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Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Rare - oak aged La Trappe Quad!

Very limited release.  Each batch is in different barrels.  Last time we had this beer it was batch #3.  This beer is very hard to come by.

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La Trappe OAK AGED Quadrupel Trappist Ale...$16.99 / 375ml
Batch #12 (mostly bourbon barrel aged)
Batch #12 currently 97 on RateBeer

Quadrupel
La Trappe Quadrupel Trappist beer is the heaviest beer of La Trappe with a beautiful amber colour. The warm taste is full and well balanced. Slightly sweet and pleasantly bitter.


Oak Aged
In 2009, Beerbrewery the Koningshoeven decided to restore an old tradition and started to mature La Trappe Quadrupel in barriques (wooden barrels). This traditional way of aging in wooden barrels got more and more into the background in the 20st century. Koningshoeven thought 2010 was the right time for this tradition to be picked up again. Maturing the beer for about 12 months on the wooden barrels creates a unique, complex flavour. The taste varies by the type of barrel that is used.
This beer can be stored for many years and is a treat for the true beer lover. The full, complex flavour with many types of tannin, however, will also surprise many wine drinkers!

Barrel types
Several different types of barriques are used for the oak-aging process, both new and used ones. New barrels impart the tannins that give the beer a flavour that is reminiscent of vanilla and almond. The use of different kinds of barrels leads to surprisingly interesting flavour combinations. These flavours depend on what drink these barriques contained before, such as port, whiskey, wine, cognac, or bourbon. And the type of oak also comes into it. This beer’s final taste therefore varies from one BATCH to another.

BATCH 12 was distributed as follows:



  • Bourbon Whiskey barrels 91%
  • Cognac barrels 1%


Aroma: Bourbon, subtle wood, prunes, liquorice, raisins, and almonds.
Quadrupel’s distinct aroma and flavour are still very much alive, but have merged with the aromas from the whiskey and cognac barrels. Drier in taste than previous batches, the body of this batch is slightly less bombastic.
Again a very distinct Bourbon aroma, albeit less prominent than the previous aroma.
The flavour is complex and yet quite gentle (probably also because this batch has aged for 18 months).
Triggering a slight tingling sensation as it rolls over the tongue, this ale leaves behind a tannin-bitter and subtle smoky aftertaste.

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