We’ve had quite enough tripel for now, so we decided to move on to quads.  These are heavy enough that we’ll just do a few at a time.  So we started with a few of our favorites:

• La Trappe Quadrupel: The most commercial of the Trappist breweries (and the only one in the Netherlands).  This quad was actually on sale at our local grocery store last week (no Guinness here, even for St. Paddy’s).  It’s got a good CO2 bite up front, yielding to a nice malty sweetness.  A little toffee.  A very nice, well-rounded quad, with a lighter color than most.

• Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel: This beer was first brewed by De Haalve Maan in the early 80’s for the inauguration of a statue of St. Arnold (patron saint of brewers) in Bruges.  Sweet and creamy, with an herbal note that is almost like licorice (but not overpowering).  Reminds me of some of the sweeter Russian Imperial Stouts I’ve tasted.

• Westvleteren 12: Widely regarded as the best beer in the world.  It’s got a ton of sweetness with malt, candi sugar, and some fig. Also spicy, earthy, and a definite boozy kick. Packs the usual abbey aromatics. Since it’s such a pain to come by, I keep hoping this beer will disappoint me, but it hasn’t yet.

• St. Bernardus Abt 12: The former contract brewer of Westvleteren’s beers (before they brought them back in-house in ’92). I was definitely looking forward to trying this side-by-side with the Westy 12. Alas, our bottle was chipped, and the beer poured totally flat. Though I have to say this was the best spoiled beer I’ve ever had — with the candi sugar, caramel and a hint of vanilla. Really brings out how much of the beer experience depends on carbonation, since this was drinkable, but completely unrecognizable as a quad. We’ll definitely have to get another bottle for the next round.