Beer Review: Fourth Dementia (2011)

Reviewing the Fourth Dementia (4D) from Kuhnhenn Brewing Company out of Michigan.
Score: 84

2011 vintage bottle served in a stemmed Hill Farmstead snifter glass and enjoyed on 05/20/12. Review is from notes.

Appearance: Pours a deep caramel color; almost like black mud. A thin layer of creamy dark khaki head settles to a thin foggy film. Poor lacing, with good retention/cling. 3.5/5

Smell: Primarily musty caramel malt with complementary notes of toffee and marshmallows. Swirling the beer reveals a little fig and brown sugar in the aroma. Modest booziness. The aroma is a bit harsh and caramel forward, but swirling before smelling seems to balance it out and make it more appealing. 3.75/5

Taste: Like the aroma, the palate is dominated by a musty and malty caramel flavor. The finish is toffee-ish. Just tons of boozy caramel/toffee/brown sugar malt here. Some fig flavor on the side of the tongue. Decent booziness to boot. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: I am not sure if this is a bottling issue or how the beer was intended to be made, but my 4D is absolutely flat and lifeless. There is quite literally no carbonation here. Medium bodied. Super malty and just a little sugary. Syrupy-like mouthfeel. 3/5

Overall: Not a bad beer, but this brew is a far from balanced, slightly boozy sipper. I am not a fan of overly malty beers, so maybe, like Mother Of All Storms and Y2K, this just isn't my type beer. Personally, I do not understand the hype behind this one.

Recommendation: Worth trying at some point in your craft beer journey, if only to say that you've had it, but this beer is not worth seeking out unless you like boozy malt bombs (beers like Mother Of All Storms).

Pairings: Packets of Laughing Cow creamy Swiss cheese.

Cost: $8 for a 12 oz bottle.