Abt 12
Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV

Abt 12Abt 12
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From:
Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
 
Belgium
Style:
Quadrupel (Quad)
Ranked #3
ABV:
10%
Score:
99
Ranked #241
Avg:
4.47 | pDev: 9.17%
Reviews:
3,004
Ratings:
10,344
Status:
Active
Rated:
Yesterday at 07:32 PM
Added:
Oct 14, 2001
Wants:
  902
Gots:
  2,925
St. Bernardus Abt 12 is widely regarded as one of the best beers in the world. It is therefore no surprise that it is our brewery’s flagship beer, ranked at the very top of the St. Bernardus beer hierarchy. It is brewed in the classic quadrupel style and adheres to the original 1946 recipe.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by tectactoe:
Photo of tectactoe
Reviewed by tectactoe from Michigan

4.59/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Enjoyed this one side-by-side with an '11 Westvleteren XII - thanks to Mike for cracking his open. I've heard from many people that the Abt 12 is the closest (easiest) thing to get to a Westy XII, so I guess we'll see. The pour is certainly a very similar color - brown, copper and murky, maybe a little bit brighter. Unlike the Westy, the Abt 12 has quite a bit of tiny sediment particles. Another big difference is that the head on the Abt 12 is huge, frothy, and has excellent staying power - looks like the froth on top of a latte or something.

Whoof, I close my eyes and take a whiff, and honestly, I could have easily mistaken this for another pour of the Westy. VERY similar in the aroma. Huge complexity and just a never-ending array of components: grapes, figs, dates, candied plums, Belgian yeast and spices, brown sugar, molasses, sweet licorice, light bready malts.... Where does it end? It only gets more inviting and more perplexing as it warms up and introduced some new aromas; pecans, light herbal-ness, more earthy tones, fruity esters, mild booze aromas... So far, I don't think I could draw any "major" distinctions from the aromas between Abt 12 and Westy XII. And this was after having them directly back-to-back. Given only one, I probably couldn't accurately discern which was which from the nose alone.

At this point, I'm incredibly impressed, and I'm thinking about just copying and pasting my Westy XII review and using it as my Abt 12 review. Just kidding. The mouth feel is similar, though Abt 12 has a bit more of a sharpness from heavier carbonation, as evidenced by the superior head formation. They both share that delectable Belgian-esque creaminess and they are both full-bodied without being too heavy, sticky, or syrupy. I love the silky smoothness that most Belgian quads deliver, and these two beers are no exception.

I'm sitting here swishing Abt 12 around in my palate, and I'm almost as amazed as I was when I first tasted the Westy XII - just a huge romp around of seemingly millions of flavors. Candied and sugary fruits, grapes, plums - sweet and pleasing without being overly sugary or cloying. Licorice, toffee, light molasses, Belgian yeast, mild spice, and sweet breadiness from the malt. I can see why people compare this to Westy XII - it's the EXACT SAME THING. In all seriousness, the flavor profiles are eerily similar, but I did notice that the Abt 12 was a little "sharper" and "brighter" - sharper from the carbonation and brighter in the form of softer fruits - I picked up some more definitive apple skin and white grape notes. The Abt 12 also has a touch more of a hop profile, but maybe that's because the Westy XII was a year older? This gave the Abt 12 a bit more bitter leafiness with the bread, butter, and slightly boozy aftertaste.

Wow... Wow, wow, wow. People weren't lying. The Abt 12 really is ridiculously similar to the Westy 12. When all is said and done, I don't think I could tell the difference if I was blindfolded. You could hand me an Abt 12 in a blank glass, tell me it was Westy XII, and I wouldn't be able to argue. That being said, they are both fantastic beers - pinnacles in brewing, and quintessential beers for the style they both represent. At the end of the day, I must give a slight nudge to the Abt 12 though, given it's relatively low price point and incredible availability.
Feb 27, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.69 by sewerchewer from New York

Yesterday at 07:32 PM
 
Rated: 4.75 by BubalooBrewMaster from Kentucky

Monday at 04:27 AM
 
Rated: 4.4 by TXRobbo from Texas

Sunday at 02:43 AM
Photo of turfy
Reviewed by turfy from Texas

4.54/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Murky dark brown body with a most impressive, foamy tan head, 4 fingers high. Nose of raisins, malt, some sweetness and a bit of booze. Dark fruit taste with some breadiness, malt, and a lingering light sweet taste. Medium body and carbonation. If the body was a touch heavier, I would love this beer to death. World class beer, simply.
Mar 10, 2024
 
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Mar 02, 2024
 
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Photo of brianstrong2
Rated by brianstrong2 from Tennessee

4.8/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
One of the best beers in the world. Fills up half the top shelf of my beer fridge.
Feb 16, 2024
Photo of ElijahWorships
Rated by ElijahWorships from Georgia

5/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Perhaps the greatest ever!
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Jan 30, 2024
Photo of jneedham
Rated by jneedham

4.98/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Amazing Beer! One of best I have ever had! Chocolate and malty notes! Perfection!
Jan 17, 2024
 
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Dec 26, 2023
Abt 12 from Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
Beer rating: 99 out of 100 with 10344 ratings