St. Bernardus Abt 12 - Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV

warmstorage

Georgia

3.55/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2 ounce bottle, states 10% ABV. Bottle has date of 22/03/11, which I take to be a "best before" date. Cellar temp, Chimay goblet.

Pours a vigorous head, dense white-cream colored, which goes away rapidly, leaves minimal lacing. For a Belgian beer, the inability to hold a decent head, even in a high gravity beer, is a little disappointing.

Aroma is deeply yeasty, slightly spicy, with hints of fruit. A very slight metallic note comes out, especially as it warms to room temperature.

Taste is also very yeasty, with burnt sugar, figs, and a very slight hint of spiciness. Alcohol is barely noticeable, especially for a 10% beer.

Mouth is tingly carbonation, with a little alcohol warmth.

Nice, pleasant, warming, and good Belgian yeast characteristics: an excellent beer, and one I'll continue to drink regularly (as regularly as I can get my hands on it, that is.) But BA's highest rated quad, and the 14th overall beer on the site? I don't really see it.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2006 04:27:24 | More by warmstorage

PatandDavid

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This has been in the fridge a bit, and I thought tonite: I need to do some cleaning, so here goes. Upon the initial pour, I got some aromas I thought were a bit off,, but as the glass warms it smooths out a bit. Initial impresiion is of dark, dark toffee color topped with a latte colored head. The aroma...I am still picking up an earthy, almost cocoa powder note. There's some alcohol hanging out alongside. The taste helps out quite a bit however...cocoa powder, dark fruit, some spiceyness in the finish. Light but still medium mouthfeel. A nice treat, but not one I will go for that often. While very good, perhaps this one would benefit from some aging. Looks like the bottle is telling me that it would be good till 2005, maybe I should have saved it till then. I am looking for a bit more blend and meld in the flavor.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2004 00:08:20 | More by PatandDavid

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Cloudy with LOTS of suspended yeast clumps. Some light shines through. Nice head with good lace after each sip.

Earthy and slightly sweet aroma. Low level of Belgian yeast and hop.

Rich and creamy, the alcohol is ever-present. A little oily in the body. The aftertaste reminds me of a swallow of brandy. The flavor has some hard-stone fruit tones, such as plum and cherry.

The story of this beer is the alcohol, which I find distracting. IMHO, the dilemma with Quads is that they are made extreme without placing stronger flavors in the brew (like darker malts or more hops). So, I find these to be a little too one-dimensional.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2009 20:51:02 | More by smcolw

nkersten

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from bottle into Goose Island tulip, expiration date is 2015. Pours an extremely hazy brown with burnt orange hues and a tan one finger head that fades to a cap with good retention and lacing. Smell is dominated by Belgian yeast, fruity banana and citrus esters, some vanilla, caramel malt sweetness. Taste follows, caramel malts, slightly bready, lots of yeast and a touch of aclohol in the finish. Mouthfeel is medium to light bodied with a heavy active carbonation. There is a strange off flavor/aftertaste that I am not crazy about and the body is kind of thin. There are much better readily available quads out there that I will avoid this one in the future.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 02:34:43 | More by nkersten

TheHammer

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Wholly crap, the head it out of control. A fairly gentle pour produced three fingers of head that both laced and sustained incredibly. The body is an opaque dark chestnut brown with little bits of sediment floating in it.

Smell: Has a fruity molasses and nutty character to it. Blackberry, currant and grapes with notes of hazelnuts and almonds. The sweet molasses however is really the dominant force here and warming, like most belgian beers, improves it considerably.

Taste: Pretty much like it smells, it starts with a caramel malt that is somewhat obscured by the creamy carbonation as the sweet molasses and nut taste hits a bit quickly a light citrus hopping takes over leaving a mixed berry aftertaste that brings some redemption, but also struggles with a high alcohol twang.

Mouthfeel: There is too much creamy carbonation going on here, it's actually somewhat hampering the beer flavour, even if it is making it very smooth. Add that to a sticky kind of sensation when you hit the molasses note and transitioning that could be a lot better, I can't say I'm impressed. However, the nice aftertaste lets it make up some ground.

Drinkability: Medium bodied so I wouldn't want more then one, but that one does go down well enough. The high carbonation seems to dissipate by the time it hits the sack. A bit too much high alcohol taste for my pleasure though.

Final Thoughts: I think I'm getting tired of belgian beers, and they don't see to quite be for me. Each time I have them, they come across as high class, but snooty and disconnected. I mean, the higher end ones seem to get it done right, but most of the others come across as close but no cigar and frankly almost like they are trying to cheaply imitate other beers. I know that's not the case, but that's just how I feel about them. Anyways, this is one fares better then most, so I'd say give it a shot.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 17:47:53 | More by TheHammer

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a St Bernrdus goblet.

A- dark amber/brownish with a 2" light tan head.

S- dark fruits, yeast, alcohol

T- light candi sugar, dark fruits, slight chocolate flavor.

M- medium body, high carbonation.

O- just ok. Tastes a lot like the 8, just a little thicker.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 03:37:13 | More by kawilliams81

soulfly1492

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Aroma: More malt than the average strong ale. Some spicy yeast. Some fruity esters which are mostly prunes and some black cherry. Not as sweet as most others per this style. Some mild brown malt flavor. alcohol is a bit floral and somewhat piney. A good bit of cinnamon. Definitely a good dose of hops.

Appearance: Dark brown. Cannot see through to the other side even when held up to a bright light. Moderate light brown head. Decent retention. Moderate lacing.

Taste: I must say I'm a bit disappointed. Light and watery. Not much fruitiness, a good amount of hot alcohol. Some prunes, black cherry and cinnamon. Hops are floral and pine. Some malt flavor.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Lightly astringent. Watery, not oily at all. Little carbonation. Very warming.

Overall: Too much hot alcohol in the aroma and taste. Flavor is ok, not overly sweet which is good, but not enough flavor, a bit bland. Very surprised, perhaps this bottle was tainted?

Notes: Fresh by 6/28/2016, drank on 2/2/2012

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 01:51:41 | More by soulfly1492

SometimesIfart

Michigan

3.53/5  rDev -21%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours the same color as the six and the eight. Same big head, same color, leaves good lacing.

S - Hay, chocolate malt.

T - Chocolate malt, hay, slight fruit.

M - Medium carbonation with a medium body.

O - Overall, the 6, 8, and 12 all virtually taste the same. I don't see the hype in these beers. Rochefort 10 destroys this on any given day.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 20:44:02 | More by SometimesIfart

MediocreatBest

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

as i watched it fall from bottle to glass it was brown, but it sits a very dark deep brown, almost black in the glass. the greatest highlight of this beer for me was watching the head sit a good thumbs liength above the top of the glass with out any of it running down the sides, it jsut sat there happy as could be, pillowing above the glass, providing quite a sight. it has a murky brown color as it lessens in the glass and more light is allowed to pass through. i smell grass, malty sweetness, pepper, alcohol, and pears. tastespeppery, wet horsblanket taste that is oh so popular this year, wiht an aftertaste of booze and pepper. bubbly at first which seems to fade somewhat quickly perhaps i swirled it in the glass to many times. also hints of fruit (peas, current, depnding on the sip) and grassy ntoes blending together with the horse blanket taste. surprisingly light in the mouth, and very drinkable, but as i have been rereading some of my reviews lately, i think everything is drinkable, it seems that i would almost always take another. but this doesnt lend much in the way of the 10% abv, or overbearing tastes of some belgians.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2005 03:29:13 | More by MediocreatBest

botham

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

pours an unfiltered dark brown, which is suprizingly close to opaque, or very dense. three to four fingers of off-white frothy head on the brew, making it a beautiful one to pour. lacings aplenty.

smell is sweet with alcohol right up front. hops are close behind, along with a fruity base that is overwhelmed by the alcohol.

taste is sweet and fruity, with plenty of alcohol present, maybe too much. this one packs a kick at 10% APV.alcohol put aside, this one is somewhat dry, with notes of several fruits that come together to create a solid taste. if only the alcohol was toned down a bit, this one would be much more enjoyable..

mouthfeel is not the strong point here, with the alcohol giving the brew a sharpness that reduces the ability to enjoy the flavors.

drinkability is not very good. lots of alcohol that overpowers some great flavors.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2007 23:36:15 | More by botham

crnipeter

Slovenia

3.5/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The beer with obvious good aging potential has been sitting in my cellar for nearly a year and a half but still seems to need additional time for maturation, so a re-review is pending for this one. A gusher pours airy beige head with poor retention that quickly dissipates. The coppery brown body initially exhibits good clarity but gets hazed and flooded with yeasty floaties with the consecutive pourings. Aroma is an interplay of malty sweetness, fruity esters, alcohol and spiciness. The rich malt with caramel and bread crust qualities embeds strong fruity esters of grape, perfumy, spicy alcohol that flares out and peppery spiciness from yeast-derived phenols. The flavor is non-excessive malty sweetness counterbalanced by alcohol, then comes the bread crust, grape-like fruitiness and prominent peppery spiciness. Finish is medium-dry with light bitterness and alcohol warmth. Medium-light bodied with fine, effervescent carbonation that quickly dissipates leaving flat texture behind. Not as good as I remember it to be and far from my conception of the secular-version of Westvelteren 12. Too thin, with poorly masked alcohol and fruitiness limited to grapes, lacking heavenly orchard of all kind of ripe dark fruits and almond character that once possessed - or I'm just getting more demanding? (330 ml, BB date reads 17. December 2014, into the St. Bernardus goblet.)

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2011 15:29:13 | More by crnipeter

assurbanipaul

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a medium amber with a tall meringue-like head with a lot of staying power. Nose is sweet malt, candy sugar and mild yeast. The very definition of Belgian lace covers the sides of the chalice.

Taste is sweet, roasty malt. Brown sugar, bready, heavily yeasted, lending some characteristic fruity, estery flavors. Some indeterminate spices, raisins, some smoky musty element that is not altogether welcome. The alcohol flavors are masked well but still detectable. Improves as it warms but almost, almost one-dimensional, especially for a Belgian ale.

Mouthfeel is smooth, full-bodied, near syrupy. Borderline cloying, which definitely hurts its drinkability. Is this a good Belgian ale? Yes. Is this a Westvleteren 12 clone, as popularly believed? Hardly. Is this deserving of such a high ranking here? I don't think so.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2006 01:07:06 | More by assurbanipaul

TechMyst

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

CONTAINER VOLUME: 750ml
CONTAINER TYPE: Bottle (Conditioned)
FRESH: yes (cellar for up to 15 years) [L040309 H33]
PURCHASED @: Binny’s
COST: $8.99 / Bottle
HEAD: massive medium-brown; mostly lasting; eventually diminishing to 1/8"
LACE: Laced in bottle; left huge rings; eventually large cloud-like formations; then spotty dots
COLOR:
REFLECTED- dark brown
TRANSMITTED- murky deep brown
AROMA: fruit / sweet wine
MOUTHFEEL: medium; swirling fizzyness
PALATE: lightly slimy/sticky; eventually sticky/resinous
TASTE: caramel apples; plum-rasin; harsh bitter cranberry aftertaste
COMMENTS: It’s good; not great. It’s supposed to be the best beer in the world. Too much like wine. I’d like to try some aged...the dregs looked like melted chocolate. If I’m looking for alcohol content at a better price and taste I’ll take DFH90’. However the buzz from one of these was heavenly. I’d drink it again; not for the taste, but to check out the buzz again. And shouldn’t beer tasting be about the taste. If I want something in this style I’ll take the Chimay Rouge. I’ve mentioned before; I do not care for fruit beers; and this beer is as fruity as the monk on the front of the bottle...
CONDITIONS:
MOWING/WORKING ON CAR- no
WITH FRIENDS- maybe
SIPPING- maybe
GET MY BUZZ ON-yes

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2006 03:38:34 | More by TechMyst

TStandley13

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance- Good head retention. Hazy brown color, when held up to the light. Good carbonation with active bubbling throughout entire process.

Smell- Average smell. Slight woody/nutty smell, however nothing notable.

Taste- Alcohol, mediocre hoppy/malty taste.

Mouthfeel- Bubbly yet silky, overall good feel.

Drinkability- First one was ok, didn't enjoy the second as much. Alcohol somewhat overbearing.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2008 19:43:21 | More by TStandley13

bnes09

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Hazy clay brown with huge off-white head. Good retention and some lace streaks.

Smell of bread grains and some dark fruits. Hint of skunk.

Taste is grain-like overall. Some fruit flavors show up mid-drink, dates and raisins. Just a touch of herbal hop flavor. Some definite yeast but not as pronounced or complex as expected. It tastes fine but I feel lacks the depth I was expecting. Not much alcohol flavor (which can be good or bad.)

Surprisingly thin, I was expecting a thick, full body. I would call it medium-bodied. Descent level of carbonation.

Overall, it's not a bad beer by any means. Never having tried a quad before, my opinion may not be completely sound but I think this beer is quite overrated. To me, it just tastes alot like a stronger alcohol European ale with slightly more depth than a standard lager.

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2011 06:59:47 | More by bnes09

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.45/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Brown 330ml bottle, best before 12-2011, drank 04-2007.

Poured slowly, oh, so slowly, into Straffe Hendrik chalice. I didn't want any of the sediment to get into the glass, I failed.

Dark aubergine purple in colour, the head vanished to leave a thin ever shrinking layer of bubbles, some of which tried to cling to the side of the glass.

Victoria Plum aroma, with rich fruit cake, not a hint of hops, malts or yeast.

Heavy on the alcohol, plum pudding, Dundee cake with malt bread and rich Christmas spices.

A rich fruity, spicey, sweetness lingers on the palate, too sweet for me.

Good beer, but not in my top 100, not from this tasting anyway, I have one more bottle, i'll allow it to age for a few years and re-visit in 2010, if I can store it that long.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2007 22:44:26 | More by BlackHaddock

mfreire212

Florida

3.45/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I have sampled this beer in the recent past, but didn't review it at the time. So, I decided to try it again for the holidays and pay more attention to it.

A: poured fairly cold (50's) from a standard bottle, into a pint glass. A bit darker then I was expecting, but after the initial surprise, I liked the amber color. The head was average in size and retention, with a slightly off white color.

S: Nice, complex odors as soon as I raised the glass to inspect the color. Sharp at first, followed by a hint of alcohol (which would become even more apparent in a minute). Actually intensified as the beer warmed a bit.

T: Lots of alcohol at first. Almost too much to notice anything else (I guess the proper term is peppery). As that subsided, I detected what reminded me of maybe raisins, or figs. Lingered for quite awhile, too.

M: As stated above, there is a lot going on here. I would describe it as average, once the initial shock wears off. It does have some carryover from one sip to the next (and I recommend sipping).

D: Not bad at all. I can't see having more then one of these per session, unless you were interested in getting hammered. A nice selection to enjoy on a cold night, by the fire.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2007 18:16:47 | More by mfreire212

Vendetta

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Original Rating Date:
August 9, 2008

Pours dark, deep red with a fizzy, active head. Smells like dark fruit. Tastes of plums, grapes, other dark fruits. Fizzy, malty mouthfeel with a biting alcoholic finish, below average to on my palate. Flavor gets better as it warms and it becomes easier to drink as you get used to the bite. Very complex beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2008 22:43:20 | More by Vendetta

Hoptometrist

Oregon

3.45/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap into a snifter at Bier Markt

A- Poured a dark brown and red color with a ring of lace that left no head

S- Smelled like grape soda

T- Prominent grape soda flavor, cherry, some raisin, and some alcohol coming through

M- Sticky, full-bodied beer, low carbonation as expected

O- A sipper for sure. The grape soda flavor and aroma was pretty surprising for me and not quite what I expected.

Serving type: on-tap

10-16-2011 02:26:40 | More by Hoptometrist

Lerxst

Florida

3.43/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A-pours a faded copper color with a tremendous head and some nice sticky lacing that watches you all the way down.

S-Fruity and spicy with yeast evident. The nose is prominent, just not overly pleasant.

T-Sweet fruit and bit spicy with the alcohol being a bit hot. Its not living up to the hype for me. Other quads are better.

M-Harsh carbonation is a bit unpleasant. Leaning toward full bodied, but not quite there. The carb bite and hotness of the alcohol detracted quite a bit.

D-I won't be drinking more than one due to the harsh carbonation.

I'm a bit disappointed in this beer. I had big hopes for it. I like quads (Rochefort 10 is excellent), but this one is just not for me.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2009 18:48:47 | More by Lerxst

aforbes10

Iowa

3.4/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Drank this last night as one of our samplers from our inaugural South Bend Coalition of the Drinking meeting. Was really looking forward to it because of how highly it is rated on the site.

Good looking beer. pours like brandy almost but with some small head. looks sticky and reddish brown. Smells like alcohol at first, then kind of like corny malt liquorish. First couple of sips burn with the alcohol and you feel it diffuse into your tongue. then there was a fairly complex mishmash of flavors including prunes, malt, not-quite-ripe apples, and ethanol. I didnt actually think this lived up to its hype very well. too harsh and more than one would knock me on my ass. maybe it would be better cellared for a while but i'm not sure im going to give it that chance.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2006 14:20:33 | More by aforbes10

Beaver13

Colorado

3.4/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

11.2 oz bottle, best before 7/23/10. Pours a reddish brown with a big fizzy head that quickly dissipates.

The aroma is sweet dark fruits, fusel alcohol and some bitterness. It becomes a bit more pleasant as it warms.

The flavor is some sweet and sugary dark fruit with a lot of belly-warming strong alcohol. As it warms, more fruitiness and a slightly bitter, bready yeastiness comes out to balance the alcohol. The mouthfeel is medium with some harsh carbonation.

Overall, a bit of a disappointment. I let this sit for about 15-20 minutes before starting, but it was still a bit harsh at the beginning. As it warmed, it became much better. You can definitely tell all of this breweries' beers are related. Decent stuff, but not all that in my book.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2006 06:12:09 | More by Beaver13

KWally

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This beer packs a punch. At 12% ABV it can't be wrong for a good time. I first tried this beer at a cigar bar while trying to mix fine cigars with fine beer. I was not let down, however, I found this beer to have a strong alcohol taste. There is not much else for me to say about this beer. It will take your buzz to the next level, and make you question how you got to where you are since it finishes smooth and to the point.

This beer needs to be served in a sniffer as it has many aromas that can't be appreciated in a pint glass.

If you have a chance, pick up St. Bernardus's sampler that comes with a sniffer glass...well worth the money.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 02:45:56 | More by KWally

Ellbert

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This was a decent beer. I was a little disappointed though, with some of the reviews I feel it did not live up to what I expected. The apperance was awesome. It was a nice dark brownish color with a huge head. It was very pleasant to my nose. Very spicy smell. The taste was very complex but not what I expected. There wasn't as much spice as was in the smell. It had a different taste than I can descibe. I could taste the alcohol in the end. It wasn't overpowering though, amazing at %10, it was a very pleasant alcohol taste. I think I may have served this too warm. I will definitely give this beer another chance. I think it may need one for me to give it a fair reveiw.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2003 04:50:32 | More by Ellbert

beefytee

New York

3.38/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Very disapointed by this beer.

I had been looking forward to it all day. I went down to the "weird beer" store (as my wife calls it), and picked up the bottle. I had anticipations of Rochefort 10 or Westy 12, I was surprised to find it was not even in the same league. The head poured well enough, the alcohol warmed my nose with a slight hint of banannas, which made my mouth water for rochefort...
then the first taste. The alcohol hit prematurely, and the beer lay flat on my tongue like a bad kisser. The bananas in the nose did not ever hit the palate. The finish was almost foul, causing me to make a bit of an onion smelling face with each sip. Some may call blasphome (sp), but I failed to finish the beer. I may blow another $4.00 on this beer, but only on sheer curiosity, because the beers reputation was not met, and perhaps I had a bad bottle. I will be more than happy to post a better review if this beer makes a better showing

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2004 04:03:22 | More by beefytee