Rating: 5.25/5

The Cloak of St Martin by Brunehaut of Abbey Reconnue is a 13%ABV Belgian Quadruple fermented ale. Quad’s are some of my most favorite styles of beers and this is probably the strongest quad I have ever seen. It is also a rarity in itself. Brewed in a Belgian monastery

Press Release info: (via beerpulse.com)
The Cloak of St. Martin is a limited-edition Barleywine-style Belgian ale, ready to warm the North American autumn and winter (fermentation details seen below).

The Cloak is Brasserie Brunehaut’s first Abbaye ale brewed using doubled fermentation capacity gained via three new vats installed on Leap Day 2012. This increased capacity delivered enough vat time for the first batch of this labor-intensive 13%+ ABV quadruple. 

The Cloak of St. Martin is a new Belgian Quadruple celebrating St. Martin’s famous charity of “sharing” his cloak with a beggar!

A very dark quad, The Cloak of St. Martin’s first fermentation, to 9% ABV, uses Brasserie Brunehaut’s signature, centuries-old yeast strain. Rare, exquisite champagne yeast boosts ABV from 9% to 13% during a six-week second fermentation. The Cloak is then cellared six more weeks before final fermentation yeast is added.

The low foam pour, due to high (13.2% ABV) alcohol content, announces with an extraordinary aroma. Robust, complex notes include blackberries, coffee and bitter Belgian dark chocolate. Only 1200x six-bottle cases of engraved, individually wrapped and corked with-muselet 750ml bottles were shipped. Demand seems certain to outpace supply.

Ingredients – Pure Belgian H20 + four malt types, three yeast strains, three hops varieties and candy sugar.
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This is a real treat to be able to a find a bottle like this. The fragrance is of Raisins, chocolate coffee, Quadruple aromas like that of Judgment Day ale which is a lot of raisin bread with caramel, The flavors just very exquisite. The quad flavors of St. Bernardus meeting with some of the Trois Pistoles. Flavors or Dulce de leche caramel on sweet bread, candi sugars, dark fruits like that of raisins, blackberries, Blueberrie muffins dipped in bourbon like that of the birrificio montegioco draco, cherries, grapes, apples, pecan pie, vanilla, dark and milk chocolate, mocha, coffee, port wine, honey on biscuits, oak, and capirotada (Mexican Raisin Bread Pudding). The strangest part about this beer is the mouth feel. You cannot tell anything about the booze and yet it is not a concentrated as other Belgian quads. Also, there is hardly any head retention and goes down too smooth. Quite the conundrum really. I guess that is what makes this beer so special. Still, I have taken a liking to this beer and it is difficult to believe this is the only quad they have from Brunehaut. Also, after a while it will hit you. It is a strong quad after all. Regardless, just like finding the holy grail, finding the cloak of St. Martin should be an utmost treasure. Belgian lovers will love this one…probably as much as I liked this one. One of the strongest quadrupels with some surprises and greatly flavorful 😀