Westvleteren Extra 8

Pours a dark reddish orange with a nice tan head. Head retention is excellent with some nice Belgian lacing down the side of the glass. Aroma is complex with toffe malt, spices, fruit, and hops. Flavor is equally complex with a notes of caramel, choclolate, fruit, spices, and hops. Finish is slighly astringent with a bit of malty sweetness.

Pours deep brown with solid foamy lite-brown head. The alcohol is apparent on the aroma and and at first whiff seems to dominate, but it is merely just one scent in the bouquet. Figs and raisins are definately present on the nose as well as some bready, yeasty hints. Plums, peaches and raisins are on the palate, but there are also subtle hints of caramel and lingering spice:

Two bottles one dated bbf12/09 with 15mm sediment and 2nd bbf 05/10 3mm sediment(so not farapart but vast difference in sediment levels) The bottles were 99% same with the only real difference being the first bottle was more lively ... Deep brown ... deep fruit malt nose ... rich ... little sweet ... small amount of hop up front ... lots of malts and fruit ... little nutty ... bit drying ... bit bitter in linger.

Strangely enough my first impressions of this were that it tasted a bit like lollies, due to some sherbet and sugar notes. However, following this came a breadiness that gave it more the impression of a wholesome homecooked meal. A lovely balanced beer that I may have scored better if not for the other exceptional beers I tried on that wonderful afternoon in January...

Strangely, the dominant flavor is Smarties candy. Definite bread. Sweet, but not sugary. Finishes moderately dry. I can’t describe the flavor any better than Smarties, but it’s a pretty explosive combination of sweet fruit flavors. Doesn’t at all come off as artificial, more like magical. Couldbe described perhaps as a mix of strawberry, prune, cherry and maybe even others. Palate is dense and heavy, but not overwhelming and thick. Kick ass beer just begging me to drink it, but I’m trying to slow down and enjoy it. Impressive. Now I can’t wait to try the 12.

Very good mix of flavors. Darker in color and lighter in taste than the #12 it’s an outstanding brew. Sour tastes are a lot more pronounced than in #12, while still retaining the characteristic trappiste sweetness.

Bottle through trade with Sephiroth, no clue what vintage. Thanks Hans. After having the Westy 12 with jarspag a while back, I knew I had to get my hands on an Extra 8. Pours a deep mohogany color with an absolutely fantastic appearance! Huge pillowy head that cascades around the edges and forms laces all around my Trappist glass. Somewhat similar aroma to the Westy 12, with more emphasis on the sweeter fruit notes, like pear, ginger, butterscotch and banana. Flavor is uniquely complex; great combination of rich malts, more banana, pear and cinnamon notes, candy sugar and Belgian yeast. Then came the familiar Westvleteren-style palate, just like the 12. I honestly don’t know what the monks do to this beer, but the mouthfeel is truly unbelievable. Fantastic. Tingly and everlasting flavor on the back of the tongue. Can’t wait to get more of this great stuff!

Bottle @ In De Vrede, Westvleteren. It’s very different from the 12, but in a great way. The 8 has a darker hue and the aroma is a mix of the Trappist "funk" with spicy and fruity notes. The tastes range from fruity to slightly acidic, with the still-high alcohol content not masked quite as well as it is with the 12. However, this was still an outstanding brew. It’s still complex, though not in the subtle, dancing way its older brother is, and the flavors are fantastic. Great brew, I just wish they were selling it while I was at the abbey.