Straffe Hendrik Heritage
Brouwerij De Halve Maan

Straffe Hendrik HeritageStraffe Hendrik Heritage
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From:
Brouwerij De Halve Maan
 
Belgium
Style:
Quadrupel (Quad)
Ranked #11
ABV:
11%
Score:
95
Ranked #1,439
Avg:
4.3 | pDev: 8.37%
Reviews:
58
Ratings:
227
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 07, 2024
Added:
Aug 07, 2012
Wants:
  48
Gots:
  73
Oak Aged version of Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel

Heritage is a special version of the well-known Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel that has matured in oak barrels of various origins. The strong dark quadrupel beer is aged for a year in barrels in the medieval cellars of the brewery, giving the beer a unique taste development.

Depending on the origin of the barrel, this maturation will also develop different aromas. New wood of American and French origin is used, as well as reused barrels from the Whiskey, Rum Bordeaux and Calvados region.

Every year, the brewers select a unique master blend based on the different matured beers, and their evolution. Each of the barrels has its own maturation process, which means that the master blend will also differ from year to year. This leads to a unique and powerful provision beer, which, thanks to the refermentation in the bottle, will have an even longer taste evolution in the bottle.


The tannins from the barrels come in harmony with the rich notes of the special malts in the beer. In combination with the subtle taste of the wood aging, the typical spiciness and bitterness of the quadrupel is appears again.

Over the years, typical aging flavors will develop from the Maderization and Portorization of the beer. Straffe Hendrik Heritage has a shelf life of at least 10 years, since it is properly stored in the cellar: stable temperatures, and as little light or vibrations as possible.

This beer is produced in limited quantities, with special numbered bottles that are packed in a wooden box.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by JOldewurtel:
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Rated by JOldewurtel from Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Jun 19, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.1 by Duncian from Pennsylvania

Mar 07, 2024
 
Rated: 3.62 by RayCannata from Louisiana

Feb 06, 2024
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Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
750ml bottle into a teku. 2016 vintage, bottle # 37880.

Looks decent, reddish brown body, small bubbly head quickly disappears. Seems well carbonated, no lacing. Aroma is malty, dark fruit. On tasting, carbonation confirmed, rum barrel apparent, fairly sweet, dark fruit, mouth watering. Finish is a delight, that's where the succession of plum, prune, raisin notes really come through. Abv is well hidden, just a pleasant warming in the throat and chest. Worth the money.
Nov 10, 2023
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Reviewed by FLima from Brazil

4.26/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottle 24551 heritage 2020. Brown color with a thin beige head.
Aroma with notes of faint chocolate, dried fruit, wine, molasses and white pepper.
Flavor with notes of cocoa, raisins and other dried fruits, red wine, oak, spices, licorice, white pepper, leather and pear. Dry and bitter aftertaste.
Full body with carbonation with tiny bubbles. Alcohol of 11% is very well disguised.
Complex Belgian Strong Dark Ale balancing well spices, hops and dark fruits. A lot of red wine nuances from its oak. I felt this to be better than their regular non-aged version.
Jul 04, 2023
 
Rated: 4.41 by mdaschaf from Indiana

Dec 25, 2022
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Reviewed by EmperorBevis from England

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
750ml bottle at the bottle share part of the Manchester Home Brewers meeting for February at Cafe Beermoth
candied peels, dark sugars, not heavy but by no means flimsy
Feb 21, 2022
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Reviewed by Bierschenker from Belgium

4.31/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 2 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Gift from a friend who was working at the Antwerp Beer Festival. Was a few years ago, with COVID and all that. I had put it in my cellar and rediscovered it about an hour ago. Hope it hasn't gone bad.
2016 vintage (rum oak-aged). Bottle no. 29516. Poured from 750 mL bottle into my usual tumbler.
While pouring an enourmous head developed. Wild carbonation eats away at the head, leaving 1/3 of my pint glass filled with beer.
While filling the glass again, no head was created, nor is there any lacing.
Carbonation is really strong, audible even.
Colour is a deep dark-red.
Scent is unique and a lot is going on: moisty oak wood/moldy walnuts, rum, Spanish red wine, rich marmelade, pear, pineapple, peach.
Wow, flavour explosion! The rum is clearly present: caramel and strong alcohol. Moldy wood is always present.
Reasonable carbonation on the tongue. Mouthfeel overall is thick and slightly siropy. Honey sweetness with warm alcohol glow.
Aftertaste is fruity and vinous with a kick in the end: rum, red wine, peach and some sour berries with a herbal peppery finish (Grana Padano cheese and butter backed mushrooms).

Wow again. Quite some time since I last had a quadruppel. But this one sure makes me want more.
Jan 24, 2022
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Reviewed by Cramshawbar from Canada (ON)

3.83/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
I got my hands on the 2018 version of this.
The head quickly dissipates and we are left with a chalice full of dark copper/brown goodness. Maybe. Let's taste this. The nose is of dried fruit, mostly figs, herbs, along with rum. All of this also translates into the sip I am holding in my mouth. The carbonation is light. It has a bit of Flemish Red flavour. Nice, certainly, but not close to being my favourite in this style.
Aug 28, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by mmilyko from Nevada

Apr 11, 2021
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Reviewed by LeBron_James from Canada (ON)

4.31/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Bottled in 2016. Was a hard find but the best quadrupel I've had.
Look is similar to the regular except more reddish in hue. Partially due to the age of the beer I think.
The smell on this is a lot more interesting than the standard Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel which is very cool to see. A LOT of fruity notes going on here and I can already tell this is barrel aged. Kind of like a rum barrel with some spice to it maybe. Smells complex, very inviting.
This beer tastes very good. A lot of dried dark fruit notes and the oak barrel with the rum is amazing. It tastes a lot more like a rum than a bourbon barrel which is interesting, shows that a lot of barrel character is here. Super pleasant drink.
The mouthfeel is about the same as the regular quadrupel. Medium bodied with low-medium carbonation.
Overall this beer is a GREAT representative of the Belgian Quadrupel style. Amazing beer if you find it you should try it.
Feb 23, 2021
 
Rated: 3.6 by RochefortChris from North Carolina

Jan 23, 2021
 
Rated: 4.09 by DvdP from Netherlands

Dec 08, 2020
 
Rated: 4.3 by smithj4 from New York

Dec 01, 2020
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Reviewed by mwilbur from Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2016 vintage (rum oak-aged). Bottle no. 38564. Poured from 750 mL bottle into snifter.
A: Pours a clear ruby hue with 1 inch light tan bubbly head with decent retention.
S: Rum, caramel malt, dried fruit, red wine, and a subtle nutty note.
T: Lovely blend of sweet rum, red wine, cognac, dried red fruit, cherries, toasted oak, dark caramel, and subtle spice and nutty notes. A nice step up from the aroma.
M: Light-medium body. Delicate and smooth feel. Fruit, malt, and vinous sweetness. ABV is very well hidden.
D: Layered, balanced, and complex. Barrel aging and blending leads to a wonderful early winter sipper.
Nov 22, 2020
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Reviewed by BlackBeerPirate from Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Taste: complex, dark fruit, licorice, brown bread, spicy earthy notes, malty, woody boozy finish. Same with the nose. Dark Brown hue, semi clear, Nice refine cake foam, and nice lace. Medium/full body. Went well with the cheese we had.
Oct 29, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by BdM from Netherlands

Oct 03, 2020
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Reviewed by kitch from Hong Kong

4.38/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A 750ml corked and caged bottle, bottle no. 22214, 2015 vintage, and with a best before date of end of 2026. Poured into a Chimay goblet glass.

Appearance: A hazy dark amber brown colour with an almost two finger creamy beige head that dissipated fairly quickly but settled to a rapidly replenishing thin layer over the top while leaving some nice lacing.

Aroma: Plum, prunes, apple, oak, with notes of cherry, red berries, and brandy.

Taste: Dark fruit, plum, prunes, oak, boozy, brandy, caramel, toffee, apple, with notes of red berries.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium to full bodied, light to moderate carbonation, and a warming finish.

Overall: Very nice complex flavours and the Armagnac barrel matched well with this Quad. I haven’t tried many barrel aged Quads, but this definitely makes me want to try more.
Aug 28, 2020
 
Rated: 4.29 by arzt from Germany

Jul 17, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by paulish from New York

May 21, 2020
Straffe Hendrik Heritage from Brouwerij De Halve Maan
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 227 ratings