St. Sebastiaan Dark - Brouwerij Sterkens N.V.

largadeer

Kentucky

3.05/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Ceramic swingtop bottle into a tulip. The beer is a dark but clear brown with ruby highlights. Clarity is excellent, and the head lasting.

Esters are huge on the nose, lending a fruity, berry-like scent. The sweetness accents this and reminds me of dried fruit or fruit preserves. There's a little bit of anise too, and an undertone of whole grain bread, even a touch of rye. The aroma is true to style, but the esters are a bit overwhelming.

It's lighter than expected on the palate, with a blueberry jam flavor up front. Sweetness is moderate, though the fruity yeast character borders on cloying. There's some spiciness, anise, a touch of clove. Soft roasted malt flavors make a brief appearance toward the finish, but this beer is more about the yeast. The body is light, perhaps a bit thin for my liking. Not a bad beer overall, nor a great one.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2010 02:39:48 | More by largadeer

jhtipton

Spain

4.5/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Almost threw my back out picking up the 500ml bottle. I do love the presentation! I will probably recycle the heavy ceramic bottle for my next homebrew. Appearance is a nice dark brown with some decent lacing. A rich brownish head. Smell is sweet with some hints of yeast, malt, and bananas,and raisin coke. Taste is like honey raisins and brown bread, Mouthfeel is medium bodied. Drinkability is great but since 500ml is twice the price of chimay blue, it's hard to keep picking it up, unless, of course, I need more bottles for recycling!

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2010 19:22:56 | More by jhtipton

4000qtrap

Missouri

2.48/5  rDev -36.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Source/Serving: 16oz. bottle, rather old looking but in an opaque ceramic bottle.

Smell: Red grape and raisin cola, caramel darkly toasted nuts, a little smoke and roast,

Taste: Lightly sweet up front, smooth and simple dark malts that go down easy. Light roastiness and smoke mixed with cola (and it even feels fizzy) in the middle. Just the slightest hint at any fruit. The finish has an earthy roastiness to it.... Almost coffee but not quite. Maybe coffee cola. Finish sweetens as it lingers.

Notes: Overall very average. Not very complex and, personally, not fruity enough for me though the smoke/roast is somewhat interesting.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 23:47:55 | More by 4000qtrap

aerozeppl

New York

4.05/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2001 Caged and corked bottle.

A: Reddish color. With minimal cola colored head.

S: Awesome. Totally musty. Nutty and a little bit of spicy.

T: Almost like cola. I have had a few well aged Belgians and they all sort of take on this character after enough years. Faded malt. Maple syrup. Little dark fruit and a touch of taxed yeast.

M: Great mouthfeel. Well carbonated despite the age.

D: Easy drinking. Had the feeling of an aged beer and that is always ok for me. Dubbels continue to surprise me with how well they age.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2010 00:22:38 | More by aerozeppl

drseamus

New York

4.53/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2001 bottle provided by aerozeppl and avryle.

A: Chestnut body with almost no head. Looks as expected for a 9 year old beer. Amazingly, there is visible carbonation.

S: Sweet caramel and maple syrup. Good pungent aroma.

T: Good god. This held up like a champ. Nice caramel and dark fruit sweetness. Very good balance.

M: Smooth as silk. For only 6.9% ABV it held up like a champ.

D: Phenomonal.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2010 22:03:28 | More by drseamus

irisier

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served from a 16 fl oz brown flip top bottle.

Appearance: Reddish brown with even tan head.

Smell: Sweet and somewhat fruity. apples and maybe raisins. A bit of bready flavors as well as some dark maltiness.

Taste: Malty and somewhat bready. Faint candy type flavors like butterscotch or tofee. Roasty but without astringency. Still somewhat bitter and a little earthy. Maybe a bit nutty at the end.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with high carbonation.

Impressions: Pretty good. Toasty and sweet with a unique aroma and taste. This would be a good beer for those inexperienced with Belgian beers. Love the earthiness.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2010 18:05:05 | More by irisier

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beer is in very cool looking ceramic bottle with flip stopper for after cap is opened. Poured into DFH goblet. Intial pour created nice thick 3 inch ivory colored head on top of dark copper beer. Smell is slightly sweet and maltly-no hops detected. Taste hints of carmel, with creamy feel, and improved as it warmed. Beer retained a half inch head throughout consumption. The excellcent smooth taste made for high drinkability. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2010 21:01:12 | More by jmdrpi

Westsidebuddha

California

3.68/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

After sitting in the fridge for about 3 years, I decided to open this bottle (i.e. I ran outta beers). Poured a dark brown color into a small tulip glass. Nice bubbly head and still carbonated. Smell slightly roasted. A light roasty taste with a full mouthfeel. Drinkability is that of drinking at your own pace. A good beer to try at least once.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2010 08:09:14 | More by Westsidebuddha

adamette

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Live reivew. Poured from the medium brown clay or ceramic container which is capped with a metal cap but also has a cage with a plastic top that I suppose is able to be placed back on the top after the metal cap is removed. Poured into my gold rimmed Brewery Ommegang Westvleteren style goblet. Purchased the 16 oz. container from Save-On Tobacco & Beverage in Mentor a few days ago for $7.99. The following stamped on the back label: 23/07/13 B 14:06. My guess is that it is best by July 23rd, 2013.

A 3 inch abundant, creamy very light brown head over a dark brown body that glows a nice, pleasing mahogany in front of direct light. I can also see sediment floating about in the glass. I really like the look of this beer and its container which is nothing if not unique. One thing is not in any doubt...absolutely no light has reached this beer since it was poured into this container. 4.5

S Medium roast malt and Belgian yeast in a smell that seems very consistent with the style and inviting as well. There is the sweetness from the malt but it is not a sugary sweetness but more of an organic, barley sweetness. 4.0

T Nice malt sweetness, some Belgian yeast grain sense as well and an unexpected fleeting metallic taste as well. That metallic taste was only experienced once and so I am not sure what the source of that was. Anyway, most of my sips revealed the malt, yeast and a nice, smoothness but this beer does not have a lot behind it, kind of a "safe" Dubbel. It is true to style but leaves me a bit bored. It remains a good tasting beer, don't get me wrong. 4.0

M As mentioned, nice and smooth with minimal syrupy stickiness. Good feel as well. 4.0

D Very good, especially for the style and the slightly elevated ABV. 4.0

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2010 23:37:04 | More by adamette

Spineypanda

Texas

4.08/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a black with a white head that is about an inch thick and has a long lasting time with a good lacing.
Smells of roasted barley and has a slightly sweet smell to it.
Has a serious citrus note to it that is pretty refreshing. Has a roasted taste to it but not overwhelming and has a smoky taste as well.
Nice carbonation.

I like this a lot and will buy it again!

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2010 02:35:15 | More by Spineypanda

farrago

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Huge frothy head, given its size resolves down to a half finger swiftly, light cream white in color, leaves solid sheets of lacing down the glass sides. There's enough yellow in the dark brown color to give it more of a murky muddiness, the carbonation visible through that murk. As strong as the caramel and toffee are in the nose, remains clean overall, dark chocolate covers the plum, cherry fruit scents, some oats and sweeter grains, flower and orange citrus driven dissolve. Light-bodied, very foamy in the mouth, soft and fluffs up the whole experience. The caramel, butterscotch, brown sugar notes are obvious but hardly sweet in an enduring fashion, in fact it's a fairly dry beer. Orange peels, granola, peat moss slip in, the cherry, plum, banana fruit mostly quiet. Classy and easy to drink, a little more depth of flavor couldn't hurt, though.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2009 17:52:29 | More by farrago

mwagner1018

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Deep dark amber cherry color, showing that hint of red, nice 1 finger of creamy caramel head on top, poured into my Chimay goblet. Nice cap lingering that remains through the glass, light to no lacing.

S- Yeast, bready, sweet malt, with a hint of pumpernickel and rye, chocolate and toasted note.

T- Complex with a nice crisp mild bitterness, medium alcohol warmth, toasted, nice sweet malt, some slight candi and definite deep raisin and prune. As it warms up the flavors really shine through on several dimensions... molasses, butternut, slight parsnip, and mild spice.

M- Medium balance, slight residual sweetness, crisp, well carbonated, delivers well with a nice chew to it.

D- Really nice drinkable beer, nice depth of character, fills me with desire for another one, complex, a really great beer that very accurately depicts the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 01:11:08 | More by mwagner1018

theboozecruise

Louisiana

3.9/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a ceramic? bottle into a Chimay goblet, dark brown body with a 2-finger or so creamy head. The head slowly dissipated leaving lacing around the rim of the glass. The bottle has a neat flip-top as well as the normal bottle-top. I guess this would help keep it fresh if I wanted to drink some now and save the rest for later, but it's only a pint, so it's kinda wasted! If it was a liter bottle, then I could definitely see pouring a goblet and then saving the rest for a later time.

Very fruity alcoholic aroma, hints of berries and a subtle bit of spice. Raisins.

The taste is more of the same, nothing too varied from what I smelled... very clean aftertaste. I'm betting this one gets even better as it warms up even more... very little bitterness at any point in each sip.

A solid Belgian ale, but leaves a little to be desired.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2009 01:48:45 | More by theboozecruise

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

St.Sebastiaan poured from a very cool ceramic bottle. Appears dark mahogony with a head that features big soapy bubbles.

Smells of dark wheat, prominant malt, and of course has a bready characteristic to it.

The flavor is a bit subtle but good. Tart belgian twang coupled with dark fruits. Plum and raisen bread. Herbal hop prescence is low. Faint cocoa is noted as the beer comes to ideal temperature.

Medium to full bodied with a smoooth malty finish. Finish with a clean alcohol notion.

For a beer its strength I found this highly delectible. Really enjoyed the subtle complexities.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2009 21:43:00 | More by Stinkypuss

WYVYRN527

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Deep mahogany in color with a two-finger thick head that just lingers. Very fine carbonation with great lacing on the glass.

S: There's alot going on in the boquet of this brew. Slightly spicy, with notes of fig and candied fruits. Nice malt backbone of bread and toffee.

T: Flavors are very complex. Fruity, with notes of citrus peel, fig, and rasin, along with spice, toast, and caramel. The hops make their presence known only in the backround, giving the beer a pleasant dry finish.

M: Mouthfeel is good, although I would have expected just a bit more viscosity from this brew. The finish is good, but relatively short-lived.

D: A great example of how unique this style can be. Definitely one I will be re-visiting in the near future. This stuff is dece!

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2009 01:15:42 | More by WYVYRN527

Stonepot

Ontario (Canada)

4.88/5  rDev +25.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On a rainy night while my little one sleeps gently in his crib, I search frantically through the entanglement of kitchen wares I call a top drawer, and after many guffaws and sighs I finally procure my bottle opener, sit down on the terrace and crack open one of the finest brews I have ever had. Life is glorious.

Serving type: growler

08-02-2009 12:08:47 | More by Stonepot

bskrtz

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A) Cloudy dark cola w/floaties

S) Sweet breads, malt, sour dough

T) Darn good, thanks for asking... A fine Belgian dark ale. Very smooth and complex, sweet molassis and dark fruit

M) Effervescent fiz so common with secondary bottle fermentation. Rich and thick -- a beer to drink before a meal, doing so afterwards may be difficult

D) An excellent Belgian dark ale. With 6.9% alcohol, you could enjoy a few and still remain cognizant

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2009 01:25:27 | More by bskrtz

sjclay00

Michigan

4.13/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

T- Very smooth with a bready taste. Very enjoyable
M- Smooth without much bitterness
D- With the smooth mouthfeel, drinkability is above average. Could have a few of these but soon the bread like taste would become to much.
A- A brown with a decent head about two fingers. Left a few yeast sediments floating
S- Not very hoppy, smells mostly like malt a little sweet

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2009 01:05:15 | More by sjclay00

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appears a semi-transparent dark copper with a rocky, light tan head that slowly fades out. Scattered bits of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of candies, sugar, toffee, oxidized fruit, dark wheat bread, & spicy pepper.
Taste is of the mentioned dark bread, fruit, sweet candy, with some caramel, and raisins showing in the flavors.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, smooth, with mineral notes found in some of the better Belgian beers.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2009 00:30:33 | More by weeare138

K7M

Mississippi

4.13/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased at Four Winds in Pensacola FL, suggested by Mike, the Beer manager.

Pours nicely into a glass with solid dark color and aroma. Overall a full flavor without bitterness, not too sweet, a unique yeasty flavor that is pleasant. This is a good solid dark Beer that I will enjoy again and also recommend to my friends.

This is a good Beer for those who enjoy Dark Beers and I will purchase more in the future.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2009 01:20:28 | More by K7M

dmamiano

West Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer was a gift from a friend. The bottle alone was worth the price of admission.
Poured a dark mahogany with a thick, tan head that resembled whipped cream floating on coffee.
Smell was sweet, malty absolutely no hops detected. The tell tale Belgian yeastiness all over the nostrils.
Taste was big, malty. yeasty and funky. Belgianesque in the taste. Ripe fruits, raisins and plums come to mind.
Very enjoyable sipper.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2009 14:37:01 | More by dmamiano

ZimZamZoom

West Virginia

3.85/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a nice looking ceramic bottle into some snifters. Nice looking dark brown color, nice ruby hues when held to some light. There were some serious floaters in our glasses, but the beer was not cloudy at all. I got a rock solid tan head that did not quit. Lacing abounds.

Aroma is bready, with some yeast esters and a nice ripe fruit character. Some light hop spice in the background. Taste is big on bready malt and has hints of over-ripe apples, dates and raisins. Nice dark fruit complexity to this beer.

This dubbel has good body, not real heavy and not showing much carbonation in the feel. It's easy to sip this one again and again.

This beer does not rank up there with the Trappist versions of the style that I have had, but still is very nice.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2009 12:56:10 | More by ZimZamZoom

Rayek

Colorado

4.28/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Cloudy walnut colored beer with minimal carbonation. Rocky cream head has amazing retention and leaves a heavy lace.

S: There's a lot going on here. Cinnamon, clove and coriander hit me first. Oranges, lemons and apples come in from behind. Heavy spices dominate the fruit aromas.

T: Very complex. Definitely a beer to savor, as each sip reveals a new flavor. The coriander, clove and cinnamon aromas combine in the mouth to create a spicy bitterness. Sweetness comes in the form of cherry, apple and orange flavors. Yeast adds a biscuit quality. Finishes very dry and tart.

M: Medium body feels sticky. Carbonation is a touch low and leaves the beer with a slight watery character.

D: This was on sale and I couldn't pass up the super cool stone bottle. I'm very glad I grabbed this. Perhaps too pricey to buy more than once a year, but well worth the investment.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2008 17:17:01 | More by Rayek

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Provided by Holybrew.
Poured into a not-so-pint glass. Nice color to it, but looks a bit oily. Brown and amber fight for dominance, and the head is fairly weak with little retention.
Weak smell as well. Nothing bad, but not very strong. Some sweets to it, caramel and bready yeast. Slight spice incorporated as well.
Taste is also weak. Not bad. Soft fruits come out like prune and raisin, a little bit of caramel. Alcohol is noticeable.
Oil feel to it. Slick. Caramel aftertaste. Little punch or bite to it. Seems very flat, too.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2008 11:58:49 | More by Mebuzzard

spike882

New York

2.5/5  rDev -35.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A dark beer that has a slightly sweet flavor to it. Notes of dark fruit and prunes in the nose. No hop flavor at all, and not much of a flavor overall really. Absolutely no carbonation at all when poured, looked like brown water. Not a good beer flat but would like to try again if carbonated properly, if that is how it is supposed to be. As is would not reccomend especially at around $9 a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2008 23:07:30 | More by spike882