Why Are Some Beers Called Double/Triple/Quad?
Ever wondered why the craft beer your buddy’s drinking is called a “tripel ale?”
Ever ordered a quad beer, only to be let down when the bartender slides you one beer?
Do you ever feel “lost at sea” with beer terminology, struggling to figure out “the difference between a double IPA and an imperial IPA?” (Answer: They’re the exact same thing.)
As with most beer jargon, to fully appreciate these terms, we’re going to need to take a quick jaunt back in time to explore the origins behind these beer styles.
Of Monks and Malts
Let’s hop into our time machine and head back to the monasteries of Belgium, where Trappist monks have been brewing up heavenly ales for centuries. The trap monks would use letter “X”s to grade their brews, from the single (X) to the potent quadruple (XXXX).
Note: If you’re getting flashbacks of binomials and quadratic equations, don’t worry—the only numbers coming up are some ABV (alcohol by volume) percentages. In fact, the reason monks used X’s is because most people at the time were illiterate.
In any case, reading beer labels was a lot simpler back then.
Double (Dubbel) Beers
The term double (or dubbel) has come a long way since its monastic origins, now carrying the torch for pretty much any beer that has higher alcohol content than usual.
Typically, a “double beer” will be a dark amber or brown beer with an ABV of 6% to 7.5%. Malty, full-bodied doubles provide a rich, warming sensation that goes great with contemplating life’s mysteries, walking around barefoot, or any other things that monks might do.
Triple (Tripel) Beers
Onward and upward, we arrive at the triple (or tripel) beer—a golden brew packing a punch with an ABV ranging around 8% to 9.5%. Fruity and spicy, triple ales are often tinged with an almost champagne-like effervescence, though this isn’t among the requirements for a beer to be a tripel.
Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) guidelines describe the Belgian Tripel as “A pale, somewhat spicy, dry, strong Trappist ale with a pleasant rounded malt flavor and firm bitterness. Quite aromatic, with spicy, fruity, and light alcohol notes combining with the supportive clean malt character to produce a surprisingly drinkable beverage considering the high alcohol level.” And how!
Quad (Quadrupel) Beers
Quads (or quadrupels) are complex beers that can range from dark brown to amber/golden in hue, and usually boast ABVs of 9% or higher. With notes of raisins, figs, dates, and prunes—and hops that are hardly noticeable at all—quadruples are like the beer equivalent of a rich, sumptuous dessert. They’re also commonly described as Belgian Dark Strong Ales, especially outside of Belgium.
Quadrupel brews, once reserved for the highest of holy days, believe it or not, are now a favorite amongst beer aficionados worldwide.
Just remember: with great power comes great responsibility, and possibly a hangover.
The Bottom Line
As you know, the terms double, triple, and quadruple have since made their way across the pond and into the lexicon of many breweries.
As small, local, craft breweries continue to explode across the country (in the good way, don’t be alarmed) many of the traditional lines dividing different types of beers have blurred. These Trappist terms now mingle freely with words like “imperial” to describe bold, high-ABV beers.
While they may have started out in the hands of monks, these powerful beer style have earned their place in the pantheon of malted beverages. And there’s no better way to learn about different beers than by checking out Hops Hunters’ beer reviews.
