St. Bernardus Abt 12

Bottle. Dark brown witha cream-colored head. Lots of lace. Smells like figs and raisins. Alcohol is well covered by the malt and spices with a touch of fruit on the palate. Dry on the finish but not bad. Overall, a pleasant beer.

[Bottle, thanks Joebrew!] Pours deep reddish-brown with a light tan head. Aroma is quite sweet with yeast, banana, alcohol, a little raisin and maltiness (a little barley possibly?). Taste is alcohol, vinous, a little chocolate and malt. Medium-thick mouthfeel, quite smooth. Good, fairly dry finish. It was still a very well done beer, but was a little hot on the alcohol and I wasn’t blown away by it.

(bottle thanks Joebrew) Pours out a muddy brown with an off-white head. Aroma of caramel, light raisin, cookie, toasty malt, alcohol, red wine, and yeast. Taste is somewhat sweet with caramel, spices, light toasty malt, and a really long yeasty finish. Mouthfeel is medium. Not too bad of a beer, but the aroma was far more complex than the flavor itself.

“Bringing heavenly nectar within reach”. This is a quote from the back of the bottle. Indeed this wonderful ale is out of this world. It pours dark brown and is very opaque. The head is thick and creamy, with a tan color that leaves good lacing. The aroma is full of cherries, earthy yeast and dried fruits, as well as intoxicating liquor smell. The warming alcohol is bold and up front with roasted malts and some bitter hops. As you continue to sip the dark fruits come out. Black cherries, prune and dried apricot mingle with a caramel like sweetness on the on the tongue. The palate is thick and velvety smooth with a long finish and lively carbonation.

One of my favourits of dark beer. A strong one, but soft ’fullmouthy’ beer.Has a little fruity taste. Ends sweet.

Drink by 10-9-12: Pours a dark hazy brown/copper color with a tall off-white cream head. Strong aroma of caramel bananas and other fruits and spices. Initial taste is a little fruity and caramel flavored, with the strong spices taking over as you swallow. Belgian yeast doesn’t surface until a little bit the finish. As it lingers the finish is a little dry and earthy. Body is extremely smooth.

Bottle, drink by 10-9-12. Pours dark brown with a creamy off-white head. Aroma is dark fruits and berries with a hint of alcohol. Perfect amount of carbonation. Nice dark fruity flavor, prune is the most distinct. Hides the alcohol well. A bit of spice on the finish. Very good beer.

Head descends but leaves a permanently thick lacing covering everything. Unfiltered dark brown look to it. Sugary and fruity smell to it. Really sweet, but not too much. Really fruity, but with enough room for the malts and hops. Alcohol is invisible. Thick palate. Aftertaste decidedly unoffensive. Somebody called this beer velvet. It is.