What is a Quadrupel Ale?

Generally the strongest style of Belgian Ales, Quadrupels are an experience not to be missed. That said, there is not much agreement in the beer world about what actually constitutes a Quadrupel. You'll find beers named Grand Cru or Premiere that convey the same style in Belgium and Europe. It's just a naming convention thing.

Typically in Belgium, the difference between Dubbel, Tripel and Quadrupel is used as a way of denoting beer strength and the number of ingredients used. This originated in the Trappist monasteries, historically by X's rather than numbers, and acted as a general guide to the monks.

Nowadays, beyond the Trappist breweries, you can see Quadrupel as a guide to the strongest, richest dark ales still. They have rich, malty profiles with dark fruits, figs, dates, raisin and spicy flavours. The flavour is full, but body is surprisingly light given the high alcohol content and depth. That said, they are still not exactly light beers, just well balanced.