20130203:
This is my third beer while watching the Super HarBowl (Super Bowl XVII). Purchased a year ago,* I wasn't sure how well it had kept, though I knew beers with higher content of alcohol last longer and sometimes even improve in taste.
I wrote: "Wow. This Three Philosophers is so alcoholic tasting. At least it hasn't gone bad." 9:32PM ET.
*On 20131226, I determined that I bought this beer as part of a gift pack some time during November 2011. The pack also contained an Ommegang cup (seen being used above), a bottle of
Hennepin, and a bottle of
Gnomegang.
While I brought the big bottle (along with two others the same size) to share, most everybody else preferred drinking other beers or had their fill of drinking for the night. As such by the end of the evening, I surprised myself learning I could stick the cork back in. I then took what remained back home, along with my re-corked bottle of
Hennepin and the untouched bottle of
Gnomegang.
20130206:
Unimpressed with simply thinking the beer has a strong alcoholic content, I opened the bottle today to have another taste.
The first complication is that the beer is now nearly flat. On my first sip I seem to get a little coffee or chocolate taste, but just slightly and it didn't appear on any other sips. Afterwards, the sweeter alcoholic taste reappears. It's a similar taste I get whenever I had a
Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA.
20140827:
The Three Philosophers has a full smell. I detect a floral smell which I associate to complex Belgian ales. This beer has a great taste. There tastes as if there are lots of sugars and that they coat the mouth a bit. Josh says, "Why haven't we had this before? This is one of the best we've had [recently] - only second to
ginger beer." 20140828 3:49AM PT
Ommegang Three Philosophers
Relevant Links:
Three Philosphers (Ommegang Website)
Three Philosophers Belgian Style Blend (Quadrupel) (BeerAdvocate.com)
Ommegang Three Philosophers (RateBeer.com)
Website Information:
THREE PHILOSOPHERS
QUADRUPEL ALE
98% Ale - 2% Ale with Cheries Added.
UNIQUE BLEND OF OMMEGANG QUADRUPLE ALE AND LIEFMANS KRIEK.
THREE PHILOSPHERS WAS MADE FOR CONTEMPLATION.
BREWMASTER PHIL'S TASTING NOTES:
Three Philosophers is a unique blend of a Belgian-style strong dark ale and Liefmans Kriek, an authentic cherry ale from Belgium. Cherry chestnut in color, it's opaque but not cloudy with full carbonation topped by a smooth, tan head. Flavors and aromas of roasted malt, molasses and brown sugar, dark fruits, brandied raisins and chocolate, Three Philosophers has notable sweetness with low hop bitterness. The mid-palate shows a soft malt center which gives way to a dry, warm, wine-like finish.
The strength and complexity of this beer make it a good candidate for ageing gracefully, as spicy sherry and port notes should intensify.
PROFILE:
MALTS: Pils, amber, caramel, Munich
HOPS: Spalt Select and Styrian Golding
SPICES: NONE
BLENDED WITH: 2% Liefmans Kriek
YEAST: Ommegang house yeast
OG: 21.5 Plato
FG: 3.9 Plato
ABV: 9.7%
IBU: 19
