After finishing up the first series of football games at Hooters with our 50 free wings, headed home to watch the afternoon game. Sadly, the televised game was the Jets versus the Broncos, I have no idea how that one wound up being the best option for East-Central Illinois, but it's probably the Favre connection.
To wash the game down, I split a bottle of The Lost Abbey Judgement Day with Paddy, as Kriddy was taking a nap.
The bottle said this one was a Belgian (style) Dark Quad. It poured almost purple, it was dark, and let some light through. I thought it looked kind of like tea, maybe a purple tea? It smelled winey, yeasty, and a bit of alcohol. There was some grape in it, that made it almost smell like grape bubble gum.
It had a medium to thin thickness, and was slightly effervescent. It also was very drying.
It tasted of grape, bread, raisin, and coffee. I thought I might have gotten some prune or fig in the flavor, like drinking a slightly grape-y fig newton. There was no perceivable hop bitterness in the flavor. Paddy said it was "wicked sweet". As I got down to the bottom of the glass, it started to feel very familiar. At first I couldn't place it, but I think it reminded me of Grape Mad Dog 20/20. To which Paddy said, "WTF? this high end delicious bottle of beer reminds you of $3 swill?"
Sadly, just a bit. He then said, ok, well, at least it didn't remind me of purple passion.
This beer was awesome. It came in the Port/Lost Abbey gift pack from Rob. Sadly, I won't need my California hookup for these beers anymore. Happily, it is available in Illinois, if you are willing to travel to Chicago. The beer is currently available at West Lakeview Liquors, who also will ship. It is also at Archer Liquors, who also do shipping.
Oddly, the price tag on the bottle that came from California, was the same price as I picked it up for in Chicago on Thanksgiving. I do have another bottle of this in my box from Thursday, and I think I'll be putting it down in the basement. I'll be stocking up on this one.
Ah, yes. The irony that is the cost of buying LA/Port up here in Northern California. They don't distribute up here regularly, which accounts for part of the high price. Then there's the fact that everything here is expensive. Two great costs that cost great together.
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