Quadruple

What is Quadruple?

Quadruple (quadrupel in flemish) is a very strong top-fermented beer. It is a relatively new beer style introduced by the Dutch De Koningshoeven Brewery under the name La Trappe Quadrupel. 

To this day, there is no consensus on whether to consider it a separate beer style. 

Generally, quadruples are dark-coloured, full-bodied beers with a rich malt flavour and a spicy aroma. They are sweet and have a noticeable alcohol flavour, making them ideal winter beers. Quadruples are typically aged in barrels previously used for other beverages, such as whiskey, allowing the beer to absorb some of the flavours of the previous drink. 

Belgians themselves prefer to use the term "grand cru" instead of quadruple.

Origin Story

De Koningshoeven Brewery introduced La Trappe Quadrupel beer in 1991. It is the only Trappist monastery in the Netherlands, so officially, quadrupel was born in the Netherlands rather than Belgium.

It was the strongest beer in the Koningshoeven La Trappe series (10%). Initially produced only for the winter season, as the beer's popularity grew, it began to be produced year-round. Today, quadrupel, quad, or quadruple has become a generic term used for particularly strong dark ales with a spicy, ripe fruit flavour profile.