Gravitation-Smuttynose Brewing
This was quite a surprise to taste and I wish we had not left it on the table for a while before opening, though many times, ales like this are best at "room" temperature, which on Saturday, happened to be about 65 degrees
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This is a "quad" or quadruple ale. Think about it as an imperial double/Belgian brown ale richly redolent with aromas of dark, dried fruits, brown sugar and dark rum. Hops have a minimal presence here, guessing an IBU less than 30. Total Wine lied on their sign describing this brew as CB&B told me it said 8.5% ABV. It took 1 sip, and a knowledge of the style, to realize it was much higher as I thought certainly >10% and probably 11% or greater. Well, upon further review, the brewer's notes confirmed our palatal suspicions and this monster is 12.5% ABV. It was rather boozey, therefore the thoughts and tastes comparable to a dark brown rum. It was not a breakfast beer and would be much better served in small aliquots as a dessert beer, but then again, "rummy" tastes and our homemade banana pudding and deliciously rich and sweet French toast casserole were pretty darned good breakfast dessert pairings, too
. It was made even better finding our it was about $6 for the bomber. I only had about 6 ounces of this but I am glad I limited my intake as I had to drive back to Raleigh for lunch with the groom yet I'd bet I could find another of these to enjoy this fall or cellar until next year.
for CB&B's find here.
You'll find another unique fact if you read the brewer's notes below.
Belgium is known around the world for its six unique abbey breweries. Inside the monastery walls, Trappist monks oversee production of rich, fully flavored beers that range from light in body and alcohol to strong, rich and dark. These sacred beers are known by the names enkel or single, dubbel and tripel. Singles are the lightest in both color and alcohol and can be seen as analogues to triples, which are also light bodied and colored but can be quite sweet and as strong as 10%. Dubbels can be simply described as Belgian brown ales; they exhibit a rich, malty flavors, spicy yeast notes and typically range from 7%-9%. Dubbels haven’t had a stronger counterpart until the relatively recent arrival of Quadrupels, or “Quads.”
With alcohol contents as high as 12%, “Quads” are the richest of the rich and the boldest of the bold and Smuttynose Gravitation is no exception. Deep chestnut colored, with rich toffee and caramel malt flavors, Gravitation isn’t just sweet and boozy. The use of special, imported Belgian malts and raisin paste contribute unifying fruitiness that brings harmony to the other two flavor groups. The prominent malt character makes Belgian-style quads an excellent candidate for aging, as long as you store your bottles upright in a cool, dark space.
Food Pairings
Gravitation is a hearty and hefty beer, so it’ll pair well with foods that are intensely flavored and heavy. Earthy foods like wild game and bleu cheeses stand up to Gravitation’s intensity by playing against the sweet malty character. If earthy isn’t your thing, seek out dishes that are fatty, tart or a combination of the two; foods like pork belly, mushroom ragout or rabbit with kriek, a classic dish of Belgian beer gastronomy.
Stat Box
12.5% ABV
25 IBU
Starting Extract: 24.9 Finishing Extract: 3.0
Malts: North American 2-Row, Cara-Red, Aromatic, Special B, C-60, Wheat
Hops: Sterling
Special Guests: Demerara Sugar, Amber Belgian Candi Syrup, Dark Belgian Candi Syrup, Raisin Paste
Yeast: White Labs WLP-500 Trappist Ale
Production Size: 150 barrels (4650 gallons)
Make Mine a Smutty!
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
. Part of my Father of the Bride assortment I'll enjoy over the next week or so.
I missed it one time and one of the waiters brought it back to him!
and CB&B each got one of these and anxiously await their thoughts. Hope rmd has savored a couple of these, too.
