Bad Abbot

Bad Abbot by Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. is being evaluated as a Belgian Dark Strong Ale (Category 26D) from the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines.

Bad Abbot pours a deep copper color with a light haze. It sports a light tan head that leaves Belgian lacing on the glass when swirled and dissipates fairly quickly, which is common in a beer of this alcohol content. The aroma features prominent caramel, dark and dried fruit consisting of raisins, prunes, plums and bing cherries with light cinnamon and vanilla. The malt character is rich and complex with bread, bread crusts and toast. A smooth, perfumy alcohol element rounds out the aroma.

The flavor follows with a rich and complex cornucopia of malt and Belgian yeast character. It is bready and toasty with peppery phenols, light vanilla and dark fruit esters of raisins and prunes alongside light caramel. There is a moderately high hop bitterness that emerges mid-palate and lingers long into the aftertaste. The moderate residual sweetness in this quad transitions into a medium-dry finish. This is a full-bodied Belgian that is creamy on the palate and has an overall smooth alcohol character for a hefty 14% ABV.

This is a very well constructed Belgian quad. A touch less hop bitterness would really make this beer sing, but this is only a minor issue. This is one world-class brew you will certainly want to take your time with, so clear your calendar for the day.