Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel
What the brewers say
“A sophisticated blend of special malts gives the beer a complex character, which combines pure dryness with notes of coriander, dark fruit, anise, and roasted chestnut. The finish is slightly syrupy. Pairs well with chocolate.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Dark crystal malts up front with notes of toffee and a hint of burnt caramel, perhaps some darker candi sugar. Fruity esters come through mostly as dried dark fruit, especially raisin, but also cherry and prune. Rich and robust on the nose.”
Flavor: “A mix of toffee, burnt caramel, and pale malt sweetness with a nice raisin, prune, and date fruit character. Finish is predominately sweet, but not entirely out of balance. Mild to moderate chocolate and roast character complement the dry finish Some bitterness in the finish to help cut the sweetness. Nice alcohol warming. Aftertaste is fruity with slight warming quality.”
Overall: “A rich and robust example of the style, with the malt at the forefront and lots of dark crystal malt notes, especially toffee and candi sugar. Tasty. Fruit esters complement malts very well.”
