La Trappe Quadrupel (Oak Aged) - Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.

decimator

Ontario (Canada)

4.68/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750ml bottle poured into a goblet. ABV 10%.

A - Poured a slightly opaque orange-gold colour with greenish tints near the edges. Big bubbly head reduced to surface bubbles. Some lacing.

S - Caramel, candy, herbs, spices, port, hint of booze. Smells really inviting.

T - Sweet, candy, caramel, dark fruit, hint of spice, oak, a bit of smokiness, a bit of booze. Complex yet well balanced flavour. For 10% ABV the booze is quite restrained.

M - Medium carbonation, medium-heavy body, some stickiness, a bit of burn, smooth and well balanced, crisp finish.

O - Wow this is good! Easy to drink for sure.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 04:02:35 | More by decimator

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-cloudy dark amber with a very thin cream colored head.

S-dark smokey caramel. Odd scent for a quad. I expect it's the oak aged aspect.

T-it comes in with a smokey, black peppercorn cracked taste of creamy caramel. Yeah, it's odd. After that comes a momentary flash of bitterness. The after-taste reminds me of a Belgian BBQ.

M-low creamy carbonation with a dry finish

O-this is an odd quad. Never had the regular version but I am anticipating it, I think it'll be a lot better. The smoke flavor to this beer isn't well received on my part. It's definitely a lot more drinkable though than a lot of other quads. It's very smooth. Wish it were a smaller bottle though.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 02:05:23 | More by AdamBear

Serge

Alberta (Canada)

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a murky dark hazelnut with a few ruby highlights, with a nice lasting off-white creamy head. Nose is molasses, prunes, dates, candi sugars, a little port, some alcohol. Taste is an initial light sweetness transitioning to quite a heavy sweetness in the middle and finish. Palate is medium to full, verging on the syrupy, yet with lively carbonation which makes it a joy to sip. More warming alcohol, stewed fruits, biscuity malt and cinnamon sugars in the long finish.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 04:53:31 | More by Serge

ToasterChef

Maine

3.85/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a bottle of batch 8, which is a mixture of 70% whiskey barrel aged quad, and 30% new French oak aged quad. I've poured my bottle into a Chimay chalice.

The beer is colored dark brown, with some plum-like highlights. It is translucent, which a modest head of pinkish foam. There was not pop when I removed the cork, which makes me think the beer will have low carbonation, but there appears to be a decent amount of bubbles within my glass. The foamy head did not last long, which is unfortunate.

There is a nice balance of whiskey and oak aromas coming off of this beer. Also present are some fruity malt aromas, mostly purple fruit, like plum.

The beer has really impressive, fruity flavor. The alcohol is well hidden and feel as though I'm drinking a glass of naturally sweetened juice. Flavors of red grape and strawberry are dominate. A sweeter flavor comes forward as I swallow; it's more like candi sugar than anything else. Aspects of the whiskey and oak are also present, but neither is too strong. But can definitely be tasted though.

The beer doesn't have as full of a body as I expected, but the carbonation is what I thought it would be (a little low). It isn't very sticky for a 10% beer, and any quad that doesn't coat your lips in a tacky film is impressive. Internally, there is a coat left behind that has some fruity flavors. Carbonation can be felt, and this is the slightest burn from the whiskey barrels, but overall it feels very good for a barrel aged quad.

I like this beer a lot. I find it to be very tasty. It's too bad it is so expensive, as it is one of the more enjoyable quads I've had lately. I'd love to buy a bunch of bottles, but I don't think it's in the budget. That's ok though. This will remain a treat to look forward to. This beer is recommended to any fan of Trappist beers or other Belgian ales.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 01:08:28 | More by ToasterChef

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to mindspin315 for this awesome extra! Thanks Jason!

Batch 8; C&C bottle poured into Duvel tulip.

small pop when cork came out of the bottle.

Appearance: murky brown bodied beer with small white floaties. 2 fingers of white head that drops quickly to a thin cap.

Smell: big sweet caramel note. A little bit fruity and even oddly enough smoky. Hint of mild dark fruits. Not what a quad traditional should smell like, but I still think the nose works.

Taste: Alot of sweet and smokey whiskey barrel notes in this Quad. Oak is pretty strong in this beer also. Some vanilla, caramel, and peat moss. A hint of dark fruits. This beer tastes just like it smells. The beer finishes smokey with a touch of fruity sweetness.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. Just a touch of sweet booze noted.

Overall: Really unique Quad. The barrel notes are really prominent in this beer; not quite to style as far as a Quad is concerned. Not as fruity as I would like to see this beer. I did like it though. I would say it going to get better with some age; those barrel notes need to mellow out a little bit.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 12:29:02 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

srhoadsy

Florida

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to my friend for this wonderfully interesting beer.

Poured into a large tulip. Has a lovely hazy brown color with a light colored quickly dissipating head.

Smells of vanilla, whiskey, burnt sugar and a hint of smoke.

Tastes match the smell along with the belgian yeast profile. Bananas, clove and just a touch of sour.

The body was the most interesting part of this beer, to me. It is medium to full bodied but also crisp like a sparkling wine or champagne. I noticed even after sitting, if I swirled the glass it would continue to effervesce.

I would definitely recommend this beer to others, especially fans of belgians. One of the more interesting beers I've tried recently.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 00:57:47 | More by srhoadsy

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch 8.

Beer is dark brown with some reddish hints. Small to medium sized off-white head. Dissipates fairly quickly, leaving a film.

Oak comes through nicely in the nose. Smells of burnt caramel. Whisky. Dark fruit behind- prune, fig.

Taste is very nice, much better than the regular version, which I find remarkably sweet. This is still a sweet beer, but it is nicely tempered by the oak. Flavours are like the smell. Oak, vanilla, dark fruit, caramel, whisky. A bit smoky. Aftertaste is where the whisky comes out most strongly. I don't know if the barrels were from an Islay whisky but I wouldn't be surprised.

Full bodied, moderate carbonation. Quite smooth.

Overall, very good. I think that the regular La Trappe Quad is a good beer, but overly sweet. This solves that problem. A really nice use of the barrel. Tasty.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 01:56:37 | More by jrenihan

BostonHops

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12.7oz corked bottle served in a snifter.
batch 8

pours a hazy deep amber / borderline mahogany tone while yielding a fairly short-lived 3/4" tan head; some swathes of lace evident. nose is both robust and interesting, offering a lot of the usual suspects one expects in a quad: dark fruit, beligian yeast, and a hint of caramel or toffee, but there are some oaky notes and a noticeable wallop of whiskey. i'm intrigued.

wow, flavor is something else. mostly follows the nose although with a stronger whiskey presence (whiskey here referring to scotch rather than bourbon, what with a distinct peat presence going on), almost as if a dash was added directly to the beer. very complex with dark fruit, caramel, belgian yeast, oak, and vanilla.

overall a decided winner - fantastic beer. my one real criticism (aside from the wallet hit) would probably be that the whiskey is almost *too* dialed it; i would prefer it scaled back just a bit. but the whiskey component is a unique, tasty twist on the style. not to be missed, especially for quad fans.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 01:54:26 | More by BostonHops

Mbrown44

Delaware

4.78/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Batch 6: Blend of Oak and White Wine Barrels
A: Pours a dark ruby color with a half inch head.

S: Huge port and sherry soaked dark fruits

T: The flavor resembles the aroma and is mixed with vanilla and oak. Sugar soaked plums come through as it warms.

M: Finishes creamy w/ a slight a alcohol burn.

O: So different than most quads but I wouldn't change anything

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 02:02:23 | More by Mbrown44

spdyfire83

Ireland

3.78/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

265th Review
37.5cl bottle to snifter
Batch No. 8

Enjoyed at Café Rose Red in Brugge while visiting in early June 2012.

A: Deep brown. 1.5 (mocha) fingernail head on gentle pour.

S: Smells of whisky, oak, and dark fruit. Touch of booze, but sweet caramel and dark malt is quite welcoming.

T: Taste follows smell accompanied by notes of honey and smoked ham. Lots of barrel (whiskey + oak) on this one too; thus, booze is very pronounced - almost distracting.

M: Full bodied with medium carbonation.

O: A very deep, rich, and complex beer. The barrel presence on this is nice, but the whiskey character could stand to mellow a bit. I think this will get better with time/age but fun to enjoy now as well.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 19:04:29 | More by spdyfire83

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.73/5  rDev +10%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

375ml bottle served in a La Trapped chalice glass.

By the way, Batch Number 4 and my review number 400 :).

A: Pours a dark amber clear color forming a small yellow color head. Small retention and some nice lacings left. Beautiful beer

S: Smell is delicious. Whiskey and wood. Caramel. Dark sugar. Caramel malts. Alcohol

T: Follows the nose. Absolutely delicious smell of oak and whiskey followed by candy sugar, caramel malts and bready yeast. In overall a sweet beer with a mild bitter end. Alcohol is evident but not annoying

M: Smooth creamy molasses heavy body. Low carbonation. Delicious bitter aftertaste

O: Excellent beautiful beer! I was not expecting that much...

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 19:10:56 | More by eduardolinhalis

AgentMunky

Alabama

4.28/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 375mL bottle into Glencairn glass. Batch #7 (June2011).

A: Rather light, with thin head and noticeable bubbles (some in suspension). Honey-coloured in the light, but opaque auburn in the shade. Great lace.

S: Grapes. Smoked wood. Peat, even. I could see Bowmore. Some spice.

T/M: It's...a quad that's been aged in Islay whisky barrels. I mean, even if you hadn't told me, that's obviously what it is. If that sounds appealing, you will like this. If it doesn't, you probably won't. I find it quite interesting. Spicy-dark fruit, but a light mouthfeel and plenty of chewy peat (Laphraoig's influence?) on the aftertaste. Cinnamon apples, grapes, and plums make for a pretty standard maintaste, but the excellent smoky finish really seals the deal for me.

O: Overpriced, but certainly worthwhile. I would drink again, if not buy again. Recommended.

Notes:
"BATCH 7 is blended in June 2011 and is the first batch (of two) that has matured in old whiskey barrels. These barrels come from different whiskey distilleries such as Bowmore, Tamdhu, Strathspey and Laphroaig (Johnstons). The aroma's of the whiskeys have an obvious impact on the final flavor. This flavor is remarkable and clearly different from those of previous batches. Peat and burnt are more present, while wood and wood tannins are less obvious to spot. But the warming effect of the full, robust flavor the whiskey barrels passed on to our already beautiful Quadrupel, makes this batch maybe even the most tasty brewed to date."

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 04:40:01 | More by AgentMunky

DARIVA

Netherlands

3.63/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Batch #9

A: Beautiful light brown beer with a good head.

S: The smell of lime.

T: Lots of lemon flavor and also some sweet flavors.

M: Low carbonation, reasonable ratio.

O: Prima drinkable and delicious aftertaste.

Batch #9 and batch #1 should be the best until now.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 09:43:17 | More by DARIVA

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Very excited for this beer as the standard Koningshoeven Quad is one of my favorites and imo an “under the radar” beer.

Bottle marked Batch 3

Thick two fingers of off white head build in my tulip glass and as the head recedes a layer of lace is left behind. The beer is a deep amber color with lots of burgundy.

Aroma is thick with dark stone fruit including cherry.

Very interesting. At first you get some familiar flavors from the standard La Trappe Quad, then there is a vanilla flavor that comes in. Interesting meld of cherry/vanilla. Later there is some straight oak and a moment of plum. Back to vanilla. What’s interesting is that as it warms I get a slight sense of cocoa powder. Doesn’t make any sense, but I do.

So smooth and silky here. The carbonation is so fine you barely notice, but it does play it’s role.

Nice beer. Pretty complex and some interesting changes as it warms. I can’t believe the wonderful mouth feel here.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 21:25:16 | More by Reagan1984

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.88/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Review from 3/2011 notes. Poured into a Black Raven pint glass. Pours a dark orange amber with tons of floating particles. Half finger head and lacing. Pungent fruit and phenolic aroma. Sweet fruit, sweet malt, raisins, grapes, banana, vanilla, phenolic flavors. Tastes great, but I don't really detect a strong oak flavor and it may be a bit on the cloying sweet side. An enjoyable quad, but at the price, I would buy one of the others out there.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 03:31:28 | More by LiquidAmber

Blakaeris

Iowa

4.55/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours very cloudy caramel brown. Head is initially dense, but quickly dissipates to a thin ring.

Aroma is bold caramel and toffee with hints of brown sugar.

Taste is surprisingly rich and leathery. Caramel and toffee from the nose still make an appearance. Very dry and oaky, with good bit of vanilla. Finishes with orange rind bitterness, brandy soaked dark fruit and alcohol heat.

Mouthfeel is medium-full. Rich and chewy.

Very interesting and flavorful. Flavor is pleasant and unified. I would be happy to pick this up again.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 01:07:44 | More by Blakaeris

smakawhat

Maryland

4.63/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from the bottle into a challice/goblet. Batch #6, real long composite cork and no pop upon opening whatsoever.

A real dark garnet murky brown, body. Cloudy, there are some flakes in the body. Head forms nice and creamy looking with an off white, kind of yellow color. Manages to keep a nice puck throughout drinking.

What a nose on this beer. Aged in white wine barrels, real creamy smelling oaky vanilla dominates. White chocolate, cream, no heat whatsoever, like a bourbon aged barrel beer, I am shocked that this came from a wine barrel. Little bit of toffee

Taste follows with an unbelievable creamy texture. Whipped up merringue like cream, vanilla rich, small toffee, and a soft taffy candy like taste on the finish. Hints of sweetened condensed milk, white chocolate, but nothing too sugary granular or crystalized sugar. Marshmallow in feel and subdued taste also!

This is a VERY unique tasting quad, never had anything like it, this is from wine barrels? Wow shocking. Fabulous beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 00:42:59 | More by smakawhat

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

3.78/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch 6

Pours dark amber in La Trappe chalice. Almost no head. Slight bit of cream colored bubbles around sides of glass.

Smell is of characteristic ripe fruit (plums), and caramel. Also a heavy alcohol presence.

Taste is sweet malt with lots of caramel and some light smokey oak. Taste is boozy. Some moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel is very creamy and full bodied. Moderate carbonation.

Overall this was a little too boozy for me. Not my favorite of the Quads, but I can understand the appeal of this for others. I did'nt know anything about this beer before I opened it. Probably should have let it cellar for a year or so.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 22:18:25 | More by TrappistJohnMD

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

375ml corked and caged bottle (batch 3) split with pmsawyer and poured into a pair of goblets. The brew appears a clear amber that is a burnt brown through the middle and orange around the edges. A big bubbly cap sits atop and recedes fairly quickly leaving some spotty lacing on the glass.

The smell is sweet like candy sugar mixed with a fruited element like dates, plum, prune, raisons and a bit of citrus. Some fruited quality blends into floral territory with brown sugar. There is a mild inclusion of oak and some herbs across the back as it warns up along with an increasing presence of the alcohol.

The taste is just as sweet as the aroma leads on. Candy sugar mixes with dark fruited quality and done herbal hops keep the sweetness in check in minor bitterness. The alcohol is warming with a mild solvent touch that never gets too exaggerated. Despite the initial sweetness, this really dries out towards the finish. A little bit of rindy orange zesty bitterness is the last thing remaining on the palate.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest level of carbonation, it is big and enjoyable with a pleasant balance of character. The oak was not overly done, in fact it was pleasantly subtle and really worked as a background nuance that made for a top shelf experience. This is a solid example that is worth checking out. This ranks right up there will all the other quads that get a lot more fame and attention in the category,

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 18:03:42 | More by stakem

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

one hell of a beer! cork and cage rig, mine says batch 7. poured hazy copper woody color into a goblet with a small off white head. smells very oaky and smokey. notes of sweeter malts, english toffee, and thick unrefined honey all dance in the nose. flavor is wood aged right up front and bold. very laid back flavors of bourbon, honey, and straw. really nice complexity and mellow alchohol given the 10% abv. mouthfeel is nice too, carbonated just enough and a heavier medium body. this one feels rather delicate despite what it is. overall one of the best belgians in the world as far as i am concerned. i could drink this nectar every day and be a very happy man. 20 bucks a bottle is a little steep, but its a lovely drink!

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 23:37:15 | More by StonedTrippin

PatrickSwayze

California

4.7/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

BATCH #3
A: A foggy brownish amber with a head that barely hangs on.

S: Smells of deep rich figs with a great subtle layers of oak and cherry.

T: Deep caramel, cherry, bananas. The taste blended of rich fruits that melds perfectly together with the oak that kicks in, in the background. Extremely complex but far from overwhelming(in a good way). For sure worth the price.

M: Oh man it sits on your tongue perfectly. Nuff said

O: I have another one of these boys sitting in my cellar. I really can't wait to crack this one again at the 3 year mark. If you see it buy it and treat your taste buds.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 04:59:24 | More by PatrickSwayze

cradke

Texas

4.53/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Batch 3 bottled 9/10

Appearance: Cloudy. Carmel, A thin fine head. Opaque.

Smell: Very complex and very good. Molasses, carmel, fruit. The batch 3 used 55% port cask and it really shows. It is much more, dare I say, tropical tasting than the original. I get notes of pineapple and raspberries and it's fantastic. At 10%, there is no alcohol taste. Exceptionally well layered and complex. Something to behold in my opinion.

Taste: Carmel, molasses. very layered. The oak comes through and adds a nice backbone to it. Figs, earth, with a bit of alcohol. It evolves greatly while oxidizing.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth, spreads nicely. There is a nice amount of carbonation that adds a nice touch.

Overall: A great beer that really benefits from the oak. I love the original and this really added a wonderful touch. The nose is fantastic and it gained a great amount of fruit and layering from the aging. I had been looking forward to this for a while and it didn't dissapoint. I really enjoyed it.

Batch 3, aged 1 year then poured from a bottle into a orval snifter.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 06:19:49 | More by cradke

megahurts4

Louisiana

4.13/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

*I have multiple reviews under this review (one for each batch). Highest ratings are added to each category

La Trappe Oak Aged Quad Batch 6

Appearance: orange-brown, medium head, and good lacing. 4

Smell: alcohol, dark fruits, and a faint toffee. 4

Taste: dark fruits, oak barrel, and a slight brown sugar sweetness. 4

Mouthfeel: medium and subdued. 4

Overall:
This is a pretty good brew. For being a tad on the watery side, this is a pricey one. The flavors are pretty well balanced, but could use a little tweaking. 4

---

La Trappe Oak Aged Quad Batch 7

Appearance: brown, medium head, and some good lacing. 4.5

Smell: yeast, dates, figs, and other dark fruits. 4.5

Taste: banana, oak barrel, faint yeast, and a maltiness. 4

Mouthfeel: medium-light. 4

Overall:
This is a good batch. The oak flavor is very strong. The dark fruits are plentiful in the aroma, but very faint in the taste. 4

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 04:33:29 | More by megahurts4

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12.7 ounce/375 ml caged and corked bottle, Batch #3. I've had this bottle for a while now, so I might as well drink it! Served in a Dogfish Head Signature glass, the beer pours a murky amber/brown color with about an inch light tan head that didn't stay around for too long. There's a small amount of lacing. Aroma is malty and sweet, it smells like brown sugar, oak, caramel malt, dark fruit, Belgian yeast, and port. The taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also some banana and dark fruit flavors noticeable. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's a bit slick with moderate carbonation. Overall I think it's a good but not great beer. At $14.99 a bottle I probably wouldn't buy it again, but even then I still think it's worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 00:09:42 | More by bluejacket74

BradLikesBrew

Missouri

3.78/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch #3

Pours an opaque orange hued brown body with an off white head.

The bouquet is both complex and unique. Bananas, apples, plumbs, brown sugar, and spice.

Brown sugar and malty sweetness start things out on the front of the palate. Fruity esters of banana, spicey phenols, and subtle oak notes add layers of flavor. The spice seems to turn slightly astringent on the finish.

One of the mildest uses of oak aging I've come across. If you were expecting some big vanilla or wine notes, you won't find them here. Maybe the barrel was going neutral by the time it was filled with beer. This bottle is over a year old, but in my experience, barrel flavors don't really mellow over time. The yeast character and sweet malt are the primary flavors. I don't know that it delivers the goods for the price (~$15 per 375), but it is a good beer. I feel a bit let down, but I've never been the biggest La Trappe fan anyway.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 00:03:24 | More by BradLikesBrew