7.8

Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Belgian style quadrupel from a northern Dutch brewery primarily known for an endless series of imperial stout variants; 50 cc can from the Albert Heijn supermarket in Lokeren. Thick and fluffy, pale greyish beige, plaster-like lacing, breaking and thinning head on a misty deep chestnut brown robe with burgundy glow. Aroma of dry caramel, brown bread, slight toast, dried fig, prunes, ‘jenever’, baked banana, nutmeg, cocoa, almond, pecan nuts, clove, more earthy background hints of pepper, withered garden weeds and mud. Sweet, fruity onset, dried banana and fig with blue plum and blackberry coulis, slightly sourish around the edge, moderately carbonated; full, soft mouthfeel, toffeeish and sweetish brown-bready core, even very briefly chocolatey (chocolate crisps or cake), with the dried banana and raisin effects lingering, as well as clove- and nutmeg-like decorative phenols, all highlighted by ‘jenever’-like alcohol becoming ever so slightly astringent and tiring in the end – but still acceptable for the intended style. Toasty malt and leafy hop bitter flavours linger too, but not too strongly so – the overall effect remains one of a sweet, indulgent, boozy, warming, very Belgian strong dark ale, in the style of e.g. Brugse Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel, Sint-Bernardus Abt or Chimay Bleu. Very classically conceived in comparison with the often more ‘adventurous’ strong stout output we all know and love from this brewery, but also well executed and delivering. May revisit with some ageing on it.

8

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

Can at Joe's. Pours deep ruby, nose is caramel, berries, treacle, raisin, taste is similar, fruity, sugary.

8

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

Can from local AH XL supermarket. Color: Dark brown, going towards black. Mocha head. Aroma: Roasted malt, dark malt, raisins, caramel. Taste: Mix of roasted malt, dark malt, dark dried fruit, raisins, caramel, toffee, rye, hints of vanilla and coffee. Dense and smooth, almost creamy mouthfeel. Sweet but not too sweet. Light bitterness. Boozy hints. Nice complexity for a Quad.

8.5

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9

Blik 44cl thuis. Rozijn, pruim, dried fruits, erg zacht, liquorice, rogge, caramel, toffee, wat sinaasappel, kersenbonbon. (25-9-2024).

7

It’s okay For the style, but not classical, modernized to be sweeter and more American estery. Which would be okay but it’s a bit muddled. Guild box