I have a 37.5 cl bottle that came from a friendly Belgian retailer very early in the year, just now getting it out to try. For this event I am using the Trappistes Rochefort glass, my favorite for quadrupels. The arrival is a cola-colored liquid with a creamy head of sepia foam that departs promptly. The scent is full of ripe, dark fruit, some grain and a bit of booziness. The taste is good, but a distance from the best in the style. Figs, baked bread, a hint of caramel, raisins and straw. The alcohol is apparent, as is a bit of bitterness at the finish.

21 August 2021. At Gents Bierfestival. Cheers to Anke, Kevin, Jerre & the Ghent beer crew! Hazy brown, small, foamy, tan head. Aroma of plum, raisin, red apple, toffee, wood, brioche, sugared green tea, pepper, brown rum. Taste has sweet plum, raisin, pear & apple in a toffee-malty, syrupy body with herbal notes. Herbal & peppery hoppy finish, light woody tannins in a 'wet' way, lingering dried fruit, syrup and expected rum-like alcohol. Medium body, oily texture, average carbonation. Quite elegant actually, so worth seeking out.

One of the newest in this series - and to think I even missed out on a few - consisting of barrel aged quadrupels, this time on rum barrels. Pale yellowish beige, moussy, medium thick head lacing in shreds over a cloudy caramel brown beer with ruddy-bronze hue. Aroma of hard caramel, apple peel, brown rum indeed but fairly subtle, bubblegum, ground hazelnuts, brown bread, walnut, clove, 'Koetjesreep'. Sweetish onset, banana mixed with some fig and medlar, medium carbonated; slight 'bubblegumminess' lingering over a caramelly and brown-bready malt body with slightly nutty edges that become more prominent in the finish, light woody tannins setting in at that time as well with that typical vanilla-ish oak touch retronasally. These effects remain relatively subtle, though, and so does the sweet rum effect, adding less booziness than I was expecting. Dried plum, tea and clove impressions lingering on, with a herbal hop bitterishness balancing the bready and caramelly maltiness. Most of these barrel aged Préaris Grand Cru editions keep it proportionally simple and subdued as far as the effects of the barrel are concerned and this one is no different - but I think I would have enjoyed it less if the rum booziness had been more outspoken. Ages well too, no doubt. Now on the hunt for those few editions I missed...

21/VIII/21 - 37.5cl bottle @ Gents Bierfestival (Gent), BB: n/a (2021-934)

Clear red brown beer, big creamy off-white head, stable, bit adhesive. Aroma: nice stuff, sweet impression, banana, caramel, bit sweet, soft roast, some alcohol. MF: ok carbon, medium to full body. Taste: sweet start, ripe bananas, caramel, more banana, some chocolate, sugary, alcohol. Aftertaste: little oxidized, fruity, dried fruits, chocolate, a bit sugary, more alcohol.