St. Bernardus Abt 12

750. Pour is lighter than I was exoecting, but pleasant hazy brown. Aroma is lots of yeast and dried fruit and brown sugar with background of wet earth. Taste is heavy on the brown sugar at first, though as it warms, raisins, clove and molasses show up to balance that out. As with other (good) Quads, it shows a lot of different profiles. At one point, I swear it tasted like liquid banana bread. I wasn’t blown away with this one, I trhink it lacks the cohesiveness and overall ’Umami’ factor of R10 and W12, but it’s a well-done brew.

So I was at a liquor store simply for a tasting and was NOT going to buy anything. I had my two and a half year old with me. Right before I left, she was being very squirmy and I set her down. She ran over and grabbed a bottle of Abt 12 and said "Here daddy, beer for you!". Now once again, I was not going to buy anything, but when even a two and a half year old knows about Abt 12... Poured from bottle into my large Goblet. Very dark reddish-brown with lots of floaties (I poured everything in as I like the yeast). Very foamy, sticky head that mostly subsides. Aroma of plums, raisins, cloves and a definite musty smell. I get a predominate taste of musty dark fruit - that sounds bad but it’s not. Strong notes of clove, molasses, butter and alcohol are also evident. Moderate carbonation, very chewy but relatively light all things considering. Very warming from the alcohol. Sip, sip, sip. No matter how good this beer is, I would have a hard time really wanting a second one. Of course, it is still fantastic. Despite everything great I have heard, I still prefer some other Quads/Strong Darks, such as Scaldis Noel and Delirium Nocturnum.

Brown bottle, 330 ml, best before 30 04 14, via Importations Privées Bièropholie (merci Hughes!), savoured on October 28 2009; eye: mahogany, lightly turbid, no effervescence, beige head that turns into a tiny sheet, light lacing; nose: yeast, candied fruits, malt, alcohol, light spices, brown sugar, light tobacco, molasses; mouth: yeast, candied fruits, malt, alcohol, light spices, brown sugar, light tobacco, molasses, finale in alcohol warmth with presence of malt, full body, not much carbonation, lightly sweet, foamy texture; overall: quite good FRANÇAIS Bouteille brune, 330 ml, meilleure avant 30 04 14, via Importations Privées Bièropholie (merci Hughes!), savourée le 28 octobre 2009; œil : acajou, légèrement trouble, pas d’effervescence, mousse beige qui se transforme en une mince couverture, légère dentelle; nez : levure, fruits confits, malt, alcool, léger épices, cassonade, léger tabac, mélasse; bouche : levure, fruits confits, malt, alcool, léger épices, cassonade, léger tabac, mélasse, finale en chaleur d’alcool avec présence de malt, corsé, peu carbonatée, légèrement sucrée, texture mousseuse; en résumé : bien bon

( 330ml bottle with a best by date of 03-26-13) pours very murky brown with yeasty chunks throughout and a nice thick fluffy head with brown spices/yeast deposited in the foam. Nose is wonderfully complex. Raisins, plums, Belgian yeast, bread, milk chocolate and alcohol. Taste is yeasty bread, light chocolate, alcohol, and even a little spicy from the yeast. If this was a little sweeter and less bready it would be the perfect beer. What was once my favorite beer is still a great one but I’ve since had other beers which are better. Glad to have re-visited this one.

A murky unclear brown beer with a nice head that dissipates quickly. The aroma was like baked bread with fruit, & nuts. The taste is bready, nutty, a dash of chocolate, & as I get to the end of the glass it got unpleasantly sour. There is a fair amount of carbonation, & you can’t taste the alcohol. I liked the beer except for that sour taste.

750ml bottle. Murky brown with tint of orange, big frothy beige head. Fruity aroma with notes of caramel, earthy, malt sweetness. Flavor is also caramel malt sweetness among a deep malt background. Also lively yeast and light floral notes. Finish is long and lingering sweetness and warmth.

Bottle. Pours hazy brown with thin tan head. Aroma of spices, bananas, malt and raisins. Taste of dark fruits and candy sugar. Thick mouthfeel. Very good.

Had on tap...Pours a hazy dark brown with a one finger tan head. Has a mix of 3 or fruits aroma with a nice malty smell. Extremely smooth on the palate for a high abv with a thicker feel. Flavor brings out the fruity aroma with spices and a good malt taste. Great beer.