Westvleteren Extra 8

Pour an almost black color with a medium sized head. Very weak fruity sweetness aroma with a light fruity, a little tangy finish. Not impressed, might have to try another.

Bottle: Poured a black/brown with off white colored head. The aroma was very light fruit, not as strong as most of teh other trappist beers I have had. The taste was light tangy fruit. I love the 12 but this just seemed to fall short to me.

2004 Bottle from Shrubber85. Big Thanks to Roger! Nose: raisins, figs, plums, roasted malts, tart cranberries, a little bit of cocoa and vanilla. This is just a beautiful fucking beer. Cloudy, hazy,definitely unfiltered. Big, yet balanced frothy off white head. A head more reminiscent of a guiness or youngs double chocolate. Beautiful sticky lacing throughout. Flavor begins very nutty and then becomes very rich, smooth and creamy with vanilla, cocoa, and fruity notes prominent. Warming alcohol on the palate. Overall, very pleasant carbonation and mouthfeel. I was expecting to be let-down after all of the hype, but I liked this much more than I thought I would. Tasty. Saving the 12 for another month or two, no longer.

sampled at blind "Better Know a Style: Belgian Strong Ale" tasting 07. big thanks to xnoxhatex for bring this. pours average tan head, hazy brown with red highlights. nose was very impressive, yeasty, raisins, plums, toasted biscuit, and molasses. flavor was nicely balanced with caramel, molasses, raisins, plums, with slight alcohol finish. mouthfeel is creamy. this was the runaway favorite at the tasting, but i still like pannepot (which wasn’t apart of the tasting) a lot more. nonetheless, another big thanks to devon for sharing a westy!

Redbrown colour with huge brown head that last a long time. Aroma of dried fruits, prunes, dates, plums. Flavor dominated of the dried fuits and malts, very nice. A very complex and tasty beer that goes on and on in the mouth Reminding a lot of the Abt. 12 maybe a little more alcoholic, but a nice and warming alcohol.

Big tahnks to KrausenJockey for this welcome treat - Aroma is sour raisin, plum, yeast and brown sugar. Pours dirty brown with a small head and great lacing. Flavor matches aroma highlighting the dark fruits. Palate is silky and smooth, very nice. A very tasty brew.

Pours a dark deep brown with hints of red. Small off white head that lasts till the end. Tastes of plums, cherries, citrus, spice, and other dark fruits. Velvet smooth in the palate. Aromas of apples and ripe fruits. Had a friend from belgium bring me a bottle. Thank you Matt!!!

400th rating - bottle (less than 1 year old). Pours to a dark brown/plum color with a nice puffy head that rises slightly out of the trappist glass. Aroma is pleasantly sweet with a vast array of fruit and malt flavors. Hints of yeast are well mixed in. Taste - is a smooth collection of dark fruits - cherry, plum, with a malt sweetness that is really impressive. Wonderful mouthfeel. This is a beer that is really worth the effort and $ that are required to get one these days.