MARTHA: QUAD

BEER REVIEW: 430

BREWER: The Brew Society, West Flanders, Belgium 

STYLE: Strong Dark Ale

ABV: 12%

VESSEL: 11.15 Fl. Oz brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 2nd January 2026

 

JYMI SAY’S…

Confusion was high, not because of the mighty 12% (we’ll get to that), but because of what was the name of brewery and what was the name of the beer? After some extensive research (5 mins) it turns out that the brewer is THE BREW SOCIETY and Martha is a range that they do. There are also blonde and red versions of Martha as well as our brown ale today. This does explain CRAZY BROWN being written on the lid too, as in QUAD is the crazy brown version of Martha, a la Friends episode names. The Crazy Brown one…

I actually quite like this angle and if I was better versed in Brew Society beers it would have made sense from the off.

But the confusion did not end there for poor lil Jymi…

Considering this is a 12% big boy, on initial sip, where was the bigness? I wanted more. I wanted a hit! Yes, there was plenty of flavour but Quad was curiously thin. Thin is probably wrong, but it just wasn’t big enough. The flavour then dropped out fairly quickly and the aftertaste was, though lovely, faint. I WANTED MORE!

However, as you move your way through the brew things begin to come together. The flavour and the body begins to intensify, not to 12% levels but bigger and bigger Quad does get as you move through. It’s fairly sweet with a definite chocolate backbone.

If I’m being honest to get the true picture of Quad I feel it should have come in a bigger vessel. A 500ml (whatever that is in fluid ounce wise?!)  bottle would have been ideal. BUT at 12% I fully understand why it doesn’t come in such a way.

If this brew tasted like it does at the conclusion, then we would be touching a 9/10 beer here, but it doesn’t so…

Jymi’s Rating: 75%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Martha Quad makes an entrance that feels quietly assured. The pour is deep and velvety, a rich chestnut brown with a soft, persistent head that hints at the creaminess to come. It settles with a kind of composure, as if it’s been poured a thousand times before and knows exactly how to behave. There’s a warmth to its appearance that invites you in without ceremony.
The aroma is subtle but rewarding. You have to lean in a little, and when you do, there’s a gentle wave of cocoa and roasted coffee, like the last few moments of a good café visit. It doesn’t overwhelm, and that restraint feels deliberate. There’s no flashiness here, just a quiet confidence in its own character.
On the palate, Martha Quad opens with smooth, rounded chocolate that coats the tongue without heaviness. It’s followed by a grounded bitterness, earthy and persistent, like the memory of dark soil after rain. The sweetness is present but never indulgent. It threads through the experience like a well-placed harmony, lifting the darker notes without ever tipping into syrup. Midway through the glass, a flicker of unsweetened cola emerges; dry, slightly herbal, and oddly nostalgic. It’s a clever touch, adding complexity without clutter.
The mouthfeel is exceptional. Full and smooth, it carries the flavours with grace, never rushing, never dragging. It’s the kind of texture that makes you slow down, that encourages you to notice. There’s a sense of completeness to it, as if every element has been given just enough room to breathe.
Packaging is quietly stylish. The warm brown tones echo the beer’s own palette, and the design feels modern but rooted in tradition. It’s recognisably Belgian in its cues, but not slavishly so. There’s a sense of care in the presentation, a respect for the drink inside.
Martha Quad doesn’t try to impress with theatrics. It doesn’t need to. It’s a beer that knows its strengths and plays to them with quiet precision. Balanced, thoughtful, and deeply satisfying, it leaves you with the sense that someone took their time — and that you should too.

Sammy’s Rating: 87%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 81%

MOB review next weekend: KIRIN by BRYGGT OCH TAPPAT

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Bluesky: @museonbooze.bsky.social

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museonbooze.com

M O B 2026

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