St. Bernardus Abt 12 - Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV

SpruceMoose

Australia

4.55/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

When it comes to Belgian beers, most of us see it as, mainly, a dichotomy between Trappist beers and Abbey beers. We love our Chimay and La Trappe, but also our Leffe. However, one of the more legendary examples of Abbey brewing brilliance, the St. Bernardus Abt 12, adds heavy weight to the argument between the two produces of beer as to who should be revered as the greatest producer of quality Belgian beer. Who would've thought that beer could be so divided by religion?

Serving Type: 330 ml bottle, along with its characteristic smiling bishop, poured slowly into a Grimbergen goblet.

Appearance: The slow pour produces a thick head, neither white nor cream, which retains itself with remarkable precision. Beneath it the body sports a deep copper or ruby red colour. Bubbles can be seen quickly rising beneath the head that cling to the glass and add to this beer's remarkable appeal.

Smell: Aromas of fruit, honey, toffee, caramel, nuttiness, chocolate and darker malts enchant the senses. Bewdeful.

Taste: Toffee and bittering hops are immediately noticeable, followed by an even sweeter malt finish. The head is delightfully creamy and an absolute pleasure to sip through. The alcohol is not well masked with a booziness noticeable after the swallow, although the 10% ABV strength enables me to forgive Brouwerij St. Bernardus for this very minor flaw.

Mouthfeel: Bold and dense; everything you'd expect from a Belgian abbey ale. The soft, marshmallow texture of the head contrasts beautifully to the thickness of the body. Carbonation is consistent and not overwhelming.

Overall: An absolute treat for quadruppel aficionados or even those who are mildly interested in delving deeper into the Belgian beer scene. St. Bernardus serves as a brilliant winter warmer on those cold nights with its robust taste and glowing warmth. I would actively seek this out again, for having just one of these would be akin to the highest of sins and would probably result in me being tried in front of some Benedictine court for my gross blasphemy. Oh well - at least they'd have good beer for me there.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 11:03:17 | More by SpruceMoose

Dennycurr

Pennsylvania

4.34/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Great Belgian beer!
Period!

Has a distinct taste and feels like a real beer. Of course,,,it's Belgian.
Nothing in America tastes like this....tho...they all try....and to a degree...do well.
However....there is nothing like the real deal. .
Have had it on tap and, many times in bottle. I love them both. Am fortunate that it is around a bit, unlike, other Belgians----where one has to seek them out. It isn't easy to find....but it is less hard to find than others.

The head is magnificant when poured correctly. When I bring this beer home---I pour it into a Chimay chalice and...whew....does it look good! The taste is even better. Is rich and dark and very satisfying. Every sip.

Have seen this compared to Rochfort 10's...
Not a bad comparison.

Love this beer!

Den

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 01:07:15 | More by Dennycurr

akang

California

3.74/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 330 mL bottle into a tulip.

A: Dark reddish/brown with a little bit of head that settles down fairly quickly.

S: Hints of caramel and dark fruits (primarily cherries for me).

T: The dark fruits come through first followed by a little nuttiness. However, I was disappointed by the finish as there is a noticeable booziness that lingers.

M: Nicely carbonated and pleasing to the tongue.

O: A solid quad that is widely available, but I personally think the Rochefort 10 is better.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 21:12:54 | More by akang

polloenfuego

Ontario (Canada)

4.75/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 330 ml bottle into a St. Bernardus chalice.

A: This quad pours a murky brown with some ruby hues. Upon pouring there is a small head, but this dissolves quickly leaving a small wisp and some lacing.

S: Dried fruits are prominent, and the lovely smell of Belgian yeasts are present as well.

T: The dried fruits come forward, a sweet taste but not overpoweringly so. The yeast can be tasted as well and you can certainly notice the alcohol on this beer.

M: The carbonation is good, and the beer leaves a nice feeling.

O: This is a superior example of a quad. In the same wheelhouse as Rochefort 10, it has a great flavour and body. This just confirms to me my preference for abbey beers. I would highly recommend this beer to anyone who wants an example of a quad.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 11:31:01 | More by polloenfuego

312HopBomb

Illinois

4.54/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark brown with ruby highlights into a Duvel tulip. Smallish head fades to a ring with spotty lacing.

Smell consists of dark fruit and sweet with some booze.

Taste of sweet dark fruit, rum raisin, fig and toffee. Dark cinnamon bread and ginger snap cookie. Nice warming alcohol and Belgian yeast.

Mouthfeel is thick and full.

Very nice Belgian double times two. Glad to have tried this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 01:58:39 | More by 312HopBomb

ThaneMcC

Maryland

4.31/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Poured a nice brownish-red with fine white foam and lacing

S: Bouquet hints of fruit, copper pennies, herbs

T: foreward taste slightly hoppy with a hint of malty, balanced by the astringent/acididty of the carbonation - clean finish
M: Highly carbonated which contributes to its mild acidic/bitter taste, clean finish. good accompaniment to cheese, meat plate, barbecue

Overall - great beer, would definitely stock up on this for the summer bbq season

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 22:30:15 | More by ThaneMcC

KBomb

Minnesota

4.51/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A delight to the eyes. Murky brown body is nice and has depth and complexity, but the lacing and carbonation is unparalleled. A little tilt to the glass reveals cascading effervescence that leaves thick lacing that looks like thousands of tiny diamonds, retreating back into the beer like a receding tide at the beach.

Fresh fruits dominate the aromas: green apple peel, plum, & grape. Behind it are sweet bready malts and anticipated belgian yeast. A note of peppery clove sneaks around the aromas as well.

The taste is actually a little less sweet than other quads that look this dark and smell this fruity. There's that bready sweetness for sure, but without much of that candied sugar taste you expect from similarly "big" quads. The flavor has an earthiness to it that makes it distinct. Finish has a touch of sour and a touch of spiciness.

That carbonation that delighted the eyes first brings happiness to the tongue as well. Manages to feel creamy but dry. An admirable feat for a high gravity beer.

Worthy of its esteem in the pantheon of world class beers.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 02:58:34 | More by KBomb

bbluemzbeer

California

5/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is a world class beer! It is not cheap but for a treated myself for my birthday. You can get this pretty easy in my area too.

Appearance: It was a dark brown look to it,. The haed was 1 1/2 inch with thick lacing.

Smells" It is sweet spiced fruits, apple, some banana (with cloves), An aswesome smell to it

Taste. Tremendous ! It has some tartness but not overbearing. I get sweet fruit at first. It has a very comlex taste for a beer. I never taste nothing like it in the world. Roasted malts come through with a great after taste.

Mouthfeel: It is great with good carbonation. Excellent balance. It is full, and yet so slick on my tongue.

Overall,:jThe best beer in the world. If you have never tried you are mssing out on one of the greatest beer in the world!

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 15:39:47 | More by bbluemzbeer

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

4.53/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

appearance: medium dark brown that looks much lighter when held to light. Quite hazy. Very full tan head on the pour.
smell: Dark fruit, yeast, some spice. very nice.
taste: oh man, that's tasty. all the promise of the nose with lots more. A huge dose of goodness up front, that thing that makes you want to chug a great beer, then an almost bitter spice towards the finish and then a dry/sweet balance in the homestretch. Damn.
overall: not sure why i haven't gotten around to trying this now. Awesome.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 23:10:27 | More by cindyjeffsmith

STEELERFAN2390

Florida

4.65/5  rDev +4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

awesome stuff,and very available.
I found this stuff everywhere I looked for good beer in upstate ny when I traveled there yrs ago...its a great brew that is highly drinkable and very powerful ,yet subtle in taste and mouthfeel...it can be good with food but I prefer it at the end of a night of drinking great beer!!! cheers !!

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 22:57:19 | More by STEELERFAN2390

rangerred

Tennessee

4.56/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

330ml bottle into a snifter.

Pours a clear very dark ruby with really no head at all. Just some lace that swirls on the surface and also leaves a bit of wispy lacing.

The aroma is very vinous with an almost port-like quality. Lots of dark fruit such as raisins, prunes, dates, and figs. A little bit of toffee and roast is in there too with even a very quick whiff of coffee. Quite deep and complex.

The flavor outdoes the aroma in terms of depth with a huge hit of dark fruit and red wine along with plum and fig. Some underlying notes of overripe fruit and toffee with a touch of roast coming in at the very end when all of the fruit dissipates. There is just a light hint of bitterness and a breath of alcohol at the end with a silky mouthfeel and a lightly sticky finish.

Overall, what a wonderful and complex brew. There is just so much depth of aroma and flavor here it is indescribable. Truly a world-class beer that all beer lovers should experience.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 01:49:19 | More by rangerred

faulkster4

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Huge head...and who does not like head! Color is rather non-descript. Lools like a root beer gone bad. But I can safely say, I've never drank a beer or not drank a beer based on appearance. Smell is more alcoholic than most beers with little other smell. Again, I've never enjoyed or not enjoyed a beer based on smell. Now time to taste it...the true test. Exactly what you would expect from a trappiste beer. Makes you think, what the heck am I tasting! Can't say I enjoy this trappiste offering as much as Westvleteran or Rochefort but has a complexity that makes you think while you drink. Is it the tastiest beer? No, not really. But is it enjoyable? Absolutely. Overpriced for what you get. Maybe with a nice piece of beef it would really shine but on its own, doesn't really stand up to the other trappiste offerings. Oh well, at least its helping me get drunk!

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 02:24:09 | More by faulkster4

arfenhouse

California

4.28/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Brown, dark amber with large white head. Retention is good and some lacing.

S: Toffee, brown sugar, raisins, and some grape. Bit of alcohol peeks out.

T: Toffee and roasted malt. Raisins with a bit of a grass-like taste.

M: Medium-light bodied with medium-high carbonation. Smooth.

O: My favorite Belgian so far. Nice and sweet with lots of dark fruit flavor.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 07:52:05 | More by arfenhouse

smooth_aleing

Pennsylvania

4.84/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 5

Well-awaited, and worth with wait. Poured from tap into a snifter at Isaac's in Newtown, PA.

A= Murky, muddy brown with a thick, frothy head. Settles down to good lacing.

S= Strong notes of raisin, black bread, caramel, roasted malt. Very sweet and pronounced smell.

T= Wonderful. Sweet at first, then settles down to a rich, yeasty flavor. Strong notes of raisin, brandy, black bread, with lighter fruits in background, esp. plum and cherry.

M= Great carbonation, no bitterness.

0= Just a superb beer, one of the best I've had.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2013 20:09:39 | More by smooth_aleing

TastyAdventure

Kentucky

3.95/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A - Solid brown. not what I think of for a quad. 1 finger, slightly chunky head with good retention. microscopic bubbles slowly going up the side. lots of sediment suspended.

S - Caramel. raisins?

T - well dang it I might have served this a little too cold.... here it goes...

Some caramel, clove, spicey alcohol. Waiting for it to warm to pick up more...

is that a nuttiness there? Dark fruit somewhere in between not-that-sweet dates and raisins.

Much better as it warms. I almost gave this the thumbs down... :/

M- silky and delectable. and the head is like the best latte foam ever!

O - Very good, but does not stand up to Rochefort 10. I havent had Westvleteren 12 yet to make that comparison.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 23:50:01 | More by TastyAdventure

capnamerica

Arkansas

4.73/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Dark ruby-brown color, caught me off guard a little mainly because I was going through the pre-drinking picture-taking motions. Caramel and figs and raisins, enjoyable aroma. Excellent flavors and an exceptionally creamy texture. Figs and raisins and cherries, nice depth and richness while also letting you know they've been sipping the 10% alcohol. Molasses, caramel and brown sugar add more interest, this time a bit sweet.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 05:01:02 | More by capnamerica

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.33/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

On tap at the House of Brews. Served in a Chimay goblet.

Appearance - A little on the murky side. Brownish red with a nice khaki head on arrival. Retains well and even leaves some lacing.

Smell - Caramel dominates with some dark fruits. An earthy nuttiness separates this from other quads.

Taste - Sweet at first and briefly seems like it won't go anywhere interesting. Nice dark fruit flavor comes through keeping it interesting. That nuttiness comes back in the end.

Mouthfeel - Almost boozy. Not quite as dry as I'd like for a quad. Threatens to be oversweet but never is.

Overall - A great standard to have readily available. It's a shame how often I overlook this in exchange for an inferior beer I've never had.

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2013 20:32:58 | More by Alieniloquium

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.36/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A-murky ,dark brown color with ruby hints and a decent tan head with some lacing

S-dark fruit, caramel , roasted malt, hint of chocolate

T-raisins, figs, roasted malt, toffee, little chocolate and caramel, alcohol well-integrated

F-medium body with light carbonation, smooth and creamy

O-a quintessential Quad near the top of the category, I prefer slightly the Westy 12 and Rochefort 10, but for price and availability this is tops

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 02:05:47 | More by MDDMD

midnitesun11

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Been wanting to give this one a try for awhile due to its high rating and easy availability. The hype is real, this beer is quite good!

Pours a dark amber in color with a bubbly cream colored head. Plenty of carbonation bubbles and a nice lace trail.

Plum, cherry, grape, smell with an essence of caramel and a tiny bit of alcohol.

Sweet fruity flavor at first with a slight sourness to it after. A good malty caramel flavor also.

Mouthfeel is stellar! Light with some carbonation and next to no bitter finish

Overall I really liked this beer even though quads aren't my favorite. I will surely drink this one again!

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 23:35:56 | More by midnitesun11

dar482

New York

4.58/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

There is a decent head with a dark Cola color.

There’s an alcohol and dark fruit aroma.

This is very smooth compared to Rochefort 10. It has less of a fruit pop with a decent spice flavor. There is good carbonation. It is the most smooth of the beers I had with a blind tasting with this, Rochefort 10, and Chimay Blue.

If you want a lovely easy drinkable and smooth quad, highly recommended. Try it if you want to have a quad for the first time.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 07:38:20 | More by dar482

mg3

Mississippi

5/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Probably my most favorite beer if not the best beer I have ever had as of now. Didn't exactly fall in love with it the first time, but after a few times it just kinda grabbed a hold of me and never let go. Definitely one of the best Belgian's I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 20:17:53 | More by mg3

roundthewaygirls

Virginia

4.35/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

poured into a st. bernardus chalice (obligatory)

A: reddish/dark brown. murky. poured a finger of quickly dispersing head. nice lacing.

S: dark fruits, plums, figs, dates. belgian yeast. bready character under the sweetness. spices. something metallic.

T: dark fruits. belgian yeast. breadiness stays on your tongue. the booziness is concealed fairly well. deeply sweet and spicy.

M: heavy body. goes down with a slightly metallic smoothness. well carbonated. sticky.

O: i love quads. this is one of the best. lots of character. sweet and comforting.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 00:08:49 | More by roundthewaygirls

THANAT0PSIS

Wisconsin

4.68/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

St. Bernardus Abt 12

Appearance: This legendary Abbey-brewed quad pours a deep, opaque mahogany, bordering on the color of pipe tobacco. It is crowned with a massive, fluffy, khaki-colored head that overflows out of the glass on even a gentle pour; it is out of the range of measuring with fingers. The retention is astounding, and the lacing is equally as impressive. There is very obviously (and predictably) sediment floating throughout the syrupy liquid, and this makes it an ugly-yet-pretty beer not unlike Heady Topper. This beer has been made this way at St. Bernardus since 1946, and the recipe is presumably older than that, so it is difficult to dock the beer too much for being somewhat unappealing.

Aroma: As expected for a quad, dark fruits (plums, figs, cherries) and candi sugar dominate. Belgian yeast, of course, is also a big presence, which imparts the classic bubblegum, slightly medicinal notes. Alcohol is reasonably prominent, which hits beside with a curious wood character. Lastly, spiciness and indiscriminate fruity esters linger on the nose, along with a sugary sweetness. This smells like a classic and delicious quad.

Taste: Like most beers, this follows the nose pretty well. There are lots of the dark fruits described above, in addition to a nice malty nuttiness that was not detected in the aroma. The cherry notes even have a nice twinge of sourness. The middle of the mouth is sweet and sticky but not overly so, and it is swept aside by a slight hop bitterness and yeasty spiciness, as well as the warmth from the alcohol. The spices and fruit esters, just as predicted by the nose, linger on the tongue. This is a very tasty, and surprisingly drinkable example of a quad. To put the taste in a word: ripe.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium bodied, slick, chalky/yeasty, creamy, and perfectly carbonated are all words that could describe this beer. The alcohol is there, but in a pleasantly warming capacity. The sour cherries and mild hops impart the barest hint of dryness, but they really do not stand a chance to the huge malt bill and complexity of this beer.

Overall: While it does not quite match the complexity and overall drinkability of Rochefort 10, this is still a delicious and widely available example of a Belgian quad. The plus is that this beer is available in larger, more sharable quantities, whereas Rochefort is only found in 11.2 oz bottles. There is really nothing more to say other than this does the quad style damn near to perfection. Nothing more, nothing less. 18.5/20

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 06:09:30 | More by THANAT0PSIS

RyFikes

New York

3.84/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Appearance- Dark ruby color. Nearly opaque, but some light gets through. Almost no head.

Smell- Plums and cherries

Taste- Dark fruits, tartness, smokey, slight limey sourness. bourbon oaky after taste.

Mouthfeel- Low carbonation. Heavy on the palate but no stand-out flavor to speak of. The after taste is dominated by alcohol; as if you had just taken a shot of smooth bourbon.

Overall- There just wasn't enough flavor. It smelled a lot sweeter than it tasted and I think it could have used a bit more sweetness to balance the alcohol burn. Still a great beer, true to the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 21:28:54 | More by RyFikes

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Holy fuck, served in a goblet and filled to the brim for $5?? Thanks!!! A deep brown pour with Slight amount of head. Smells like port wine, caramel, grapes.. Holy crap a big difference from the bottle. Flavor is excellent of course like a port wine slightly carbonated, grapes, caramel, honey, dates, raisins. Full body, low carbonation. Still like a carbonated wine though.

I don't even know. This is a fantastic beer and just a great fucking bargain

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2013 23:57:40 | More by facundoCNB