't Gaverhopke Extra - Brouwerij 't Gaverhopke

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

4.18/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This is an outstanding beer. Who knew it was 12%? So easy going down. I could drink a hundred of these. The sour flavors, while clear, are still pretty subtle compared to other typical Belgian strong flavors: malts, fruits, etc. This is so well done, smooth, almost aged in flavor. I don't find it as "unsual" as others. Just a superb, well-made, strong, yet easily drinkable, complex beer. A triumph. (I sound like a movie critic.)

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 23:53:13 | More by Beer-A-Lot

beerloverofbham

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter. Slightly sour smell--almost reminding me of apple cider vinegar. A rich, cloudy brown with a very slight white head that disappears rather quickly. Drinks almost flat, but I don't really mind. No lacing whatsoever. Taste starts sour with apple, plum and raisins coming through before moving into an earthy middle, characteristic of Belgian yeast. An exceptionally dry finish to this beer with only the most subtle hint of booziness that occasionally plagues other quads. I like it, but I tend to like sour tastes in just about every style. Would have liked more mouthfeel and aroma, just more carbonation in general. Still, a sour quad...delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2013 08:21:51 | More by beerloverofbham

cjoc83

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Purchased at the Flying Pig in Malvern, PA. Pours a murky brown color with a good bit of yeast sediment floating around in it. The off-white 'head' could barely form into a cap before fizzling out quickly.

Sweet, tart cherries and currants jump out first in the nose, with some more typical quad characteristics following behind; sugar plum, rum-soaked raisin, brown sugar and dark, biscuity malt. A little booze.

Was advertised on the Flying Pig bottle list as a "sour quad" (even though it's listed as a bsda here), and this definitely delivers on the tartness! Tart, acidic cherries and plums with a slight vinegar note give way to pumpernickel bread, raisin, brown sugar, and biscuity, bready dark malts. Pretty great stuff!

Fairly high carbonation for a quad, but still maintains a medium-bodied mouthfeel. Very drinkable despite the high ABV. Dry finish with some alcohol warmth that's pretty mild for a 12% quad.

I love sours. I love quads. This combines the best of both. I wish this was more readily available!

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 02:01:19 | More by cjoc83

MaineBrewing

Maine

4.34/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A - beautiful amber with chunks of suspended yeast. Big bubbles in the one finger quick to dissipate off white head. Apparently well carbonated.

S - dark candied fruits, raisens, wet tarp, alcohol is apparent as a soapy characteristic. Ver sweet with a nice malt presence.

T - nice sweet malt forward taste, alcohol well hidden for 12%. Hints of raisin, prune/plum, slight must with a twinge of sour a nice nice pepper-ness in the finish.

M - high carbonation and light body for such high gravity, almost a little too light and watery of a mouthfeel.

O - I can't tell this is 12%, it also is a little lacking in flavor intensity and complexity. Or maybe that is a good thing and this is just a big easy drinking beer. Either way this is good and for the price i would go for it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 00:13:45 | More by MaineBrewing

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

2.5/5  rDev -36.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

33cl bottle @ the Diester Bierfestival on 20 Oct 2012, labelled as 'Den Twaalf.'

Dirty washing up water brown: scummy head, not a good start.

Strange farmyard esters: fruity, yet with a grubby feel to the smell.

Semi-sour moving towards vinegarous in the taste and mouth feel: did I try a bottle with a yeast infection? No according to a couple on my table it had been the same when they'd had it elsewhere and many months before. Tried to enjoy it, but failed.

A long way from being a good quadrupel on the evidence I had in my glass: the wife didn't like her portion either!

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 15:18:07 | More by BlackHaddock

brentk56

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: After gushing a bit on the opening, the beer loses its head-forming capability and pours a cloudy ice tea color with a frothy but insubstantial head; some dots are left down the side of the tulip

Smell: A yin and yang aroma as there is caramel and toast as well as tart fruit

Taste: The malts lay down the toast and caramel base elements on the front end; by the middle, the stone fruit and tart cherry elements really start to build; after the swallow, the sweet aspect takes a back seat and the beer finishes in a tart direction

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with low to moderate carbonation

Overall: This is a beer that grew on me but ultimately was a disappointment; I wasn't expected the sour elements when I saw this was a BSDA so it took a while to adjust my palate; in the end, the sweet and sour elements didn't blend together particularly well and the mouthfeel lacked pizazz

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2012 23:06:06 | More by brentk56

NardiByNature

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Dark brown and surprisingly translucent – the sight of this might remind you of a doctor pepper – it’s got a fizzy little head and small bubbles to boot. ...Surface tension lets you know this guy’s a little thicker than soda, though. Sweet nose: Tortuga rum cake (!), molasses, burnt sugar, dried figs. Tastes sweet, yes, but not overly so: hops do a nice job of balancing this out; the alcohol is barely perceptible. It’s on the dry side, which I dig, and leaves me wanting another sip. Extremely drinkable. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 23:58:43 | More by NardiByNature

oline73

Maryland

3.38/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I had this on-tap at Max's during the Belgian Independence day celebration. Served in a sample glass.

Appearance: The beer pours a cloudy reddish amber color with a half finger of fluffy off white head and some great retention.

Smell: Sweet malt with some red berries and vinegar notes. I'm getting a hint of cranberry juice.

Taste: Different from the smell. Rather sweet throughout the sip with some dark fruit notes. There is just a hint of tartness, I expected more. The finish is full of spice from the Belgian yeast and a bit acidic.

Mouthfeel: The body is on the thicker side of medium with foamy, fluffy carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: This was a weird beer for me. I expected more sourness after smelling it. I don't think I would want more.

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2012 03:42:59 | More by oline73

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice upward cascade of fine bubbles. Rocky head that leaves a blanket of lace. The liquid is a cloudy brown.

Mild aromas of earth and darker, unburnt malts. Brief "refrigerator" smell. Light hop.

Dark caramel and slightly sweet initial taste. A bit of metal in the background. There's a bit of brandy in the taste. Alcohol shows up in the swallow along with a tartness. It's hard to believe there's a 12% abv.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 19:09:43 | More by smcolw

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a short 11.2 oz bottle into a Lost Abbey chalice.

A- pours brown with a 2 finger tan head. Any lacing resides immediately. Lots of effervescence.

S- chocolate malts, tart cherries, some sourness.

T- stale bread, toasted malts, yeast, tart cherries.

M- medium body and high carbonation. Dryness and carbonation is off-putting.

O- just an ok beer. The abv is hidden well and the nose is very nice, but the mouthfeel really takes away from this beer as well as the taste doesn't follow the nose.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 23:35:22 | More by kawilliams81

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Nostradamus flute glass. Pours a cloudy dark copper amber. Half finger active off-white head with lacing. Aroma of light fruit, sour and somewhat vinous. Flavor is a mixed fruit, plum, grape, raisin, raspberries. Overall sweet, but with a strong sour element. Finishes a bit oaky and sour. The complex fruit and sweet / sour was very interesting. I'm not a big fan of sours, but this was a case where the sour element was a minor component of an interesting flavor combination. Nice medium to heavy bodied with some creaminess and nice carbonation. Nicely made and interesting. Hides the high ABV beautifully.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 04:42:42 | More by LiquidAmber

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2oz bottle served in a snifter glass.

pours a murky brown tone with a finger of beige/khaki head. mediocre retention; decent lacing.

nose is a bit underwhelming - not as robust as i typically look for but in attendance are notes of toastiness, dark fruits, and bit of tart/funk. interesting flavor profile follows: not at all what i was expecting - quite unlike most BSDAs i've sampled. spice, caramel malts, toastiness, and some sour/tartness, especially in the finish. well-hidden 12% ABV.

medium-full bodied with average carbonation. pretty drinkable considering that ABV. nice beer.

originally reviewed: 12-27-2010

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 20:36:59 | More by BostonHops

Fibrillator

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

When shopping at a local beer 'museum,' I was scanning the Belgians and was approached by another knowledgable beer guy. He suggested this beer. I'm glad he did...

11.2 oz bottle, tulip glass, cool not cold.

A: brownish, tint of red, light ivory 0.5 in head, carbonated mid.

S: tart, slight fruit, esters, expected scent of a sour

T: wow. Complex but not overdone. Definite fruit character of a quad, but sour as well. Balanced. Taste made me want more. No clue as to the 12%abv content until label was read. More interesting as it warmed slightly.

M: typical of quad, a bit of watery, but head and carbonation to keep a good finish.

O: for those who love the Belgian quads and triples who are looking to understand the sours, this is your beer. It really is a crossover style. I'd love to find it on tap, but suspect that only happens in the Flemish zones.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 14:35:04 | More by Fibrillator

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Local Option. Past the abv line for Belgian yeasts I think. Orange and fruity, yet sour and astringent finish. Booze warming. Aroma neutral. Mouthfeel plus but sour and astringent.Not a great representative of the style. Not very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2012 12:25:24 | More by northyorksammy

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from tap into a Trappe Door tulip. Poured a reddish brown with a three finger khaki colored head that subsided to one finger very slowly. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, dark fruit, tart, and fruit. The flavor was of sweet malt, dark fruit, subtle tart, fruit, and bread. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was a fairly good brew. The tart aspect I picked up on in this one was a little off-putting when combined with the rest of the aspects going on in this brew. It just really felt out of place for me. The rest of the brew was fairly good, but definitely not awe-inspiring unfortunately. I really would suggest this brew to others out there and I suggest you do the same regardless of the off-putting tart character.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2012 15:21:28 | More by thagr81us

clayrock81

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a brownish body with minor offwhite lace on top of a rather fruity aroma. Tropcal and plush fruit, something like figs, spices, earthy hops and yeast all in there. Very chewey medium body that has a nice sticky sweetness to it. The malts make this almost dense, as I get this black cherry heavyfruit taste alongside some sugary malts. Also get some tart flavors and this bite on the backside from some breadiness - still passes smoth thanks to yeast/wheat twang. A very slightly boozy finish - no idea 12%. An odd quad I've never really had one like this.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2012 19:48:23 | More by clayrock81

weeare138

Pennsylvania

2.68/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

So...been wanting to try this for a while now...hmmm.
Appears a transparent ruby red with a small white cap that quickly fades into a gentle collar. Spotty bits of lacing.
Smell is sweet prune juice, red raspberries, jam, juice, red wine, wineberries.
Taste...oh, boy. I applauded their efforts here. Very sweet with caramel and intense berry jam like a big Pinot noir. Interesting but I'm just not feeling it. Starts sweet, finishes sweet.
Mouthfeel is full bodied, chewy, syrupy, with a plastic flavor clinging during the swallow. Man, just too much going on and way too sweet with too much heat. Can't do it. Just can't even finish it. Leaving my glass here. Bummer. :(

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2012 23:02:28 | More by weeare138

mindspin315

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Brownish red color, burgundy. Small tan head which went away quickly. No sediment or haze. Not sure if this is bottle conditioned or not. Good head retention and alcohol legs/lacing are quite impressive.

The aroma is almost exactly like a red wine. Red grape skins, minerals, raisins, and grape juice.
Carbonation hits upfront...not in a bad way.

Drinks a lot like a carbonated red wine. Earthy flavors mixed in with red grape skins, green apples, and dark raisins. Slight sweetness sticks on the back of the tounge and mouth. The beer even has a sour touch to it. Not at all mouth puckering or that noticable but sits in the background. At 12% this one is masked really well and you'll only be noticing it when you get a buzz.

Overall this is different than many Belgian strong dark ales or Quads. The traditional dark fruits that are are in most Belgian dark ales are not present and a red wine/raisin quality highlight this beer quite nicely. A must try for any fan of Belgian beers!

[94/100]

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 07:17:27 | More by mindspin315

AgentZero

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Brown colored beer with a bit of red on the edges. White head and decent carbonation.

S - Belgian yeast a little bit of spice dark fruits. Little bit of funk, there's some cherry notes coming through.

T - Tastes a lot like it smells. Little bit of wood in there with some funk dark fruits, and belgian yeast. Not bad, even if this isn't my preferred style of beer.

M - Medium bodied with a pretty hefty dose of carbonation.

O - Not bad, pretty easy to drink for 12%. Wouldn't mind having this again.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 05:26:06 | More by AgentZero

GDBEERMAN

Colorado

3.35/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

11.2oz into a tulip. No bottle date.

A: Deep reddish body, with a light tan head. Good formation and retention, leaves a frothy layer and little lacing. Lighter end of the spectrum in the body.

S: Aroma of plum and roasted malts, good levels of sweetness and no hop presence. The slight note of a wild character.

TM: Very light in all aspects. The flavor has a classic note Belgian quad, but all are very low in esters and plum and currant flavors. Mouthfeel is very crisp and quite refreshing. Lingering taste is fairly short. Funky character is at low levels and is very approachable.

O: Overall a very low end intensity, well balanced brew. This has 12% ABV, very well hidden, but not what truly defines the style.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2011 03:16:29 | More by GDBEERMAN

womencantsail

California

2.23/5  rDev -43.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Thanks for sharing, Bobby.

A: The pour is hazy brown in color with a small khaki head.

S: The nose starts off with a light fruitiness with some toasted bread. There is a touch of tart fruits, mostly raisins and plums. Initially it is somewhat metallic which only gets worse as it sits for a moment. There is also a little bit of grass.

T: From start to finish, this is very metallic and minerally. There is some sweet toffee and bread, but that's about all the positive things I can say about it. It's lightly tart with some lemon and green apple. A touch of booze, too.

M: Medium bodied with full carbonation.

O: Poor aroma and flavor, very disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2011 19:20:04 | More by womencantsail

Nerudamann

Arizona

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into an oversized wine glass.

Look – very dark brown, with about a finger’s worth of just barely off-white colored foam that dissipates somewhat slowly.

Smell – very strong malt presence, as well as of fruits. Almost smells like a very strong grape soda.

Taste – again, a strong malt presence, and also that of grapes. It feels very much like tasting a lighter wine. After the initial taste of the grape-like flavors, there’s not a whole lot there. There’s not much of a kick or aftertaste.

Mouthfeel – a little bit of a warming feel, and pretty well-balanced.

Overall – not a bad brew at all, but it doesn’t seem very intriguing or perplexing, especially not for what I was expecting from a Belgian dark.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 16:02:52 | More by Nerudamann

cooch69

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This Quad pours a deep amber and brown with some purplish highlights. It's got a nice tight one finger head made of gorgeous medium sized bubbles.

Nose comes off a bit weak at first. I initially got a bit of rice at first. Some caramel, some spices, alcohol and fruitiness(pinapple & Pomegranate).

A beutiful combination of almost everything I love in beer. Maltiness, sourness and fruitiness. The sourness is nice and mild but that combined with the medium body and soft mouthfeel make this beer way too easy to drink for it's ABV. There are a lot of fruits and spices in here, mainly pineapple and pomegranate. I'm even getting some spiced cider. I'm probably getting that more from the cinnamon hint's in the beer, which are pretty abundent as well. Nice malty backbone to hold it all together even though the malts are a bit thin. This beer still kicks major ass and is sticking out as one of the better ones I've had in quite some weeks.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 02:45:11 | More by cooch69

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

I've seen this in the store several times and always avoided it because of price, you know? Found it on tap at one of my favorite spots in Fairmount, Phila, among a number of random others on a strange tap list one night. Very glad I tried it - certainly get it again sometime.

Served in a tulip glass with little head, if any. Antique garnet in color with an almost jewel-like translucency and glow. Overall elegant, berry-like perfume aroma, reminiscent of hummingbird nectar, but far from artificial. Perhaps touches of cinnamon and vanilla (my limitations). A light caramel dew glistens on the surfaces of the tiny berries that I could swear were used to create this. Crushed and lightly spiced, no more. Doesn't seem like a complicated recipe.

Most remarkable thing about how this drinks is the way the 12% seems like 7% at the most. No heat, no sting - I suppose they age this for awhile or something because I think I finished each sip in increasing disbelief. Not quite as dry (or as sparkling) as a sparkling wine but very much could substitute for one. This is ideal with dinner or dessert.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2011 03:46:58 | More by Bouleboubier

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From 12oz bottle to Bruges hybrid glass on 5/18/11
*From notes

A: Prune purple-brown in color. 1.25 finger head on a decent pour. Little to no lacing.

S: Almost nil. It's like the glass is literally empty, though I do detect a hint of mild soy sauce and stinky cheese. As it warms, a splash of funk hits the nostrils.

T: A touch of mellow apricot and tin can. It's also a bit funky. Whether or not this was intentional, I don't know. What I do know is that it adds a nice layer of complexity that makes this brew signifigantly more palatable.

M: Quite creamy and rich. It's thick enough and really helps to balance out the 12% ABV.

O: What an odd little beer. 't Gaverhopke's Extra comes off like a strange mix of a Belgian Strong and a young lambic. This isn't something I'll be returning to, but none the less it's an extremely unique brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2011 21:50:06 | More by Rhettroactive