Just the other day, I enjoyed a delicious beer that was also quire a rarity-a true Trappist Ale, made in the United States. That beer was Spencer Trappist Ale, and if you can find it, you should buy it. Spencer Trappist Ale, however, is not the only American brew with monastic heritage. Sierra Nevada, in fact, brews a line of beers called Ovila in association with a monastic order.
The first beer in this line that I tried was Sierra Nevada Ovila Abbey Dubbel, and it left me with a lackluster impression. It was pricey at $10 for a 750 ML bottle and, well, there are just a lot of dubbels I liked better. Still, I didn’t give up on the Ovila line, and some time ago I picked up a 4-pack of Sierra Nevada Ovila Abbey Quad Ale Brewed with Plums. The Spencer had me thinking of this, and so I popped one the other night.
Sierra Nevada says of their Ovila line:
Ovila® Abbey Ales are a series of Belgian-inspired beers brewed in collaboration with the monks at the Abbey of New Clairvaux in Vina, CA. An homage to the time-honored monastic brewing tradition, Ovila Abbey Ales combine the quality and craft of those dedicated artisans with a dose of American brewing innovation. Featuring ingredients grown by the monks on the grounds of the abbey, Ovila Abbey Ales are a fresh twist on the ancient brewing tradition.
Sierra Nevada Ovila Abbey Quad Ale Brewed with Plums cost me $10.99 for a 4-pack, but these are slightly larger bottles than your standard 12-ouncers at 12.7 ounces each (375 ML). This is a better deal than the 750 of dubbel I bought, too. Twice the beer for just a buck more. The beer is formidable in strength at 10.2% by volume and holds up well with some age. I believe mine has almost a year on it now. Bitterness is moderate-light at 21 IBUs.
Ingredients from the website:
Yeast Belgian yeast
Bittering Hops Styrian Golding
Finishing Hops Saaz
Malts Two-row Pale, Munich, Chocolate, Caramel
Other Plums and Belgian Candy Syrup
Let’s have a sip, shall we?
Sierra Nevada Ovila Abbey Quad Ale Brewed with Plums pours to a dark murky brownish black color with a moderate tan colored head of tightly packed bubbles and a luscious nose of raisins and plums. Taking a sip, the beer has a delightful complexity up front, very sugary actually with notes of cane sugar and molasses, dark fruit raisin and plum, cotton candy and subtle funk, and a decidedly sweet (but warming with alcohol) finish. I do enjoy the luscious dark fruits in this one and the tangy finish, but I think I’d like more complex Belgian yeastiness.
Still, that only takes this one down slightly, and this is a wonderful after dinner drink, dessert beer or perhaps a strong nightcap to bring on sleep. Certainly a beer I will buy again, Sierra Nevada Ovila Abbey Quad Ale Brewed with Plums benefits from the addition of the fruit while retaining enough Belgian character to satisfy the purists. Don’t miss it.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
(G)=Growler