Westvleteren Extra 8

Source: 11.2 oz bottle in a trade.
Appearance: Dark brown color with ruby highlights and a one finger cream colored head.
Aroma: Very malty, with notes of yeast and dark fruit. Strong notes of floral hops were present also.
Flavor: Very hoppy, with a strong body made up by dark fruits and sugars.
Palate: Medium/full body and smooth mouthfeel. The faint bitterness hangs around for a while, but it is very pleasant.
Overall: Much better than the 12 in my opinion, and well worth the hype here. Great beer.

From Cletus via trade. The pour was dark brown and ruby with an off-white head that was slow to settle. Thin bits of lacing. The aroma was malt, dark fruit, perfumy floral hops, earth and a tiny hint at yeast. The flavor is dominated by the almost soapy, floral hops. Raisins, dates, roasted malt and yeast all chime in. The mouthfeel was fine, but nothing spectacular. More active carbonation than I like.

Appearance: dark amber to brown color. Huge head, beige, dense and lasting. Aroma: semi-roasted, a lots of ripe-read fruits like raisins, figs and berries. A woody hit and vanilla. Vinous nose. Flavor: complex-multivariate start flavors, but all of them very balanced and harmonious. Toasted malts in an exact quantity, reminiscences of chocolate, caramel, dark raisins, figs and dried peaches. Nice mature and vinous touches, also, oporto. A bit of wood, tobaco and dried fruits. Lasting and semi-resinous hoppy note. Palate: medium body and velvety texture. Low carbonation. Remark: Great beer, complex, harmonious and wonderfully balanced.

Complex and great like it’s big brother. Maybe not the most beautiful looking brew but aroma and taste makes up for that by far. Allot of dark, dried fruits, raisins, lighter fresh fruits and cocoa.

I had the opertunity to try this at my beer tasting last weekend. Bottle is small, i believe 8 ounces, with no label. This one pours dark brown with a nice fluffy head. Flavor of fruit. This one is very smooth. Too bad it comes in such a small bottle, this stuff is great.

A: It pours a rich deep dark brown color with tons of carbonation. A head builds and recedes. There is no lacing, but some yummy sediment in the bottom of my Westvleteren Chalice. (Compliments of Regine) S: Wonderful aromas waft from the glass. Tons of deep dark fruits. Plum, raison and figs stand out front. They are matched with a wonderful sweetness. I detect brown sugar, caramel, and buttered toffee. The last time I smelled such wonderful aromas was a child at the county fair. T: It’s Westvleteren, and despite the detractors, this one is heavenly. This beer is so rich and creamy. The flavors are bold yet married wonderfully. The dark fruits are noted in the taste as is the buttered toffee. I also pick up hints of vanilla and a touch of dark cocoa. This beer is as good as advertised and worth every dollar I spend on it. M: Bold, Rich, and Creamy. A true Masterpiece. D: So drinkable. The cost prohibits drinking too many of these at a time, but I have been known to drink two in a sitting.

Thanks to dra19 for splitting that bottle last night. I believe it was an 03 bottle. Lots of fizz and fluffy head to the pour instantly. A lot of light fruits in the taste, but no alcohol. This would be THE summer beer if i could get it. Taste dissipates so quickly towards the end of the sample, leaving you wanting more. Very refreshing, light, and great.

One year old bottle. Lovely, mysterious glowing orange color goes through the glass. Head never fades no matter how slow you drink it, and you go slow. Amazingly smooth, with a very mellow, complex aroma of grains. Multi-layered flavor of grains, dark fruits, wines, and a perfect bitter finish. I’ll take this over the 12.