St. Amatus 12 - De Struise Brouwers

haz77

United Kingdom (England)

4.2/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours an opaque dark brown, with an attractive three fingers of light tan head. This recedes to a rocky cap over the course of a minute and a half. Nothing to complain about here.

S - Molasses, loads of dried dark fruit, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, pear, brioche. Nice balance and depth.

T - The start is spiced dark fruits, before the bitterness of dark chocolate pushes through in the middle. Bready notes begin to then build and the finish is all brioche and some medicinal phenols. Aftertaste is bready/caramel as well as having some hop balance with leafiness and tobacco. It lingers and is about as good an aftertaste as I can recall.

M - Full bodied, but appears much less so due to quite lively carbonation. The velvety creaminess I've enjoyed so much in their other quads is lost until almost the end of the drink due to this.

D - Some really interesting elements here that don't quite hit the heights of their other quads. Even though this is the case, they've set the bar so high that this is still a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 20:29:23 | More by haz77

BMoldy

New York

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2011 vintage served in a St. Bernardus chalice. The label is in Swedish (don't ask me why) and mentions only water, barley malt, oats, hops and yeast among the ingredients.

A: Super dark, almost black, muddled brown with a large but even light brown head. Retention is acceptable though far from outstanding, while there is almost no lacing. A few swirls after the head has completely settled yield almost no new foam, and the beer remains relatively still, suggesting a very mild carbonation.

S: Lots of cocoa-like roasted malts with a heavy dose of rich, dark fruit to boot. A deep molasses-esque sweetness adds depth and masks a hint of alcohol.

T/M: Follows the aroma to a T. Starts off chocolate-y and roasty before slowly evolving into a more yeasty and complex creature with a strong, almost syrupy sweetness and mild dark fruit (namely plum, or perhaps raisin) notes. The malt backbone is big and solid, though it is kept in check by an almost imperceptible hop presence. Rich, but not too heavy in body, the beer exhibits the characteristic Struise smoothness that comes mainly from a subdued (perhaps a little too much) yet generally adequate carbonation. Otherwise undetectable, the alcohol presents itself as a very mild warmth toward the end, without which the beer would seem incomplete. Ends on an unsurprisingly sweet note.

O: Delicious. If there are spices in here (which, according to the 2010 label I found online, there are) they are much more subdued than the other spiced Struise beers (e.g. Pannepot, Tsjeeses). The final product is a pleasingly complex yet harmonious quad that –to its benefit– retains a certain amount of simplicity. Put otherwise, it tastes like a very "natural" quad, if that makes any sense, and is well worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 18:09:09 | More by BMoldy

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a bottle at Bier Tempel in Bruges. 2010 vintage. Poured into a chalice.

A- Pours a murky dark brown with a thin layer of tan head that fizzles down to a wisp.

S- Very powerful aroma, lots of dark fruits and a big dose of spice. Dark caramel malt in the background.

T- Very very sweet up front, big slam of fruit and caramel malt. Very boozy with very powerful spice. Decent amount of phenol cough syrup flavor.

M- Well carbonated, full bodied, has a thick, syrupy feel.

O- An extremely aggressive quad, the flavors all work, but the sweetness is verging on overpowering, definitely a sipper, it's a good beer but I definitely prefer Pannepot.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 21:12:48 | More by WillCarrera

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

On Tap at Blue Dog. It's things like these that make me happy to live in SEPA, the mecca.

St. Amatus 12 goes in the glass pretty dark with a mix of dark browns and reds, look is a bit murky, but this is a quad here. I've seen dirtier. Nothing in terms of head, cap, lace, nothing. Smell is about the dark fruits and less about the spices. Nice aroma of plum and the like and maybe a bit of licorice. No alcohol in the nose. Bready as well with yeast apparent. This is a nice change of pace from the Pannepot, more fruity and bready and not as much spices used IMO. Some clove makes an apperance with warming, the flavors work well together. The feel off the tap almost killed it though. This was basically dead and it needs a boost badly. Glad to have tried this though, a good beer that stands on it's own too feet. I wonder if this is the same base beer as Pannepot, with less spice.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2011 19:09:49 | More by onix1agr

siradmiralnelson

Iowa

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2010 Vintage. 33cl bottle poured into Chalice. Thanks to Kendall for hooking this up.

A. Poured 1 finger of tan colored head. Moderate lacing. Decent retention. Color is very dark brown.

S. Strong malt smell. Caramel malt, with a hint of roasted. Some spices as well. Not that sweet smelling. Dark fruit smell is there, but not that strong. Has more of an earthy dryer smell than other De Struise quads.

T. Really caramel malt dominated. Almost to the point it feels as if it has move away from a quad some. Not very sweet. Get some sour cherry on the back of the tongue. Just a little too malt focused for me and a little bit of roasted malt flavor that seemed strange.

M. Medium/full bodied. Low carbonation Finishes clean and drinks dry.

O. I for some reason had the highest expectations of this quad from De Struise than all the others. It was actually probably my least favorite. A really good beer don't get me wrong. Holds its own with some of the best in the style, but when compared to Pannepot and Pannepeut it was not as good based on my liking.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 01:07:54 | More by siradmiralnelson

corby112

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -29.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Draft at Capones in Norristown, PA

Pours a hazy dark chocolate brown color with a one fingerbbeige head that slowly settles into lasting ring. Spotty streaks of lace.

Sweet dark fruit aroma with subtle roasted malt notes. Subtle peppery spice with hints of grape, plum and fig.

Medium bodied with a strong dpice presence up front with pepper and clove followed by some anise/licorice, sweet malt and dark fruit. Lots of vinous grape along with fig, raisin, caramel and toffee. Mediocre, a bit thin and too heavy on the spice. I love Struise and was really excited to try this but it was a huge disappointment. Hopefully the bottles are better.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2011 03:13:03 | More by corby112

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First beer at Capone's Black Friday event. This poured out as a nice reddish brown color with a thin white head on top. The smell of the beer has a sweetness to it with some dark fruit aromas and some hints of vanilla. The taste of the beer wasn't as balanced as La Trappe or Westy but still not too bad. There were hints of fruits and caramel, it's not overly sweet and had a light bitterness in the back end. The mouthfeel was pretty good, there was a softness to the beer with a light creamy feel as well. Smooth and medium bodied. Overall this beer was pretty good.

Serving type: on-tap

11-26-2011 06:26:48 | More by Knapp85

oline73

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this on-tap at Capone's during the Black Friday event. Served in a snifter.

Appearance: Pours a slightly cloudy mahogany with hardly any head at all. There is a thin ring of off white head around the edge of the glass.

Smell: Sweet with dark fruit, mild cherry notes, caramel and some faint chocolate notes.

Taste: Similar to the smell. Caramel and dark fruit with some vanilla notes. Mild bourbon shows up, but it is very smooth. The finish is sweet.

Mouthfeel: Thick body with tingly and smooth carbonation and a dry finish

Overall: Sweet and very complex. All the flavors blend quite well and I would definitely have another.

Serving type: on-tap

11-26-2011 03:25:49 | More by oline73

MattSweatshirt

Texas

4/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2010 bottle into a De Struise glass

The beer produces a thin tan bubbly head. It's dark brown; reminiscent of a cola. The lacing is almost nonexistent.

A sweet smelling drink with notes of sweet caramel and dark fruits.

The first sip the tongue got hit with a big sweet caramel jab.
The dark fruits also join in.

The carbonation is tame and it has a great smooth mouthfeel.

Definitely worthy of a try if you come across it.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 04:49:46 | More by MattSweatshirt

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a snifter at Durty Nellie's.

This beer was the deciding factor in me choosing to go to Nellie's this night. Hopefully it holds up. It pours a dark sienna-garnet topped by a half-finger of dirty tan foam (I blame the pour for the small head, though, frankly). The nos comprises fig, light raisin, light roasted malts, very light cocoa, brown sugar, and caramel. The taste brings in more of the same, along with some dark red grapes (very close to the flavor of some rich red wines), light tobacco, light walnut, and light mandarin orange syrup. The caramel comes in a bit more toasted, and the roast is slightly more pronounced. The body is a hefty-leaning medium, with a very light moderate carbonation nd a smooth, sorta grainy feel. Overall, this was indeed an enjoyable quad. It's decently complex, and the alcohol is pretty well hidden. Good times.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2011 18:49:29 | More by TMoney2591

Damian

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Drank from a 33 cl bottle
Vintage 2010
Best before B 09 15
Served in a goblet
Thanks to Douglasjamjak for including this as an extra in our trade.

The beer poured a deep, dark, chestnut brown with a one-plus finger tall head of bubbly, beige colored froth. Even with a careful pour, large chunks of yeast particles flowed into the liquid. The head faded to a resilient ring.

The aroma was interesting yet more subtle than I anticipated. Coffee and roast notes were immediately noticeable. A hint of dark chocolate. Slightly smoky. As the beer warmed, some brown sugar sweetness came out as well. A bit yeasty and phenolic.

The flavor profile was quite different from the nose. Signature quad notes of plums, raisins and prunes came through up front. Semi-sweet with some dark Belgian candi sugar. As the beer moved along my palate, it became increasingly boozy. The alcohol heat was practically all I could pick up on the back end and in the finish. A touch of hops were detectible. With time, the beer turned more oaky and dry.

The mouthfeel was definitely the most impressive aspect of this beer. It was medium bodied and contained an ultra-fine, moderate effervescence that gave the liquid a remarkably smooth and supple creaminess.

I definitely would have enjoyed this beer far more had it not been so boozy on the back end. Perhaps some additional aging could help smooth out its rough edges.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2011 06:19:32 | More by Damian

Bierman9

New Hampshire

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was from a 0.33l bottle I picked up at the Struise shop in Brugge (for €4.60) while there in late September. Enjoyed yesterday at home with the family...

Poured into a small tulip glass, it was a dense, opaque brown color. Head was a simple ring of wispy bubbles near the edge of the glass, leaving a touch of lace. Nose was malty rich, with a nice mix of caramel and dark fruit. It had a solid, medium body, with a decent, smooth feel on the tongue.

Light sweetness was the first to arrive, with a good base of malts and caramel present. Dark fruit flavors all hit the palate, with some raisin and fig-like notes appearing. The finish was on the dry side, and lent a fair amount of bitterness to proceedings. Decent, but lacks complexity and is not quite worth the price, imo. Prosit!!

4.1 rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1402

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 17:15:49 | More by Bierman9

Sunnanek

Sweden

3.08/5  rDev -27.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Pours deep murky brown with a large but still uneven tan head that sinks and leaves only faint lacins.

S: Tart! Dark dried fruits, sweet syrupy malt. Some yeast.

T: Dark dried fruits, sweet overload. Some malt and some yeast but not much else.

M: Full syrupy body and very low carbonation. Aftertaste lingers with sweetness.

O: A great beer, but not a great Quad. Reviewing the beer in this style kills it - a Quad is so very complex and this isn't in comparison with the greater ones. Still a fantastic beer, though.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 19:57:32 | More by Sunnanek

monitorpop

Michigan

4.47/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Deep dark caramel, with a one finger creamy off white head.

S: Sweet malts, candied figs, malts.

T:  Caramel and lightly toasted malts. A bit of sweet cherry, fig and bread.

M:  medium carbonation fades into a slight alcohol burn.

O: One of the better quads that I've had. Complex, with a nice level of sweetness and subtle alcohol.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2011 01:04:43 | More by monitorpop

rarbring

Sweden

3.93/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The beer is dark brown, has some haziness, a tan frothy head, leaves no lacing, but some curtains.

A slightly sour fruit smell, yeast and boiled meat.

Tasting of sweet fruits, raisins, dried apricots, sour and bitter oranges, dry grass and some moss.

Medium high carbonation, small foamy bubbles, thick and oily, a slight dry round finish. A huge body.

A good solid strong Belgian, very good with hard cheese.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 15:09:59 | More by rarbring

xpimptastikx

Texas

4.15/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - dark brown with pilllowy khaki head.
S - Oak, figs, candi sugar, yeast.
T - Nice and sweet with a nice Belgian spice that Struise is excellent at.
M - Creamy carbonation with a nice finish.
O - A solid quad that I only wish was more available and/or cheaper.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 01:55:56 | More by xpimptastikx

auroracrisis

Kentucky

4.03/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From the tap into an oversized wine glass at Zwanze Day 2011 in Louisville at Holy Grale.

Murky copper brown with a head that quickly dissipates into a collar of foam around the edges of the glass that sticks around for the duration of the session.

Big toffee and caramel sweetness with fruit-like notes of fig and raisin on the nose with lesser spice than what I'm used to in a Struise quad. Cloves, cinnamon and allspice all present with some nice dessert bread yeastyness.

Again, toffee and caramel sweetness with stone and pit fruit sweetness as well. A lighter spice flavor than what I'm used to in a Struise quad, with cinnamon, clove, and allspice there. Bread like yeastyness on the finish with a touch of drying.

Medium-thin on the palate with a touch of stickyness on the lips. Low carbonation.

A much sweeter quad with highlights of toffee, raisin and figs with a nice spicy compliment. A pretty good beer from Struise that I'd love to try in a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

09-18-2011 01:12:15 | More by auroracrisis

brew3crew

Ohio

4.47/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2011 zwanse day. On tap

A-carmel and dark body with a little bit of head.

S-nice Belgian candy sugar. Very inviting.

T- follows the nose. Nice sweet sugar that mellows well with the body

M-medium body and smooth

O- very mice beer I wasn't expecting

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2011 19:02:02 | More by brew3crew

Crittervision

North Carolina

3.85/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

33cl bottle into a Struise glass at Kulminator on 13 August 2011. 

Deep brown with burgundy highlights. Thin boné, regenerative. 

Tart cherry melded with caramel, and bitter cocoa in the nostrils. 

Taste is a touch dry in the form of cinnamon or cardamom, many sweet accents in the form of semi-sweet chocolate, pruney pipe tobacco, with bright-but-soft citrus on the sides of the tongue. 

Carbonation is a little high and bites a little on the back of the throat. Otherwise nice. 

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2011 12:40:11 | More by Crittervision

Zimbo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.28/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Just looking at that sexy incredibly dark smooth brown bordering on black colour with super red ruby jewel highlights you know you have a total babe in front of you. Thin head but it is constant throughout.

Very slight medicinal taste, sappy with a very pleasant just sugary sweetness and dryness and some soft leafy earthiness too. Medium to full bodied with a degree of mealiness on the tongue. Sharp but gentle carbonation which softens the longer it stays in the glass.

So so much going on there and so obviously well put together. a fair amount of power too but it is restrained in the delivery with its super sophistication.
Strong, beautiful and complete. Wow.

Many thanks for this bottle Thijs. And for the one I still have!

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 21:35:45 | More by Zimbo

amphion1065

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. pour at Lord Hobo, served in a tulip and enjoyed right after a glass of Pannepeut.

De Struise does a masterful job making gorgeous high-ABV beers, and this is no exception. There's a two-finger tan head that lasts and lasts. An appropriately deep purple body with ruby highlights. By the time I got to the bottom of my glass, I could see my fingers through the beer.

Loads of cherries in the nose. Actually, it's a little more like cherry syrup, the remnants of a snow cone, with a slight medicinal quality. Though that might sound a little repulsive, it's actually quite appetizing. Some indeterminate dark fruits, too.

Cherry syrup (cough drops? cough medicine?) plays a big role in the taste. This actually reminds me a little bit of the most recent vintage of Blushing Monk, though the dark fruit flavors of this beer add a layer of complexity. Very little alcohol in the taste.

A little overcarbonated, though not enough to ruin the beer. The body is thick and syrupy, and the beer would be aided by a little less carbonation.

I really enjoyed the cherry flavors in this beer, and will be hunting down a bottle soon. St. Amatus has a very pleasing melange of flavors, and it's a satisfying take on the style.

Serving type: on-tap

09-10-2011 21:21:38 | More by amphion1065

thepeter

United Kingdom (England)

4.4/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

poured a dark murky brown great head and lacing
smelled of fruit, berries, plums chocolate, caramel and nuts
Taste dark fruits, nice malty base, vanilla, bit of tang and nut in there but only to make it complex and delicious a bit of woody dryness at the end as well.
Palate is Just as the Struise always do it. . .Perfect!
Overall a fantastic Quad, Fresh compared to the other big boys (fresh) it is one of if not my favourite.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2011 23:28:44 | More by thepeter

Mar02x

Netherlands

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Deep dark brown an dred color. No carbonation visible. Nice beige head that quickly dissolves.

S - Nice pallet of smells, complex. Wine aroma, yeast, oak wood, sweetness and some booze.

T - Complex and brilliant, cream, bit sweet caramel, hops an vanilla. It gets better every time you take a gulp. Is there some coffee in there? A hint of spices like coriander and cardamom.

M - Sweet and creamy, very nice The carbonation is soft to medium. The finish is bitter and boozy.

O - Drink it without distraction and you will enjoy even better. To my opinion this is one of the best beers from the Struise Brewers. World-class!

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2011 19:40:07 | More by Mar02x

spicelab

Australia

3.98/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to bluebetty for hooking this up. Sampled from a De Dolle stemmed tulip.

Deep murky treacle, with a finger or so of reasonably dense mocha head. Falls to a slight ring.

Stewed dark fruits, muscovado, almond and hazelnut, and plenty of woody yeast character. Has an enticing musty sweetness to it.

Sour cherries, boozy plums, muscatels, licquorice, figs and mollasses. Very nice and not particularly sweet for a quad.

Fairly lively carbonation on the tongue, but overall quite smooth, even and kind across the palate, with amazingly no booze heat.

Not the most amazing quad, more intriguing than complex, but well integrated and not cloyingly sweet.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 10:35:01 | More by spicelab

russwbeck

Virginia

4.22/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Got this as an extra in a trade with Douglasjamjak a while back. Lot B 09 15. Vintage: 2010

A: Reddish brown pour with an impressive light brown head. Very thick, the head laces in chunks down the sides of my De Struise Goblet.

S: The smell on this is extremely interesting. Booze, Belgian Yeast, Candi Sugar, Plums, Dark Fruits, Brown Sugar. Definitely complex.

T: You get the dryness up front I've come to expect from quads. Brown Sugar, Molasses. Followed by Booze and Dark Fruits. Raisins and Plums to me. The fruits stick around on the backend and blend nicely with lingering booze to finish the beer off well.

MF: Warming alcohol feeling as you drink. Medium bodied, nicely carbonated.

O: I was excited to get this beer, excited when I first poured/smelled it, and the taste came through. Very happy with this offering. Solid all around.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2011 03:57:15 | More by russwbeck