St. Bernardus Prior 8 - Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV

Serge

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle. Pours a dark brown with a light brown head, good lacing. The aroma moderate to heavy malty, brown sugar, raisin, plum and hoppy. Flavor moderate/heavy sweet and bitter, in good balance. Medium/full body, syrupy, soft carbonated. Moderate in alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 04:19:40 | More by Serge

warnerry

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Best by 28 October 2015

A - Pours a semi-murky dark brown with hints of prange. One finger of light tan head has excellent retention and leaves some decent lacing.

S - Lots of fruit up front, with a strong white grape aroma. Also some brown bread and a light spiciness.

T - Spice presence is more pronounced in the taste, which also has a strong fruit presence. earthy brown bread comes in midway and last through the finish. Flavors are good throughout, if a bit on the light side.

M - Mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium. Slight earthy bitterness. Finished semi-dry.

O - Definitely a high quality dubbel, but didn't blow me away. I would have it again though.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 19:09:14 | More by warnerry

sevenarts

New York

4.35/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark, somewhat opaque brownish red with a good strong tan head and moderate lacing.

S: That distinctive Belgian yeast aroma complemented by fruit and a good amount of spice. Very mild and well-balanced.

T/M: Really well-balanced beer with some fruit flavors up front, but not over the top as in some Belgian beers. Instead, the fruit is balanced by a hint of bitterness, an undercurrent of yeast, and some nice spicy accents. It's all followed up by a warming sensation from the alcohol.

O: A really great Belgian that's exceptionally balanced between spiciness, alcoholic bite, sweet fruity flavor and that distinctive yeasty foundation. It's flavorful and strong without being totally overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 23:20:46 | More by sevenarts

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Working my way through the top dubbels to see what I can glean in my vain attempt, so far, to make a satisfactory one on my own.
750 ml bottle poured with two pourings into my SN tulip. Best By Date of 29.06.16 - so a relatively fresh bottle I presume.
Darker malt and darker fruit on the first take of aroma. A little vinous too. Yeast qualities are subdued, comparatively. Kinda' musty with soft light fruit and spice that appears a little later. Bottle note "delicate bouquet" and I would concur, yet really complex too.
Clear dark amber of reds/copper with huge full tan head.
How do you get so much richness without actually being excessively rich and not too dry either. Nice soft rich malt flavors with a shot of sweetness up front, esp. when it's cold. Also caramel and nuttiness. Very complex malt presentation. No emphasis on fruit with this one. Bitterness seems largely in the foam. Soft spicing. All well balanced flavors. Even the alcohol is flavorful and soft - just enough warm the gut and just zing to touch the flavor. Oh, there the fruit is - it makes a showing too - sorta' medium, not dark or light. A little doughiness to the malt. Just enough hops to show a flavor presence. Delicate and just enough to add to the complexity.
Moderate feel. Quite smooth. Carbonation not to excess even with the huge head.
An overall very well crafted, complex and interesting beer. I've had dubbel's with more striking flavors. This one is more about balance and drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 01:46:02 | More by garymuchow

TBoneJones

Texas

4.53/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thick brown pour into the chalice. Nice head that faded to a minimal.
Herbal chocolatey smell, maybe molasses too.
Malty, nutty, dark fruit taste, and blends very well I might add.
Creamy delicious.
For some reason, as I sipped this I couldnt help but think that some aspect of it reminded me of an imperial, souped-up version of Celebrator Doppelbock. Maybe its the chocolate or candy aspects of the brew. And that's not a bad thing at all.  

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 02:38:48 | More by TBoneJones

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: minimal to no head over cloudy brown liquid.

S: Bananas, pears, figs and candy sugar.

T: Pears, bananas, figs, white grapes, candy sugar and a touch of earthy and grassy hops.

M: Medium viscosity and a high level of fine carbonation.

O: Maybe I have been spoiled by the other dubbels I have had, but this one doesn't particularly stand out.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 23:05:15 | More by DaftCaskBC

Arno

3.18/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

appearance: Chestnut brown, hazy. Huge creme foam top that fades quickly. Lovely lacing.

smell: Has a medicinal smell to it combined with caramel, dark fruits and licorice.

taste: A little odd. It has some contradicting flavors somehow. I get caramel, brown sugar with a spicy smokey licorice finish. It's interesting but it doesn't really seem to click somehow. After some lingering i get fig as an after taste. I get a lot of medicinal phenol flavors together with alcohol in the nose, which adds to the slightly weird flavor combo.

mouthfeel: Medium bodied, medium carbonation. Quite creamy with a nice carbonation kick breaking through.

overall: It's an interesting beer. I'm not sure if i like it or not. It's not bad and i do enjoy it, but it's just not a "Wow!" moment i had with their Triple. So it's def. not their best.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 22:30:53 | More by Arno

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.75/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass
Appearance – Served a medium deep reddish-brown color with a light haze and a one finger white head. The head faded over time to give a medium level of lacing.
Smell – The aroma is heaviest of dark fruit aromas of prune, raisin, fig, and some cherry. These sweeter fruit flavors are also complimented by some aromas of a bready malt as well as some molasses. Overall the aroma is sweet and delicious.
Taste – The taste begins more on the maltier side with hints of a roasted malt and brown bread. These flavors quickly sweeten as the dark fruit flavors that were detected in the nose come to the tongue. These tastes are mixed with a caramel and molasses flavor which greatly sweeten the profile. At the end of the taste, some boozy and vanilla flavors meet the tongue and take the taste to the end.
Mouthfeel- The body of the beer is on the slightly higher side with some nice creaminess and has a carbonation level being just below average.
Overall – A tasty brew, but in comparison to its bigger brother 12 it is nothing to really pine for. For the dubbel style it is more towards the top of the line, but not the best out there (at least in my opinion)

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2012 01:05:45 | More by Darkmagus82

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 33 cl bottle into a St. Bernardus branded chalice

Pours a molasses brown with a two finger light beige head. The head remains as long as the beer, significant lacing coats the sides of the glass. The aroma of dark fruit, fig and dates, sweet cream, and a hint of alcohol rises from the chalice. Notes of sweet malt, caramel, spice, bread, and almond can be found thoughout this brew. Medium-bodied, perfect carbonation, creamy velvet on the palate. An exceptional dubbel from a fantastic brewery.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 05:34:19 | More by chanokokoro

thedoubler55

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: A nice brown, that is not transparent, a nice beige head at the top the goes away quickly, a little bit of lacing around the glass.

S: Dark fruit is present, especially fig and a slight hint of chocolate.

T: A greatly balanced beer, the dark fruit and chocolate and malts all come together to give a great taste, the alcohol is just a bit present.

M: Creamy, medium bodied and mid carbonation.

O: This brewery never ceases to amaze, this is a great tasting beer, very well balanced and warming.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 18:30:25 | More by thedoubler55

sommersb

Tennessee

4.3/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted On: 07-29-2012
Freshness: Best by 09-08-2012
Packaging: 330 ml brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Chalice
Purchased: Single from Frugal MacDoogal, Nashville

Pours a dark brown color, nearly opaque. The head is about a finger's worth, tan colored and creamy, with good retention and a fair amount of lacing.

Aromas are rich and malt-forward; caramel, dark fruits (such as figs), molasses, vanilla and woodiness come to mind.

The taste is similar to the smells, with sweet malty flavors of brown sugar, molasses and caramel, plus some spicy/peppery characteristics. No bitterness or hop flavors.

The mouthfeel is first about the high amount of carbonation present. Full-bodied, the finish is sweet with some alcohol warming.

Overall a powerfully rich beer -- an excellent slow sipping, nightcap treat.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 04:34:49 | More by sommersb

sureshot08

Arizona

4.43/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Poured into a snifter. Pours a medium brown with a mild off-white head that quickly dissipates. Some visible sediment.

Smell: Lots of caramel, sweet, some dark fruit.

Taste: Caramel, butterscotch, raisin, prune, faint rum notes.

Mouthfeel: On the thinner side with moderately high carbonation.

Overall: I get a lot of caramel, but well in balance. Not much alcohol or hop character. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 01:47:04 | More by sureshot08

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.1/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from 12/2010 notes. Poured into a St. Bernardus goblet. Pours a murky dark red amber with a nice off-white head and lacing. Subdued light malt, dark and light fruit aroma. Light fruit, malt and Belgian spicing. Somewhat light flavor. Finishes nicely with sweet malt and light fruit. Mouth feel and carbonation are very nice. A great dubble, although the flavors are not as assertive as I'd expect. I'd still be happy to drink this any time.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 23:00:54 | More by LiquidAmber

BuccoFan

District of Columbia

4.63/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pour -- Into a tulip glass. Pours a thin reddish brown. Brownish white head forms at the top, thick but thin, eventually forming a nice layer of cream that stays throughout the entire tasting.

Aroma -- Nice malty smell, but not too strong. A subtle scent, not its strong point.

Mouthfeel -- carbonation is there, but low-to-medium. It's pretty smooth.

Taste -- Its absolute strongest point. I sipped on this over the course of a half hour, and savored every drop of it. I like to start these out a little colder than recommended, and let the taste gradually enhance as it goes on, and this, even cold, had a very nice flavor. I had one of these the same weekend I had a Rochefort 8, and while this is the minority opinion, I found the Prior 8 exceedingly more tasteful. I've had the St. B quad, but this was my first time with their dubbel, and this is now my favorite dubbel, hands down.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 02:37:15 | More by BuccoFan

DougT

Ohio

4.44/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a St. Bernardus glass. Unfortunately my favorite is 12 and it's very hard not to compair. As a double I should not expect the strength of a quad, but there it is. Take comments with the proper grain of salt.

A: deep, clear brown. 1+ finger medium brown head that dissipates to a light layer of foam across the whole challis that sticks slightly to the sides. very light lacing.

S: Bread yeast hit my nose hard at first. That subsided and then figs. Other dark fruits. Somewhat subtle, but very pleasant.

T: Not too sweet, smooth, very light hopps but some come out late to lend a little bitter flavor in the aftertaste, a little alcohol. Delicious.

M: Fizzy! Fairly light. Not too strong, I think I could drink this all night.

O: A very good beer. Light enough to enjoy on a warm evening. Not as powerful or as much of a sensory overload as 12. Sort of like 12 light. Not quite as much flavor and not as full bodied, but the flavor and fizzy character matches. You can tell it's St Bernardus!

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 04:23:19 | More by DougT

mechamifune

North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark cola brown. Slight tan head that fades out in a couple minutes. Very evident cardonation.

Smell is slightly sweet with hints of dark fruits and then a bit of apple. No real hop presence.

Taste is in line with the smell. Slightly sweet with a bit of an alcoholic aftertaste. Subtle fruit notes with toffee throughout. A wonderful, complex taste, and about as good as you can expect from this style, in my experience anyway.

Mouthfeel is full, load of carbonation but right for the style. A slow sipper for sure, but very befitting the complex and enjoyable taste profile.

Overall, this is as fine a dubbel as I've had and one worth seeking out. I probably enjoyed it more than any of the other St. Bernardus offerings, though they are all worthy.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 03:51:23 | More by mechamifune

brureview

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a chalice. The beer appears to have a cola color with
a one finger head. There is carbonation from the bottom of the glass going upwards towards the head.

The smell from the head is complex: some fruit presence. The smell lasts throughout the tasting.

The mouth feel is too overpowering- very tingly, but it mellows with warming.

The finish is also highly complex. At first, there is a strong molasses finish, and later I discover hints of caramel which become more accentuated with warming. I also tasted apple in the finish with even more warming, as the taste mellows.

Warming brings out wonderful qualities of this beer: it's a sipper, that needs to be savored slowly. The mouth feel mellows with warmth and the Dubbel becomes very balanced. There is a strong alcoholic aftertaste which remains throughout- it's not overpowering and fits well into the general drinking of the beer.

Overall, a great beer at the right temp. Warmth brings out the finish and mellows the mouth feel. Will drink again.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 01:24:54 | More by brureview

beergoot

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours an excellent rich, copper-colored body with a great thick and sticky, bone-white head. Great lacing.

Rich, grainy aroma with dark fruits and some orange scents mixed in. Caramel, toffee, toasted bread...

Sweet caramel malt taste, buttressed with a slight phenol and alcohol taste that lasts through the finish.

Rich mouthfeel, heavy bodied, sticky yet smooth from the carbonation.

Damn tasty! Rich, complex, and quite enjoyable overall. Highly recommended...

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 19:51:10 | More by beergoot

jtingue

New York

4.13/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter.

Appearance. Deep mahagony red in color. First pour is very clear, but becomes more cloudy as the yeast sediment gets disturbed after each pour. Many streams of bubbles rise from the bottom of the glass. Pours with 4 fingers of head that dissipate leaving a gorgeous helix of lacing around the side of the glass. About a finger of head is maintained throughout.

Smell. Substantially sweeter than its big brother abt. 12. Lots of prune, molasses and candied fruits. Also, somewhat floral, in a estery way.

Taste. Starts off a bit nutty, almonds and walnuts. Sweetness builds with some raisin and dried dates. A very slight (and I mean very slight) bitterness balances out the sweetness perfectly. Some lighter ester flavors come in and really dance on the tounge for a while. The finish is very balanced, with some of the sweetness, yeastyness and bitterness and is semi dry.

Mouthfeel. A superb amount of carbonation (the cork flew out of the bottle at the first chance it got). As soon as the beer hits the palate, it turns to wonderful froth, delivering the flavors perfectly (especially the yeast flavors). The body is moderate, but the quite dry the entire time.

For me this one was just amazing, though I may have a bias toward this type of beer. Hugely complex and a lot sweeter than its big brother, better looking too.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 23:22:28 | More by jtingue

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4.23/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2oz served into a Chimay chalice. Best by: 20/07/16

A - Garnet brown with an active cream colored head that never breaks.

S - Spice bread, earthy yeast, dates, raisin, toasted banana, cinnamon, nutmeg, alcohol vapors.

T - Figs, nutmeg, spice bread, dark Belgian candy, green banana, dark cherries, plums, herbal spice bitterness. Really dries off on the finish.

M - Moderate airy carbonation, heavy side of medium.

This hits all the marks of an incredible Abbey ale. A well constructed beer with great flowy carbonation, dark fruits, rich bready malts, interesting spice profile, and a snappy dry finish.
I only wish I had a 750ml instead of on 11.2oz bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 02:02:12 | More by StaveHooks

shleepy

California

4.03/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from small bottle into snifter glasses. Bought at Whole Foods in Potrero Hill, San Francisco.

A: Hazy brown. Small-medium head.

S: Candy sugar, floral honey. It smells sweet, but in a fruity and pleasant way.

T: Fruity and floral; candy sugar sweetness, rather than caramel.

M: Medium body and medium-high carbonation.

O: A pleasant, fruity dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 06:44:43 | More by shleepy

PrvoPivo

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: between a dark raisin and earthy moist soil

S: to be honest, reminding me of moscato with a deep yeasty sense about it

T: Light and pungent (if that makes sense). To me the alcohol is very evident at first and dissipates very quick to allow room for a very pleasant, yet bitter effect. Loved the way the beer tasted as it mellowed in my mouth.

M: high carbonation effect throughout my mouth. The bubbles seemed to explode all over my tongue. Dry feeling, almost reminded me of what my mouth feels like when I'm a little thirsty (almost as if to get me to drink more haha)

O: I really enjoyed this beer. I feel likes it's a very drinkable beer with a lot of punch at the start. Makes me think of sprinting at the start of a race and quickly calming down to a nice and slow walk.

Good stuff from these guys. Still liked Abt 12 better but I guess it's just a different beer all together.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 03:26:56 | More by PrvoPivo

iSip

Colorado

3.3/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

St. Bernardus Prior 8, 22 oz. bomber: A good Belgian dubbel is an amazing experience. The Prior 8 has a dark caramel color and the big head as is common with the St. Bernardus products. The aroma is good, but could be bigger and have more of the Belgian yeast that I expect out of a Belgian beer. Good flavor, but overpowering in a raisin flavor note. Lacking the big rock candy flavor that ruins some dubbels (in my opinion), but too much of the raisin flavor and not enough complexity. Not enough Belgian yeast coming through (but I did not swirl the yeast in, so that may be my fault). So the rating is good, but I was expecting more.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 14:24:58 | More by iSip

DARIVA

Netherlands

3.7/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark brown slightly cloudy beer with a small head.

S: The smell of sweet gum, lime and anise.

T: Slightly bitter taste, slightly sweet, slightly anise and mint.

M: Strong carbonation and a fairly foam feel.

O: Not easily drinkable, with a nice aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 16:16:02 | More by DARIVA

draheim

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

11.2oz (best by 8/11/2014) into a chalice. Just like St.B. tripel, as soon as I pop the cap it starts to gush - this time I'm ready. And just like the tripel, no matter how carefully I pour a bunch of dark chunkies find their way into my glass.

Pours a murky mahogany w/ lots of floaties, ample carbonation.

Aroma is fruity esters, plums, raisins, bready Belgian yeast.

Taste is dark fruit, bready yeast, clean water. Really simple yet still complex.

Mouthfeel is very dry and light, evaporates off the palate.

Overall an outstanding dubbel, possibly my favorite. Wish there weren't so many chunks but in the end, a minor detraction.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 06:32:02 | More by draheim