Ithaca Beer – 12 Anniversary Ale: Monastery-style Quadruple Ale – Beer Review

So it has been said that great minds think a like, and that was true for Saturday night. My buddy Dinker was stopping by so I ran out to buy a decent beer for a possible dual review, well he had the same idea and brought over a beautiful bottle of 12 Anniversary Ale from Ithaca Beer. Well his Quadruple ale trumped by beer by Goose Island, so we reviewed the Quad.

12 Anniversary Ale is another beer in Ithaca’s Excelsior line. I reviewed the White Gold in an earlier review, so I had high hopes for this beer as well. So I poured the bottle and away we go:

 

PROST!!

Aroma: Naps – A lot of yeasty aromas, not much hop aroma     Dinker – Not as he would have expected, more yeasty  aromas

Visual:  Naps – very heady, very turbid but could be because of the pour. Dark brown in color.

Dinker – Chestnut brown, a bit cloudy but expected because of the bottle fermentation.

Taste: Naps – definitiely got some dark chocolate notes, it was very apparent in the middle of the palate, then finished with the same bitterness from dark chocolate. Has slight CO2 bite, but still very smooth. Definitely has some alcohol content which is expected because it is a Quadruple, I could feel the back of neck getting warm as I was finishing my glass.

Dinker – Very smooth moutfeel, and very drinkable. The alcohol is not as strong as expected for a Quad. Wouldn’t label it as a traditional Quad, there is something different about it that makes it unique from other Quads.

Overall: Naps -  This was my first Quad. I have had Dubbels and Trippels that have been very good, but this was very very good. So far I have really liked everything in Ithaca’s Excelsior line.

Dinker – This beer is definitely worth the $8 I paid for it. It is different than other Quads, but I just can’t put my finger on it. It is very drinkable and I could have easily drank the whole bottle, where other Quads tend to be very heavy and after  1 pint you’re finished. I definitely like both this and the White Gold in the Excelsior line.

So if you have an extra $8 and you see this bottle it is definitely worth trying. Also in my personal opinion after  trying two beers from Ithaca’s Excelsior line up, I would buy and try any beer that is in that line. So until then grab a pint, tip the bottom up and enjoy.