St. Bernardus Prior 8

Brewed by St. Bernard Brouwerij
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Watou, Belgium

Pours a dark brown with a fizzy tan head. Alcohol is not masked very well. Has hints of some caramel, dark semi-sweet fruits, and warm spices. Finishes with a metallic spice taste on the tongue.

33 cl bottle in tulip glass, "Best Before" 3-2-10 but dangit; I want it now! Deep mahogany pour with lots of sediment bits, slightly gray head. A light honey smell with a metallic twang. Taste is honey with bits of currants and plums to start. Very mellow throughout, with impressions of fresh black bread and Christmas pudding, then raisin cookies. Very warming, but no alcohol hotness. Were I more patient with this bottle, it might have smoothed out in a year or so. Dumping in the dregs at the end gives it some bite at the finish.

Pours a murky red brown. Nose is like an over ripe peach that if you waited to eat it until tomorrow, it would be rotten. Hint of molasses. Flavor is perfectly balanced. A touch of cherry on the tongue. Slight alcohol presence noticable. Strong sweetness like a brown sugar. Feel is very bubbly and very smooth. Excellent drinkability. So perfectly balanced. This was the middle beer on a night of tasting that started with Damnation by RR and ended with the St. Bernardus Abt 12. This beer was my favorite, and the person I drank with felt the same way. I wish I could buy this in New Mexico. If I could, it’d probably be a regular.

no fancy talk - this is just a fabulous brew. great color, pours with nice head into a trappist glass, very pleasant flavors. it’s quickly become one of my regulars.

Bottle -- Beautiful big off-white head with OK retention and lashings of lacing. Dark, dark reddy brown. Aroma is rich malt and ripe fruit and a touch spirituous. Nice and earthy. Slightly creamy/Slightly thin palate. Spicy fruit flavour with a touch of alcohol warmth that creeps up on you from behind. The aftertaste is interesting, with the rich fruity flavours giving way to a slightly sour alcoholic taste, with the overall impression "thinning out" as a result.. Very, very nice just the same.

Name: Prior 8
Date: 07/13/2005
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting

hazy brown, tons of carbonation, huge frothy off white head, earthy malt aroma, nice fruity malt flavor, light esters, light spices, a fine drinking beer although a bit light,
-------- /> Name: Prior 8
Date: 03/11/2006

dark with ruby edges, huge beige head, lots of lace, rich ripe fruit aroma, wonderful rich chocolate flavor with lots of ripe fruit character, but still a bit light even compared to the 6 which has a stronger malt profile

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.3/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: *4

Poured a deep brown into the glass with an off white head. The aroma on this one was malty with some plumlike notes. The taste on this one was surprisingly mild for the strength of this beer with some deep fruitlike flavors coming through. A really great brew!

Bottle. Pours a very dark reddish brown with a medium beige head. Aroma is yeasty and malty with notes of fruit, black cherry, raisin, plum. Medium in body with light carbonation. Flavor is slightly sweet and mostly dominated by the malt flavors although there is some fruitiness/berry mixed in with the note of alcohol. It ends with a distinctly alcohol and yeasty dry finish. This is great.