Name: Straffe Hendrik Brugs Quadrupel Bier 11° (2019)
Brewer: Brouwerij De Halve Maan (Belgium)
Style: Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV: 11%
Review Year: 2020
Straffe Hendrik is a traditional “Belgian Quadrupel” launched by Brouwerij De Halve Maan in 2010. This 2019 vintage Belgian Dark Strong Ale showcases very salient impressions of sweet malt, dark fruits, and spice from the nose all the way to the flavor.
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as a Belgian Dark Strong Ale (26D) in the context of the 2015 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website.
Recommended Reading: Let’s Talk Beer Styles: Belgian Quadrupel/ Belgian Dark Strong Ale (Paste Magazine, 2016)
TASTING NOTES
Straffe Hendrik pours a clear amber-brown beer with a thick and foamy light brown head. This beer does not waste any time in introducing its complexity as its nose reveals a mosaic of sweet malts, wet sand, blueberries, raisins, anise, roasted almonds, light alcohol, damp twigs, and some hints of citrus.
This BDSA has a medium-light body and moderately high carbonation. It is a sipping beer. The overall perceived balance is dominated by both malts and yeast, while hops take the back seat. Complex and rich sweet dark fruits akin to raisins and plums come forward alongside some caramel sweetness, faint alcohol notes, and assertive fruity esters manifesting as sweet pears or apples. Impressions of anise spice and sweet dessert bread also come in faintly while moderately low dark toasty and burnt raisins appear in the background.
As mentioned, hop-derived flavors are low and seem to manifest as grass-like and maybe grapes. The bitterness feels moderate and is characterized as toasty and burnt raisin-like. Hints of tartness similar to grapes are noted.
Lastly, Straffe Hendrik leaves the palate very dry and puckery with impressions of burnt raisins, oak, and pears.
THE VERDICT
Very good. While we do not have notes of the other BDSAs we have tried in the past to compare, De Halve Maan’s Straffe Hendrik captures masterfully the aroma and flavor nuances associated with the sweet malt and dark fruit characters sans any artificial quality.
