Westvleteren 12

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

Serve in Trappist glass

Bottle, aged 2004 in Antwerpen. Dark brown colour, small to medium head, dense. Aroma of candy, chocolate, malts and dark spices. Taste is complex, raisins, figs, some chocolate, caramel. Very smooth. No alcohol feeling at all. Very nice, long finish.

Enjoyed from an 11.2 oz bottle in a whiskey snifter. The beer pours a deep brown color, with a small but long-lasting off-white head. Carbonation is high at the pour, but levels off to a far lower level during the beer’s consumption. The nose brings really rich characters of raisons, prunes, figs, and Munich/Special "B" malt richness. Absent are the grainy and tropical fruit notes present in so many versions of the style. Absolutely wonderful. The palate is full without being thick, and brings a complexity that make competitors like Rochefort 10 and St. Bernardus Abt. 12 seem one-sided in comparison. Similar notes as found in the nose, with the addition of a few that are hard to place a finger on, as well as just the right note of depth-adding alcohol. The finish is slightly sweet, but lingers beautifully (and, given the flavors, thankfully) on the tongue. Overall, one of the great drinking experiences of my life.

It was e bit dissapointed. I tested it a few years ago and it was better. Now it sweet, even to. bitternes is OK but it goes away with the sweetnes

I found that it’s better to let this one warm up a bit to bring out the locked properties. This one has a unique and complex aroma with recognizable coffee, chocolate, spices, a bit of smoke. Pours with thick foamy head and dark brown color. A sense of light bitterness that lingers around a bit in the aftertaste, but is well balanced with a bit of sweetness from fruits. An exciting beer indeed.

Bottle. Shared with the lads at work. Pours a deep mahogancy. Slightly hazy with plenty of yeast sediment. Smallish tan coloured head. Plenty of lacing. Amazing aromas of dark fruits, toffee and yeast. Super complex. Flavours show plenty of malt sweetness, toffee, dark sugar and drak fruits. Amazing beer.

First off I have to say thank you Keith for bonusing this in our trade. Pours a really deep, dark brown opaque color. Aroma is very complex and intriguing. Dark fruits, malts, spices, caramel, earthy, soy sauce, and stinky feet (yes I know that sounds weird but it honestly does). Flavors include spices, plum, raisins, grain, resin, cloves, and yeast. This is amazingly smooth and lives up to all the hype. I feel privileged to have tried this. Well done!

Bottle at home, from a box retrieved at the abbey last weekend after the pre-ZBF. Was very interested in this one since I first knew RateBeer. Now I finally got to try it. Pours a hazy dark brown with a very thick foamy off-white head with some lacing. Aroma is delicate at first but needs some time to bloom. Vero complex with bread, licorice, spices, grass, wood, some smoke and sugar. Amazing flavor that is a roller coaster from bitter to sweet back to bitter with all the aromas bouncing happily around. Extremely pleasant mouthfeel with lively carbonation and a very creamy texture. Well worth its first place on here.

Wow... this blew me away. Made the trip during a week in Paris, learned stick, drove over. Tried the Blonde and 8 first (expecting the 8 to be my favorite of all three) and was a little disappointed. This, though... this is something else entirely. Almost tastes marshmallow-y. Don’t eat this with something overwhelming - something bready would be perfect (I had a sandwich at In de Vrede). It’s not like the other top-rated beers, in that none of the tastes are overpowering. But it’s a beautiful, beautiful thing. If you can, make the trip - respect beer.