Top three beers in these Belgian styles...

I think the La Trappe Quadrupel is unfairly compared with the Rochefort 10 and other strong dark beers. It is a completely different type of beer...and, of course, it is the Quadrupel...

 

Way too lazy to post 3, but since I have 11 of the beers you named in my cellar plus a ton more, I'll toss out my 2-cents. I'd also agree that categorizing some of these beers is not really useful.

BelgianIPA: Duvel Triple Hop (if you can get it fresh)...didn't care for Houblon Chouffe IPA although I've had it many times. A Little Sumpin' Wild is supposedly in this category, but I'm skeptical.
Belgian Strong Dark Ale: Rochefort 8, Gulden Draak.
Belgian Strong Pale Ale: Hoegaarden Grand Cru (yes they actually make a good beer)
Dubbel: Westy 8 by a long shot, but since you crossed them off, I'll say LA Trappe dubbel
Tripel: nothing to add...you listed my favs.
Quadrupel: Rochefort 10 (and Westy 12)...the rest really seem a step down to me (especially La Trappe).

 

Chimay blue and Red, Duvel, Rochefort 10, and since someone mentioned a domestic (Lagunitas) beer above, I've had GF Le Freak a few times and liked it quite a bit.

 

IIRC, Abt is Dutch for Abbot, a title held by the elected leader of many monasteries.

 

Generally, true.

Worth noting, though, that the tripel has a clear historical archetype: Westmalle, which premiered in 1931.

Fin du Monde and Karmeliet are very much new school tripels - creative, yes; traditional, no.

 

I feel like these cover all my moods for Belgian styles.

Saison Dupont
Orval
Westmalle Dubbel
Westmalle Tripel
Westvleteren 12

Rodenbach Grand Cru/Vintage
3F Golden Blend
Cantillon Lou Pepe Kriek

 

Belgian beers of these styles mentioned are so great by many of the Belgian brewers its splitting hairs many times as they are all so tasty. American attempts are very hit and miss. One hit I recommend is Firestone Walker's Stickee Monkey (Belgian Quad...barrel aged). I really found that one exceptional, although its kinda hard to acquire in many places in US.

 

An often overlooked Belgian Tripel that was extremely good was by Halen Breweries out of Belgium. I see this everywhere in big bottles in Maryland stores for around $10-$12. Hardly anyone on BA seems to be finding this one or rating it with the minimal ratings/ticks over last 3 years. Kinda strange, why would it be so prevalent in central MD and not very prevalent in rest of US (a Belgian brewer) but if you see it on the shelf in your store I'd highly recommend a try.

 

Definitely. They seem to get overshadowed by Maudite and their pale offerings, but these two are some of the best BSDAs in the game

 

While limited and seasonal? I feel Bitter Monk deserves mention as an BIPA. To round out the list, I would have Orval, Westmalle Tripel and Rochefort 10. Assume we aren't talking sours

 

Yes- and with breweries like St. Bernardus the 'titles' (or 'ranks') of the beers ascend with the gravity: Pater (Father)--> Prior--> Abbot

 

OP about summed up my list. Nothing to add. Some great choices on there.

 

Triples - Allagash Curieux, Valdieu Triple, Westmalle.

Quads - Rochfort 10, Pannepot, Valdieu Grand Crue

Wits - Allagash White

Saison - Dupont

Flanders Red - The Duchess

Wild Card - Orval

 

Based solely on my personal ratings:

BIPA - Three Floyds Live a Rich Life, Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor, Struise Svea
BSDA - Cuvee Van De Keizer Blauw, Delerium Noel, Chimay
BSPA - Duvel, Flanders Fred, Brooklyn Local 1
Dubbel - Achel 8, St. Bernardus 8, La Trappe Dubbel
Tripel - Straffe Hendrik Tripel, Le Trou Du Diable La Buteuse, Goose Island Ogden
Quad - Pannepot, Pannepeut, La Trappe Quad (Oak Aged)

 

Well, for me the main point is: Where does the category system come from?
I've nothing aigant the classification systems of beer cultures. In their native countries and their natural enviroments, terms like Kölsch, Helles, Destika,Lambic, Kellerbier, Tripel,or yes in an american context IPA and APA and such, make perfect sense. But trying to impose a strict, new labelling system where there already is one which is very specific and very usefull(czech beer), or trying to impose one on a culture where certain beers just are in a league of their own and the brewers celebrate that uniqueness by making their own terms (belgian beer)(think of terms like ardense tripel for LaChouffe or dark tripel for Gulden Draak) is, in my opinion, simply ignorant (we know your culture better than you natives, and our way of classyfying is better and more precise than yours)......and to me still the worst is trying to make sense from the classic styles of Franconia and the Oberpfalz and trying to find a logic in their terminology, while their logic is very much a world on its own.
When I see,for instance, that in some english articles the terms "Zoigl" and "Kellerbier" are used as if those where the same thing, it hurts my head and my heart.

 

You NEED to try Anchorage's Bitter Monk. It's labeled a Belgian IPA on this site, but it's its own style. I'd consider it a Barrel-Aged Belgian Double Brett IPA. It is phenomenal. And if it can be considered a Belgian IPA, then it's the only one in that style I've ever remotely liked.

 

No comment on the first style (i'm not a huge fan), but you nailed the rest, in my opinion

 

I won't get bogged down in questioning the style definitions, and play along with the OP. I'm seeing a lot of good stuff I agree with, but haven't yet seen 3 breweries I'll mention which I think are really pushing the envelope in Belgium today: De Dochter van de Korenaar, Brasserie de la Senne and Troubadour. If you get a chance to try some of their beers, don't pass it up!

Belgian IPA: De Dochter van de Korenaar - Extase; Troubadour Magma; Duvel Triple Hop

Belgian Strong Dark Ale: Pannepot; De Dochter van de Korenaar - Embrasse; Chimay Blue

Belgian Pale Ale: Duvel; Brasserie de la Senne - Zinnebir; Brasserie de la Senne - Taras Boulba

Dubbel: Westmalle Dubbel; Lupulus Dubbel; Chimay Red

Tripel: Westmalle Tripel; Triple Karmeliet; Straffe Hendrik Tripel

Quadrupel: Westvleteren 12 (sorry, but if there is indeed a quadruple style, I simply don't think you can discount this beer from it. It is in my and many, many other people's opinions by far the best in its class. Also, it's becoming increasingly available everywhere in Europe and online shops, hence also through trading, not nearly as scarce as it was even a year or two ago.); St. Bernardus 12; Rochefort 10

 

For BSDA my top two are Maudite and De Dolle Oerbier.