Quadrupel (another name is quad) is a top-fermented Trappist beer with a strength of 9-13%. This Belgian style is characterized by rich dark color with a red tint, full body, rich fruity bouquet, pleasant creamy texture.
Trappist beer quadrupel is brewed in 11 monasteries (6 Belgian, 2 Goddand and one each in Austria, France, Italy): each of these non-standard breweries boasts a rich history and its own traditions of producing a foamy drink.
History
“Quadrupel” translates as “quadruple”, but this does not mean that this beer is exactly four times stronger than more traditional examples. The most common (and plausible) version of the origin of the name says that once the barrels were marked with crosses, indicating the degree of foamy drink, and on the quadruple, as on the strongest, there were four of them.
Despite popular myths, this beer does not undergo a quadruple fermentation and does not contain a quarter portion of malt. Legendary strength is achieved through the use of sugar and high-alcohol-resistant Belgian yeast.
Moreover, despite belonging to the Trappist or monastery beer, the quadrupel is not at all a historical style. It appeared in 1991 in the brewery of Köningshoven Abbey in North Brabant. The local monks brewed exceptionally strong beer before, but it was then that they called their creation “quadrupel”, and to some extent the name became a trademark of the brewery.
Strictly speaking, the rest of the “quads” cannot be considered real, especially since strict style standards have not yet been defined. However, since the use of the brand is not prohibited, other manufacturers use it. Sometimes the quadrupel is called “abt” (abt), from the Dutch word “abbot”.
Style Description
Quadrupel beer belongs to the category of Belgian strong dark ales. The drink is very close to such varieties as imperial stout, barleywine, doppelbock. The taste is dominated by a malt profile, but sometimes a light hop bitterness is also felt, yeast gives spicy nuances, and caramel or Munich malt can also be included in the composition, giving the beer an additional depth of color and taste. Burnt notes are contrary to style standards, but toasted bread, molasses, dark fruits, chocolate, caramel, cloves, nuts are clearly felt. The finish is moderately sweet, increased strength gives a strong warming effect.
The style is made with Belgian yeast, Saaz or English hops. The grist necessarily includes pils and sugar, sometimes in the form of caramel syrup. The traditional recipe does not involve the use of spices (yeast gives the taste of spices), but this is not prohibited by the standards.
“Quads” are often bottled with yeast sediment and still “ripen” for several years.
How to drink quadrupel
Quadrupel, like other strong varieties, is not cooled, but served at room temperature – 12-15 ° C. This beer looks good in pot-bellied beer glasses with a thin stem (they also drink cherry lambics from them), especially since it is not recommended to drink it in standard half-liter portions due to its high strength.
In terms of alcohol content, the drink is closer to red wine than to beer, wine nuances are also felt in the taste. Quadrupel is good to eat with fried meat, hearty dishes, they can also be washed down with soft cheeses, meat pies, British puddings.
Famous brands
- La Trappe (the first and classic representative of the style);
- Four (Allagash Brewing);
- The Sixth Glass (Boulevard Brewing);
- Trappistes rochefort;
- Salvation (Russian River Brewing);
- Three Philosophers (Ommegang Brewery);
- Abt 12 (St. Bernardus Brouwerij) и др.
