Cooperstown, New York immediately brings many iconic images to mind: Babe Ruth calling his shot, Willie Mays’ unforgettable over the shoulder catch, and Lou Gehrig’s moving retirement speech.  As home to baseball’s Hall of Fame, the town in upstate New York is irrevocably tied to America’s Pastime.  

Cooperstown is also home to an American craft brewery whose quiver of beer includes five Belgian style ales.  Unique even amongst the wide variety of domestic craft breweries, Brewery Ommegang’s expertise in Belgian style beer has not gone unnoticed as they have been showered with awards.  The brewery’s Quadrupel, Three Philosophers, checked in at number 29 in Zymurgy Magazine’s Top 50 Beers of 2011.

Appearance
Dark amber in color with a touch of red.  Tan lacing stands at one and a half fingers and leaves a classic Belgian lace.

Aroma
Sweet fruits invade the nose.  Pear, fig, and Granny Smith apples all make an appearance.  A slight yeastiness with a touch of earthiness is also present.  The 9.8% ABV is not shy.

Taste
Plum with some of the sweet fruits from the nose.  Peppery and earthy with a gentle bitterness as is typical of Noble Hops.  Alcohol is warming, boarding on hot, on the way down.

Mouthfeel
Medium bodied and highly carbonated; flirting with the boarder of over carbonated.  Finish is dry perhaps due to the use of sugar in brewing.  The aforementioned alcohol is warming.

Drinkability
Find a fellow beer lover to share this one with.  At 9.8% ABV and pouring from a 750ml bottle, one is more than enough to blur the vision and flush the skin.  Complex with layers of flavor, this is a very good example of this super-sized Belgian style.  Overall grade for Brewery Ommegang Three Philosophers: B


Brewery Ommegang Three Philosophers

Up next on Tuesday Tasting:  Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale