Westvleteren Extra 8

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

I too was expecting Westy-12 light, but it was quite different. The first thing I noticed was the yeastiness, which I actually thought was kind of cool. Same incredible smoothness as 12, didn’t taste noticeably weaker, though slightly less full-bodied. Still a top-notch beer. I only had a small sample, will have to re-rate somewhere down the line.

bottle...thanks to masonjer for sharing in the parking lot!....didn’t pay enough attention to gather the date on the bottle cap....poured an opaque caramel brown with a hefty tan, light brown head....aromas of brown sugar, figs, raisins, candied sugar, and yeast....flavor was pretty bready with dark fruit accents and a nice overall sweetness. finishes off a little dry and bitter......i really need to sit down with another one and take my time with it. this rating felt a little rushed.

color is like a deep mahogany, head is absolutely huge-very very light beige..aroma is quite yeasty, with melon and nutmeg and perfumey. expected the flavor to be somewhat sweet, but it didnt pan out. big malty flavor with an intense warming sensation in the mouth. alcohol was detectable but not overwhelming. i’m sure there are some things i’m missing in there, but i never claimed to have the most sophisticated palate in the world!

Bottled. (Off course) Not as dark as the Abt, but certainly as beautiful. Sweet aroma. Quite bitter and little bit spicy flavour.

Bottle. Color is a very dark brown . Carbonation is good with a big tan head. Aroma is a spicy yeast scent with some mild malt notes. Taste is sweet and a little spicy. Starting with a medium body it goes down with a fizzy feel. Finish is big with Belgian yeast, some dried fruits and a nice spicy feel. After taste lets the fruity Belgian flavors come out with just a hint of bitterness from the spice. This is just an amazing brew.

In celebration of passing my level 2 Japanese proficency test (just don’t ask by how much I passed). In any case, I seriously need to invest in some glassware as I pour the biggest head I have ever seen into a tumbler. Though it was interesting watching all the big gaseous bubbles being created and then burst. Very much a light brown rocky road colored head. The color is deep brown and without even bringing the bottle to my mouth I can smell the house yeast. Cherries, milk chocolate, walnuts, sherry, a touch winess in the nose. Smooth, silky mouth cherries, milk chocolate, rich, winey, sweet fruits, yeasty, light bodied. A nice mildly sweet finish and an underlying bitterness. Perfectly balanced.

While the order of ratings don’t reflect it this is being sampled after the Zywiec Porter. Excellent in the glass with the port like body and clean creamy head. The nose is a bit muted however but there is a slight peppery suggestion with a raisin edge. The one enduring note here is the alcoholic burst in the taste. It is quite pronounced and actually has a degree of imbalance that does fade with a bit more time in the glass. One aspect of some Belgians I have noticed is that they can have a tendency to be a little asserive just after being poured. These need to be treated with respect and in turn the favour is reciprocated. This is definitely a great beer that reaches heights, but not as much as its big brother.

Creamy and adherent head, optimal persistence. Dark brown color, much impenetrable and with mahogany/reddish reflexes. Fraught, dense and a lot hazy body. Extremely rich and complex scent; pleasant vinous and fruity notes with must and alcoho aromasl. Extremely stinging and lively taste. Balanced and harmonious with optimal but not excessive alcoholic tone. Much fraught and cake in mouth with bitterish trains on the end.