Westvleteren 12

Brewed by Westvleteren Abdij St. Sixtus
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Westvleteren, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass

Sampled at tasting. Pours a dark brown with great whitish tan head with adequate lacing. The aroma is of trappist yeast, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and slight alcohol. The mouthfeel is smooth but adequately carbonated. The flavour is classic trappist with spicy cinnamon and sugar with hints of dried fruits. There are just layers on layers of flavour. It’s complex, sublime and worthy of it’s reputation.

First had this at De Spinnekopke ("Web Head") in Brussels. It’s an outstanding restaurant that makes many of its dishes with Belgian ales as ingredients. The day I had this was the one sunny day I experienced in Belgium on that trip (out of 7 days total). The waiter was quite possibly the most knowledgeable I’ve ever encountered, regarding food, beer, and food/beer pairings. De Spinnekopke is a national treasure, and Westvleteren 12 is the best beer in the world!

Less then 1 yr old bottle from a trade when I was in Belgium. Very complex with malts, spices, fruit, just lots of flavors!

Broke down and bought a bottle from that auction site. Bottle was 2 months from bottling date. I can add little from what others have said except to say I drank it next to an Abt 12. Never thought I’d say Abt 12 was not the best beer on the table. I don’t know how they do it but if I hit the lottery I’m heading to Flanders and getting more of this beer.

Thank you Drowland for absolutely hooking our tasting group up with these delicious brews, pours with little head, sweet aroma of dark fruits, I get serious Plum and dark cherry aroma, sweet taste, a bit less fulling than I expected. This is delicious, but I’m not sure it surpasses the Rochforte versions. Still... dang delicious.

Really good beer, but honestly didnt blow my hair back like I thought it would. I think people just like it because its hard to find. I think that is a contributing factor but it is also very unique and also very good. It is sweet and robust in flavor and it is strong. No doubt it;s totally worth a try, but I certaintly wouldnt pay a lot for it. I got it at the Abbey and it was a few Euros for a bottle.

330 ml bottle. Dark brown colour. Clear. Very small fine-laced off-white head. Apples and raisins in the nose. Vinous and notes of caramel. A little black pepper and malt syrup. Carbonation is low, but not too low as the beer is still refreshing even though it is strong and complex. Sharp alcohol notes with hop bitterness mixed in, but the malt sweetness can stand up to that easily. Clearly a really well made beer. Very enjoyable.

I’m simply bowled over, Plenty of strength and depth, and yet it’s still so subtle and elegant! Very complex and very refined.

Deep dark brown with a large head. Aroma of dried fruit, sweet spices, toasted malt, wood. The flavour is heavy with sweet spices, currents, plums, caramel, sweet finish, all overlapping. Big thick wonderful palate. I wondered how this could possible live up to the hype but it has.