I was a little stuck as to which beer to include as the ‘big gun’ for this pack. The natural choice would be a Belgian Christmas Beer, but I only has Delirium Noel and Struise Tsjeeses on hand, and we’ve included these in the recent past.
The beer needs to be big, rich and delicious, so while a few of you have probably had this beer before, I’m guessing you won’t mind having it again. And if you haven’t yet had the pleasure, you should look forward to sitting and sipping this beer as it evolves once opened.
Initially sweet with ripe dark fruits like plums, raisins and cherries, there is a thick dark malt body with more than a hint of dark chocolate in the slight roasty notes and enough hop bitterness and yeast character to prevent it from being cloying.
Take your time and let this beer open right up as it warms, it would be a shame to drink this too cold and too quick. And the gently warming glow you’ll feel is the only indication to the big alcohol of this beer.
Beer Fact : the term 'Quadrupel' is an American introduction to the beer language, and not one readily adopted by the old school Belgian brewers. When first entering the market in September 2010, this beer was the first Belgian beer to include the term 'quadruple' in its name.
A big Belgian Quad aged in red wine barrels, then transferred to Sauternes white wine barrels for a further year
A bold, strong dark ale edging toward a quadrupel style beer
by L’Abbaye Notre-Dame de Scourmont
The classic strong dark Trappist ale from the Chimay Trappist Monastery
A Boreft Festival beer from last year, this is a Belgian style quadruple with South American Tonka Beans
De Molen's 'Beautiful & Ruthless' is part quadruple part imperial stout
A delicious bourbon barrel aged quadrupel, made for De Molens Boreft Festival
by Brouwerij Emelisse/Slot-Oostende
The winter seasonal from Emelisse is an ABT/quadrupel. Each year they add a different ingredient - for 2015 they've added English liquorice
The quadrupel/ABT beer from the newest Trappist Monastery from Austria.
The new addition to the Gulden Draak label - a rich and boozy quadruple
A beer dedicated to the original brewmaster, the Gulden Draak Quadrupel has been aged in whiskey barrels
An award winning quad that kick-started the commercial brewing careers of two twin brothers
Formerly known as 'Kasteel Winter', this quadruple stands alone from the traditional Belgian Christmas beers relying on Belgian chocolate and coffee, rather than herbs and spices
The crown in the Kasteel beer range is their Cuvee du Chateau
A rich and boozy quadrupel, featuring Alvinne's Morpheus house yeast
by Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven
The top of the tree from Dutch Trappist Monastery La Trappe
A big-hitting Belgian quadrupel is the introduction to this Belgian brewing collective
by Brasserie Artisinale Millevertus
A big, rich and smooth Belgian quadrupel style, just the thing for a cool night by the fireplace
More like a traditional quadrupel than the Pannepot; brewed for the Dutch market.
One of the best Belgian beers you'll ever taste - so much flavour it's impossible to describe.
A Belgian quadruped brewed with Costa Rican coffee beans
Voted Belgium's 'Best Hobby Beer 2011', no in full-blown production
The grandfather of Trappist strong dark ales - does it get any better than this?
The showpiece quadrupel of the St Bernardus Brewery - as close to Westvleteren 12 as you can get without the real thing.
A bigBelgian Quad from one of Belgium's old family breweries - what's not to like!
The sister-beer to Pannepot, this quadrupel was first made for the Danish market
A dark blond quadrupel that has been aged in both St Emilion wine barrels and Kentucky Bourbon barrels
A delicious dark quadruple aged for three years in Woodford Reserve Bourbon barrels
A big Belgian quadruped aged in Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels for two years
A big mouthful of flavour with this fiery quadruple, brewed in the La Trappe Monastery by one of Belgium's leading female brewers.
by Brasserie du l'Abbeye du Val-Dieu
A big, tasty quadrupel from the Val-Dieu abbey brewery
A delicious Belgian quadruped, aged in oak barrels with the addition of some port wine
by Trappistenbrouwerij De Kievit
Th second beer from the second Dutch Trappist Monastery is a rich Belgian quad of 10%
Dubbel style beer brewed with 6 different malts and Saaz hops for a unique bitterness.
The 'house beer' of Brugse - a delicious Belgian Blond ale from De Halve Maan brewery
An abbey style Belgian Tripel from Bruges De Halve Maan brewery
The Strafe Hendrik Tripel is refermented with a wild Brettanomyces yeast
The Straffe Hendrik Tripel which has been refermented with a wild Brettanomyces yeast strain
Once a year the Straffe Hendrik Tripel is bottle fermented with a wild Brettanomyces yeast strain
