May 11, 2011

Harpoon Leviathan Quad

Harpoon Leviathan Quad label

Awesome! It wasn’t long after I posted a review for Harpoon’s Leviathan Barleywine that I soon came upon one of the other releases from the series. This Belgian Quadrupel styled brew is the bigger of the three beers from the Leviathan releases that I’ve had so far — and in that regard the most raw.

At 11.75% ABV, this Quad is the definition of a sipping brew. It’s got a big boy character in terms of not only its potency, but also the flavor components that accompany that glowing warmth. It also wasn’t my favorite of the bunch. We’ll leave that designation to the Imperial IPA I had a couple of years ago.

Appearance

Quad pours a clear, rich looking mahogany in color with a quickly fading light tan head that fizzed out audibly.

Aroma

You pretty much know right away what you’re in for with the first sniff of this brew. A load of boozy alcohol is accompanied by sweet fruits, banana, candied apples, light herbal note and a tangy Belgian yeast presence.

Taste

This is one of those beers that you just have to take a little slow. It’s a big beer with big alcohol. At the time I had my bottle it felt a bit young and raw. It could use some time in the cellar to soften a bit. As far as the flavors go, the candied sugar and banana dominate the palate while fruity esters and Belgian yeast play around in the background. The mouthfeel is relatively slick which is to be expected for something this big.

Overall

I do love a boozy quad, but this one needs some time to mature in the bottle a bit. It’s a little too hot right now. I did enjoy the candied apple character that it has, as well as the light, peppery yeast presence. All in all, it’s not a bad beer. It just needs to sit a little while, which makes me wish I had picked up more than the one bottle.

Rating:3.25/5

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