La Trappe Tripel - Koningshoeven (Netherlands)

La Trappe Tripel - Koningshoeven (Netherlands) 8.0%

A lovely dark gold in a glass, this trappist ale (the only Trappist brewery outside of Belgium) has very mild honey and apple blossom aroma. Cloudy also and worth swirling to get a taste of the sediment.

The taste is strongly floral and sweet with a bitter backing that is powered by the distinct punch of cloves. Strong tasting for beer but actually quite mild for a Trappist tripel. Perfect for introducing non-initiates to the Trappist style of ale.

La Trappe Quadrupel (Netherlands) 10.0%

La Trappe Quadrupel (Netherlands) 10.0%

Cloudy orange and amber colour in a glass with a big frothy just off white head: it's very carbonated. Very perfumy, sweet, honey/nectar aroma - just a little bit of alcohol. Sweet, malty, boozy, thickly honeyed and nectar flavour with an alcohol burn. Overall La Trappe Quadrupel is very approachable for a beer this strong: it's taste is mostly honey, but not too sweet, with some yeast flavours, but not too strongly floral. But why should anyone be surprised that a Trappist ale manages to be complex and interesting without being overwhelming? These beers are the class of the world and this Quad is no exception.

La Trappe Quadrupel is a lot much like any other top notch Trappist Blonde Ale though it's flavours seems a little more in-synch, as though the flavours have been able to mingle better with the other flavours through the extra fermentation. Although, the yeast flavour on the mild side for a Trappist ale, I've had Belgian style beers made in the United States that had a stronger Belgian yeast flavour that didn't get along so well with others. This is a very nice, honey toned lightly floral extra strong beer definitely worth picking up.