side.

 

Looks burnt caramel brown
Smells very faintly of dark fruits
Taste is sweet getting raisin, dates, figs almost like a fig newton with a touch of metallic
Mouthfeel is medium
Overall this beer hides its extreme alcohol better than other beers. I can barely tell it's 13%
Extra props for the cool name and backstory. Too bad this beer is a one off

 

Got this 12 oz. bottle at State Line Liquor right at the Delaware/Maryland border. Poured into standard tulip glass.

Color is very dark burgundy, Head is minimal; lacing is fairly persistent. The fragrance is rather juicy - as in dark, ripe cherries, a little bit of prune. And then... as it warms, sweet red sherry. Very little alcohol is detectable on the nose, which is no small feat given the ABV.

The taste is sweet. Surprisingly so. I like it, but I can see how others might not. The sweetness persists - there is no dry finish. I wouldn't call the flavor profile complex, but it is enjoyable. I will say that it tastes unlike any other quad I've tried.

This seems kind of like a dessert wine in beer form. This is a beer to nurse, to let warm up, to sip.

I didn't realize when I bought it that it was a one-off. It may never be brewed again, which is kind of a shame. It makes for a nice winter holiday beer.