St. Bernardus Abt 12

Brewed by St. Bernard Brouwerij
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Watou, Belgium

This is by far my favorite Belgian style ale. Opaque, very deep reddish brown color, with a lasting, creamy head. The first taste revealed that it was not as sweet as I was expecting nor was the taste very high in alcohol either.

11.2 oz bottle... pours extremely well with a nice 1/2" head. smells wonderful... i smell apricot and a touch of cinnamon. spicy on the tip of the tongue and full of body on the sides. Great aftertaste, slight caramel taste. One of the best beers in the world.

Update :: recently tasted this on tap at the Brick Store Pub and was blown away at the difference in tap vs. bottle. Out of the tap it is much creamier and a bit mellowed out. Absolutely excellent. Out of the bottle it is more alive with flavor and carbonation on the palate.

This beer is bloody close to Westvleteren Abt 12. The only major difference is in sweetness. Of course it is much easier to buy and therefore perhaps has less mystery surrounding it. If you want a Wv12 but can find one this is the closest thing to it.

a rich and strong carmel smell combined with roasted hops gives this a unique bite to the nose at first. it has a rich roasted flavor with a slight honey taste toward the middle. followed by a strong kick at the end that is not overpowering. overall a well rounded beer

An incredible Quadruple from those smiling Belgian monks.... very full of flavour, a wee bit spicy, with tastes of fruits, toffees, and a nice mailtiness. There is some sediment in the bottle, so pour slow and carefully...

Unbelievable beer. Very complex flavor. I had trouble isolating particular flavors, but it was amazing. Spicy and mildly fruity, I’d say. I couldn’t believe how smooth this beer was for 10.5% alcohol. I’ve had MUCH more offensive beers at 8%. This was spectacular!!!

I enjoy this beer cold, at room temperature, sober, drunk, poured, straight from the bottle, through a straw, standing on my head, etc. I mainly drink stouts, but this beer makes me list Abt/Quadrupels as my favorite style. I’ve read of people doing blind tastings between this and Westy 12 and thinking St. Bernardus was better. Maybe I’ll give this a perfect score if I can ever get my hands on some Westy and confirm those results.

I could not be happier with this beer. The flavor and aroma are sweet and balanced, fruity in some respects but mildly so. What gets me is the mouthfeel. Served chilled, this is like drinking a delicate champagne. An extremely well executed brew from a brewery that does not make a bad beer.