Westvleteren 12

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

Serve in Trappist glass

Best by 2013. Opening this alleged masterpiece while watching Die Hard. Good movie. As with a lot of other Belgian beers, this was a gusher. Luckily I was quick with the glass and only lost a bit of the beer. Because the yeast was unsettled with the gushing, the pour is murky and flakey, and the head was soapy and dissipating. The aroma is in yo face with yeast and esters. Notes of chocolate, tobacco, dark fruits, dark sugar, toasted nuts. As it is swirled notes of toffy and caramel occur. Also a rather strong oxidized impression which is off, and notes of alcohol. The aroma is actually very nice, is has some nice subtle elegances. The taste starts off with heavy yeasty and estery sweetness, figs, dates, port like in the sweetness, chocolate and cocoa. At first the carbonation was almost excessive, and that combined with the high esters made a very harsh mouthfeel. As it warms and the carbonation dissipates, it gets more pleasant - but nothing like what I expected from reading other reviews. I had high hopes for this one - that I would finally fall in love with a traditional Belgian quadruple. But no, this really isn’t my style of beer. Pannepot > Westvleteren 12

Black in colour For me perfection is the right word here.

Very very smooth, but very flavorful. No burn despite abv. Color was rich brown red. sweet taste. Overall an amazing beer. question is if it were locally available would it get the same rating? I’d say yes

Excellent, excellent beer. Best in the world? Not for me. It’s not even my favorite Trappist brew. Aroma is a little sub-par for an Abt in my opinion. Lots of raisins, dark malts, and even a little hops in there. But the depth of the nose isn’t what it is in Rochefort. Taste is extremely good, definitely world class. Layers and layers of malts, chocolate, raisins, hops, caramel, molasses... this beer transforms on the palate amazingly fast and then finishes clean and slightly sweet. Very good stuff... but not the best if you ask me.

When just poured in the glass, it could be mistaken for cola, with surely a different aroma, but the same colour, liquid and head. Aroma not too present in this bottle (or my nose should be gone today). Taste is perfectly blended in the mouth. Carbonation is quite fizzy.

Bottle enjoyed at Amundsen
Pours dark brown, thin laced head. Very nice laces. Smells of apple, oak, raisins, caramel and more. Extremely complex aromas. Taste is full malted, nice sweetness. Also some oak and acids. So smooth on the palate, not really oily, but the carbonation is so perfect and pricky. Finish has a nice hoppy finish. Some fruits in the bitterness.
Totally a very nice beer. I can understand the hype because of the small batches and the monastary, but for me this is not the best beer in the world. Still a very good beer, and a very vinous experience

UPDATED: DEC 10, 2011 On tap at Au Bon Vieux Temps (Bruxelles) - 2000th rating. Pours a dark cloudy brown body with a lasting beige foamy head. Complex malty/hoppy aroma with vineous, grainy, and woody hints. Alcohol is perfectly hidden. Its wonderful, rich, complex taste carries grainy, oaky, vineous, and herbal notes. Ends with a long, warming bittersweet finish. A dream come true!

This beer tastes very good while sitting in a brown bar and a plate of young cheese beside it. It’s malt is cereal, chocolate, coffee, and toast. The hops are herbs and resin. The yeast is basement aromas and leaves. Although it is a heavy beer with much alcohol, the alchol is very well discovered by the subtle flavours. It is not just a hype, it is the best dark beer in the world.