Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel - Brouwerij Straffe Hendrik / Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan

ikantspel

California

3.73/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml served into a duvel tulip

pours a dark hazelnut brown color with a shade of reddish amber. finishes with a sticky tan head that takes awhile to relent

classic textbook belgian quad smell that produces an aroma rich in spiced herbal notes, a butternut toffee, and is completed by a lingering black licorice/anise

the taste starts with the dark fruits, with just a tinge of the alcohol thats present, then in comes the spice vanilla flavor leads into a sweet brown sugar that dissipates and becomes slightly dry. maybe a little bitterness at the end

a pretty solid outing for a quad. pretty textbook but with a strong taste. id rank it in the top 10 of quads ive tried but not top 5

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 05:00:03 | More by ikantspel

Waveoff

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2%

05-26-2013 05:11:33 | More by Waveoff

jozols1

New York

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Roasted chestnut brown with a dark cherry hue. Nice head. Not much lacing.
Smell: Umm.. Divine. Like standing outside a Belgian abbey after a rainstorm. (Not that I've actually done that, outside of my dreams.)
Mouthfeel: Some effervescence. It's light on your tongue, but the taste lingers.
Taste: I tasted molasses, raisins, even some cherry (but not maraschino cherry). Definitely malty, of course. But it's well-balanced, not overpowering. Has a musty earthiness to it.
Overall:
This is a serious beer that can hold its own against almost anything you'd think to pair it with -- from pizza to prime rib. But, honestly, it's so good, I stopped eating the second I sipped it.
It's the kind of beer that makes you want to stop all other activities and think about it. So why distract yourself with food?
I've had a lot of Belgian beers and this is definitely one of the most interesting. For a quadrupel, it's surprisingly easy to drink. But you'll want to take your time, if for no other reason than the fact that it's 11% ABV.


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Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 00:12:51 | More by jozols1

desint

Belgium

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

05-24-2013 11:26:32 | More by desint

geedub11

United Kingdom (England)

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

05-18-2013 17:01:52 | More by geedub11

greggy1972

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +16.4%

05-12-2013 15:17:07 | More by greggy1972

ckk527

South Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +16.4%

05-09-2013 01:59:49 | More by ckk527

superspak

Michigan

4.48/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle into chalice, no bottle dating. Pours fairly crystal clear very dark reddish brown color with a nice 2 finger dense and fluffy khaki head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice thick soapy lacing clings on the glass, with plenty of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big raisin, prune, apple, caramel, toast, toffee, molasses, pepper, light clove, cocoa, light roast, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great complexity and balance of malt and fruity/spicy ester notes. Taste of raisin, prune, apple, molasses, caramel, toast, toffee, cocoa, pepper, light clove, light roast, and yeast earthiness. Lingering notes of dark fruit, molasses, caramel, toast, toffee, cocoa, light roast, pepper, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible flavor balance and complexity of dark malt and fruity/spicy yeast esters; with zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium-high carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a creamy, slick, and lightly prickly mouthfeel that is fantastic. Alcohol is extremely well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an absolutely incredible Quadrupel! Incredible balance and complexity of flavors; and very smooth to sip on. A totally world class offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 03:41:19 | More by superspak

khargro2

Georgia

4/5  rDev -2%

05-04-2013 04:08:29 | More by khargro2

kristenspaintings

California

5/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Overall my favorite beer of all time. This is a fragrant, herbal/spiced, thick, syrupy black-as-night beer. You can't see any light through this beer at all, a huge plus in my opinion.

Pour this into a tulip glass if you can't get glassware from the brewery. (I am working on a way to get some- any suggestions?)

This beer has a thick head with small, light brown bubbles and good flavor there too.

One word of caution: the Straffe Quad has 11%abv so you might want to drink conservatively if you haven't had a beer this strong before. It'll sneak up on you before you realize it.

I'm sure not everyone is in love with this style of beer but I am although I didn't know that until I had one after a look around the Halve Maan brewery in Brugge, Belgium. A fantastic tour and especially memorable because of the strong smell of cooking hops and spices in the air- a reflection of the quality of both the tour and the beer itself.

As I try more quads I suppose I may find one I like better, but I tend to measure all beers in this style against the Straffe Hendrik as I probably will be for quite some time. I can't imagine how this beer could be improved upon.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 16:31:30 | More by kristenspaintings

kell50

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

04-28-2013 13:30:53 | More by kell50

CZs

Maryland

3.81/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Poured into a typical tall Belgian chalice. Dark brown with ruby-red hues when held to the light.

Smell: Sweet candy, hint of dark fruit.

Taste: 40F - Usual dark fruits, dark candi sugar. 50F+ - Sweet chocolate in addition to flavors already mentioned. Very malt forward in my opinion - sweeter side of Quad and/or BDSs.

Mouthfeel: Medium-high carbonation, thicker, heavier body than I was expecting but it works. I don't get toasty or caramel flavors some are noting.

Overall: If you are going to discuss what might be perceived differences between a Quad and a BDS - this might be the one to point to. If someone is new to darker brews, you might offer them this as a small aperitif or digestif and when discussing the spectrum of Quads and/or BDS and any potential differences. A solid offering I would come back to. I enjoy drier, slightly warming booze characteristics mixed in with a hint of Caramunich - the only reason it didn't get a 4/5 or higher from me - but, that is my personal preference.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2013 15:02:27 | More by CZs

PEIhop

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

04-18-2013 00:21:54 | More by PEIhop

lsummers

California

4/5  rDev -2%

04-15-2013 23:33:15 | More by lsummers

kayrex

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

04-15-2013 00:08:36 | More by kayrex

Knuckles_Nuclear

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

04-14-2013 01:08:40 | More by Knuckles_Nuclear

arizcards

Arizona

4.26/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Picked up a single at AJ's Glendale in late February for $3.99.

Beer poured brown with a nice tan head that has stayed quite well.

Nose is sweet, with dark fruits, and spices.

Taste is figs, candied sugar, kind of boozy, with a peppery almost coriander like finish.

Mouthfeel is near perfection, classic belgian yeast strain smoothness.

Overall this is close if not a world class quad. Lots of complexities in the flavor as well as a classic look and feel.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 01:14:27 | More by arizcards

Spider889

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -20.3%

04-08-2013 16:58:22 | More by Spider889

braican

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -2%

04-08-2013 00:07:03 | More by braican

templar316

Pennsylvania

4.99/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a gorgeous burnt sienna into my ommengang snifter. soft white head that lingers up and down the glass. The aroma of delicious candy sugar fades into sugar plums and mandrin oranges. The flavor of bready caramel malts lingers as candied fruit wash over the tongue with a warming brandy quality. It dances over the tongue and makes me wish for more!

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 01:16:30 | More by templar316

bacasnax

Florida

5/5  rDev +22.5%

03-31-2013 23:29:07 | More by bacasnax

TheLevi4000

New York

3.5/5  rDev -14.2%

03-30-2013 23:40:49 | More by TheLevi4000

Peyton5410

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2%

03-27-2013 23:37:21 | More by Peyton5410

drgonzo2k2

California

4/5  rDev -2%

03-25-2013 00:47:50 | More by drgonzo2k2

pointone

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

03-20-2013 04:38:30 | More by pointone