Boulevard Sixth Glass Quadrupel

Brewed By: Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City, Missouri

Purchased: Single 12oz bottle from the Boulevard Smokestack sampler from Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2011

Style/ABV: Quadrupel, 10.5%

It's time to wrap up the Smokestack sampler from Boulevard Brewing Company. Tonight we tackle The Sixth Glass, a Belgian Quadrupel. This is a big, brown beer clocking in at 10.5%. The beer features Belgian yeast, dark fruits, and big caramel malts. The beer is brewed with brown sugar, dark candi syrup, Munich and Pale malts.

The "Quadrupel" style is not recognized by the BJCP and seems to be an American creation. According to Wikipedia "La Trappe Quadrupel" is a beer brewed by the De Koningshoeven Brewery in the Netherlands. They are the only Trappist abbey not located in Belgium. Since La Trappe Quadruple is a strong dark beer, the name may have stuck. In America, a "Quad" or "Quadrupel" refers to a very strong dark ale with spicy, ripe fruit flavors. Quadrupels are stronger than Dubbels or Tripels. Some people have argued that Quadrupels are similar to Belgian Dark Strong Ales; some would argue that Quadrupels are less hoppy or fruity. It's all very confusing and dumb.

According to this wonderfully written article by Joris P. Pattyn:

I’ve been on the look for older references, but I haven’t found any - the term "Quadrupel" is a commercial find from the guys at De Schaapskooi, later "Koningshoeven", selling the products of the Trappist brewery La Trappe. And to rub it in, they’ve trademarked the designation. Don’t be surprised to find a lot of Quadrupels in the US, however - as that country is well-known to respect only its own rules, never those of other people. Likewise, you’ll find "Trappist" beers from simple commercial breweries all over the place. But in tame old Europe, "Quadrupel" is the top La Trappe beer, and that’s it.

And that's about all there is to it. Quadrupel is a rather ambiguous style still up for debate. It is malty, uber-strong, and full of overripe dark fruits. How does the Boulevard Sixth Glass Quadrupel stack up?

*    *    *    *    *    *

This is a hazy, amber/orange/brown colored beer. There was 4-fingers of thin, bubbly, orange/tan head. The head has dissolved into a nice thin coating of bubbles. Excellent lacing; alcohol legs; tons of carbonation. 

Boulevard Sixth Glass Quadrupel

The aroma is big Belgian yeasts, huge overripe bananas, light caramel and brown sugar, and hints of overripe dark fruits like cherries, plums. Also; fruitcake, peaches, strawberries, perfume/jam, currants/tea.

The mouthfeel is super-carbonated, and quite strong. You get lots of spices: clove, brown sugar, pepper. There are some big caramely malts, along with some big Pale Malt notes. I'm tasting overripe bananas, overripe peaches, apricot, overripe pears, candied pears, pulls towards cherries; there are big white grape notes, and big white wine qualities to this. Slightly astringent with the alcohol and spices; sort of zaps your palate.

This is a medium to full-bodied beer. The carbonation cuts things down. The 10.5% ABV dials things back up. The mouthfeel is slightly viscous and astringent, and the finish is pretty dry. I wouldn't give this beer to someone new to beer.

The front end is carbonated and fruity. Pulls towards peach, apricot, strawberry, and other fruits. This rounds off into a spicy and astringent middle: brown sugar, clove, pepper, and alcohol. This continues into a malty back with more fruit, caramel and Pale malts, and more spice on the back end. Drying with slight astringency in the throat. The alcohol is not quite as warming as the 10.5% ABV would suggest.

Rating: Above-Average

Score: 84%

Boozy and sublime. This has great depth and complexity, and is uniquely Belgian-ish. My only gripe is the absence of some of the darker fruit notes. This smelled a bit like an amped Belgian Strong Ale, and some of those qualities carry through in the taste. Style rating aside - this is delicious and bold. The Boulevard Smokestack sampler is awesome, and features four killer beers.

This beer is worth checking out, but the Smokestack sampler is even more so worth checking out.