St. Bernardus Prior 8

Pours a murky deep dark amber with flocculent floaties, a thin suggestion of foam and some lacing. There’s that damn damp grain aroma again which seems prevalent in the Watou beers. Sweet and spicy body with a fleeting finish. Cherry/kirsch, brown sugar, oaty grains, musty hops. Creamy slightly over-carbonated body. This watery non-agressive beer hardly tastes like a strong ale at all, but is quite quaffable and I do like that signature St. Bernardus creaminess.

Pours a deep opaque/brown with a dense, thick head – almost as thick as whipping cream - excellent lace, coats the side of the glass. Aroma is of pineapples, vanilla, buttercream, brown sugar, and a little mustiness. Wow. Medium/heavy mouth-feel with a dense creaminess. On the front there is some fruity sweetness which gives way to a little spice (some vanilla and cloves) and a mellow tart finish. All in all, an excellent example.

Bottle from City Beer in SF. Cloudy dark brown color with an off-white head. Aroma is sweet malt and dark fruits. Flavor is nice buy not incredibly well-balanced in my opinion. Flavor is sweet malt, raisins, fig, and banana with a grainy, bitter hop finish. Nice lively, medium-full palate.

Bottle from Knightly Spirits. The bottle foamed for about 45 secs. Not sure why that happens? anyone ? The alcohol is hidden nicely. Much better beer than the 6. Very Good!!

Bottle. Ripe fruits, raisins, malt and chocolate in aroma. Deep copperred colour with high beige head. Sweet flavour of very ripe fruits mixed with malt. Moderate carbonation.

It isn’t a Westy 8 but it’s a decent and readily available substitute. I prefer this to the 12 and 6.

0,75 L bottle, pours cloudy brown with a good head that last for 2 seconds. Dark fruits in the nose, alcohol and little anis, flavor is intense with dark fruits again, big anis note and a rather grainy finish. the palate is very livley, but thin. the finish is grainy again and to rough for my liking although not lasting. alcohol is evident.

12 oz bottle, poured root beer brown with clarity plus trub particles. More dark fruit, spice and sweetness (though thinner in body) than Westmalle. No mineral pucker in first sip, but built up. Dynamic flavors. Took on bread dough aroma, thinner body and cloying sweetness as it warmed.