Straffe Hendrik Xmas Blend Barrel Age Quadruple Blend

Posted on by Evan

I have been to Brewer De Haan Man in Bruges, Belgium. They produce Straffe Hendrik, and this particular beer is the Xmas Blend Barrel-Aged Quadruple, which is 11% ABV. This beer is only available at Christmas time in 750ml bottles. This quad is bottled fermented and aged in American or French oak, either a whiskey, rum, or Bordeaux, and Calvados. They also use young quadruple ale as well as barrel-aged beer. This quad pours brown with a one-finger cream beige head. That head sticks to the top of the beer like a creamy film. The aroma is of vanilla, sweetness, and it’s boozy. The flavor is sweet, vanilla, booze, and light nutty flavors. This has a full-bodied mouthfeel. Then this beer finishes with a rich vanilla and boozy flavor. The aftertaste is light, with sweet vanilla notes that do linger for a while. This Xmas Blend is a delicious beer that gets an A+. It is 11% ABV, but that is not really reflected in the flavor. I would highly recommend this to you. It has a good, strong flavor without being too overpowering. This would be a great addition to any holiday party. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Trappist Rocheford 10

Posted on by Evan

Trappist Rocheford 1o from Rocheford, Belgium, imported by Merchant DuVin of Washington State is a Quad or Quadruple ale. This beer is 11.2% ABV. I think this is the strongest beer in the Rocheford lineup. This Ale pours a deep brown/chestnut with a three-finger beige slow-fading head. The aroma is sweet, licorice, light chocolate, and rich. The flavor is sweet, smooth rich, licorice, and slightly boozy/alcohol. The booziness is masked somewhat by this beer’s richness. This has a fuller mouthfeel. Then it has a sweet, smooth, and rich finish. The aftertaste is very light chocolate, but it does end with a smoothness. This is one of the best Belgian Quads. Trappist Rocheford is an A+ and one you should not miss out on. PLease stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Abby St. Sixtus Westvleteren 12

Posted on by Evan

I bought this Quadrupel ale, Westvleteren 12 at the Abby St. Sixtus gift shop in the Abby restaurant. I was on a Belgian Beer Me tour in Westvleteren, Belgium. I have previously reviewed the Dubbel and Blonde beer from them as well. This beer is 10.2% ABV. This quad pours a rich dark brown with a two-finger creamy beige head. The head is prolonged to dissipate. The aroma is dark, rich, and sweet. It has a dark candy aroma. The flavor is rich, dark, sweet (licorice), smooth, strong, and light-boozy. This has a cream and medium feeling in the mouth. The smooth finish of this beer is rich and sweet. There is a little cocoa note. The aftertaste is lightly sweet but smooth with a faint bitterness. This is an excellent quadrupel ale, that is an A+. It has everything you’d expect in a quad in a very delicious manner. I would not pass on this beer if you ever come across it or any Westvleteren beers. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Trappist Zundert 10 Jubileum

Posted on by Evan

This Quadruple ale is 10 Jubileum from Trappist Zundert in Zundert Netherlands. This is a Trappist brewery where monks brew beer. This 10th-anniversary beer is only for purchase at Zundert’s gift shop. However you can purchase their beer here in the United States, they are imported by Murchent DuVin. I had Zundert’s quad while touring the Belgian Trappist breweries with Belgian Beer Me! tours. I think this iteration of their quad is just cellared longer than the regular quad, but I could not find any information. This quad pours a dark/deep brown with a one-finger beige head. The aroma is coffee-like, dark, malty, licorice, and full. The flavor is coffee-like (light on the coffee), dark, malty, and licorice, with a light smokey note in the back of the mouth. The regular quad had more of a pronounced smokey note than this. The mouthfeel has a fuller feel. This quad finishes with a full-body, malty, and dark finish. The aftertaste is of malty licorice. Zundert 10 Jubileum is very good, with an A+. Something that you should have if you are in Zundert’s neighborhood. It is a smoother version of an excellent Quadrupel Ale. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Trappistes Rocheford 10 Belgian Ale

Posted on by Evan

This Belgian Quad or Quadruple Ale is 10 from Trappistes Rocheford in Rocheford, Belgium. This Belgian Ale is 11.2% ABV. Brewed by Trappist monks, this ale pours a deep brown/chestnut color with a slow two-finger beige head. The aroma is dark, rich, a little boozy, and sweet. The flavor is dark, sweet, rich, smooth, and alcoholic. There are some licorice notes too. This has a full mouthfeel. Then this quad comes to a dark, sweet, molasses-like finish. The aftertaste is semi-sweet. Somehow the sweetness falls a bit. The aftertaste is rich and boozy. This is good, I think this Quadruple Ale is a B+. It is not as good as Chimay or St. Bernadus Quad. I recommend this one and compare it to others of that style. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

St. Bernardus ABT 12

Posted on by Evan

This is ABT 12 from St. Bernardus Brewery. This is the last out of their mixed six-pack. This is a quadruple, coming in at 10% ABV. This beer would be great with rich beef dishes. I suggest a good pastrami or corned beef/Rubin sandwich. You can also pair this with blue cheese/Roquefort. This ABT 12 would be an unexpected pleasure with some chocolate. This quad beer pours a deep brown/burgundy color with a two-finger beige head. The aroma is of dark fruits like raisins, dates, and plums. There are sweetness and malt aromas. The taste is of plums, dates, and raisins. The flavor is strong, sweet, smooth, and malted. This beer has a full feeling in the mouth. Then ABT 12 finishes with a smooth, sweet, and malted flavor. The aftertaste is smooth, and somewhat sweet from the dark fruits. St. Bernardus ABT 12 is an A. This is nearly as good as Chimay’s Quadruple Ale. That is probably the best, and ABT 12 is a close second. I do recommend this beer! Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Brouwerij St. Bernardus Christmas Ale

Posted on by Evan

Christmas is coming soon, and it might be too early for a Christmas beer. But here is St. Bernardus Christmas Ale. This beer is produced by Brouwerij St. Bernardus in Watuo, Belgium. This Christmas Quadruple ale is 10% ABV. St. Bernardus uses a unique yeast that dates back to 1946. The beer pours a dark brown color with a one-and-a-half-finger sticky beige head. The aroma is of Aniseed, dried fruits, sweetness, and light caramel. The flavor is on the rich side. The beer tastes sweet, dried fruits, boozy, roasted chestnuts, and hints of chocolate. This beer feels full in your mouth. This ale finishes with a little boozy, sweet, nutty, and light fruitiness. The aftertaste is semi-sweet and boozy with some light fruity and nut notes. This beer is tasty and sneaks up on you. Yes, it is on the boozy side. It does not feel strong on alcohol. St. Bernadues Christmas Ale is an A+. I highly recommend this one. It has no flaws and it is delicious. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Brouwerij Van Steenberge Gulden Draak 9000 Quadruple

Posted on by Evan

This beer, Gulden Draak 9000 Quadruple, is the last from the Brouwerij Van Steenberge mixed six-pack. This beer is a Belgian Quadruple Ale. This ale is 10.7% ABV. That is common for this type of ale. This beer pours a light brown/amber color with a two-and-a-half finger of beige head. The aroma is sweet, fruity (light cherry), and a little boozy. Overall its aroma is deep. The flavor is fruity, sweet, and malty. There is a light cherry and banana there. The mouthfeel is medium. Then this ale finishes with a sweet malt flavor. This ale also had dark fruit notes. The beer then comes to a semi-sweet aftertaste with some malty notes. This ale is a great beer, but it’s nearly as good as Chimay Quad. So I would say Gulden Drake 9000 Quadruple is an A. I can’t find anything terrible about this beer, but Chimay’s is better by just a little. Please stay safe, be kind to everyone, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Boulevard Brewing Co. The Sixth Glass Quadrupel Ale

Posted on by Evan

Boulevard Brewing Co. The Six Glass Quadrupel Ale, 10.2% ABV picked up from my local Total Wine comes from Kansas City, Missouri and is a Belgian Style Quadrupel Ale with 22 IBUs (International Bittering Units) pours a deep brown color with a one and a half beige head that slowly fizzes down to a nice halo giving you aromas of sweet dark fruits, plums and raisins with alcoholic boozy notes that takes you to the flavor of more dark fruit taste with a strong note of boozy alcohol with touches of sweetness coming through with a nice sweet boozy dark fruit finish and aftertaste of boozy dark fruits with a fuller mouthfeel. The Six Glass Quadrupel Ale is slightly thinner tasting than some other Belgian Quadrupel Ales, still a good one but I think there are better ones out there so I give Boulevard Brewing Co. The Six Glass Quadrupel Ale a B. The mouthfeel could have been a little fuller and there could have been more robustness in the dark fruits but not a bad Belgian style Quad. Something that I would recommend? Yes, this is one that you should try, it nice to see how an American craft version of a Belgian Quad stacks up to a real Belgian Quad, and it to okay but not better. Cheers! please enjoy responsibly!

Throwback Thursday: Brewery Ommegang Three Philosophers Quadrupel Ale

Posted on by Evan

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Belgian Ales are the best-tasting beers, in my opinion. I love them all each one of the different Belgian beer styles is great. Some I like more than others but that isn’t to say that others are bad. Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown N.Y. is partly Belgian; they are part of the Duel family of fine ales. They brew Three Philosophers Quadrupel Ale, 9.7% ABV. Three Philosophers is a blend of Ommegang Quadrupel ale and Liefmans Kriek. So that is 98% Ale and 2% ale with cherries added. Three Philosophers pours a deep rich copper brown color with a beige two finger head that leaves nice lacing behind but not a lot of lacing. The aroma is sweet with candied sugar and dark fruits. Three Philosophers has a rather richer taste but none too rich, there is a nice sweetness with dark cherry and a hint of faint caramel. This is like most good Quads, and how one should be. But the taste and the flavors don’t wow me though. That might hold it back just a bit. The mouthfeel is more towards the fuller side but not overly full and Three Philosophers has a nice smooth sweet dark fruit finish and almost the same aftertaste but with a lingering raisin note. I think that is ale is pretty good, but I have had better. Don’t worry I am not saying that Three Philosophers is bad. I say that it is a B grade Belgian Quad. Yes, I have had better one brewed in Belgium, but those are the best in the world compare to this Ommegang, which is no slouch. I would recommend this one because it’s not as strong taste in the alcohol department, nor is it overly strong. I would have this again for those to reasons. So go try Ommegang Three Philosophers Quadrupel Ale. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!