St. Bernardus Abt 12 - Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV

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

ajramirez1

Washington

4.43/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Long awaited & glad i did since I've discovered my preference of Belgian style beers are high. Beer poured into a tulip glass.

Very good looking quad. Brown murkey look to it, smells okay. Initially tried cold, not to bad. The taste of the beer is quite good but compared to Westy 12 its not there. Beer is very good. Solid Quad.

A-

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 03:02:16 | More by ajramirez1

Flashyspoons

Louisiana

4.45/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This beer takes me to a small countryside castle. The appearance is dark brown, with light/medium foam which vanishes in a short time, leaving only what is to be remembered as a great belgian beer. The taste is comparable to other highly rated quads i.e. Trappistes Rochefort 10 but imo; surpasses its classmate by a wide margin. I would highly recommend this beer to the individual partial to a strong belgian delight.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 01:00:17 | More by Flashyspoons

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

4.93/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Birthday Beer!

Appearance: It has a nice merky brown color to it. It has a nice light beige head that dies down moderately and leaves some nice lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitely give out hints of sweet dark fruit (dates, plumes, raisins), with some caramel, Bready Belgian Yeast, brown sugar and spices.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a nice complexity of dark fruit, a nice breadiness from the yeast, some cloves and sweet caramel and brown sugar. Amazing!

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with a great overall balance, feel and complexity.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with great flavors and aromas. Exceptional Quad, it definitely competes with Westy.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 18:28:34 | More by SebD

nefelim

Virginia

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

I don't typically write full reviews as I find that I have trouble describing exactly the different characteristics and nuances of the beers that I drink. I just like them or I don't. So what has prompted me to write this review you may ask? In my many years of trying different brews in many different places, I have never had a better beer than st bernardus abt 12. It is simply the best beer that I have had in the world.

On a recent trip to Philly, the wife and I popped in to Monks as I heard they had Pliny the Elder on tap and I was very eager to try one of the highest rated IPAs on this site. I ordered the Pliny while my wife got the St Bernardus. The Pliny was unbelievable but the St Bernardus was just on a different level. I tasted burnt banana, caramel, delicious Belgian yeast, cloves, figs - basically everything you want in a quad.

Before our trip was over, I had bought thirteen 750ml bottles from the local liquor store to take home. This beer is without equal.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2013 19:42:18 | More by nefelim

ubenumber2

Arkansas

4.79/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured from 750ml bottle into somewhat appropriate glassware , deep dark brown colored beer , seems somewhat hazy , nice two finger tan colored head

The smell is simply amazing sweet smelling , almost like candied dates , malty smell to start off then the candied smell comes through then the alcohol finishes it off , just a well balanced aroma.

Nice full bodied beer on the tounge , lots of carbonation on the first drink that clears off fast with the beer smoothing out and going down smooth

The taste of this beer is just outstanding , a complex bunch of flavors that I can not even start to try to justify with words , but I'll try. Everything is just so balanced to me. The malts really come through , then the yeasty flavors witht he alcohol coming in with a little bite at the end , like the aromas of this beer. I love the flavor of this beer , I wish I had grilled up a nice big ribeye tonight , I think it would go well with this , at least to me it would

Overall this beer has earned a place in my fridge and my cellar , I cant wait to put a few away and try them after a year or two and see how much better they get

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 00:34:09 | More by ubenumber2

tonton

Hong Kong

4.43/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the 33cl bottle into an oversized burgundy wine glass. Nice caramel color, average looking 1.5" khaki head with medium dissipation.

Nice smell. Dark rum with caramel and toasted malts.

Goes down very easy. Amazing for a 10%. Could absolutely chugalug all nightif that's what you wanted to do. Also great to sip and savor.

My new favorite Belgian.

Awesome beer. Or maybe I was just in a good mood.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 11:18:38 | More by tonton

mts198

Pennsylvania

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

Appearance: dark brown, creamy one finger head

Smell: Vanilla, fruitcake, Brown sugar, stone fruits, old wood, burnt sugars

Taste: Very smooth mild bitterness, slightly muddled in a good way. Overlapping of flavors, Dark liquid candy, sweet, stone fruits in sugar, old wood, fruitcake, jelly.

Mouth feel: high carbonation, fuller mouth feel the warmer it gets, very smooth

Overall: It's an Amazing beer, sweet but not cloying, light bitterness but without harshness, very smooth for a high alcohol beer, the alcohol hides very well, The flavors muddle together in a perfect balance without one over powering the other, Dark fruits take hold as the slight bitterness pushes back with maybe some lighter fruits popping through, old wood seems to be in there too. But everything layers over each other and gives it a great quality. Reminds me of an old plum tree.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 19:25:32 | More by mts198

dwren89

Virginia

4.74/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

**Purchased in Bruges, Belgium

Appearance: pours a murky, coppery-brown, thick off-white head, sticky head,

Aroma: nutty, dark fruit (fig, raisin, date), brown banana, sweet caramel malt, dark Munich malt

Taste: complex, malt hits first with a caramel/nutty smoothness, followed by notes of raisin, fig, and date, slight brown banana taste, and then finishes with a slight noble hop bitterness; can detect the heightened alcoholic percentage on the finish, but not more than you should be able to in a Quad

Mouthfeel: full bodied, slight prickle from carbonation, pleasantly mouth coating

Overall Impression: World Class ale, stays true to Quad style but reaches higher than most when it comes to overall complexity of taste and inviting aroma. As soon as I cracked the top off the bottle, the complex aroma hit me. Truly a joy to sift through the many flavors and depth of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 21:15:30 | More by dwren89

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.48/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Purchased at Yankee Spirits in Attleboro, Massachusetts.

A- Pours a amber-mud brown hazy body with a generous 3" light mocha colored head that rises quickly and reduces slowly, leaving some nice uniform lacing.

S- Candi sugared plums, brown bread, ripe bananas, molasses, caramel, and sweet dark fruits, extremely inviting!

T- I may have drank it too fast to fully describe this masterpiece, but I couldn't help it. It follows the nose quite well, sweet banana covered in caramelized, nearly burnt sugar, toasted brown bread, dark fruits, white grapes and some belgian spices. Oh so good.

M- Medium body and superbly drinkable. Pretty decent carbonation for a quad.

What an enjoyable beer to consume. The complexity is out of this world, I know there are notes that I'm missing and I will add them next time I drink one. For being a 10% quad, this beer is extremely drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 00:53:37 | More by gcamparone

SheHatesMe

Arizona

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

Have tried them all...Quads, Trippels, Strong Darks, yadda-yadda-yadda. I will save you a lot of time & effort: If you EVER get the chance to order Abt 12 on Tap...Please don't pass up the opportunity.

>Beautiful, consistent ebony color.
>Aroma is a blast of malty, yeasty anticipation.
>Head is ample, creamy & butternut in color.
>Mouthfeel is soft, yet full & even.
>Flavor is a symphony of malt, fruit, spices. Hints of caramel, fig, over-ripened banana swirl & dance upon the palate. Hopps are present & well-mannered. Alcohol is lurking, somewhere, but never, ever obvious. "Complex" is an understatement.
>Overall, drinking this Belgian Quad is a completely preposterous experience. A privilege.

Abt 12 in the bottle is malty Belgian Perfection. Abt 12 on Tap is better. Yeah...That may sound implausible, but it's not. Hold it. Savor it. Understand that it's your lucky day.

Serving type: on-tap

03-07-2013 21:22:29 | More by SheHatesMe

Chrysostom

Ohio

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

God has a Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God the Son, the Son of God, and is fully God himself. He is God manifest in the flesh. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...there was a man, John, who came to preach the Word.

Now, the Beergod has a son, St Bernardus (Abt 12). St Bernardus is the Son of the Beergod, and in him the fullness of the Beergodhead dwells bodily. He is Beergod manifest in the glass. God created the Beergod, and St Bernardus was in the beginning with the Beergod, and St Bernardus is the Beergod...there is a man, by the name of Chrysostom, who came to preach the Word.

"When the Beergod became flesh, after dinner, he likewise took a bottle of St Bernardus and poured it, saying, This is my blood of the Brew Covenant, which is poured out for many for the inebriation of souls."

St Bernardus is the best beer in the world. Chimay is magnificently superb: it is a signal beer. Other beers: excellent. But St Bernardus Abbot 12 is the Beergod incarnate, made in to a liquid in a glass by some not-monk-monks, to dwell amongst and be drunk by men.

The only thing I have a question on is "appearance"... It's hard to pour, and if poured poorly, will get a bunch of the black yeast-floaties in it, which are unappetizing. If poured poorly, it's a 4.75 on appearance. If poured correctly, it's a 7 out of 5.

Presentation: 750mL, corked and caged. Absolutely awesome label of a jolly, tipsy monk (they changed the colours of his robes when St Bernardus became "not Trappist" about 20 years ago, so he's not a member of any identifiable order now... he used to be in Trappist habit) with ruddy cheeks, making the Priest's sign of benediction with one hand, and toasting your health with an overflowing goblet of St Bernardus in the other. Is there any better way to do so?

A: Poured in to Chimay chalice. A cloudy dark brown, like clean mud made from good earth, which appears black from many angles. Light will show through edges when held directly to a source of light, but the heart is impenetrably opaque, much as the complexity of this beer itself is. On a proper, smooth pour, one finger of thick, creamy, pillowy head, overflowing the rim, is left, which recedes slowly to a thin layer on the face of the beer. It laces the glass in an almost-solid sheet of foam. Don't judge a book by its cover? You can judge this beer by the label, and the pour.

"It looks like what a quad should look like."

S: Surprisingly subdued for such a big beer. There are strong notes of brown malt (think Samuel Smith's Nut Brown) and Belgian yeast, with a mild alcohol character. However, the malt smells -thick-: there is no other way that comes to mind to describe it. There are hints of molasses, brown sugar, grape, prune, date, fig, and other dark fruit, as is par for the course, although the fruit character is much more mild when compared to such a beer as Westmalle Dubbel. The smell becomes more pronounced as it warms. I'm surprised I can smell so little - I'm more-than-likely halfway-ill, so that's probably dulling my olfaction.

"It smells like what a quad should smell like."

T: Much as the smell, but bigger, bolder, and not subdued. Incredibly complex interplay of malt, a dominant grape-like flavour, sugar, the slightest spiciness, and Arabian dried dates. There is no perceptible alcohol character in the flavor. There is a mild sweetness without cloyingness as it hits the tongue. There is a carbonic astringency on the finish, whether from the subdued hops or carbonation, I don't know. It finishes surprisingly cleanly for such a thick, full, malty libation.

"It tastes like what beer should taste like."

M: Highly-carbonated, but blends well with everything else. Causes the flavours to explode on the palate, and contributes to a dry and lingering clean finish. There is a tingle that is left for a moment after the beer has gone, probably due to carbonation. Does not coat the mouth like many malt-bombs that are more familiar, such as double IPAs. Absolutely perfect.

D: Extremely high. A clean beer with complexities begging for another sip, and a completely-hidden, occulted 10% ABV. I could drink 4 or 5 fifths of this, but the drunkenness would have affected my tastebuds to the point that it would be a waste of money; anything more than 2 fifths of this, and you're not getting the full taste - switch to something else.

I gave the smell of this, and appearance, a 4.75 to start, for what reason I don't know, maybe comparison to the Platonic Form of "beer" existing in the Third Realm. However, on this earth, I think it unlikely this beer can be surpassed, and know that it has not yet been surpassed.

It was $11.99 for a fifth, but, like Macallan 25 (which is generally in the ~$750 for a fifth), if this was $50+ a fifth, it would still be worth it to taste, even if too expensive to drink regularly.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 02:13:54 | More by Chrysostom

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.79/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

This pours a medium brown color with a foamy, beige head. It has a very inviting aroma of malts and yeast. The taste is rather amazing and easy to see why this is considered one of the best beers in the world. The texture is well carbonated as wheat, spices, and yeast tickles your taste buds. Quite filling and very well made, as if I would expect anything less from Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 06:12:46 | More by Lemke10

csrbv

Pennsylvania

4.96/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

A – Dark brown with a dusting of white bubbles that looks fantastic, but it dissipates fast and some lacing that make this brew look even better!

S – Very complex smell. I would have thought the smell was going to be much more intense. It is somewhat mild with medium-fruits, it’s earthy and somewhat peppery spicy aspect to it. Just smells unbelievably good!

T – The taste of this beer just screams quality, is so incredibly complex, and still so drinkable. And it only gets better as it warms in your glass, so each sip is better than the last.

M – The mouth-feel is surprisingly lighter than I would have expected, but it just just about perfect as well. If it was heavier it wouldn't work as well. The steady carbonation gives it a creaminess that is just delightful.

O – This is one of the best beers that I have ever had and surely one of the best beers on the face of the earth. I have been told that is beer is a near duplication of the legendary Trappist Westvleteren 12 (which I have never had). Copy or no, I'm heading back to Wegman's to get another bottle of Abt 12 right now.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 18:37:42 | More by csrbv

dsuedbeck

Minnesota

4.83/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A: Murky, reddish brown. 2 finger off white head, hangs around surprisingly long for a big ABV beer.

S: Dark fruits, banana, Belgian spice from the yeast, some caramel.

T: Dark fruit, brown sugar, big bready and malty flavors. Very balanced yet very complex.

M: Perfect, as good as it gets for a quad. Great body, perfect amount of carbonation.

O: A great beer, very complex with flavors bouncing all over the place with nothing really taking the leading role, everything works perfectly together from the big bready malt flavors to the alcohol and hop bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 04:05:46 | More by dsuedbeck

tectactoe

Michigan

4.65/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

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.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 17:57:57 | More by tectactoe

rlee1390

Indiana

4.41/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A-Deep amber, two finger light tan head, well carbonated with some lacing.

S-Bananas, clove, darker fruits.

T-Plums, darker fruits, lots of cherries, great balance, some clove.

M-Light, not as much carbonation, creamy and smooth.

O-Second place of the top three Quads show off. A solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 00:00:43 | More by rlee1390

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

4.66/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: Crimson, with a small beige head that recedes after a bit.

Smell: Coriander, sweet malt, brown sugar, caramel, toffee, dark fruit, cinnamon.

Taste: Follows the smell nicely. A mildly spicy beginning gives way to delicious, bready malt, with some caramel sweetness that all fade away nicely into the finish, leaving some residual spice and bread. It finishes kinda like cream soda, wow. Really good. I think I like this more than Westy 12. The booze is masterfully hidden as well; it's hard to improve on this.

Mouthfeel: There is enough carbonation to keep this from being a syrupy burden, and that makes this a pleasure to drink. It's just right.

Overall: This is the best quad I've ever had. There aren't many points you can deduct from something that's near perfect.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 03:49:18 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

JamesMN

Minnesota

4.16/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Best by date on bottle of 12/7/17.

Appearance: An opaque amber color with hints of browns and oranges. Poured into the official St. Bernardus glass so the half finger head is spread across quite a large surface area. It is smooth and frothy, almost glossy.

Aroma: Mass quantities of belgian candi syrup giving a caramel and fruit sweetness. Smells better with every whiff. Some darker fruits and dark malt but really buried beneath the wonderful sweet overtones. I just wish it was slightly more aromatic.

Taste: I'm genuinely surprised by the nice amount of bitterness up front. It viciously attacks the palate until the finish with each sip. The dark malt and belgian candi syrup flavor comes through in the middle but it's not nearly as complex as I had expected. The flavor mostly consists of dark fruits, caramel, and bitterness until the finish comes. The aftertaste is a heat from the 10% ABV that seems to warm up all the flavors as well. This creates an interesting contrast because during the actual drinking of Abt 12 you get a lot of bitterness and lighter fruit flavor and then the aftertaste is very hot and dark.

Mouthfeel: Very high carbonation on this one definitely makes the bitterness more intense. Feels like it's only medium in body. Average drinkability if you can get over the intense effervescence.

Final Thoughts: I'm a little let down here because I was hoping for a mind blowing experience. However, it's still a great Quad that I won't say a word against. Would I drink it again? Yes, I'm going to see if that expiration date is for real.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 02:43:04 | More by JamesMN

Vonerichs

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Dark caramel color with a nice light tannish head.

Nice aromas of over ripe banana, fig, dates, and brown sugar.

It's such a classic and perfectly executed example of the style. Brown sugar, caramel, dates, banana, clove, and a nice warming finish.

Smooth mouthfeel, creamy, moderate carbonation.

A couple of is decided we were going to take tonight and visit a few easily accessible classic old world styles and I'm glad we did. This one is easy to find for just about everyone and it's a must have for any beer geek.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 01:30:10 | More by Vonerichs

trxxpaxxs

New York

3.99/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: Pours a deep brown with red hues throughout. There is about a finger and a half of a light tan frothy head. The foam settles leaving rocky bubbles all along the top of the beer.

S: The nose is a mix of soaked bread, dates, and brown sugar. The yeast is the dominate scent, but the dark fruit and sugars are still very prevalent.

T: It starts out with that yeasty, soaked, brown bread quality. Big malt and big yeast. That flavor stays on the palate for a bit as the dates, raisins, figs, and candied sugars make themselves more noticeable. As it moves towards the back of the palate, the sweetness mixes with big alcohol and more yeast.

M: Full bodied beer. It's hefty and yeasty up front, sweet and coating in the middle, and yeaty and boozy on the back end.

O: Quads are really a love/hate beer for me... long story... but this is a very well made beer. There are others in the style that I prefer more, but this is solid. I don't know if I'll ever seek this out again, but I do appreciate it for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 21:16:57 | More by trxxpaxxs

tut2528

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

poured into a GI Tulip/Flute

A: pours a nice dark brown with dark ruby tints when held up to the light. it created a solid 2 fingers worth of foamy head formation that is going nowhere fast. even after 2 minutes it still is holding strong.

S: big bread and Belgian yeasts, bubble gum, slight sweet caramel, malt, citrus and darker fruits

T: simply a very well balanced brew. Again, very nice bread notes, brown sugar, Belgian yeast, raisins and plums, citrus, and just a slight touch of chocolate. Nice subtle bubblegum/sugar candy notes create a bit more complexity. Big smooth finish.

M: very nice carbonation, solid medium bodied, and it coats the palate with a awesome sugar candy and bready note.

O: just a terrific brew all the way around. extremely well balanced for its big complexity. I thought this was underwhelming a couple years ago when I last had this, but man, I am really am enjoying this brew now. Definitely going out to buy a few more and sit on these for some time to see how this develops.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 00:32:03 | More by tut2528

Bashao

Israel

4.38/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours dark broune from the bottle. Nice foam head that didn't last long.

Smell: Very strong malty smells. Gives a feelling that it's gonna be a good beer.

Taste: Very strong malty taste, strong hops bitterness. Great taste for a strong beer.

Mouthfeel: Very full body but was very highly carbonated. The side effect of this beer is burping every couple of sips.

Overall: A very good beer. I had enjoyed it very much.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 19:00:15 | More by Bashao