Chimay Cinq Cents 4Pk

Chimay Cinq Cents 4Pk is a bottle-refermented Belgian Trappist tripel at 8.0% ABV, sold here as a four-pack of 330ml bottles. Scoring 98 on RateBeer and 92 on BeerAdvocate, this golden ale stands among the most acclaimed tripels in the world — a legacy of monastic brewing dating back to 1966.

Quick Facts: ABV: 8.0%  |  Origin: Baileux, Wallonie, Belgium  |  Style: Trappist Belgian Tripel  |  Brewery: Bières de Chimay

Production & Heritage

Bières de Chimay operates within the walls of the Abbaye de Scourmont, a Trappist monastery founded in 1850 in the Wallonie region of southern Belgium. Cinq Cents — meaning "Five Hundred," a nod to the abbey's 500th anniversary of its charter — was first brewed in 1966 by Reverend Father Theodore, making it his final contribution to the Chimay range. The ale is top-fermented, then undergoes a second refermentation in the bottle using one of the oldest and most natural conditioning processes, which develops its characteristic effervescence and complex yeast character over time.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Clove and banana lead the nose, followed by earthy, slightly musty yeast tones. Floral hop aromas and tropical fruit — pineapple and overripe banana — emerge as the beer warms in the glass.

Taste: The entry is soft and honeyed, with muscat and golden raisin sweetness arriving early on the palate. Mid-palate brings fresh bread and gentle caramel, while tropical notes of pear, white peach, and a whisper of coconut build complexity. A measured hoppy bitterness rises at the peak, grounding the sweetness with dry, herbal balance.

Finish: Medium-long and warming, with lingering clove spice and a faint cognac-like warmth from the 8% ABV. Residual fruit and a clean, slightly bitter close encourage the next sip.

How to Drink Cinq Cents

Pour into a wide-mouthed chalice or goblet at 8–12°C (46–54°F) to release its full aromatic range; avoid drinking straight from the bottle, as this beer rewards proper glassware. While primarily a sipping beer, Cinq Cents also works in beer-forward mixed drinks: a Belgian Shandy with fresh lemon juice and a touch of elderflower tames the ABV for warm-weather sessions; a Tripel Spritz combining a splash of Cinq Cents with prosecco and a bitter orange liqueur makes an inventive aperitif; and a Monk's Mule — Cinq Cents with ginger beer and lime — plays the ale's spice character against sharp ginger heat.

Best For

• Introducing a craft beer enthusiast to authentic Trappist ales
• Pairing with a holiday cheese board or charcuterie spread
• Gifting alongside a Belgian chalice glass for a curated beer experience
• Sharing at an intimate dinner party as a conversation-starting pour

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Cinq Cents taste like? Chimay Cinq Cents delivers layered flavors of muscat, golden raisin, and fresh bread, balanced by moderate hoppy bitterness and warm clove spice. Tropical fruit notes — pineapple, pear, and white peach — add depth beneath its golden, slightly hazy appearance.

How does Cinq Cents compare to Westmalle Tripel? Both are benchmark Trappist tripels, but Cinq Cents leans more toward fruity ester complexity and a softer mouthfeel, while Westmalle Tripel is generally considered drier and more hop-forward with a crisper, more angular finish. Cinq Cents also carries a distinctive cognac-like warmth that Westmalle typically does not emphasize.

Is Cinq Cents good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — this is a contemplative, full-bodied tripel designed to be savored slowly from a chalice, and its 8% ABV and layered flavor profile reward patience as the beer opens up at slightly warmer temperatures.

Where is Cinq Cents made? Chimay Cinq Cents is brewed at the Abbaye de Scourmont in Baileux, a small village in the Wallonie region of southern Belgium. It is one of only a handful of beers worldwide that carries the Authentic Trappist Product label, certifying it is brewed within monastery walls under monastic supervision.

What foods pair well with Cinq Cents? Aged Gruyère or Comté cheese highlights the ale's nutty, caramel undertones. Roast chicken with herbs mirrors the bread-like malt backbone. Mussels in white wine sauce complement the fruity esters. Thai green curry plays against the clove spice. Crème brûlée or pear tart echoes its tropical and stone-fruit character.

What sizes does Cinq Cents come in? This listing is a four-pack of 330ml bottles; Chimay Cinq Cents is also commonly available in a single 750ml corked bottle, which is often preferred for cellaring and special-occasion pours.

Is Cinq Cents worth the price? Cinq Cents positions as a premium Trappist ale, and its price reflects the limited production scale, authentic monastic provenance, and bottle-refermented conditioning process — it represents strong value within the top tier of Belgian tripels.

Why Cinq Cents?

Few beers carry the weight of genuine Trappist heritage the way Chimay Cinq Cents does. Created by Reverend Father Theodore in 1966 as his final recipe for the abbey, this tripel preserves one of the oldest bottle-refermentation traditions in Belgian brewing. Its 98 RateBeer score and 92 BeerAdvocate rating place it firmly among the world's elite tripels, a standing it has maintained for decades. For anyone serious about Belgian ale, this four-pack is a direct line to the monastery tradition that defined the style.