When Spencer Brewery was introduced as the first the first American Trappist brewery I had dreams of a constant supply of traditional Abbey style ales from a local source. They started with a single beer, their Trappist Ale which is a very tasty Belgian pale, and I was intrigued when they announced they were adding a number of new beers to the lineup. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed to see an IPA, imperial stout and Oktoberfest in the expanded lineup, not that the beers were bad it just wasn’t the styles I would expect from a Trappist brewery. The one beer that fit the bill (and I really enjoyed) was their Christmas ale, a delicious take on a spiced Belgian dark. I was really excited when Spencer announced that they were making a Belgian quadruple, this is one of my favorite Belgian styles and there aren’t enough quality local versions. I am hoping they follow this up with a tripel, my other favorite abbey ale. Spencer Monk’s Reserve Belgian Quadruple is available now on draft and in 11.2 oz and 750 mL bottles.
Spencer Monk’s Reserve Quadruple pours deep brown with a solid creamy head. The aroma features fruity and spicy Belgian style yeast. This is a complex sipper, just what you want in a quad. There is plenty of malt flavor, notes of fig, brown sugar, molasses, raisin and just a touch of booze. The yeast adds touches of apricot, clove and peppercorn. There is minimal hop flavor, fitting the style. Monk’s Reserve is full bodied and packs some punch at 10.2% ABV, it was nice to find this is a 11.2 oz bottle because a bomber would take a while to drink. The finish is rich with lingering malt and yeast flavors. This is a really nice quad, the type of beer I’ve been looking for since Spencer became the first American Trappist brewery. Hoppy Boston score: 4.5/5.
Previous Spencer Reviews:
Spencer Festive Lager, Spencer Holiday Ale, Spencer Trappist Ale
Hoppy Boston 
