St. Bernardus Abt 12

330ml Glass at Marienbad /Chaucers that my lovely wife took me to for a beer or two and lunch two of the top fifty in one day YIPEE The aroma is sweet and nutty and fruity Pours a nice hazy brown with a nice tan head and slight lacing The taste is smooth and creamy with a touch of fruit and nuts Very nice the high ABV is masked very well

Top of the St Bernardus line. Multiple dried fruits in a subtle and complex combination. Improves with age. Tasted at the brewery in Watou

Appearance: dark brown to mahogany color. Big head, rocky, dense, beige and lasting. Aroma: a perfume of plums and cherries, as well as other ripe and red fruits like berries, candied apples and raisins. Background smells of caramel malts, vanilla and a bit of chocolate, clove and citric fruits. Vinous and whit cherry’s liquor reminiscences. Flavor: complex from the start. Sweety-toasty notes from the malts, intensive and varied fruitiness. I imagine a fleshy, ripe and sweet plums and cherry. Also, other fruits like figs, raisins and tannins. Reminiscences of dark-tea, clove, some of bitter chocolate, coffee, vanilla and tobacco. Complex and medium final dryness with notes of medicinal herbs, roast malts and fernet. Wine touch like syrah. The sweetness hides the alcoholic degree. Palate: medium to full body with oily texture. Low to medium carbonation. Remark: a marvelous beer, very fruity and complex, with good body and dryness. A exquisite fruit.

Bottle dated 2014 so pretty fresh. Upon opening this was a gusher! Had to leave for a good 10 mins before i was able to get a decent pour. No matter, i was more than happy to wait! Eventually poured a murky red/brown with mahogany highlights and a substantial tan coloured head. Aromas of rum & raisin seem most evident with figs, nuts and big yeast spice. Palate is brilliantly balanced as well as being smooth and creamy, despite drinking at room temp. The mid palate brought some sweetness with honey, caramel and dark fruits. The finish displays a heap of both abv & yeast spice. The rather high ABV never crossed my mind, impeccable balance!

Foggy brown pour, cream head. Malt, raisin, fig, molasses aromas. A little sticky, would prefer more however. Nice that it is not overly carbonated. Tastes solid malts and molasses, similar to the nose. I would consider this rather drinkable for a strong Belgian. Good, but definetely prefer the Rochefort 10. Though I don’t prefer many Belgians at all because too many end up being a "white" style Belgian, even when called otherwise.

From bottle. Pours red/brown with tan head. Aromas of fruit including raisin, plums and yeast. Flavors of raisins and grapes, caramel and malt. Very drinkable.

Pours a very dark reddish brown with a thick, creamy, long lasting tan head. Fruity nose with wisps of spice. Taste of plum, prune, maybe some apricot and a little bit of spice and pepper. Alcohol is well hidden but still a little noticeable. Tangy finish of fruit and spice.

Very Heavy Head extremely long lasting. dark brown and very cloudy. Flavor is heavy to very heavy, even bitter. more like an imperial stout. Overall Impression: After great expectations I was a little disappointed with the taste; and at $13 for 26oz, I would say it’s very over rated (100 rating???)