Ommegang Three Philosophers

This quadruple ale is from the Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, New York. Ommegang is part of the Duvel family, and is essentially a Belgian brewery plopped down in New York State. I have had this before, but they recently came out with a Cellared Set three pack that covers three vintages. This is a blend of 98% quadruple ale and 2% kriek cherry ale. By the way, Ommegang has great customer service; I had an issue with a bottle and they took care of it wonderfully.

2016 - This 9.7% ABV beer pours dark brown and dark orange. There is a short head of light tan foam, a bit fizzy, not long lasting. The aroma is dark cherries, some sweet, some tart, caramel, a touch of wood, and a touch of wine. The taste is deep and rich, loads of caramel, dark caramel, toffee, wood, with the cherry fruit on the end, and that note of red wine. The finish is dry, moderately bitter, with a woody astringency. The beer has a medium full body, with tight bottle-conditioned bubbles. This is nice, but the older ones definitely lose some bitterness with age. 

2013 - This 9.7% ABV beer pours medium brown with dark gem-like amber. There is almost no head. The aroma is sweet malt, caramel and toffee, with a very roasted note, dark fruits, tangy, woody. The taste follows the aromas, very rich and malty, lots of caramel and toffee, with some fruit, like a dark caramel with raspberry filling. The finish is semi-sweet, semi-dry, with light bitterness. The beer drinks smooth, soft, and rich. 

2012 - This 9.7% ABV beer pours a dark brown, a bit cloudy. There is a short and short-lived tan head. The aroma is dark fruits, dried fruits, sherry, dark caramel. The taste follows the aromas, dark fruits, sweet malts, lots of sherry notes as it is a bit oxidized. The beer drinks smooth, rich, yet carbonated well with fine, tingling bubbles. This is nice, but my least favorite vintage so far.

2011 -The is 9.8% ABV beer pours a dark brown with tints of red. There is a short and not long-lasting head of tan. The aroma is rich, caramel, toffee, dark fruits, cherry, old damp wood, and sherry. The taste follows the aromas, rich and malty, dark fruits, some oxidation, but pleasant and congruous with the beer. The beer is sweet, and finishes that way, but tempered slighlty by a woodiness that gives light bitterness and astringency. The beer drinks very smooth, with light carbonation. As the beer opens up, the cherries come through on the finish. This is very delicious. 

I also had the 2010 back in 2011: This 9.8% ABV Belgian-style quadrupel blended ale is 98% ale and 2% ale with cherries added.  The beer pours ruby brown, and barely translucent.  There is an inch of thick foamy  light brown head.  The aroma is sweet, nearly burnt caramel, molasses, cherry, yeasty and a bit of warm alcohol.  The taste is sweet, almost burnt, a bit of port wine, toasted french bread, caramel, some cherry.  It finishes surprisingly dry for its sweet taste.