Beer Review: Konings Hoeven Quadrupel

[Guest Ranger_Man]

I have reviewed this beer before but I thought it deserved another go since I was rather well off before the review even started. I have planned to do a re-review on something for a little while now but I decided on this one first. I chose this one for a few reasons that include, but are not limited to:

 

I reviewed it early on in my reviewing career and therefore it was not as professional as I so desired.

 

As already stated, I was rather well off last time I reviewed this offering.

 

I found this in Central Market for 8 dollars. The 750ml bottle came in a box along with a nice snifter glass with the Konings Hoeven logo on it.

 

Bottle:

 

“Since 1884 the monks of Konings Hoeven have brewed this ale to support themselves. Made with traditional ingredients and age old recipes. Fermentation takes place using a type of yeast that is most active between 62 and 68 degrees F. this type of fermentation is called top fermentation. Each of the Konings Hoeven Trappist ale bottles are conditioned for a full complex flavor and long shelf life. Unlike commercially produced filtered and pasteurized beer, Trappist ales can be aged like fine wine.”

 

The bottle shows a nice picture of what I would assume to be the monastery on front. The glass that the beer came with has the exact same logo on it. The only other information on the bottle is the tidbit that says, “Made in Netherlands.”

 

Pour: The color of the beer is amazingly similar to the color of honey. The beer is a light enough shade to allow just enough light through to let you see the dark gold color that hides within. The beer starts with a large head that lingers around in the form of an abundance of fine lace. The beer has enough carbonation to be easily seen through the glass. Lastly, the smell has plenty of spices and a nice floral aroma to boot.

 

Taste: The very first thing that comes out is a blitz of spices. Lemon zest and honey combine with saffron and coriander to deliver a one-two punch that could easily knock a person out. The carbonation is slightly apparent in this stage but the spices overwhelm it almost entirely. The aftertaste is sweet like a nice piece of ripe apple; sweetness and a smidgen of tartness collide and produce a wonderful lingering aftertaste. Although the exact number is not on the bottle, it is apparent that this is a high alcohol content beer but it does not show it as the alcohol is hidden very well.

 

Overall: This is one of the best non-Belgian Belgian beers. The beer alone was worth the 8 dollars but with the glass as well this almost becomes a steal. I highly recommend that you try this.

 

Gary said, “This is almost like a mixed drink. You can kind of smell the alcohol, but it is fruity and actually tastes good.” He went on to say, “This reminds me of the first time I had Dr. Pepper. You got it and expected it to taste like Coke or Pepsi but it was completely different from anything you could have ever imagined.”

 

Denis said, “This has a really good taste with the mixing of the spices and sweetness. The first taste is overwhelming, but after that it is very good.”

 

http://s90651370.onlinehome.us/konig.jpg

[Devils Advocate]

The guy on the left scares me to no end... But your review makes me want to try this beer. I'll be picking some of this up next week.

[SHIEF]

Saw that stuff at Anderson's. Almost bought it one time, now I'll have to check it out.