Westvleteren Extra 8

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

July 07 re-rate: Bottle stamped 09.12.08, 1.5yrs old or so, much thanks to fozapd for this opportunity. Brownish colored pour with a thin head, weak retention. The aroma was strong caramel, slight liquor and choco notes. The flavor was caramel, light alcohol, spicey, raisins, brown sugar, bready, yeasty finish. Mouthfeel light to medium for the style, smooth, though. Some lingering spice zing on the tongue. Not as impressed as I once was, aging, the beer itself, or evolving taste buds? Original rating: Lot stamped 23.06.08. Poured a brown color with some yellow hues and a very nice head. The aroma was mostly yeast and some vinegar over mild dark fruits and spices. Flavor was similar with a yeasty raison type flavor the strongest. Not nearly as rich as the 12, but excellent nonetheless. Very enjoyable, but with something this fancy, I need the labels (beer cap in this case) removed for an absolutely fair (unbiased) rating (ie. my numbers could slip a little in that case).

Pours with a deep burgundy body topped by a thick natural head with a good amount of lace. Sweet vinious aroma with nice fruity notes and a good malty background. Sweet and fruity flavor with vinious notes and a malty background with a spicy finish. Full bodied, smooth on the tongue with a tingle at the back of the throat and slightly warming.

Like the 12, this one pours dark, stratified, murky looking brown colors. A small, foamy tan head settles to a swirly, splotchy film. Minimal, sudsy swaths of lacing slowly droop back into the body. The nose is divine, showing caramel, candy sugar, figs, vanilla, raisons, and various other indiscernible dark fruits and spices. The flavor is very good, but falling short of both the aroma, and the mastery that is the taste of the 12. Candy sugar and caramel again comprise the malt base, with dark fruits, vanilla, cinnamon, and other spices pulling backup duty. A medium-full, silky smooth body leaves just a hint of sticky residue behind in the mouth. This is a great, classic brew, but it falls short of its big brother, as well as the Rochefort 8 and 12.

De Vrede, Belgium Bottled Malt, bitterness, yeast fruit and dry fruit in a complex harmony

The greatest thing about this beer is the flavor. It is malty with dark fruit at the first sips. Then it becomes more like dark bread.

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!

Poured deep deep brown with thick fluffy tan head that left beautiful lacing...the aroma had to be the most disappointing thing about this beer (the only disappointing thing about it) it seemed to have some sort of wet cat food aroma at first...that did fade, but I feel like it poisoned my nose...became sweet, very earthy...the taste: much more mild than I expected (or am used to for this style)...my first couple of sips actually also left me disappointed...I thought the hype sucked...by my third or fourth sip, I thought I couldn’t even feel it in my mouth...the mouthfeel is the most profound thing about this beer...you know when you tongue kiss someone, and it is the best kiss ever, it feels like there is no air in either of your mouths and it just feels like one mouth? This beer is a perfect kiss. Flavors are mild...alcohol, a little raisin and grapey, yeasty...the finish is sweet at first, but fades into an aftertaste that I can’t describe...there is something bitter about it (not bitter in the good way)...I have had a weird taste in my mouth all day, so we will chalk it up to that... I had this beer cellared for quite a while, put it in the fridge and took a nap for 30 minutes...the beer couldn’t have been over 53 degrees or so, but when it hit room temp, it was amazing!! I have had beers where the flavor improves with temp, but never one I could drink straight out of the cellar (closet, but whatever)...

Dark brown w/ a huge head. Malty w/ flavors of raisin & warmth. Very sweet finish