Weyerbacher is one of those breweries that has never let me down, and I have no doubt that their Quad will be of similar blessing. A Belgian-style quadruple and one of the first ever brewed in America, she has won many accolades since her inception. Weyerbacher also ages a limited quantity of their Quad in oak-barrels each year, and we all know my love for beery things aged in oak. The standard Quad from Weyerbacher may not be aged in oak, but she screams decadence nonetheless. With nary a reservation, I happily surrender myself to her will.

 A thick, viscous pour almost threatens to upset the balance of gravity as she slowly meanders her way into my awaiting chalice. Deep, burnt orange with shades of khaki and leather, she sports only a minuscule head which disappears almost as quickly as she appeared. Compared to other Belgian quads, she is the palest one that I have seen visually; I am used to deep russet browns with fluffy tan heads planted firmly atop their murky wealth. Intrigued by her seemingly light clarity, I raise my glass to my nose and am immediately smitten by her massive nose. She may be pale in color, but her nose bursts with a rich bouquet of yeasts, cinnamon, ginger and ginger bread, nutmeg, orange, mango, melons, red apples, bananas, and bubblegum. Thick, rich, and succulent; I can almost touch it. As I lean in for a more intimate experience, our lips touch in an explosion of thick, mouth-coating yeasty ecstasy. Her high ABV is front and center with almost immediate warmth that permeates and lingers long into the finish. Bananas and spice add to her heavy nature while mango, melons, and oranges are drizzled with chilled honey, thick, sticky, and sweet. A touch of dryness settles on top of my tongue like a gentle dry rub of cinnamon and nutmeg while the ginger adds a playful punch. As she warms, her viscosity increases along with the overall intensity of her palate. It is a good thing I am sitting down, for I am feeling a bit weak in the knees in beery ecstasy. Luckily, I am able to retain my senses, and savor each sip of my Weyerbacher Quad up until the very last one.

 If a quadruple and tripel were to have a scandalous tryst and bear a child, she might be a lot like the Weyerbacher Quad. But quadruples, like all Belgian “styles” are a kind of enigma; a denomination more for strength of palate and alcohol than taste, color, and aroma which is why the Weyerbacher Quad is as much of a quad as St. Bernardus Abt. 12 or Chimay Grande Reserve. Mm, mm, tasty.

Beer blogger Kristyn Lier can be found at our 20th Street, Vero Beach store, and more of her writings can be found on her personal blog: beerambassador.net