Three Philosophers

Tonight we're sharing the Three Philosophers Belgian style blend picked up recently during our Kansas City binge. It's a "2007 quadrupel," according to the label, brewed by Brewery Ommegang.
I've had triples before but never a quadruple. It says it's 2 percent cherries but I'm not really picking them up. Dark amber in color, a bit cloudy although that might be because the yeast is stirred up. Very malty, sweet, Christy said, and definitely a good warm yourself up by the fireplace ale because of the alcohol — 9.8 percent it says.
Of course this is summer and today has been one the hottest days so far this year so I should probably be sampling something lighter, say, a Hefeweizen. But I've got Hefeweizen on tap and usually have one each evening after I've done the chores in the yard.
The Three Philosophers is on the opposite end of the spectrum and it reminds me of the Baby's Bath Ale I made 11 years ago for the birth of our daughter. I've still got a couple of those left, largely because they were bottled 24 ounces at a time, they're high in alcohol and one (or even part of one) is all a guy needs every so often. The starting gravity of my Baby's Bath Ale was 1.110 with a finish gravity of 1.034, so it too is a mighty, mighty beer. There's nothing wrong with that but mighty beers are needed only on special occasions.
I'll save the Three Philosophers for one of those occasions, like for a frigid evening when the electricity is out because of an ice storm and am reading a good book beneath the soft glow of candlelight.