Quadrupel

Trappistes Rochefort 10

Brasserie de Rochefort ABV: 11.3%

Among the abbey’s trio of numbered beers (including the strong, dark 6 and the dubbel 8), the blue-capped 10 is the monks’ unquestioned masterpiece. The boozy quadruple (is there any other kind?) pours a leathery brown with ruby highlights and tastes of caramel, figs, and Christmas fruitcake, with a creaminess that coats your mouth like the world’s tastiest paint. Fresh, 10 is terrific, but to experience transcendence, try it aged.

La Trappe Quadrupel

Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven ABV: 10%

Being first does not always mean you do something best, but Koningshoeven remains at the top of its game with this beer that kick- started the quadrupel crave when it debuted in 1991. The amber-orange beer is all about dark fruit and bananas, an interplay of sweet and spicy, with big bubbles, all of which conceal its colossal alcohol content. If you pay a visit to the brewery, you can buy oak-aged quadrupel, which will have spent some quality time in port, white wine, or bourbon barrels.