Trappist Westvleteren Special 6 (VI) - Brouwerij Westvleteren (Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren)

davod23

California

5/5  rDev +18.8%

12-12-2011 23:31:20 | More by davod23

beerpirates

Belgium

3.33/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Many thx to Thijs for opening this very rare bottle

Poured into a westy 12 tastingglass

Poured medium-to-deep amber with no head.
The aroma picked up soft, dusty, spicy yeast over well-aged toffee, raisins, and dates The flavor held up as well with some caramel and accents of port , raisins, and faint smoke
Medium-bodied with lower carbonation on the palate..

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 08:35:42 | More by beerpirates

Doodler

Colorado

3.25/5  rDev -22.8%

03-23-2013 23:00:30 | More by Doodler

spdyfire83

Ireland

3.49/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

307th Review
33cl bottle poured into Crooked Stave tulip
Mid/late-90's, I gather from discussions with the individual who passed this my way. Cheers!

I shared this at a random Wednesday afternoon tasting at Crooked Stave (thanks Chad for welcoming us!) as part of "December to Remember - 2012". Drank alongside Westvleteren Dubbel, amongst others.

A: Light brown. Quarter, (tan) fingernail, bubbly head on medium pour. More carbonated than its brethren!

S: Notes of dark fruit, raisin, light brown sugar, and breadiness. Touch of mild cherry here too.

T: Hidden cherry starts things off followed by soft dark fruit, caramel, and cardboard. Touch of sour too and I know this thing is past its prime.

M: Medium/full bodied with soft (nearly flat) carbonation.

O: Surprisingly bad and over-the-hill. Quite strange to me considering this bottle is younger than the Red Cap. I find it amazing that the lower ABV withstood time more resiliently than this. Granted they are different styles, but they generally have the same characteristics in my opinion. My recommendation, do not bend-over-backwards to get this.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 17:02:29 | More by spdyfire83

bmwats

Louisiana

3.93/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 33 cl bottle, into a tulip.

A: Hay colored. Lots of carbonation. Pours a cascading bubbly head. Settles fairly quickly, but does leave a smattering of bubbles on the surface. Sparse spiderweb lacing.

S: Fresh cut grass and hay. Sourdough.

T: Fresh cut grass, a little honey, bitter rye, and a little bready.

M: Light, crisp, bittersweet finish.

D: Not much resistance. Go for it.

Atmosphere is good. Nice hue, carbonation, and head. Nose is bittersweet and grassy. Flavor is fresh cut flora, with some sweet notes. Overall, this is a really good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 06:06:30 | More by bmwats

digita7693

Oregon

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

12-15-2012 08:07:18 | More by digita7693

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev -5%

11-15-2012 02:12:19 | More by t0rin0

eric5bellies

Australia

4.95/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Drank at Kulminator, Antwerp 98 vintage from a st sixtus chalice

A - Pours a nice deep mahogany colour with a an off white two fingered head that stays the distance, amazing

S - Port, toasted bread and raisins. Very pronounced.

T - Wow, this beer has held up amazingly well, the yeast and raisins are very evident still with a little port like flavours as well. The finish is so smooth and not boozy at all.

M - the carbonation is almost all there with the body medium. Smoothness is impressive.

O - Although this beer is 13 years old I'm amazed at how well it has held up. So much flavours and complexity still exists in this beer. It's a privalidge to taste masterpieces like this and although a little past it's best I cannot mark it down because it has truly lasted the test of time and for a beer that is only 6.2% that is quite remarkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 20:37:15 | More by eric5bellies

hanlonrn

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

07-10-2012 11:52:44 | More by hanlonrn

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A huge thanks to drabmuh for sharing this whale of a beer with us on his birthday.

The beer is orange hued, displaying a thick, lasting head that coats the chalice with a sheet of lacing.

The aroma offers malt, butterscotch, basement, rain water, canteloupe. Interesting. It does smell old...like a monk's closet.

The flavor was decent, especially given the age of the beer. Interesting to say the least. Dank basement, melons, butterscotch, caramel malt.

I was really impressed with the mouthfeel. Perfect carbonation and silky smooth on the palate.

Overall, what an experience. Thanks Matt!

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 23:00:23 | More by Huhzubendah

BeerBaron

Ohio

5/5  rDev +18.8%

03-04-2012 22:59:06 | More by BeerBaron

drabmuh

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This has been a long time coming, a personal "whale" of mine, drinking a Westvleteren 6 out of a Westvleteren goblet...doesn't get much more "baller" than that in my mind. I loved this experience.

Beer is amber to brown with a slight haze, almost no head, low carbonation, no lacing, no retention.

Aroma is sweet, almost cherry like, mild sherry notes, thin, perhaps a bit oxidized.

Beer is sweet, bright on the palate, not funky at all, drinking pretty nicely, mild notes of oxidation on the palate, a strong finish on the beer overall. I enjoyed it and if possible I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 16:01:09 | More by drabmuh

mdfb79

New York

3.78/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 02/25/12 notes. Bottle shared by drabmuh at his birthday tasting; thanks Matt, was very excited to try this one. Tried in line with a 25 year old bottle of Westy 8, a relatively newer Westy 8, and a Westy 12.

a - Pours a murky mahogany brown color with one inch of off white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of fruity malts, raisins, dark fruits, a little musty, bready malts, light caramel. Smell is sweet and a little oxidized, but still very nice.

t - Tastes of dark fruits, raisins, sugar, fruity malts, earthy notes, more musty then the nose, sweet. A step down from the nose and oxidized again.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Pretty easy to drink.

o - Overall a nice beer but a bit oxidiized and I'd guess a bit past its prime. Taste was a little too sweet for me. Very cool to try and was better then the 25 year old Westy 8, but didn't compare to the fresher Westy 8 and Westy 12. I'd suggest drinking yours now if you've got one left.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 22:18:42 | More by mdfb79

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Huge thanks to drabmuh for acquiring this bottle. Served in a small Westvleteren chalice.

A: Pours a very slightly-hazed amber-copper color with a half-finger white head and just a bit of spotty lacing on the way down.

S: The nose carries a pretty heavy amount of fruit. Slight oxidation plus a bit of cherry and other dark fruits. Almost a touch of melon waiting in the background.

T: The flavor is a bit less traditional. Some melon-type flavor comes through along with a bit of bread and a touch of caramel. Really quite interesting. Maybe a bit of strawberry. There are definitely fruits present, but not in the traditional way. Hard to place.

M: Body is light to medium with good carbonation and a semi-dry finish. Very light bitterness.

O: This has held up fairly well. Good fruit presence and a bit of malt. Assuredly past its prime, but still certainly worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 21:12:44 | More by Thorpe429

Mar02x

Netherlands

3.93/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

With thanks to BA Brabander, I was able to try this beer. Brabander brought his beer to a tasting organized by Fiona de Lange (the Dutch beer lady).

A - A murky fluid with no head whatsoever.

S - It has got the smell of a sweet sherry.

T - Gone! This beer is long gone! It became sour. Not that I mind though, because of the sweet sherry it is very nice to drink.

M - A very light carbonation, no bitterness.

O - I would love to try one that is still good.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 17:27:10 | More by Mar02x

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had at Akkurat. Pour is slightly murky brown with ruby red edges and a light tan head. The nose has tons of sweetness, loads of raisin, caramel malt, syrupy dark berries. The taste is more balanced but also less bright. Seems a touch oxidized, raisins and caramel are most dominant, syrupy dark fruits almost artificial berry-like, flavor thins out in the finish. Full bodied, very thin finish, syrupy texture on the tongue, light carb and slightly oily.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 19:51:23 | More by cpetrone84

Lee45102

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

12-27-2011 00:10:57 | More by Lee45102

kojevergas

California

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

Brown glass bottle with no label and the distinctive Red Westvleteren cap served into a goblet at Akkurat in Stockholm, Sweden, in July 2011. Vintage was 1996, making it roughly fifteen years old. Cost was a brutal 295 SEK (~43 USD at the time). They had to fetch this from the cellar for me, and it was opened pretty carefully. Served fairly cool but not too cold.

Reviewed from detailed notes.

A: Pours a half finger head of brilliant beautiful cream, good thickness, and bad retention for the ABV. The head is white in colour, while the beer is a very appealing dark ruby-black. I can't wait to dive in.

Sm: Cherry, raspberry, strawberry - all light fruit hop esters (as opposed to 'dark' fruit like in the other three Westvleteren beers I've tried). It's a very excellent fruit aroma all around. Refreshing, and evocative of fruli or framboise summer beers. I didn't expect the fruits to smell as bright and pleasant as they do. Amazing, pleasant, and perfect. Incredibly subtle; I think the age has done the aroma well.

T: Creamy foundation with bright fruit ester hops atop. Everything from the nose is present; lots of strawberry dominates. There's a bit of a water note, no doubt from the aging. Structurally, each act is quite brief but impressively flavorful. The climax is bright ester laden. It's brilliantly balanced, ignoring the water (which is easy to do). It's beautifully artfully constructed. Complex and wonderful.

Mf: Masterfully complementary of the flavours of the body. It's a bit vinegary/watery after the climax, but that's not the brewer's fault. It's delicately soft, subtly creamy, and incredibly well suited to the complexity of the taste. Very carefully crafted indeed.

Dr: The obscene price is to be expected. No alcohol comes through. It's a wonderful beer but sadly it seems to be getting steadily worse with time; it probably peaked five years ago. Drink it while you can, because soon it will be shite vinegar (see La Trappe Amber). I've given is a score based on its full character as is now, but I suspect at its peak it was an A- or even an A. Either way, it's fantastic.

[Note that I gave it a B+ at time of review, prior to the new number system coming in. A B+ at that time was 3.76-4.00.]

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 20:38:50 | More by kojevergas

Beertracker

Oklahoma

5/5  rDev +18.8%

12-19-2011 03:18:49 | More by Beertracker

sideshowe

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -5%

11-15-2011 13:48:33 | More by sideshowe

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -16.9%

11-15-2011 02:21:33 | More by ygtbsm94

claaark13

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Thanks for having a birthday Cam, that was nice of you.
Poured into a Delirium snifter. Thanks THIJS for being the root of this bottle, and thanks to the "one" that gave it to Cam.

A - Ruby, light lacing with bubbles. The lacing is nice, especially with consideration that it is 25 years old. It actually looks nice as it is if the age isn't considered.

S - Malts....yeah, malts....light breadiness and a little bit of sweetness. The aroma is quite potent for the age. Slight amount of dark fruits. I'd say that the fruits are like a small amount of fresh cherries. Not artificial cherries, but some fresh black cherries. Maybe it is the sweetness mixed with the bready malts, who really knows? Very nice no matter how you slice it.

T - Muted breadiness, then some missing flavors in the middle, then a very dry finish. The middle is a slight cherry on top of muted bread. The end is almost like taking a bit of a green apple but without any sourness. The middle is just missing some flavor that I think would be more evident in a 90's version of this beer.

M - Certainly carbonated. Light, drinkable. Appropriate for what it is. I watched Cam drink the dregs...I bet that was nice.

O - Good, old, enjoyable. There was less of a cobweb/cellar/dust flavor in this one than other +15 year old beers I've had, with few exceptions. I also didn't get as much oxidation as expected. When it comes down to it, this bottle is rare as can be. I'd ONLY pass on it because I know that would give the next person a chance to try it. However, if someone offered me a 90's version of the bottle, I'd go for it. I think the later bottles (90's) are probably more flavorful in the middle.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 05:08:01 | More by claaark13

BeerAndBourbon

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

1986 vintage. Thanks Cam!

A. Pours brown with amber with just a touch of a head.

S. Smells of raisin, hints of caramel/toffee

T. Raisin is the most prominent. The toffee is not as prominent as in the nose.

M. Very thin with low level of carbonation.

D. Delicious, but definitely suffers a bit from the age. Can't believe I got to try this one. Awesome!

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2011 00:56:37 | More by BeerAndBourbon

Urbancaver

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bill... You are my hero...

1986 vintage
A gift from the gods

Pours a murky orangeish brown, nice yellowish tint. Some nice white head. Looks pretty phenomenal. Smells incredible. Rich malts, vanilla, amazing nose. Tastes malty, a touch of vanilla. The beer tastes great... The mouthfeel is a bit lacking but man it's tasty. Overall, a very enjoyable

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2011 00:46:34 | More by Urbancaver

brew3crew

Ohio

4.88/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottle courtesy of urbancaver. Wow!this is actually happening

A-earthy red color with no head whatsoever. Looks like a nice port

S-very sweet with a nice bit of malt

T-this is unreal. Sooo smooth aand delicious. Maybe a little bit of sweet cherries. I wan to drink all of this. Damn.

M-medium body and smooth

O-holy crap. This is a wonderful beer. Wish they made more of this!

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2011 00:41:24 | More by brew3crew