Heck yeah a barrel aged quad from Anthem, and aged in used Festivus barrels, no less. I was uplifted by the inspirational words about the “Domestique,” the team player who only cares about the benefit of the group, and also uplifted by this boozy 10% ABV gem. Get your hands on one immediately if you can, these were quite limited.

Company: Anthem Brewing Company

Location: Oklahoma City, OK

ABV: 10%

Style/Description: Abbey Quadrupel

Price: $12 for 750 ml bottle

Appearance: Deep ruby brown pour, opaque, with nice tan head and clinging lace.

Nose: Plenty of booze and barrel in the aroma, with some dark fruits, raisins and a bit of vanilla.

Taste: Dark and sweet, raisins, prune and figs. Plenty of booze in here, with a healthy dose of Bourbon and oak. Vanilla and caramel come in with hints of chocolate and cherry. Bready and thick, like a dessert, perhaps a Black Forest cake. Moderate carb and a medium body, with a pleasant warming booziness on the way down. Still a little hot on the alcohol bite front, but some age should knock the edges off of that.

Finish: Lingering alcoholic whiskey finish, with some of the dark fruits remaining. Tart cherries leave the tongue tingling, with sugary sweetness settling on the palate.

Overall: Quads brewed outside of Belgium are a tricky business. While this one may be missing that special something that a Trappist quad has, I was definitely pleased with this brew. Loved the label, loved the story of the Domestique and really enjoyed the beer as well. I will certainly be cellaring my extra bottle, as it came in a tad hot and would benefit from 6 months of age. A solid outing from Anthem and hope they release this again in the future.

Rating: 4/5