First off, I have to comment on the bottle.  I have noted in the past that a beer, at times, may seem to taste better with correct application of ambiance.  The bottle does that for me.  Untwisting the wire clasp and popping the cork hyped up my anticipation.  It made me think, “this is going to be a good beer.”  The bigger brewery conglomerations have been applying this as a form of marketing with their “craft beers.”  Michelob’s Amber Bock is no longer twist off, but pry off.  I am sure Michelob hopes their consumers take notice and equate it with a micro-brew.

The scent of the beer was strong as I poured it into my goblet.  The color was a hazy, but not cloudy, dark chocolate color.  Digging my nose into the goblet, I caught whiffs of sweet malt, fruit, alcohol, wood, and a subtle mocha/coffee smell.  While I am far from developing my olfactory sensors, it was clear that this was a complex beer.

Three Philosophers entered and exited my mouth with suitable smoothness despite the fact that it was more carbonated than I had expected.  A burst of fruity sweetness and a malty bread flavor greeted my tongue, I suppose this came from the cherry lambic.  Several reviews I read picked up the sweetness in the washing down, not the initial flavor..maybe I am wrong, but I picked up on the sweetness first.  As I swished in my mouth a bit I picked up on a spice flavor and a strong alcoholic taste.  Not very winey.  As I washed it down, a bitter chocolate/coffee flavor wonderfully negated the initial sweetness.

This is definitely a sipping beer.  I think it would have tasted great with a nice rare steak or rack of lamb (mmmm…as if I could afford that).  If I were a teacher and Three Philospohers were my student, I think I might give him an A.  I’ll definielty by this beer again.  Not only did it deliver a uniqe and delicious flavor, it is pretty unexpensive.