QuadropheniaJun 09 '00 (Updated Jun 20 '00) Write an essay on this topic.The following review was revised on 6/20/00 after a second tasting of Quad at the Weyerbacher brewery for reasons explained below. I've been putting off trying the new Weyerbacher Quad. At first it was because I was deep in my annual allergy suffering; that's why I've been doing so many whiskey reviews lately; beer just can't get through the haze. But that's past now, and I guess I've got to put it down to being intimidated by the Quad's 12.1% ABV power. If I had to open one, it was going to be a one-beer night. This is a one-beer night... except I cheated. I had a Victory Lager to start! Weyerbacher Quad grew out of a trip. The Weirbacks and some friends went to Belgium earlier this year, and drank their brewing notebooks full. They came home and decided to follow up their still-improving Dubbel and excellent Triple with a Quadrupel. A quick explanation is in order. The Trappist monks who brew in Belgium and Holland have a system of calling their beers Single, Double, and Triple. The Singles are usually pale ales, somewhat spicy, the Doubles usually dark, chocolatey, maybe a little weiss-like funky, and the Triples usually light in color, spicy, perhaps a bit orangey. The Singles are usually around 6%, Doubles around 7%, triples 8% and up. Usually. Because to call a beer "Trappist-style" is to admit you don't really know what the hell you're talking about. "Trappist" encompasses a lot of different beers. Quadrupel came from the (formerly) Trappist brewery at La Trappe/Schaapskooi. They felt the need to go one better than a Triple. The La Trappe Quadrupel is a mighty drink indeed, and ages well. The guys at Weyerbacher were inspired, but... they apparently let the beer out too soon. There's s distinct difference between my originally reviewed sample (which was foolishly stashed in the fridge immediately, allowing no aging to take place) and a second, 6 weeks-older sample I tried recently at the brewery. Here's the tale of two Quads. Creamy. Creamy head and creamy mouthfeel are the things that strike me first about Quad. Getting my nose into the Magic Inch over the surface of the beer reaps a harvest of malt, raisins, some cocoa, and a surprisingly small touch of alcohol heat. There is a slight hint of wininess, like a dessert wine. The older Quad gives me some yeasty, estery notes, and a richness more like toffee or butterscotch, but nothing overdone. Candy, but adult's candy. We compared the aged Quad to La Trappe in a blind tasting. The color was near enough to be practically identical. Surprisingly, while the La Trappe smelled more like malt and sugar, simpler, the Quad smelled of the rich yeasty esters of a Belgian ale. I will admit: I picked the Weyerbacher as the La Trappe. Am I embarrassed? A little, but very pleased for Weyerbacher's success. The flavors definitely say Belgian (though the La Trappe Quadrupel is Dutch, it is actually just across the Belgian border). More alcohol is apparent here, and a chocolatey raisiny flavor that lingers in the finish. There are notes of pineapple, red plum, just a hint of anise, and caramel/toffee. The finish of the young Quad is a bit cloying, perhaps even a touch sour, and the beer moves quickly to the finish. The more mature Quad smoothly moves to a rich malty finish. Both get better and better as they warm up. This beer's good, but... the newly released Quad didn't yet have the magical richness and depth that typifies the Trappist ales. What a difference 6 weeks made, though. The mature Quad can stand on its own as a delicious, rich, complex, refined beer. Quite impressive. Final answer? Yeah, it's worth the pence. But buy it and stash it for a month or so, the wait makes it great!  |
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