Trappistes Rochefort #10 330ML

Trappistes Rochefort #10 330ML is a Belgian Trappist quadrupel brewed at 11.3% ABV in a 330ml bottle at Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy. Ranked #6 on BeerAdvocate's Top Beers on Planet Earth in 2009 and holding a near-perfect 99 score on the platform from over 10,000 ratings, this is one of the most decorated and revered beers in the world.

Quick Facts: ABV: 11.3%  |  Origin: Rochefort, Wallonia, Belgium  |  Style: Belgian Quadrupel (24.5° Plato)  |  Brewery: Brasserie de Rochefort (Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy)

Production & Heritage

Brewing at the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy dates back centuries, though the current brewery was established in 1899 and remains operated under the supervision of the resident Trappist monks. Rochefort 10 is built on a grain bill of Pilsener and Munich-type malts alongside unmalted grains, hopped with Hallertau and Golding varieties. What distinguishes the 10 from lighter expressions in the Rochefort range — the 6 and the 8 — is the addition of dark candi sugar to the wort, which drives the beer to its formidable 11.3% ABV and generates the complex sweetness reminiscent of dried figs, plums, and dates. Water is drawn from a well located inside the monastery walls, a detail the monks consider essential to the beer's character.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Intensely layered, opening with dark chocolate and latte coffee before unfolding into port wine, leather, and autumn wood. Beneath those primary notes, expect orange and lemon zest alongside freshly baked biscuit and warm spice.

Taste: The entry is rich and malty, with immediate impressions of molasses, brown sugar, and caramel that transition into a dark fruit core of plum, raisin, black currant, and subtle dark cherry. The mid-palate carries a pronounced vinous quality — almost like dried apricots soaked in brandy — while cinnamon, pepper, and a well-integrated alcohol warmth build toward the peak.

Finish: Long, warming, and layered, with bittersweet chocolate and Angostura-like herbal bitterness lingering alongside brown bread malt. The alcohol is present but remarkably composed for a beer of this strength, leaving a dry, slightly figgy conclusion.

How to Drink Rochefort 10

Pour into a wide-bowled goblet or chalice at cellar temperature (around 12–14°C / 54–57°F) to allow the complex aromatics to fully develop. This is a sipping beer that rewards patience — let it warm slightly in the glass as new layers of flavor emerge over 30 to 45 minutes. In cocktail culture, Rochefort 10 can substitute as the base in a Beer Flip, where its dark fruit and chocolate character replace stout beautifully. It also works in a Black Velvet variation, paired with dry sparkling wine for a richer, more complex take on the classic. A Beer Sangria built around Rochefort 10, sliced stone fruit, and a splash of brandy amplifies the quad's natural dried-fruit intensity.

Best For

• Gifting a serious beer enthusiast who appreciates world-class Trappist ales
• Cellar aging experiments — Rochefort 10 evolves gracefully over 5 to 10 years
• After-dinner sipping as a dessert course replacement alongside dark chocolate
• Building a curated Trappist beer tasting flight with the Rochefort 6 and 8

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Rochefort 10 taste like? Rochefort 10 delivers rich, layered flavors of dark chocolate, plum, raisin, caramel, and port wine, with warming spice and a dry, bittersweet finish. Its 11.3% ABV is remarkably well-integrated, giving it the depth and body often compared to a fine digestif.

How does Rochefort 10 compare to St. Bernardus Abt 12? Both are consistently rated among the world's finest Belgian quadrupels, and blind tastings frequently place them side by side at the top of the style. St. Bernardus Abt 12 tends toward a slightly softer, creamier mouthfeel, while Rochefort 10 leans into darker fruit, more pronounced vinous character, and a drier finish.

Is Rochefort 10 good for sipping neat? Rochefort 10 is best enjoyed on its own, poured slowly into a goblet at cellar temperature — its complexity and strength make it an ideal contemplative sipper rather than a session beer.

Where is Rochefort 10 made? Rochefort 10 is brewed at the Brasserie de Rochefort within the walls of Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy in the town of Rochefort, in the Wallonia region of Belgium. It is one of only fourteen recognized Trappist breweries in the world, meaning production is carried out by or under the direct supervision of monks.

What foods pair well with Rochefort 10? Aged Gouda or Comté cheese complements the beer's caramel and dark fruit notes. Rich game stews like carbonnade flamande mirror its malty depth. Dark chocolate truffles (70%+ cacao) echo the bittersweet finish. Dried fruit and nut platters amplify the fig, date, and raisin character. Blue cheese such as Roquefort creates a classic sweet-savory contrast with the residual sugar.

What sizes does Rochefort 10 come in? Rochefort 10 is most commonly available in the standard 330ml bottle, which is the traditional Trappist serving format.

Is Rochefort 10 worth the price? Rochefort 10 positions as a premium Trappist ale with production limited by the monastery's capacity and philosophy — the monks brew only enough to sustain the abbey. Given its near-perfect critical scores, multiple gold medals at the World Beer Championships, and genuine Trappist provenance, it represents exceptional value within the world-class beer tier.

Why Rochefort 10?

Few beers in any style carry the critical weight of Rochefort 10 — a two-time World Beer Championships gold medalist (2004, 2006) with a 99 score on BeerAdvocate from over ten thousand individual ratings. Its production is inseparable from monastic life: brewed with well water drawn from inside the abbey, dark candi sugar added to a malt-forward wort, and fermented under conditions the monks have refined for over a century. Unlike many high-ABV ales that lean on sweetness to mask rough edges, Rochefort 10 finishes dry and composed, with a vinous complexity that deepens with careful cellaring. In a category crowded with homage bottlings and imitators, this remains the original benchmark for the Belgian quadrupel style.