Belgian Dark Strong Ale (Quadrupel)

A Belgian dark strong ale pours deep amber to coppery brown, under a huge, moussy, cream to tan head. Dark here means deeper than gold; the beer stays well short of black. You taste rich malt, dark fruit such as raisin, plum and fig, and spice from the yeast, all running together smoothly. At 8–12% the alcohol helps balance the malt, and the best ones finish drier than you expect.

Where it comes from

The Trappist brewery of Westvleteren began brewing its version just before the Second World War; Chimay and Rochefort added theirs soon after. Some secular breweries began making similar beers around 1960, and more monasteries followed late in the 20th century. Outside Belgium people call it a quad or quadrupel, though Quadruple is the name of one particular beer. In Belgium most examples go by their strength or colour, such as Rochefort 10 or Chimay Blue.

Like a dubbel, the style often relies on caramelised sugar syrup or unrefined sugar and a spicy, fruity yeast for its depth. Traditional versions taste drier than many modern commercial ones, which can run sweet and full. These beers often improve with age.

How to serve it

Pour it at 10–13 °C into a tulip glass, and share the bottle: this is a strong beer. It goes with roast duck, an aged Gouda or a bread pudding.

Next to its neighbours

It drinks like a bigger Dubbel, fuller and richer. It matches a Tripel in strength but is less bitter and less hoppy.

Belgian Dark Strong Ale (Quadrupel) in numbers

Classic example

Westvleteren

Original gravity

1.075–1.110

Final gravity

1.010–1.024

Food

Roast duck; aged Gouda; bread pudding

Classic examples

Westvleteren 12; Rochefort 10; St. Bernardus Abt 12; Chimay Blue; Achel Extra Bruin; Boulevard The Sixth Glass

BJCP style

26D Belgian Dark Strong Ale

Sources

Checked October 29, 2026.

1. 26D. Belgian Dark Strong Ale, 2021 Beer Style Guidelines — Beer Judge Certification Program
2. Belgian-Style Quadrupel — CraftBeer.com, Brewers Association