St. Bernardus Prior 8 - Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV

putnam

Michigan

4.95/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Primal forces of nature were disturbed when I uncapped my 33cl bottle. Impatient, sluggish masses of foam ooze out of the bottle. It's darker brown than the pater 6.
Brown sugar and spice are accompanied by zesty, winey fruits of boysenberry, plum and melon on the nose. Also present are notes of anise, vanilla, nutmeg and broth.
On the palate it's dry, with brown, braised nuts folding into vanilla bean into date into pepper. Slatey, intense mineral dryness cleanses the long finish.
Wow!

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2003 20:58:10 | More by putnam

diablo14

Australia

4.83/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

wow! what a beer. i cant remember being so moved by a beer since the first time i had gouden carolus. a total gem.

poured with one of the most intriuging colors ive ever seen. almost a puce like color, it resembled fresh dark grape juice. if anyones been to a grape stomping festival youll know what i mean. marvellous head also. beige color that was speckled with brown and remained huge throughout. magnificent nose, a real sensory awakening. huge malt factor, chocolatey, dried fruits present, wonderful sweet candy sugar and yeast aromas. flavors resemble the same, with cloves, and also had the taste of new red grapes as well as dried, with citrus zest also. some toffee like tinges coming thru too. has a medicinal character with a great hop balance that wasnt bitter, but had a lovely dryness. totally perfect. rich and incredibly clean all at once. reminded me a little of norfolk punch. not to mention the multitude of jets that were shooting up the side of my duvel glass for the whole perimeter. spectacular.

one of the truly great belgian beers and one ill be giving further inspection for the rest of my beer drinking life. fair dinkum, beer drinking doesnt get much better than this. a bona fide classic.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2003 12:09:27 | More by diablo14

mydeadguy

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a deep hazy ruby tinged brown, with yeast in suspension, and orange hints. The head is composed of small bubbles, its fluffy and lasts and lasts.
scents include sweet malt, bread, and ripe fruit.
The taste is rich and creamy, smooth and full with a fluffy texture, a slight bitterness and the end, along with a bit of warming alcohol. This one sticks a bit to the palate in a pleasant way..I prefered this one over their tripel. Quite quaffable..

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2003 02:13:43 | More by mydeadguy

Bighuge

Minnesota

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

Deep and somewhat murky looking burgandy. Big and hefty pillowy light beige head. Retention is stupendous. Aroma is yeast sediment, must, candy, raisin, rum and bread. This beer is pretty delicate in its flavor profile. The first impressions I get are rumcake and bread pudding. Then some dark fruits enter the picture. Black cherry. Plum. Eventually some alcohol soaked raisins and sweet candy/ bubblegum esters seep into the picture. This beer feels like velvet in the mouth. Low carbonation and about medium body. Nice little beverage here.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2003 04:50:04 | More by Bighuge

Rumrunner

California

3.83/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

11.2 oz. bottle.

A very well made ale but it is too sweet for me.

It pours a deep brown. A large off white head. Head dissipates but lacing stays and sticks to the glass nicely. The scents are sweet and brown sugar is very present. Carbonation tickles the nose while the floral hops peek out around caramel and sweet malts.

The flavors are very sweet. Brown sugar, carob and caramel are very present. This is a ver malty brew. Hops are floral and provide a balance to the ale. The hops flavor is minimal. This ale is really about the malts. After the hops sneak hot for a hello there is a toasted breadiness and a big buttery finish. A very well put together ale, but it is just too sweet for me.

If feels like watery syrup. Medium bodied. Carbonation fills the mouth. It is not an ale I would personally drink more than one in a row. This is definately a dessert ale for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2003 07:01:31 | More by Rumrunner

Realale

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Deep rich slightly opaque mahogany. Lots of chunks, but these settle quickly. Extremely fine beige 2" head settles slowly to a solid 1/4" leaving huge amounts of lace.

Nose is very rich and complex. Sugary caramel over sweet bready malt. Touch of rum and raisin. Bit of citrus zest as well, adding lift. Classic.

On the heavy side in the mouth. Quite sweet, which overpowers the underlying malt at this time. No hop apparent, and only a bit of acidity and the carbonation to try to balance the sweetness. Rummy notes come out, but no palate impression from the alcohol Needs time in the cellar to resolve. Finish is long, and sweet.

Mouthfeel is very good. Fine, soft bottle-conditioned goodness. Gives what balance there is to the palate and nice length to the finish. Too sweet at this stage to rate highly on the drinkability scale. Nice with a slice of fruitcake or on its own as dessert at this stage in its development.

330 ml bottle. Best before date of end of 2004.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2003 18:47:16 | More by Realale

RoyalT

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance – The body came out solid dark with a nice, tan head.

Smell – The roasted malt aroma mixed well with the dark brown, raw, and cane sugars. There’s also some dark, ripe fruitiness to this one, predominantly apricots and bananas.

Taste – The sugars really come out at the tongue. They are evenly balanced though by the strong, dark malt flavor that resembles chocolate bread and the noticeable alcohol notes.

Mouthfeel – Very creamy and carbonated. This AT is medium-bodied (on the heavy side) and chewy.

Drinkability – This was a wonderful ale that went down nicely and was a joy to consume.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2003 03:33:08 | More by RoyalT

Gusler

Arizona

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

The beer pours an opaque brown color, the head mountainous and light tan that is also semi-creamy in texture with the lace forming a silk like curtain to conceal the glass. Sweet malted grains, bubble gum and hints of yeast, maybe even an over ripe banana, at any rate a first class nose to be sure. Start is rich in malt, lightly sweet; the top feels full and rich. Finish has a suitable acidity and the hops are unobjectionable in their spicy bite, very dry somewhat vinous aftertaste, and the 8 percent ABV does warm the tummy, a most pleasing beer to end the day.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2003 00:39:53 | More by Gusler

saltydog

New York

4.47/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Consumed at Brouwzael in Ghent. Appearance: Reddish brown, big head, somewhat cloudy. Aroma: Big malty sweetness, and in addition some roastiness. Flavor: Clearn, refreshing raisin/rum flavo, balanced by a subtle roastiness. Finish: Crisp from roastiness. Very rich.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2003 03:38:47 | More by saltydog

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

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

In looking at the other reviews, you would think I got a different beer. The aroma was understated with a nose of alcohol and slight raisin. The flavor is uniquely Belgian, but lacking in complexity. It does have a slight raisin/plum finish, but it reminds me more of molasses. The alcohol is huge in this beer and overshadows all else. Not a bad beer, but not my first choice for a dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2003 21:24:39 | More by GCBrewingCo

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.6/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Presentation: A very familiar looking label design on the now equally familiar low slung neck 11.2 fl.oz (33cl) brown glass bottle. Says Drink before end of 2004 on the labels side writing, yet the row of numbers, 0-9, on the bottom of the label is nicked at the 1, 2, 6 and 8 mark??!?!?
Erm….best before – sometime later.

Appearance: Perfect, just an amazing presentation – so good I took a photograph of it. Deep dark brown body, clear buy only partially lucid. The head has incredible smooth looks and awesome staying powers – it’s a Stud of a beer, ironic for Abbey style beer don’t you think?!

Nose: What a nightcap! Raisins, currants, nuts, dark berries, caramel, toffee and chocolate. Its all here – wrapped up in an aroma bomb but neatly packaged like a firework so that it explodes in all the right places at the right times. Excellent conditioning and immensely impressive odors.

Taste: Rich chocolate is hidden amongst a bed of warming clean flannelette sheets of dark malts. Thick raisin laden Garibaldi biscuits and malty oats linger in the middle. Light chocolate coffee with a vanilla flavored milk ending. But the next mouthful tastes so different. Like a 10 screen Cinema complex- this beer could keep you entertained for hours.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, silky smooth and yet always complex. Light warming alcohol in the back end, packs a punch for the unbelievers!

Drinkability: Easily quaffed in a pleasant “gone before you know it way”. Complex, yet always inviting – a classic brew. Drinks exceptionally well.

Overall: Not a Trappist, as was proffered when it was sold under the St.Sixtus label prior to 1992 (which got the Brewery into trouble). Why they did this - is anyone business, maybe for dumb Americans (joke!). I say this because Brouwerij St. Bernardus can stand on its own two feet any day of the week as far as I am concerned – NO it’s NOT Trappistes, and Chimay is!!! So there, that’s sorted then – it’s official, you’ve don’t have to be a Trappistes Brewery to make better beer than Abbey Notre Dame de Scourmont, oops sorry, forgive me father for I have sinned!, I was obviously referring to the commercial arm of the Abbey, I of course meant to say Bieres de Chimay!!!

A Trappist beer for Atheists! EXCELLENT. No wonder the Monk on the label has a friggin’ smile on his face; he needs to loose the James Brown threads though!

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2003 06:52:20 | More by TheLongBeachBum

SeanChouffe

New Mexico

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

Presentation: 330ml bottle.

Full, rocky tan head that maintains a good presence to the end. A cloudy dark brown/red color, with plenty of sediment. The aroma is yeasty, of dried fruit, malt, bubblegum and a little medicinal. Flavor was quite complex: sweet start, creamy/malty middle with a dry spicy finish that maintained a taste of plums. The mouth feel is full-bodied, and smooth with relatively low presence of carbonation. It rolls off the tongue leaving an oily consistency. St. Bernardus has a pleasant well-rounded blend of flavors and mouth feel with no overwhelming/over the top characteristics.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2003 17:07:25 | More by SeanChouffe

kbub6f

New York

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

750ml corked/caged bottle.

Huge, coarse head with big, huge cavities. Hm. An opaque, dark brown beer, with sticky, lacy lacing. Nose is soap! Also sweet and spicy. A little chocolate joins the spice in the front. Fruity, too (plums?). Chocolate and butter in the middle. Thick as thick can be. Finish: bitter, a little metallic when cool. Some alcohol. Wow. That's a thick, buttery, strong, malty, thick, full, thick beer. Creamy butter. It's almost like liquid waffles with butter and syrup.
Yum.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2003 01:02:40 | More by kbub6f

hyuga

North Carolina

4.72/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A beautiful beer when poured, just like the other St. Bernardus brews. Dark brown and nearly opaque, sporting a good sized off-white head that stays exceptionally well with no help whatsoever. Leaves a nice Belgian lace too. Rather yeasty pour though, watch out if you don't want it in there. The aroma is big, caramel malt and spicy yeast jump out at you with a little candi sugar showing itself here and there. As it hits the palate, spiciness is most noticeable, partially due to the great hopping and partially due to the yeast strain used in brewing this. The big helping of sweetness that balances this out perfectly isn't far behind however. Caramel and candi sugar with a bit of grain. Lots of dark fruits, plum and raisin. Very creamy mouthfeel. The finish has a good amount of sweetness, but the aftertaste is a bit dry and hoppy. A very enjoyable beer, kind of like a toned-down Abt 12. Extremely drinkable. I wish I had one of the 750 ml bottles I saw today instead of this little 330 ml one.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2003 02:41:28 | More by hyuga

Stingray5

New York

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

11.2oz bottle pours a brilliant vermillion with a massive bubble-bath-in-my-brew almond head that lasted forever. an almost solid wall of lace is left on the glass. Lots of yeasties floating around, and a substantial amount of gunk was left behind in the bottle. Aromas of spice and tropical fruit. Taste is more fruit and spices, with sticky malt and warming alcohol. Good yeast presence - there but not too much. High carbonation but not too imposing. Slightly dry, malt finish. Quite drinkable and enjoyable. I think this bier has taken me to the 'other side'. Definitely worth a visit every now and again.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2003 01:45:59 | More by Stingray5

Elemental

Oregon

3.9/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice dark amber brown color with a huge head that exploded out of the bottle before I could pour it. Good smell that is sweet and malty but with a slight sour smell to it. Hints of a raison and spice aroma. The taste is sweet and malty with a slight spiciness. Flavors include raisons, fruits, and spices typical for abbey's. Overall a good beer. Could be a little heavy or thick - kind of a thin begining taste but that ok cause it finishes nicely.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2003 03:40:54 | More by Elemental

Jon

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Chestnut brown color with a frothy off-white head. Rings of lace permeate the chalice glass. Bouquet features dark fruit, yeast, sweet malts and fruity esters. Taste features an amalgam of sweeter flavor profiles including dates, plump raisins, and brown sugar, all while finishing with amildly assertive hop twang and a rush of alcohol. Mouthfeel is creamy, smooth, and luxurious. This is a very drinkable dubbel ale from an outstanding brewery.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2003 02:08:25 | More by Jon

marburg

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

These guys can do no wrong.

Mahongany brown with a nicely formed head which rapidly dissipates to a thin, bubbly film atop the brew. Not-so-ripe plums, blueberry pie (fruit, sugar, crust, and all), and alcohol dance around in the rather peppery nose. The taste is seemingly "typical" for a dubbel with an apple-ish subtlety. A virtual carnival of fruity ester aromas and flavors closes with a sweet and maple syrup mid-palate that is enveloped in a rind-like, alcohol-driven bitterness.

A hell of a lil' cousin to the tripel and Abt 12.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2003 20:49:03 | More by marburg

hotstuff

Indiana

2.95/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Dayton, OH AleFest:This beer had a medium sized ivory head that contained fine-small sized bubbles.The body was slghtly hazy with some carbonation noted.The hue of this beer was brown and the nose was that of alcohol and malt.The flavor was malty and hoppy.The mouthfeel of this beer was smooth, tingly, watery, and light-medium bodied.This beer also had average lacing.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2003 20:02:46 | More by hotstuff

clvand0

Kentucky

4.15/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours a cloudy brown color with a nice full head and just a little lacing on the glass. The aroma was very fruity with some yeast and alcohol notes. The flavor is very much the same as the aroma. It is fruity, malty, and slightly spicy, but very smooth and enjoyable. This is a very nice Belgian.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2003 12:51:47 | More by clvand0

MJR

Missouri

3.35/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours an opaque mahogany with some orange around the edges. A light tan head starts out absolutely huge, filling two-thirds of the glass. It slowly shrinks down to a thick and steady cap and leaves lots of lace on the glass.

Smell: The aroma is...interesting. All of the usual smells are here: dark fruits, a peppery spiciness, breadiness, a bit of diacetyl, and alcohol. But there's an awkward scent in there that comes off as fake and plastic. It's a bit musty too. Weird...

Taste: The flavor is barely better than the smell. There's a solid foundation of spicy fruits and breadiness, but the diacetyl gets stronger as the beer warms. Hints of chocolate and nut struggle to be noticed . The diacetyl combines with a medicinal phenolic flavor and a splash of alcohol to form a strange aftertaste. A bit of a fake sweetness on the tail end too.

Mouthfeel: Rich and chewy with a full mouthfeel. Medium in body, with a finish that has a touch of alcohol.

Drinkability: Decent... This is a bit disappointing considering how good their tripel and wit are.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2003 11:44:44 | More by MJR

bditty187

Nebraska

3.83/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Murky dark brown, tan highlights… thick beige head, over a finger’s worth. Excellent retention; rings lace. Lovely Dubbel nose… sweet alcohol, malty and organic, spicy with fruity hints. Inviting. Pleasantly spicy palate with strong undercurrents of malty alcohol. A licorice note is unleashed midway through with a nice organic finish. The alcohol might be a tad blunt. The “dark” fruitiness mingles well... there are plenty of subtle nuances. The carbonation is heavy and it adds harshness to the palate. Medium-full body. Overall this is a decent and agreeable beer, it does lack a little but for the cost, it is worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2003 12:19:24 | More by bditty187

shirfan

New York

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

Pours a translucent, cloudy burnt sienna color (remember that crayon?) with a long lasting, creamy head.

Smell is rich and sweet, punctuated by plum aroma...but I'm only giving a 4 due to a bit of a solvent note.

Taste: Immediately explodes with flavor as it hits the tongue...sweet and heavy malt, plums, cherries, anise. Just enough alcohol shines through to seem dangerous. Finish is just a little too medicinal (i got a hint of ny-quil), although the huge flavors going on are enough to excuse that.

Not a nectar of the gods like abt 12, but still a very good brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2003 20:52:57 | More by shirfan

cokes

Wisconsin

3.35/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Murky and opaque brown with orange trimming. Huge tan foam sits atop.
Musty, sweaty, papery, plasticine, chemical-laden aroma. Not pleasant in the least. A real Achilles' Heel here.
Taste atones for the nose's shortcomings, at least partially. Begins with an over-ripe fig and black liquorice coupling. Fades to a subtler (and more standard) raisin and plum. Cocoa and vanilla beans appear later on. Progresses toward butter-toffee with increasing diacetyl as it approaches room temp. A bit of rummy alcohol sweetness late, nearing fusel levels. Hops are mostly hidden, though slightly herbal in nature.
Medium bodied with little carbonation. Lacking *something* even though it is neither lifeless nor cloying.
A decent but underwhelmingly average Dub.
Maybe I expected more.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2003 23:08:52 | More by cokes

daledeee

Iowa

4.65/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I love everything I try from St. Bernardus. This one is no exception. I do not understand the rather low ratings for this beer. This is a very fine Belgian.

Pours nice medium head. Settles quickly with good lace. Pretty dark brown. Possibly vanilla and fruit and chocolate mixed in. Really creamy the minute it hits your tongue followed by a good bite. Leaves mouth velvetty and malty. Upfront there is a mixture of fruit and malt. Alchohol is not upfront. Only downfall is a little chemical taste. Not quite as fulfilling as the green(tripel) or blue (abt12) but still excellent. Don't pass any of these up if you have a chance to try

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2003 17:53:42 | More by daledeee