On a recent excursion to Total Wine in search of new craft beers, I walked by an intriguing label with cartoonish features and an obvious homage to baseball, namely 3 Bagger from Red Brick Brewing Company.  Previously I have enjoyed Laughing Skulls and other beers from Red Brick, so I quickly pounced on a 4-pack of 3 Bagger.

Seeing as how this is a baseball site and we support craft beer, I thought it might be fun to evaluate this beverage similarly to how we scout prospects.  Using the traditional 20-80 scouting scale adapted to established categories for judging beer, Mrs. NatsGM and I had two separate tastings to thoroughly evaluate this beer.  Below are our grades and a few thoughts on this Belgium Tripel.

1)            Marketing and Presentation

NatsGM – 70      –  Mrs. NatsGM – 75

Immediately one notices the cartoon character on the label, a man somehow wearing an oak barrel for a baseball uniform as he seemingly is rounding the bases.  The artistic detail with the character is excellent, down to the cleats and stirrups he wears on his feet and the RB for Red Brick on his baseball helmet.  Hands down, my favorite part is the massive gold chain with a large “3” medallion.

In addition, their tag line hypes this beer better than any professional wrestling promo, stating – “this is named for the 3 Bagger – the true team player, the go-getter, the unabashed risk-taker, the one who knows when to stretch something good into something even better.  Call it experience, call it skill or call it pure animal instinct, the three-bagger knows when his time has come and rises to the occasion.” While I will not put the elite “80” grade on it, it is difficult to imagine a company doing better marketing or presenting their product.

2)            Appearance and Aroma

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3 Bagger looks beautiful poured into a pint glass, with a light golden amber color and excellent clarity, along with a medium, thick white head.  Additionally the beer has a crisp, pleasant aroma, with some subtle hints of wild flowers and citrus fruits.

3)            Flavor / Taste

NatsGM – 50      –  Mrs. NatsGM – 35

The divergence in opinion is strong here, as Mrs. NatsGM struggled to finish her beer, yet I happily imbibed like Barney Gumble on Duff Beer.  3 Bagger has a very distinct flavor even for a Belgium Tripel, as one can immediately taste the effect the rum barrel oak chips have on the final product.  It possesses a hint of malts, vanilla and oak flavors, along with a spicy almost gingerbread aftertaste.   It overwhelmed Mrs. NatsGM’s taste buds, but I found it a nice change-of-pace.

4)            Overall

NatsGM – 55      –  Mrs. NatsGM – 40

Overall I was quite impressed with this brew, as I traditionally favor hoppy IPAs over Belgium offerings, particularly Tripels.  It certainly possesses a distinct taste, as it has the impressive flavor normally associated with a Tripel plus sharp hints of the oak and rum chips from its aging.

If you enjoy this style of beer and your palate is up for the challenge, there are few negatives associated with 3 Bagger.  It has a strong 9.5% ABV and is on the higher end of the pricing scale for craft beers, selling for $9.99 per 4-pack.  That said the combination of quality taste, flavor, labeling and overall presentation makes this a worthwhile purchase.  Considering the holidays are approaching, keep 3 Bagger in mind if you are seeking a unique gift for a baseball fan (of legal age) or want to bring an obvious conversation-starter to any party.

http://www.redbrickbrewing.com/beer/3bagger/