Westvleteren Extra 8

Brewed by Westvleteren Abdij St. Sixtus
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Westvleteren, Belgium

Thanks to Cletus for the bottle. Consumed on Christmas day along side of the infamous 12. Pours a dark brown, not quite as murky as the 12 but still a bit murky. Small tan head. Aromas are a bit citrusy, sweet fruits, cherry. Flavors are the same fruity, and sweet, not as much going on here as its big brother, but still a tasty brew you won’t catch me turning down.

Acquired bottle via trade with BelgianBeergal. Pours a murky brown color with a prominent mocha head and mild carbonation. Earthy. Smells of anise and yeast. Tastes of both with additional notes of raisin, vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, vinegar, and tart cherry. The depth of this beer is amazing. Well worth the wait.

Bottle-Trade w/Cletus-unsure of the vintage-Dark brown w/a slight tan head & good lacing. Sweet fruity aroma. Sweet flavor of candied sugar, dark fruit, figs, some caramel, raisins, & vanilla. Had a real earthy flavor to it, but it was still very smooth. Wasn’t quite sure how this would stack up the the 12, but it held it’s own. Mouthfeel was a little thinner, but other than that I’d say this was just as enjoyable. Long, full finish.

2006 vintage bottle thanks to kpresley77. pours a brown with a solid 1 finger off white head. some dark fruit and sweet sugar in the aroma. medium body, sweet over the palate with some dark fruits, nuts, and some light caramel. the finish really brings this beer to life accentuating all the flavors that exist on the palate plus a kick of alcohol at the far back. this is a very well crafted beer, but in the overall picture, I believe the Westy beers are victims of hype... they are solid, just not that legendary.

Vintage 1998 Bottle. Pours a brown body with ruby hues creamy off white head with sprinkles of sediment. Loads of different dark fruits raisins, dates, plum, fig, cherry, hints of apple skins. Zesty yeast flavors allspice, and lightly bready. Silk mouth feel with accents of chocolate, sediment, vanilla, caramel, fruity esters, and light toffee. Everything finds its way to perfect balance when served at 55F. This beer is beyond intricate every time i drink it i find something new to appreciate. My personal favorite.

Pours murky brown with small beige head. Aroma is musty, nutty, sweet fruit, yeast and slight toffee. Flavor is nice too with sweet malt, fruit and grainy. Not nearly as good as the 12, but very solid.

Gekregen op Sinterklaas 2007 feest van Annelies. Ze heeft het gekocht in de plaatselijke drankenhandel voor 6,95 Euro. Gedronken op kerstmiddag 2008. Een jaar gewacht. Het resultaat. Ik had meer, veel meer verwacht. Veel koolzuur waardoor de smaak niet volledig tot zijn recht komt. Maar ik heb nog 1 fles dus ik zal hem re-raten.

Not quite up to the flavor of its big brother but an awesome beer all unto itself . Great drinkability and goes down smooth. Wish these beers were easier to obtain I would have a few more for sure. Nice earthy overtones with just enough fruity rasin flavors coming through..Highly drinkable and worth seeking out along with its bigger brother..