DE LA Soul may have asserted in their 1989 track that three was in the fact ‘The Magic Number’, but when it comes to beer, you need to add another one to that.
Four is beer’s magic number; after all, there are four basic ingredients needed to make it – grain, water, hops and yeast. Of course, many brewers have deviated from that in many weird and wonderful ways over the years, but that’s for another time.
Four of anything is usually denoted by the prefix ‘quad’. Think of those wee motorbikes with the four wheels that go buzzing around dirt tracks or the excruciating exercises you can do bulk up your thigh muscles, otherwise known as your quads.
But we’re talking about quads of a different kind this week. You may have already heard of and joyously imbibed a Belgian dubbel or tripel. Well, in keeping with the numerical theme, the next step up is a quadrupel – or quad for short.
Many of the major Trappist brewers such as La Trappe, Rochefort and St Bernardus have their own traditional quads, while it is a style which has acted as an inspiration for many more contemporary brewers.
Craft brewers around the world have dabbled in the Belgian-inspired strong ale, including those close to home such as Larkin’s. Their Belgian quadrupel also borrows from the magic of Harry Potter, considering the name Quadditch and the design on the can.
As with many Belgian quads, it is a dark, almost mahogany colour in the glass. There are aromas of dark fruits, which isn’t surprised since they have whacked a hefty amount of plums into the brew.
Those aromas follow through into the taste with a plummy, slightly sour notes combining well to mask the mammoth 10.5 per cent abv, which is about what you’d expect from a quad. Still, the fact that that it doesn’t even feel half as strong as that makes it dangerously drinkable and I found that the contents of the 440ml can had disappeared in double (or should that be quadruple) quick time.
There’s very minimal carbonation, due in most part to the strength, and no real head to speak of, but it’s smooth and sweet, with the deftest hint of balsamic vinegar, without the overwhelming sourness.
