Rating:

“One of the worlds top rated Quad’s. A sweet and malty beer with rich flavours of caramel, dried fruit, vanilla and spices.”

Served in a Trappist chalice. We’re met with a deep mahogany hue with a thin and wispy overlay. Quick reduction, eventually settling to a lonely island in the middle. Laced fairly well though.
The nose is thick, chewy and sweet – more like a really good dubbel with its decadent caramel and toffee overtones. It has a nice dank cellar room scent to it like it hasn’t seen the light of day since…I don’t know…maybe 2014 perhaps?! Some yeasty notes poking through, a bit of spice, dark jammy fruits and faint booze. Superb!
The mouth feel is incredible. Luxurious, full bodied and sticky as it slides down the throat. Hardly any harsh warmth from the 10% ABV present. Low Co2. Wow this is one dangerously palatable drop.
The class carries in to the flavour with a good impression of moreish caramel, toffee and dark fruits on the front. Loving the subtle rye spice that works in to the mild oak notes, really giving it that aged red wine tannin. A hint of booze opening up as it warms, finishing on a lengthy dark fruit note that offers a touch of dryness on the rear.
Excellent drop. Really hard pressed to find any faults here. It’s super sweet but not cloying. It is thick, chewy and full in the mouth and finishes with a well balanced flavour. Just an impeccably constructed beer.

Rating:

“Urthel Samaranth 12 Quadrium Ale is a malty, full-bodied special Ale, brewed in a way that only Belgian Brewers can. Huge mouthfeel and layers and levels of flavor make Urthel Samaranth the perfect beer for the end of a meal or at the finish of a special day. And when you want something different, Urthel Samaranth 12 Quadrium Ale is with its fine bitterness, definitely something different… Try it! First brewed at Van Steenberge, now brewed at Koningshoeven – La Trappe brewery.”

Served in a Trappist tulip. Urthel pours an elegant burgundy hue with a finger and a half of lightly tanned foam topping it off. The head eventually peels back to a collar with patches of lace left in its wake.
Oh man this smells divine! It has a classic Belgian Quad aroma packed full of toffee, raisin, brown sugar, maple syrup, plum jam, port, clove and crushed red grapes. It is literally layer after layer of this beautiful stuff. It’s almost unfathomable to realise the ABV of this seductive drop is 11.5%, it’s hardly even noticeable on the nose. Incredible!
The mouth feel is big, creamy and borderline edible. The full bodied, well carbonated and viscous texture is almost like eating a booze fuelled Christmas cake. Absolutely delish!
The flavour is complex, well layered and super sweet with hints of port, esters and raisins at the forefront. There’s a short and intense burst of juicy cherries, red grapes and plum before a subtle warmth from the booze is introduced. The intensity is raised up another notch as toffee, candied dark fruits and spice round out and settle in on the back palate.
Super impressive drop. The only downside is that we don’t have another six waiting in the fridge. She’s rich, sweet and elegant and no we’re not talking about a woman….Although this Quad most definitely has the ability to satisfy ones desires! A must for any Quadrupel fan.

Rating:

“Give in to the Prince of Darkness and drown your senses with this wickedly assertive ale. Rich, strong and complex, this is a bold beer for special occasions and a devil-may-care spirit.”

Served in a wide rimmed Trappist tulip. The deep mahogany pour is capped with a finger of tanned foam that slowly peels off and settles to a fine overlay. Not a great deal of lace but some spotty patches are left on the glass as we imbibe. Instantly the olfactory’s are filled with a decadent and super sweet concoction of raisins, fruity yeast esters, candy sugars, banana bread, toffee apple and sweet plummy accents. The 12% ABV conceivably shows up on the nose but no where near the strength it actually weighs in at. As it comes up to room temperature those gorgeous toffee and caramelized malt aromas begin to take shape, adding an extra complexity to this already superb aroma. The beer is quite thick and chewy in the mouth – it has a kind of velvety viscosity. Co2 is kept low, the body is medium-full and the 12% ABV is well behaved. Surprisingly pleasant for a beer its size. A delicious blend of banana bread, fortified wine, fig jam, treacle and ginger snaps pick up a sharp alcohol burn through the mid. The flavour appears to do a full 180 as the booze carries in to rich toffee and dark fruits as it punctuates with a strong estery finish that endures well on the back palate. Clearly the brewers at Holgate possess a remarkable knack of brewing this extremely difficult style of Belgian Abbey beer. Their Double Trouble along with this seasonal Quad are bang on and would surely get the nod of approval from any learned Belgian Monastic brewer. Top shelf stuff here from Holgate.

Rating:

”Do you know what dwells in a glass?” asks Ole, in Hans Christian Andersen’sThe Watchman of the Tower. Better known for stories such as The Little Mermaid, Andersen wrote this short, cautionary tale for a somewhat older audience. Our quadrupel ale, also meant for the mature connoisseur, is a deep and mysterious libation, dark auburn and full-bodied, its sweetness deceptive. As Ole describes the glasses in turn, their contents become more ominous until, in the sixth glass…”

Uncaged, uncorked and then served in to a wide rimmed tulip. The murky chestnut pour is complimented by a frothy two finger crown that retains brilliantly. As it ebbs a succession of wavy lace is left clinging to the glass. Exploding out of the glass are rich and complex aromas of banana bread, toffee, caramel, brown sugar, honeycomb, raisin, figs, clove and a subtle rum scent to top it all off. Outstanding! The fact that they are able to cram in so much character is one thing but to be able to have each and every character uniting like one harmonious hegemony is mind blowing. The sheer complexity and brilliance of this aroma simply has to be experienced to understand. So good! In the mouth it’s silky smooth and dangerously drinkable. We say dangerously because she weighs in at 10.5% ABV and it’s quite well masked. Co2 is spot on as it provides a slight tickle. Again, right on the money. A well rounded sweetness meets the taste buds as a spiky alcohol warmth along with stewed dark fruits shoot straight down through the middle. Subtle hints of candy sugar and port dabble around the mid palate as its lead in to a super complex finish with lingering hints of booze-soaked oranges, spice, raisin, plummy notes and boiled candy on the rear. Geez we tell you what this American brewery really has the Belgian Trappist style of brewing dialed in. Between the Long Strange Tripel and this there isn’t a whole lot that differs between them and the monastic brews they’re emulating. Very impressive drop here.

Rating:

“Trois Pistoles (Three Coins) is named after a small village of Quebec. Founded over 300 years ago, Trois Pistoles gave birth to several legends, including one about the Black Horse. It involved a local bishop who conjured up a good devil (appearing in the form of bridled black steed) to haul large brick stones to construct a new church. When someone accidentally removed the bridle, the black horse suddenly vanished just as the last remaining stone was to be set. This stone is still missing, as can be seen when visiting the local church.”

Served in a wide-rimmed chalice. The deep mahogany pour whips up a substantial but rapidly desolving head that settles to a halo with minimal lace clinging to the glass as it ebbs. The aroma is really complex and rich in dark malts and sweetness. There isn’t really one dominant scent, just a multitude of luscious layers of caramel, ginger bread, rum, toffee, chocolate, fig and nougat. There is an interesting sharpness, or acidity if we can call it that, similar to a pomegranate tartness but sweeter like glazed cherries. To sum up it smells like an alcoholic black forest cake in our glass. Just divine. For such a moreish aroma the mouth feel is actually quite light and approachable. The body is medium with a well contained warmth from the alcohol (9%). A slightly higher than usual carbonation adds another unique trait to this Quad. Drinks surprisingly well. The front palate is uber sweet. Tonnes of sweet malts, Belgian candy sugars, cherry and raisin with a spicy and warming rum accent in support. As it flows through the mid we get a slightly doughy flavour. Ginger bread maybe? Earthy fig and hints of banana runts present before it’s punctuated by an extremely sweet, yet malty finish that really goes the distance on the rear palate. Complexity is the name of the game here. Layers of rich malts, Belgian yeast and earthy hops all fuse together to produce this brilliant and extremely intricate Quadrupel. These French-Canadian brewers could easily rival any Belgian Abbey brewery with this. Delicious, we really liked it.

Rating:

“Bright and bold, the Trappist brewers who inspired this style of ale might marvel at the aromatic hints of citrus, resinous cedar and tropical fruit that flow from this special brew. Belgian-style fermentation and impressive American hops make this light bodied ale intense, inviting and entirely unique. Enjoy Hoppy Quad and Taste Victory!”

Uncaged, uncorked then served in to a beer tulip. Straight off the bat this Quad is already unique as we’ve never seen one pour a slightly hazy golden amber hue before. A healthy two finger head forms but recedes to a thick sheet as it draws coral-like lace down the walls of the glass. Blindfold us and we’d be sure we had a glass full of hop-charged IPA under our noses. Booze-fuelled notes of dank resinous hops and juicy citrus fruits like lime, grapefruit and orange all come gushing out of the glass. A reasonable pinch of pepper and aniseed and a sweet scent of candy sugar and it successfully reminds us of a good Belgian IPA. A Belgian Quad though? Not really. For a drop of its size (13% ABV) it actually has quite a smooth texture to it. The alcohol burn certainly provides a stinging heat but the progression down the throat is effortless and pleasant. Co2 offers a good vibrancy with the body weighing in around the medium mark. Overall, a dynamic and energized mouth feel. The flavour of this peculiar beer is on par, if not better than the aroma. A clean, hoppy front palate hastily transfers into a fusion of slightly yeasty funk and estery pear/apple. An assertive bitterness tugs on the tongue as complex notes of mango and cedar are lit up by the burning alcohol through the mid. The finish is dry, bitter and slightly spicy with an encompassing warmth from the ABV. Woah! There’s that much happening here that we’ve literally forgotten about this being nothing like an actual Quadrupel. But it’s hard to pan a beer when it’s so bloody tasty! OK, it’s not true to style at all but she’s packed full of flavour, aroma and body and it’s down right delicious. Kudos, Victory.

Rating:

“The Reverend, was created in tribute to the life of our friend Tom Boogaard’s grandfather, an ordained Episcopal Reverend. Tom was inspired by the life of his grandfather and wanted to create a tribute beer that contained his sterling traits. True to the spirit and character of the departed Reverend, this beer is strong willed, assertive, and pure of heart. Our brewers included as many authentic imported Belgian specialty malts as they could, making this the perfect beer for folks who love malty beers and are ready to take the next step. A divinely complex and beautifully layered beer with hints of dark cherries, currants, and molasses, complimented by an underlying spiciness. Sinfully smooth considering the high alcohol content.”

Served in to a snifter glass. The murky chestnut hue is capped off by a tightly packed one and a half finger head that defiantly holds but eventually shrinks down to a thin sheet over the top. Laced reasonably well. The nose is brimming with rich, yeasty aromas. Banana bread, toffee, caramel, candy sugar, ripe cherries and fig are jumping out of the glass. Quite a robust syrupy character as strong wafts of honey and maple come through as well. In the background we pick up subtle wafts of peppery spice, pot pourri and just the faintest touch of honeycomb. The depth on this nose is simply amazing. Solid start to this Quad. In the mouth it’s surprisingly smooth. The texture is slightly chalky but what must be mentioned is how well they’ve masked the 10% ABV – hardly any heat on the palate whatsoever. The Co2 is mild and the body is about medium-full. Really nice overall feel. Upon entry we taste loads of sweet, dark fruits like raisin and dates. Candied banana, toffee apple, and a delicate alcohol warmth carries across the mid and ushers it all in to a malty sweet, almost tangy yeasty finish that endures well in to the next sip. This is a damn fine representation of the style. What we love the most is how the brewers have kept it traditional and have executed it perfectly! The question proposed now is La Trappe or Avery? Have the Americans beat the Belgians at their own game? Tough call, you decide. All we know is that this is a bloody brilliant Quad.

Rating:

We’ve been VERY interested in this ale for a long time now. We first bought it about 6 or 7 months ago and we’ve been carefully ageing it ever since. Considering it was brewed in 2010, our 6 month cellaring project probably doesn’t make a huge difference, but when you have to endure an extent of time before enjoying something, it always adds that little bit of extra excitement. Today is the day we crack it open!

Served in a wide-rimmed tulip. The dense black pour offers up a surprisingly carbonated body. Even though the appearance is blacker then the ace of spades, dozens of bubble streams are seen actively forming a thin head with a fizzy halo around the edges of the glass. Unfortunately it laced quite poorly. One whiff of this bad boy and we’re certain that we have a pungent brew here. Very complex notes of dates, carob, dusty, oak-aged port, dank cellar room, molasses, alcohol and ripened plums are totally mind blowing. There are probably half a dozen more scents in here but we just don’t have the senses to pick them up. Wow! So intricate. As we swoosh it around our mouths we enjoy a seriously rich and oily, but ultimately smooth texture. Zero harsh bitterness, medium carbonation and medium-full body. Kind of like sipping on a highly carbonated port. Very unique. Where do we start on this flavour? Our first few sips yield a very sweet, fermented plummy flavour. A rich caramelised sweetness really intensifies the plum and in turn creates a moreish hint of prunes/dates and/or figs. Around the mid is where the oak kicks in, slightly nullifying the extreme sugary sweetness. The 10% ABV is up to this point kept in check, but a delicate warmth does enter the fray, leading on to this extremely sweet and labyrinthine finish. Just as many flavours draw out to the back end as there are in the main flavour profile. Crazy! Let’s make one thing clear, this is not for the unadventurous beer drinker. The amount of depth and sheer complexity of this brew is remarkable. Prepare for an onslaught of the senses, this is some heavy shit. But you know what, we loved it!

Rating:

“The Belgian motto is “strength in union.” No phrase better describes three philosophers, which unites malty Belgian-style ale with imported Kriek, authentic Belgian cherry ale. Dark, mysterious cherry-chestnut colour. Pair with strong cheeses, desserts, or sip as an after dinner ale.”

Fresh off our review of their brilliant Dubbel, we thought we’d have a crack at their Quad. It was only after we bought the Dubbel that we learned that this brewery is, as the bottle states, “part of the Duvel family of fine Belgian ales.” So, really, how can you go wrong? Exactly the same type of bottle as the Dubbel – 750ml with a cage and cork – which we hastily disposed of. As it was a bit of a gusher we carefully poured, expecting a mountainous head to ensue….but we were dead wrong. The mahogany pour reveals a bright red hue but she looks as flat as a tack. Whatever head which had formed upon the pour disappeared before we could even put the bottle down. Visually appealing? Not so much. Off the nose we’re getting plenty of dark, tangy fruits such as cherry, plum and blood orange. The orange component certainly has a slight Cointreau-like astringency to it as it offers a stinging effect on the olfactory’s. Maybe a touch too medicinal for our liking though, the artificial aromas of cherry and raspberry kind of remind us of our younger years when our Mum used to force us to drink Dimetapp when we had the flu. A very subtle suggestion of chocolate/cocoa pulls the fruits back but it’s almost futile against the extreme sweetness. Can’t say that we’re big fans so far. In the mouth it’s well weighted with a chewy texture. Mild-medium carbonation and the body is about medium-full. Our palates aren’t well trained for, nor do we like Kriek but a sharp and almost phenolic injection of currants and bitter fruit initiates the flavour profile. Thankfully, this wanes and the more traditional Quad flavours like clove, treacle and molasses carry forward through the mid. The ABV (9.7%) develops quite late effectively bridging on to the fruity, sweet and ultimately complex finish. The arsenal of flavours that are lingering on the rear palate is amazing. Fig, toffee, molasses and cherry hang around for an eternity displaying excellent duration. Well, we’re glad we didn’t write this off too soon because we would have been sorely mistaken. As our palates warmed to this unique drop the more we like it, so good move to sell it in a big bottle because this beer isn’t one for a sprint. Trust us, pop it and slowly sip over an hour or two. The way it matures is exceptional. Way to come back!

Rating:

“The Star Trek geek in me inspired this beer. The classic episode, “The Trouble with Tribbles,” referenced a type of grain called quadrotriticale (pronounced “quádro-trítĭ-kay-lee”). As described in the episode, this was a high-yield, four-lobed grain hybrid of wheat and rye with a bluish color. The flaked triticale we used is a cross between rye and wheat and makes up about 10 percent of the grain bill in this Belgian-style quadrupel.”

If you were to check out the website these guys have it would be difficult not to be impressed. This kind of hyper-techno futuristic feel is continued on the label with a 3-d feel and a satanic head popping out. Really cool and definitely eye catching. Anyway, enough gawking over the bottle, let’s get drinking! Served in to a beer tulip. Quite an interesting appearance. We’re first amazed by the clarity that cuts through this brilliant copper body. Capping it off is a creamy 1 finger head that gradually peels off and retains as a fine layer over the top. Lacing is minimal, streaky at best. The feature grain in this brew is the ‘Triticale grain’ which is an ingredient we’ve never come across before. The description on the bottle, plus a quick bit of research confirms that it is a hybrid grain between wheat and rye. Armed with this knowledge it is still very hard to pick up any wheat/rye spiciness over the rich yeasty notes but it does come through. But what is a quad without those sweet, raisiny overtones? Both are in abundance with a good backing of toffee, plums, alcohol, prunes, fig, caramelised pears and brown sugar. Brilliant! In the mouth it’s surprisingly smooth considering the ABV (9.3%). Certainly feeling a hint of warmth on the sides of the tongue though. Carbonation is low. Body is about medium with minimal grip on its way down. On entry we get a rich toffee flavour with that slight alcohol warmth we mentioned before…but somewhat softened by the sweet candy sugars and Cointreau-like tangy orange. As it progresses through the mid a touch of spice is developed, leading on to a rich, liqueurish finish. Nicely drawn out on to the back end where a lingering taste of artificial fruits endures between sips. It’s elegant, full flavoured and a well represented Quad. A real tip of the hat to the Belgian Abbey brewers. We think they’ve done a sterling job, we wouldn’t begin to imagine how hard it would be to successfully put a spin on a recipe that has been largely unchanged for centuries. Decent beer from an excellent brewery.

Rating:

Over the years there has been a really respectable progression from this brewery. Beginning with simple beers such as the blanc and the pilsner. The creative flare started to shine through with brews such as the white IPA and the imperial stout. Which leads us to this brand new release of complex, special addition beers such as this rum barrel aged quad and the sauvignon Tripel (Which we will be reviewing soon).

Loving the cage and cork. Very regal. Once it was uncorked we served it in to a beer tulip. Our eyes fix upon this deep tawny/mahogany pour. Gorgeous ruby red hues are highlighted when held against the light. On top sits a tightly held and compacted cappuccino head that maintains well, omitting wavy lacing as we imbibe. This aroma is something that has to be experienced to believe. Absolutely amazing complexity and depth on offer as a firm bretty sourness is the first to excite the olfactory’s. Coming through strongly behind are firm wafts of oak, vanilla and dank cellar room. There is a certain dark fruity element to it too which kind of resembles red wine. Rum does creep in but it also has a slight raisiny, date-like character to it. Wow, this is the first quad of this kind. In the mouth it has a smooth texture with an outrageous sourness that forces the taste buds to produce extra saliva. Nothing unapproachable happening, it’s just sour, very sour. Moderately bodied. Upfront there is an explosion of lemony/bretty sourness on the tongue. Some muted flavours of vanilla and oak try to push through as it moves forward through the mid. As we near the finish the sourness finally eases up and allows a hint of rum to come through before it finishes dry and fruity. Thank heavens for a bit of duration as the dank, oaky and raisiny flavours finally come out. 9.3% ABV was actually quite well hidden. Well, if we were drinking a wild ale or a sour we’d be loving life, but considering this is a quadrupel we don’t know what to think. This heavy brettanomyces-ridden quad isn’t what we wanted. Very disappointing. Far from the quality this brewery normally produces.

Rating:

These types of beers are always tonnes of fun to review on. This quad is 2013’s cellar release which, if you were more patient (unlike us) you could age for up to 5 years. Incredible.

Served just below room temperature into a beer tulip, the mahogany brown pour constructed a two finger tan head that settles to a thin cap on top. Good head retention which is leaving some spotted lace trails clinging to the glass. The olfactory’s are instantly tantalized by rich and moreish wafts of caramel, spice, dark chocolate, cherry, pudding, brown sugar, dates and alcohol. So much character in here. In the mouth it’s well rounded and oily with mild-medium carbonation. Full bodied. Upfront the thick, viscous notes of Christmas cake, toffee and spice are heightened by a mild booze burn (11.3%) that carries through to the mid-palate. Remarkably, other than the slight hint of black coffee on the back end, the finish is a mirror image of the fore-flavour, but never does it seem uninteresting or one dimensional. In fact it gets better, and surprisingly easier to drink, developing a slight dryness to the back palate. Impressive, these Aussie brewers from Port Macquarie would easily gain the respect of any Belgian Trappist brewer. This is an outstanding quad. Top brew Waz.

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Well, what we have here is a Quad coming out of the only authentic Trappist brewery in Austria. Quite a milestone when you consider there are only 10 authentic Trappist breweries in the world. Other than Holland and Belgium, Austria is the only other European country that can carry the label. The only non-European brewery that carries the label comes from the USA.

Served in a beer tulip the murky dark brown pour produced a tight 1 finger beige head that slowly fades and settles to a fine layer over the top. Laced well. Really dense and viscous aroma here, it feels like you could cut it with a knife. Big syrupy notes of banana, honey, caramel, fig, dates, and brown sugar are somewhat thinned out by soft hints of spice, alcohol, pear and brine. So complex. Creamy, almost glutinous mouth feel with mild carbonation. Full bodied. Upfront it’s cloyingly sweet, almost vinegary as it’s showcasing sharp booze astringency (9.7% ABV) and an intricate malt profile to balance. The mid-palate offers up spicy overtones while dormant hints of treacle and honey move forward to deliver a rich, sticky finish with lingering chocolate on the back end. As far as complexity goes this quad is a winner, so many flavours crammed into one beer make this very quaffable but far from sessional. Shout out to Österreich you certainly deserve the Trappist label.

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To OL translated from Danish to English means ‘two beers’ and back in 2005 these two schoolboy fella’s (head brewers Tobias and Tore) couldn’t have had any one better to mentor them…..none other than their teacher, Mikkel Bjergso from the world famous Mikkeller brewery. Here we have another entry to the huge range of quality craft beers to come out of this brilliant Danish brewery.

Served in a tulip glass the murky light brown pour almost resembles dirty dish water. The 1 finger off white head retains quite well leaving some spotted lace trails clinging to our glass. The aroma is giving off a plethora of characters, mainly boozy and syrupy overtones are initially picked up but wafts of spice, caramel, prunes, brown sugar, port, raisin and dark fruit esters are also here to be enjoyed. In the mouth it feels quite creamy with low carbonation. Full bodied. Upfront it reminds us of a huge alcoholic fruit cake. Residual sugars, Belgian yeast, dates and spice greet the palate initially. A firm alcohol warmth is quite evident from beginning to finish and carries through the mid-palate and finishes with rich and complex flavours including raisin, toffee and port. A really astringent and syrupy quad but that’s exactly what we were after. 11.2% ABV assures that this beer is a one off and it should stay like that. Complex, rich and sweet. Beautiful representation of a quadrupel. These blokes definitely know how to brew a delicious beer.

Rating:

“Tall Hendrik Quadrupel, launched in 2010, can be described as a rich beer, intensely dark and resounding in taste”.

There’s always a lot to admire about a big, rich and complex Quad. Especially when it’s brewed to a strict Belgian family recipe for well over 150 years. We really like their strip too, there isn’t a great deal to it but it’s very distinguished and it certainly caught out eye. We served in a beer tulip as the murky brown pour produces a short compacted head that collapsed to a collar with average lacing. The aroma is rich, complex and syrupy with cloying sweetness. Molasses, nougat, carob, brown sugar, port, raisin, nuts, spice, vanilla and plum all work together to offer this complex and moreish aroma. Just mind blowing how unique and pungent this is. The mouth feel is creamy and full bodied with mild carbonation. The palate is simply amazing, displaying brilliant length to the back end. Each sip the flavour starts small and literally opens up on the palate. Molasses, caramel, vanilla, roasted malts, dried fruits, spice with a firm alcoholic warmth (11% ABV) are all amongst it. It’s like a big, alcoholic Christmas cake in liquid form. It’s amazing how the Belgians cram so much flavour and complexity in to a beer without muddling any of it up. One is definitely enough but it just has to be consumed to understand. Excellent quad here, Belgium….we love you.

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Now we’re talking! An authentic Trappist product here, and much like the other nine Trappist abbey breweries it comes with a rich history that dates back to 1881 when the Trappists initially occupied the monastery. The monks quickly realized that the profits from farming alone were not enough to keep the monastery going so they decided to start brewing and selling Trappist beer in 1884. We love a good piece of history.

On with the review. We poured this corker into a tulip glass and the appearance shows a deep, cloudy copper orange with a fizzy 1 finger head that collapsed quickly to a collar with minimal lacing. Astringent, yet sweet fruity esters and alcohol invade the olfactory’s instantly. Complex hints of pear, banana, plums, raisin, candy sugars and a subtle peppery spice together are just blessings to the nose. Absolutely gorgeous aroma. Medium-high carbonation with a glutinous mouth feel. Rich and complex palate. Initially we picked up a sharp alcoholic astringency from the 10% ABV. A hint of dark fruits, treacle and raisin develop and move forward through the mid. A sweet candy/sugary flavour forms and leads to a long spicy finish with a well drawn out muddled fruit sweetness. Classy stuff, extremely sweet throughout the beer but our hats are off to these Dutch masters of brewing. Brilliant quadrupel.

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“The legend says the gilded dragon first featured on the prow of the ship with which the Norwegian king Sigrid Magnusson left on a crusade in 1111. He offered the statue to the emperor of Constantinople (the current Istanbul) to put it on the cupola of the Aya Sophia. Some hundred years later, the Flemish count Baldwin IX had the showpiece transported to our regions. Here, the Norwegian dragon ended up in the hands of Bruges. After the battle on the field of Beverhout in 1382, the inhabitants of Ghent took the dragon as war booty and put it on top of their Belfry. In the Belfry all communal charters were kept. The dragon had to protect these documents and it was also the symbol of the freedom and might of the city.”

Poured into a snifter glass. The appearance displays a deep amber that reveals attractive ruby red hues when held to the light. The big, bubbly two and a half finger head holds well but gradually reduces, leaving patchy lace trails down the glass. The aroma is boasting a rich Belgian yeastiness, fruit esters, clove, banana, plum, raisin, toffee and booze. Brilliant. Medium carbonation with low bitterness and a frothy mouth feel. Full bodied on the palate, it’s initially sweet with sugary fruits (dates, raisin) and a subtle alcoholic astringency. A doughy mid-palate is quickly overpowered by alcohol warmth and a yeasty, fruity back end. Slightly syrupy in the finish which we found to be the only downfall to this decent Belgian quad. 10.5% ABV is high but spot on when talking Belgian quadrupels. It’s no Trappist, but its still a quaffable Belgian beer. Delicious.

Rating:

“Strong brown ale inspired by the beer brewed by Belgian Trappist monks. Very little bitterness, this beer has intense malty and sweet flavours, mixed with the taste of chocolate and caramel. It presents complex red fruit and spice flavours due to the type of yeast that is used during the brewing process. This beer is at its best only after it has aged for six months. The Rigor Mortis are complex beers designed and brewed with patience and care in the tradition of the great Belgian Abbey beers.”

Here we are back again for another installment from these genius brewers of Brasserie Dieu du Ciel. Master brewers that also have some pretty wicked strips showcasing some intricate, and in this case sombre, artwork on their labels. Served in to a wide-rimmed snifter. The mahogany/brown pour generates a very fine head and struggles to retain any of it, disappearing completely and leaving it headless. Such complexity is on show here. Characteristically, the rich caramelised aromas of fruitcake, prunes, raisin and brown sugar are emanating strongly but it’s the spicy and doughy wafts of gingerbread, mulled wine, clove/star anise and toffee with lashings of alcohol flowing through that really give this Quad it’s depth. Super rich. In the mouth it’s surprisingly silky with medium-full body. Not overly heavy like some quad’s which is making it much easier to drink. Mildly carbonated. The taste buds are also treated to an elaborate profile of flavours with a fusion of dark malts, prunes, ripened plum and caramelised sugars with a shot of alcohol warmth injected in. As this assembly moves forward, the alcohol sting fades and a more toffee-like sweetness comes through. A short return of alcohol warmth develops just before a rich, slightly fruity and most of all malty finish provides hints of cherry ripe, sour dough and plum on the back palate. Woah! the complexity and sheer volume of flavour in this beer is exceptional. Never are the flavours tangled or confused either, they all work in tandem, beautifully! This is a beer that is probably better drunk after it’s been aged. Preferably 3-6 months. Although, probably still just as good fresh. Top shelf stuff again from these French-Canadian virtuoso’s.

Rating:

“Rochefort 10” begins with a density of 24.5º Plato and ultimately reaches 11.3% ABV. This lovely beer has to be drunk with measure! It is often called the “Marvelous.”

This is one of Belgium’s six Trappist breweries and it leaves only Westmalle and Westveleteren out of the six that we still haven’t tried. We’re keen as mustard to get in to this so let’s roll on with the review. Served in to a Snifter. This deep mahogany pour provides an extremely active amount of carbonation which streams up to form this fizzy one and a half finger cap. The head is retained quite well and gradually peels off, settling to a firm covering over the top. Not a great deal of lacing is to be omitted though. Our first whiff of this flings us back to our early days when we used to smash a 750ml bottle of straight bourbon at a party. The nose offers a firm waft of whiskey that is very well blended in to those rich Belgian yeasty aromas of doughy banana bread, raisins, prunes, brown sugar, toffee, cola and earthy fig. A timely reminder of how our palates have matured! In the mouth it’s lively carbonated, giving it a real light and bubbly texture. Good weight to it though, really bedding down on the tongue as it flows down with ease. Great balance. And it’s about now that we have to admit that we are gobsmacked at the ABV. How do they do it? How do you make an 11.3% beer drink like a 7% beer? Only these genius Trappist brewers know we guess. We can’t help but think of cherry cola as we take our first sip of this seriously complex quad. There is this sweet, syrupy fruitiness that offsets the earthy, almost tobacco-like flavour on entry. We are reminded of this ginormous ABV through the mid as it really warms the edges of the tongue. A viscous caramel/toffee element comes through which leads on to this spicy, yeasty finish. Brilliant. When the first timer comes begging for a world class Belgian Quadrupel this is the beer he should be passed. This is executed perfectly. It’s sweet, earthy, alcoholic and full flavoured. Top notch.