Westvleteren Extra 8

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

Deep burgundy colour. Large, rocky head. Aroma of malts, plums. Flavour is malty, some toffee, fruity, sweet. Finishes creamy and dry.

Either a flawed bottle was shared or the ratings on this are due to the brewery’s reputation only. Pours dark murky brown with a dense soapy head. The aroma has brown sugar, dough, Belgium yeast, cream and rich dark toffee. Medium / thin body with lots of carbonation. The flavor starts with some dark thick caramel and some yeast, then it thins out and the abv is very present. This is a well made beer, but far from the legendary status it has.

bottle - Pours very dark brown with a big light tan head. It has a malty, dark fruit accented aroma with some caramel. The taste is sweet malt and dark fruit. I’m also getting a hint of anise. It’s a very tasty, drinkable strong ale with a medium to full body that leaves some pleasantly complex flavors lingering on the palate.

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.

Deep mahogany with a rich thick head. Beautiful Belgian Lace on the glass. I worked on the aroma for quite awhile. Rich, nutty, malty and it just kept coming and coming. Each swirl of the goblet brought another wave of new aromas. The flavor was everything the aroma had prepared me for. Rich sweet and complex. Dried fruits, caramel, just wonderful. The best Belgian I have had. A must try beer.

Very appetizing, complex and perfumed flowery, slightly sweet, malty, bready & fruity (black cherry?, raisin) aroma. That’s for starters, anyway. Whiff of alcohol. The beer is the color of old rust, deep reddish brown. Looks very similar to many barleywines I’ve had, definitely very murky (I swirled and poured). Fine-bubbled but strong head with impressive lacing. Here we go... Wow. Malt flavors are dominant here, and mouthfeel is surprisingly lively. I can find dark brown sugar, chocolate, apple butter, raisin, and spices here. This would make a perfect dessert! There is a spicy, very slightly nutty and nougaty quality to the finish, and there are some hops here at the end, too, albeit not strongly. Very complex flavor. Incredibly smooth palate and long malty finish. Slight warming sensation in my chest from this. Oohh, this is good beer. I may have to mail order 12 or so of these and have my friends try it. I feel this is a beer to be shared, if possible. Undergoes intriguing changes as it warms. This is seriously good stuff. I want it to be fall already, it would make this beer even better, somehow, I think.

Poured a deep brown body with a nice rocky creamy head. Nose of sweet fruit, cherries, and medicine. Roasted caramel and quite effervescent. Quite creamy and aromatic. Stellar brew!

Bottle courtesy after4ever. Thanks Tom! Pours a clear mahogany with a mountainous off-white head. Sweet and creamy full body with moderate carbonation. This beer smells and tastes more like malt than any beer that I’ve had for a long time. There are plenty of other things going on here, but it really seems like a malt celebration. Aroma and taste of figs, cookie dough, almonds, leading to a softly tang finish.