La Trappe Quadrupel

Brewed by De Koningshoeven (Bavaria - Netherlands)
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Berkel-Enschot, Netherlands

Serve in Trappist glass

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Definitely strong, but the alcohol is well masked. Not quite as well balanced as I would like. Still above average, but not what you’d expect from a Trappist.

unsuccessful attempt of a westy 12. Had the typical chocolate/fruit/yeast taste, but it didnt come together like it should have....not bad though.

Nice reddish brown. Not a lot of carbonation, compared to the great Belgians. Aroma is qquite nice, with some dry fruit notes. The first sip was sort of thin. Not the big body I expected. It fills out a little as you drink it, with a nice full aftertaste and mouthfeel in the finish. The flavour is good with some more fruit like plum or raisin. I found the alcohol to be quite noticeable.

UPDATED: JUN 18, 2006 Awesome beer! Dark reddish brown. Very carbonated. Tastes flowery and spicy like any trappist ale should. Highly recommended. Even my girlfriend loves this beer! ***Re-rate: The previous rating was based on the older version of the beer. The "Koeningshoeven" version is excellent as well but lacks some of the alcohol and spice the previous version had and adds more sweetness. Still a great and HIGHLY recommended beer but not as mighty as it once was.

***Re-rate 750mL bottle - corked and caged. Numbering on the back is 13:13K24.5. Not sure what that means though. This is the first time this beer has been back in the Tidewater area in years. I was quite shocked to see it actually. Dark coppery brown with a small dense foamy white head. Nose is very malty and fruit laden. Pleasant spicy notes, flowers, candyish aromas and light bitterness. Taste is malty and sweet with caramel and candied fruit notes, light spices, Belgian yeasts, flowers, and light alcohol. Mouthfeel is medium-full with lots of carbonation tingling the palate. Finishes with more sweet malts, candied fruits, Belgian yeast, spices and light alcohol notes. As I noted before, this isn’t as "grand" as I remember it being, say, 10 years ago, but it is still quite good.

dissapointing overall, must have been stale (was in one of those gift cans with the other 3)

big body, low carbs and easily drank. alcohol is very well hidden.

makes my eyes droop, lacks the carbonation that turns me off to most belgian styles, sweet and strong like a russian mail order bride

UPDATED: SEP 13, 2004 I am fully convinced that someone put carrot juice in my bottle instead of beer. . . i will have to try this again, must be an acquired taste. Rerate. Finally gave it a second chance. Much better appreciation for it this time around. Aroma is actually quite pleasant, full of bosch pears. Not sweet, just crisp pear aroma mixed in with some slight alcohol notes. Flavor has some pear flavor, but also sweetens much towards the middle offering some raisin flavor. The alcohol is high, but quite tasty and this beer is not astringent. I still dont think this has quite the complexity of better trappist ales, and Im not sure if Im in to the acidity level in this, that is quite high. Decent carbonation level and less than average sediment.

UPDATED: JUL 8, 2011 2011-01-07, vintage 2000/2001, 10 years old, bb 2004-09, batch 14:38K03I1, 7-5-8-3-16=39
Brown color; medium sized head. The aroma is mild, but also perfumy and fruity, with caramel. It has a good caramel flavor and malt, with decent residual sweetness, well balanced by some bitterness and a light, sweet nutty touch. Smooth and elegant vintage, very enjoyable.

2009-06-17, draught at Monk’s Café - Wallingatan, Stockholm, 7-4-7-3-13=34
Bright amber color, creamy head, nice lace. Malty aroma, lightly fruity (apples, and this is not a good sign). Medium body, sweetish caramel flavor. The bitterness is surpassed by the alcohol warmth; the final is a bit fruity too. Boozey.

2002-07-07, bottle, vintage 2000-2001, 7-4-7-3-14=35
Amber-brown colour, misty. Nice malt aroma in the beginning, with porto notes; but later the aroma becomes poorer. Strong body, sweet and malty; the alcohol is quite hidden, but the mouth is too sweet; also the palate is not enough balanced with bitterness, and the hop aroma is quite poor. Getting warmer, it develops a deeper caramel character, evidentiating mostly in the palate. Pleasant, but nothing to be compared with a real trappist ale.

Good beer all around. The Quadrupels get you hammered to say the least. Taste is good but nothing super unique or complicated.