AHS Belgian Trappist Ale / Quadrupel (18E) - ALL GRAIN Homebrew Ingredient Kit

This Belgian Quadrupel is simply outstanding. It has a big, bold, taste, but not too strong and not overwhelming. It's a sippin' beer, not a drinking beer.

Outstanding beer. By far the best beer I've made and one of the best I've drank. I've held tastings up against some of the top rated quads in the world. Overall this was rated as a close second only to Rochefort 10. It easily man-handled St. Bernardus 12 and Chimay Blue. Beware this will completely ruin any inferior quads. St. Arnold's DR13 is a freakin joke compared to this beer. This will be the first recipe that I will make again, which says a lot because I consider myself too adventurous to make the same thing twice. But I gotta have more.

Bill S. I have been brewing beer since college, 35 years ago. Quadrupel is a very good beer, stated by some who sampled it as "the best beer I have ever tasted, you should sell it." The slightly sweet, vaguely caramel taste which ends with a typical Belgian hint of alcohol and sour is among the most interesting, complex flavors I have encountered in a beer. It is suggested that it be aged a long while and I have no doubt that it would improve with time like a good wine. Regrettably, it was too tempting and had too many rave reviews from my friends, prompting other friends to come over to try it. It is among the top ten beers I have ever brewed, and ranked #1 by some tasters. The slightly sour hint of alcohol at finish knocks it off top spot for me, though.

My first home brewing attempt. I figured I just go for the big beers straight away. Everything went very smoothly, it took 2 days to start fermenting, maybe I didn't aerate the yeast enough. Final product finished out at 9.5% ABV. The recipe says wait 3 weeks for bottle conditioning, well I couldn't wait, and I just cracked my first one after 1 week. Very delicious, deep bronze in color, very complex flavor and aroma, that I imagine will be just getting better and better with age. Kind of reminds me of Unibroue 17.

I bottled this on 4.30.9. I was lucky enough to have a 2 litre growler on hand and it has kept very well for over a year. I double-pitched the Wyeast liquid option and aerated simply by shaking the carboy; I highly reccommend making a starter for this recipe. The finished brew was dark in color with very little head. The taste is sweet, with a bit of alcohol detection in the aftertaste. I think it has a typical Belgianny sour aftertaste, but my friends with whom I drank this with both disagree. The taste is sweet, but I think this is probably due to my poor yeast preparation. All in all a very delicious kit which can keep for quite some time and still have a robust flavor. Very warming on a cold winter's night.