Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

De Backer in Massemen interpreting the old strong dark trappist style ales we now refer to as 'quadrupel' for lack of a better word - in this case seemingly following the classic Belgians (Chimay Bleu, Rochefort 10 etc.) rather than the Dutch La Trappe variant, which actually coined the 'quadrupel' term; steinie bottle from the Carrefour supermarket in Sint-Denijs-Westrem. Pale greyish off-white, tiny-bubbled and dense, even creamy, shred-lacing, medium thick, partially opening head on an initially clear, dark chocolate brown robe with ruddy-bronze glow, misty with sediment. Aroma of toffee, even a bit of milk chocolate, dark honey, raisin bread, medlar, plum jam, dark candi sugar, pear, date, clove, ruby port, background hints of beef stock, wood glue, Poire William, dry liquorice, wet brown bread crust, canned tomato soup. Sweet onset but not too sticky and certainly okay for the intended style, dried plums, candied dates, pear and raisins, some light baked banana, moderate carbonation with smooth yet full body. Brown-bready and toffeeish dark maltiness fills the middle phase, with side notes of caramel, toast and even slight chocolate - the toasty element becoming stronger in the finish and providing malt bitterness rather than sweetness, but not to the extent that it becomes all Scotch- or Christmas ale-like (the residual sugars take care of that, but do it discreetly, contrary to many other beers in this style). Phenolic elements of clove, nutmeg and bayleaf are added retronasally, while something very lightly solventy (varnish) seems to briefly linger in the background - as does a 'meaty' protein aspect best compared with beef stock. Deep earthy hops provide a dim but important bitterness as bready yeastiness gets increasingly heated by 'jenever'-like alcohol - just a tad too much in the end, with tiring and astringent effect, even though a more attractive port-like element appears as well (and probably will become more outspoken as the beer ages). As well hidden as the alcohol was orthonasally, so present it becomes retronasally and in actual flavour - alas, but otherwise this is a fine quad for sure, ticking all the boxes without the addition of any unnecessary ingredients. Technically more than decent, flavour-wise finding a good balance between sweet and bitter and moreish - just a tad too boozy in the very end. Recommendable if you are into this type of beers, just do not expect anything close to Westvleteren 12 or Rochefort 10.

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

22/VII/24 - 33cl bottle from Carrefour supermarket (Oostakker), shared @ BBQ at Cybu’s, BB: 3/III/26 (2024-574)

Clear dark brown beer, big solid creamy beige head, stable, adhesive, leaving a nice lacing in the glass. Aroma: a bit oxidized, honey, caramel, some chocolate, yeasty, banana, alcohol. MF: ok carbon, medium to full body. Taste: alcohol, yeasty, pretty roasted, more alcohol, banana, malty, some chocolate, esters, alcohol. Aftertaste: more alcohol burn, soft roast, some chocolate, caramel, yeasty, ok.

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Dark brown colour, beige foam. Nose of roasted malts, fruity hints, brown sugar, even some chocolate. Nice quadrupel.

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Kerstbier Festival. Very dark brown beer with a beige lacing. Aroma of dark spicy malt, anis, cardamon. Taste of dark sweet chocolate malt, caramel, speculatius, cardamon.

@Brouwers in het bos 2022