La Trappe Quadrupel

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

Surprising that this fine quad, a trappist from the Netherlands no less is one of my new favorites. I found a site online where one guy rated all of the trappists and his scores for the Achel and LaTrappe beers were very low. I feel this is a very refined quad and holds it’s own with not only the Chimay Grand Reserve and St Bernardus Abt 12, but also the Roche 10. Now I can’t wait to find a bottle of Achel Extra Bruin! As for the beer itself, it’s an indulgence in taste and mouthfeel while keeping a classic profile... the sugars, the yeast, the body all excell.

On tap. Orange/brown with thin off-white head. Smells of raisin and toasted malt. Taste is much the same. Fairly sweeter than I was expecting.

750, corked and baled. Just pulled this off the shelf at regular price, so it can’t even be a year old yet. So this is just a control rating, not a "real" rating of this beer when it’s at the peak of its powers.
Pours a lovely glowing dark brown with a nice moussy dark tan head. No shortage of lace. Big fruity toffee nose. Nice medium body with attractive tiny-bubbled carb. Fruity, bready, toffee-like and somewhat vinous notes angle for prominence on the mid-palate. Long dry crackery finish.
This is some wonderful beer, but everything about it, from the rather forward sweetness to the hints of twang near the finish, lead me to believe that this would massively benefit from a few years in the dark. That would probably turn it into a world-beater.

Another great Trappist. Hot but balanced with sweet and spice. All around a great beer.

burnt orange in color. Aromas of vanilla and apricot. Sweet vanilla taste, some banana and bubblegum notes. Very sweet sticky finish. Good stuff.

Bottle. Reddish colour with huge long lasting pale head. Aroma dominated by dried fruits plumes, dates and figs and some malty. Taste sweet and full again with notes of dried fruits. A very nice beer somewhat lighter than Rochefort or Westvleterns quads. Welcome to my top ten.

Bottle. Red amber color with a creamy lasting beige head. Yeasty aroma with sweet notes of cherries. Smooth carbonation. Flavor of sweet malts, raisins and some yeast, well hidden alcohol. Slides of your mouth and doesn’t actually leave a noteworthy aftertaste.

dark amber color with a ton of huge yeast chunks and a small white head. The aroma has a ton of the malty aromas with a bit of honey and cherries. The flavor is quite light with a bit of the bubblegum tripel taste.