A whole lot of Belgian Beer
Poured a murky hazel with a wispy, creamy head. Taking in the aroma reveals rich malt, alcohol, oak and vanilla. High carbonation covers your mouth with malt, dry fig, raisin, alcohol in perfect balance with the sweetness; all followed by a long, pleasant, aftertaste that leaves you savoring every sip and a slowly warming belly.
5 Stars
Dark brown with a tinge of red, long lasting tan head. Fruit aroma, subtle yeasty spiciness and malt sweetness, tracking right with the 8. Dark fruit, caramel tones, more bitterness to balance out the stronger flavors and high alcohol (11.3%), finishes lightly sweet. Like all good Trappist beers the results are complex (secret code for hard to describe), balanced, and the alcohol well hidden. The 6, 8 and 10 taste like increasing versions of each other, subtle difference are there, but overall more flavor comes with more malt and as a result more alcohol. Of the three I give a slight edge to the 8. It is rare that you have to give up so little in the way of taste when going with a lower alcohol beer.
4 Stars.
Poured a clear brownish orange; beige head with some real staying power. Dark fruit, fig, mostly spicy yeast ester aromas. Smooth and creamy mouth feel. Malty sweetness, peppery at the back of the throat, not bitter, alcohol warmth. The beer mellows and the flavors mesh as the beer warms, or maybe that’s just the 10% ABV talking but I think not. I am not sure if there is such a thing as a Quad that I do not like
4 Stars.
Dark golden orange in appearance. Ample frothy cream colored head that clings to the side of the glass as it slowly recedes. Delicate aroma; light fruit, light spice. Bitter with caramel and raisin and an alcohol forward aftertaste. Label states best before January 2016 but I suspect this particular bottle is overdue.
2.5 Stars
Well here she is, after the blond and the 8 you had to know what was coming next, the big one, Westvletern 12.
I have to say pour is pretty unimpressive, sure it looks great sitting there in the proper chalice glass, but I am having a hard time coming up with any fancy adjectives so I will just say it pours a clear brown with a decent amount of very long lasting cream colored head.
Aroma, alright now we are talking, rich malt, caramel, fruit, raisin, alcohol, mild spicyness, no one aroma stands above the rest.
Rich malt and high carbonation explode on the tounge followed a host of complex flavors; everything in the aroma is still there with the addition of a small amount of sweetness and a long last pleasant bitter aftertaste. Smooth and incredibly well balanced.
This is a fantastic, big beer and my review does not do it justice. Best beer in the world? I do not know, it’s hard to call any one thing best. But I will say I have done blind taste testing with other Trappist 12s and Belgian quads and the Westvletern was the unanimous number one pick.
5 stars. World class.
Pours a dark brown, tinge of red, small amount of beige head. Smells of caramel, fig, dried fruit and a hint of booze. Full flavor, strong malt backbone, again with the dried fruit, finishes spicy with a mellow alcohol flavor. Incredibly smooth considering it comes in at a stout 10%. A perfect beer for a stormy night (like tonight). I think I have enough of these for a multiyear vertical… Stay tuned.
4 stars
