Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel
Brouwerij De Halve Maan

The beer pours out into a Duvel glass a nice dark mahogany color with a 1/2" fluffy tan head and lots of lacing. Sipping creates patches and legs of lacing, some of which cling to the glass While the head recedes fairly soon there is a persistent layer of foam on the surface throughout the beer and is enough to create sheets of foam when sipping.

The aromas include dark orchard fruits similar to plum, prune and dark cherry. There's also a bit of raisin along with a touch of spices and what seems to be a bit of dark chocolate.

The flavors are much as expected from the nose. e.g., the dark fruits, along with a touch of spice but with a bit of black pepper in there as well. In the background there's the light touch of chocolate and a bit of dark molasses. The alcohol is well concealed in this beer so while there's a warming effect there's no burn.

The mouth feel is on the full side of medium bodied and has a light touch of carbonation. The finish is relatively long and begins as the fruit flavors recede to allow the touch of, chocolate, black pepper and dark molasses to emerge. Eventually the finish just fades away leaving some dryness in the back of the upper palate.

Overall this seems a well made beer and an excellent example of the style. There's a complex set of flavors and aromas coming and going throughout the beer. It's nicely drinkable and the complexity invites another sip to try and sort out all that's going on here. I'm pleased that I've three more in the basement to try out a bit of aging with this beer.

 

Quite a unique Quad.
Very tight carbonation with a nice tongue tingling sparkle.
A cloudy dark bronze color.
Smells like a Belgian beer.
A small tan head formed from the pour, but faded fast to a nice little raft.
The finish is nice and dry, not sweet at all.
The 11% is well hidden in this brew.
Overall, it's really good.
I didn't know it was the first Quad to be produced when I bought it, but that's a very interesting aspect to this beer.
I'll definitely get this one again.

Bottle I bought at the brewery in Bruges. Pours a thick, rich dark brown color. Notes of coffee, caramel, dark fruits and bourbon. The 11% is well hidden IMO. Lots of plum, raisin, toffee and warming spices with a hint of banana. This is a solid quad but I have had many better. Slightly disappointed.

 

Way too much hops. Probably really good when cellared for a year or two.

Pours a reddish brown with ample, fluffy tan head and lots of lacing. The aroma is plums, bananas, and good old fashioned heat. I apologize on my ratings if the smell is a little simplistic but I’m seemingly allergic to everything at this point and my olfactory senses don’t work as well as others. My sense of taste does: banana, plum, pear, alcohol, a faint hint of nuttiness, and spice. It does hide the 11% ABV very well and is on point for the style, but not quite as sweet as most and that ain’t a bad thing. The drink by fate is June 2028 and a nice brew to sip on a rainy night in Bogota, Colombia, cheers!

 

BB 25-03-2027
11.2 oz bottle

a: pours brown garnet. thick frothy 2 1/2 finger light khaki head. nice lacing.
s: light notes of caramel, dark fruit (plum), alcohol
t: dark fruit (plums, raisin), light caramel, a dash of spice
m: light, silky. very soft carbonation. touch oily on the finish
o: A delightful quad. Perfect for an evening of pondering.

 

 

 

 

Copenhagen 19/8 2017. 75 cl bottle from Den Belgiske Ølbutik in Vanløse. Moody Moon on the label.

Pours clear dark brown with a red tinge and and fluffy off-white head. Settles as solid 3 cm thick layer of dense foam. Massive lacing.

Aroma is sweet but somewhat subdued due to the solid but beautiful layer of foam. Brown sugar, hints of fruit - pear and banana - quite light odor for a quite heavy beer.

Soft carbonation and thick oily palate.

Flavor is quite sweet and sugary followed by light to medium bitterness. Aftertaste is sweet brown sugar with light bitter touch.

Elegant Quadrupel which manages to hide the humongous ABV pretty much away and taste pretty good at the same time.

 

Best By Date: 2-21-27

A - Nice deep burgundy, brown colored pour with some frothy caramel, creamy lacing resting on top.

S - Lightly toasted toffee, some dark fruit, and some light spice.

T - Some dark fruit, dates, figs, prunes, spice, and ends on the sweeter side with some lingering dark fruit and spice.

M - Medium body that's silky and a tad frothy around the edges.

O - Subtle but yet elegant.

Deep mahogany liquid with an out of this world head, dense and extremely tall and long lasting. sticky foam lace all over the glass. Taste and smell of hazelnuts and malts. Well balance of sweetness and dryness. One of the best Quads I've had up til now.

Cellar temperature pour into tulip-ish glass after 6 mile morning run. Probably warmer than I prefer as cellar is running warm these days.

Pours dark brown with plenty of pillowy head. Nose full of caramel and sugared almonds.

Taste matches the nose. Malty goodness more appropriate for Autumn but still great on a hot summer morning. Hops are nowhere to be found. Neither is the 11% alcohol. I appreciate both in an ale like this.

Great brew that I will be revisiting in November.

Bottle 0.33L.
Brown /chestnut body with reddish nuances; large, creamy, tan head, mostly lasting with nice lacing.
Moderate-to-heavy malty (caramel) aroma with notes of dark fruits, cherries, raisins, spices and some alcohol.
Moderate-to-heavy sweet and light-to-moderate bitter flavour; some acidic note in the finish, together with some alcoholic warming.
Medium body with oily texture; soft carbonation.