Trappist Westvleteren 12 (XII) - Brouwerij Westvleteren (Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren)

LampertLand

British Columbia (Canada)

3.89/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Trappist Westvleteren XII @ 10.2% , from 'The Brick' purchased for $60

A-pour is a dark amber with a small fine off white head leaving a lace ring along the supplied goblet's

S-fruity & floral , a slight varation on the classic Belgian yeast

T-smooth crisp & strong , hints of a slight bittersweet finish

MF-low carbonation , full bodied , very pleasant on the palate

Ov-not the best beer in the world but a damn good one

sampled alongside Trappist Rochefort 10 and other Belgian beers recently

prost LampertLand

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 20:17:53 | More by LampertLand

TripelBlove

4.14/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Not too much into Quads but the rarity of this beer definitely hyped up my thoughts on it...definitely worth a try and glad I got to try it.

Sharing this beer with other people might have lessened my thoughts on it a little bit since I only got about 4 oz. of it, but with it being so rare, I had to share it with friends in order to compensate for the cost of it.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 22:10:49 | More by TripelBlove

tectactoe

Michigan

4.6/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Acquired one bottle from '12 (thanks to cneville) and one bottle from '11 (from Mike) and did a side-by-side with the '11 Westy and a St. Bernardus Abt 12 - just to see what all the fuss is about. Westy pours a murky, dark brown color that accumulates deep at the bottom with light only passing through near the top of the beer, giving it a lighter, copper color. A beige, creamy head forms but remains small, even with an aggressive pour, though it can be coaxed out easily by swirling the glass. So far, so good.

The aroma was beautiful, and in all honesty, simply everything that a Belgian strong ale should be. Raisins, figs, dates - all lightly sugar coated and soaked with a mild boozy flavor. Sweet, smooth brown sugar, faint roses, lightly toasted nuts, toffee malt, and another complex layer of booze that gets a bit stronger as the beer warms up, until it reaches a slightly phenol-like presence. Earthy and dark, fruity esters abound, along with light hints of spices and Belgian yeasty warmth. It all remains wrapped in an array of sugary and savory aromas - the nose on this is one of the most perplexing things I've come across. Just SO MANY THINGS going on, yet it all mingles so strangely well.

A heavily bread and caramel malt backbone leads the way as I take my first sip. I don't have much time to linger with that, however, because my palate is immediately thrust into a flavor profile more stunning than the aroma. Candied grapes, figs, dates, and more dark, juicy, overripe fruits. Sweet red licorice, light booze, honey, calm, earth and fruit esters, mild clove and warming spices, Belgian yeast... I could go on and on. Truth is, the flavor profile on this bad boy is truly an enigma - so many things happening and there's no way you're going to capture all of them with mere words. Some heavy bread and almost rye-like flavors in the aftertaste, buttery and smooth. Somewhat on the heavy side without being thick or syrupy; silky and smooth on the palate, very creamy and not sticky at all - decent carbonation, even for nearly two years of age.

So, is this the "best beer in the world" ? No. Well, in my opinion, anyway. BUT - I can definitely see why some people might agree with that, and I can definitely say that it deserves to be in the discussion. Even though it doesn't necessary top my list, it's certainly one of the best and most well crafted beers I've had, and no doubt a benchmark example of the style. If you love beer, do yourself a favor and seek one of these out. It was really an amazing beer, and the experience of enjoying it for yourself (or with a friend) is excellent.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 13:08:25 | More by tectactoe

Therisse

California

4.05/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Look: Head was pretty consistant, cloudy body, very tiny bubbles, and a caramel color

Aroma: I smelled some copper, as well as bread, it had minerality to it, and hints of cocoa

Flavor: What stood out to me the most were the flavors of chocolate, plum, and bread. There was a sweetness that was somewhere between that of cane sugar and brown sugar. I also tasted hints of copper and cinnamon.

Mouth feel: Full body, bubbles were at a nice consistency.

Overall: Not a huge fan of Belgiums but this is a nice beer. Complex yet nicely balanced :)

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 18:14:31 | More by Therisse

justyouraveragebeerguy

Illinois

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

The best beer in the world apparently!!

A- a deep golden/brown color, there is some yeast settlement at the bottom of the bottle

S- Dried figs, big malty sweetness, plums, rum soaked raisins.

T- Big sweetness, again those dark fruits, rum soaked raisins, a little bit of bozzyness on the back end

Overall- This is exactly what a Belgian quad should taste like. Really amazing beer. I wouldn't say it's the best beer in the world, but certainly the standard when it comes to Belgian quads.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 04:21:39 | More by justyouraveragebeerguy

cfrances33

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

2012 bottle thanks to sleuthdog. Poured into a snifter.

Pour: A hazy, muddy brownish/deep red. A nice two and half finger head forms, and leaves some pretty nice lacing.

Smell: Big candied dark fruits up front. Definitely some plum, overripe dark cherries, and raisins. Alcohol on the finish, and a certain white grape tannic aspect on this finish. Some licorice as well.

Taste: Again, loads of overripe dark fruits: plum, cherry, raisin, and figs. Lots of chewy toffee, and a root beer like aspect. Definite alcohol heat as it finishes sticky with dark fruits.

Mouthfeel: Slightly boozy. Pretty sweet, but a lot less than I was expecting.

Overall: Very, very good. I need to have another go around with the other quads, but I don't really think the style is my thing. Still, I can see how this might appeal to a lot of people. Either way, enjoyed this one!

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 02:51:09 | More by cfrances33

Bills453

Ohio

4.59/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into the Westy 12 chalice in celebration of the birth of my second son!

Appearance - a nice dark brown, reddish, almost purple tint. Kind of the color of prune juice with some fantastic tan-brown head!

Smell - cherries, dark fruits, prunes. Bit of yeast.

Taste - an amazing mixture of fruits. Probably my favorite Belgian offering, but not my favorite beer ever.

Mouthfeel - very smooth and refreshing.

Overall - an amazing offering! I'm so glad I was able to try this and the birth of my second son is the best reason ever to crack it open.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 21:41:57 | More by Bills453

Real_BeerMAN

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!!okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okey!!! okeyЭТО Россизм!!! ПОчему я УВАЖАЕМЫЙ ЧЕЛОВЕК, должен тыкать 250 раз....

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 15:33:41 | More by Real_BeerMAN

rlee1390

Indiana

4.59/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

A-Deep deep amber/brown in the glass, two finger tan head, nicely carbonated.

S-Grapes, darker fruits, bread, banana, clove, cherries.

T-Complex and balanced. Cherries, plums raisins, clove, banana. Perfect balance.

M-Medium bodied, nicely carbonated, smooth.

O-Easily the best of the quads. Now to sample it by itself and enjoy it a little more.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 00:03:34 | More by rlee1390

LeeryLeprechaun

Colorado

4.9/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Westy from brick.

Beer pours a dark crimson red color. Very clear. Beer poured with a strong head that is a creamy color and forms a nice lace on the glass.

Initially a lot of caramel in the aroma. A little bit of grape in the aroma, fairly clean esters. You can smell a lot of malt.

Very clean tasting, caramel, toffee, toast, vanilla. Malt is just amazing, a wonderful mixture of toast and roastedness. Reminds me of a dunkel almost with the balance between roasted smooth malt flavors. Plums, raisin, candy sugar, slight phenolic spice, maybe some clove as well.

Full mouthfeel. Very smooth and somewhat silky.

Not as complex as i expected but that is not a bad thing here. The malt just comes through very well. Little to no hops. The alcohol is not noticeable at all.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 01:11:08 | More by LeeryLeprechaun

KajII

North Carolina

4.8/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

[Suggested Glassware: Trappist Glass]

The pour was a medium/dark murky brown with a small (less than 1 finger) light brown fizzy head that reduced down to a thin film and small collar, which lasted throughout and had excellent sheeting of lacing.

The aroma was of a sweet dark bread malt and a bold doughy Belgian yeast with notes of toffee, chocolate, coffee, banana, dark fruit (plums, figs and dates) and a light alcohol presence.

The taste was a smooth malty sweet with just a touch of toffee and chocolate along with a nice mild roastiness early on, and then progressed with a somewhat intense yeast presence building up to a bold fruitiness and a mild alcohol ending. The flavor lasted an average duration following the swallow, and had a yeasty fruity alcohol taste that was left behind to settle in on the taste buds and lingered for a while longer.

Mouthfeel was just under medium in body with a texture that was smooth and creamy yet dry and slightly oily along with a carbonation that was tad prickly.

Overall this is a beer that comes with quite a hype, now I can say it most definitely lives up to it. It has a superb balance of flavors that I have yet to experience in any other beer. Yes, by far this is the best beer I have ever tasted. Thank God I was able to get my hands on some, for the monastery has said it will not be available again here in the US for at least 25 years (2037)...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 17:26:50 | More by KajII

HalfFull

California

4.63/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Well, it's Presidents day. Reason enough to commence a Quad-off. Westy 12, Rochefort 10 and St. Bernardus 12. All poured into identical large wine glasses at the same temp. and roughly the same age. Westy picked up fresh at 'Café In de Vrede' and the others imported to the States via normal channels. All roughly eight months old I would guess. All from single 330 ml. bottles as I dont trust the St. Bernardus 750ml. Let's let them warm up a bit before we dive in.

Which is best? Hmmm...I've had them all before but never in such tight competion. After twenty minutes at room temperature, I decide to dive in...

All three pour dark with crimson highlights. Only the Westy is clear and bright while Rochefort and St. Bernardus show a bit of haze. St. Bernardus and Westy show solid retention with Westy a bit creamier in nature. Rochefort settles out quickly yet keep a film.

Nose agains goes to Westy with a pleasant dubbel-like aroma of yeast and bready malts. Rochefort is notably more malty but then that is a bit expected given the lack of foam. St. B. is bright and yeasty but dare I say half way to Unibroue?? But not in a bad way.

All taste excellent with St. Bernardus perhaps a bit lighter in body yet equally if not more depth to be offered. Westy is perfectly balanced and comes off almost as a dryish Dubbel. Rochefort has more character and alcohol and some rich caramel and chocolate and fig that seem to ebb and flow. St. B. is creamy and smooth.

Warming brings out great character in the Westy, more caramel sweetness in the Rochefort and a bit more yeasty character in the St. Bernardus. I must say that I would have trouble distinguishing the Westy from the St. Bernardus as for yeast influence alone, but then they do have a common history. Okay, the Westy is a bit smokier, but subtle.

Overall the Westy and St. Bernardus are largely indistinguishable given the bloodlines. Again, avoid the 750 and go for the 330 as more St. Bernardus. The Rochefort is best fresh and offers amazing depth. Drink local...

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 04:17:44 | More by HalfFull

MCain04

Illinois

4.54/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle from my Westy brick on 12/12/12. Poured into the Westy Chalice.

Appearance: Dark muddy opaque brown. Solid 1 finger head with awesome retention and lacing. Impressive.

Smell: Raisins, figs, a little nutty, some apples, grapes, nice but not jumping out on the nose.

Taste: Right along with the nose. Raisins and figs mainly. Malty aftertaste. A little dry on the aftertaste. Alcohol is a tad evident but not displeasing.

Feel: Moderate to high carbonation, nice for the style. Really smooth. Only a little viscous, without being too syrupy. Somewhat sticky.

Overall: World-class quad. Happy to have had the opportunity to taste it. I don't think it blows all other Trapist quads out of the water, but it definitely has a stake in the "best quad in the world" contest. Hard to say it is that much better than Rochefort 10 though, so given the availability of the latter, I'm not sure it's worth the trouble and price of going after more than once.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 04:27:18 | More by MCain04

thebigredone

Wisconsin

4.4/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Big, big thanks to Jon for including this as an EXTRA in our most recent trade!

Pours with a 1 1/2 finger white head on top of a nice dark brown/purplish/redish body.

The smell is amazing, with sweet dark fruits dominating the nose.

The taste is much more complex, chocolate upfront, dark fruits in the mid-palate, and belgian yeast with smoke taking over the finish. Great beer to sip slowly, each taste is different.

On the whole, a beer I was super excited to try, and the quality lived up to the hype.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 04:11:49 | More by thebigredone

Festigio

Illinois

4.99/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bought the brick from a binny's in Chicago

A: Appearance is almost a flawless dark deep hazy brown, very appealing

S: Fantastic, you've never smelled beer like this. Smell is similar to red-wine, a lot of dark fruit, fig, date, and a hint of booze. My description couldn't give it justice.

T: This beer will not blow you away. It is not extreme or striking, but It is masterfully balanced. You get all the right flavors in the right order, with the wonderful yeast derived flavors piloting the ship the whole time while maintaining a very drinkable character.

M: Again balance like no other. Very full mouthfeel with a slight boozy trail leading into a very surprisingly clean and crisp finish. Interesting for a quad.

O: This beer succeeds where Rochefort 10 fails. 10 is a very good beer but can be a bit messy at times in the taste and feel department. But this beer fails at its whalez status. I could session this beer alll day.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 19:57:00 | More by Festigio

MarcWP

4.94/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The infamous.

Pours a dark brown fig color with a one finger off white milk curd color head. The bubbles speak to you as they settle and pop. It's funny how much attention we give to appearance, aroma, and flavor. The sound of the bubbles mid-symphony in a quiet room transports me to the abbey where these monks brew this beer and I imagine how it must transform the atmosphere of there silent fortress.

The aroma tells a story of typical quad nuances. Milk chocolate, burnt fig, sweet date, and a hint of fresh tobacco. The flavor speaks of the same subject but with roller coaster flavor spikes and a semi-sweet yet balanced finish. The vinous notes play wonderfully with the dark malt spirit while the hops balance out the sweetness to create a marvelously crafted beer.

Dark bread, fig paste, vanilla bean, tart cherry, green tobacco with fire on its heels converging on smoke. Those are the prominent characters in this novel of creation via traditional yet soulfully transcending ways. A delightful voyage to say the least.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 04:54:03 | More by MarcWP

mithrascruor

California

4.51/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

11.2 oz. bottle (Shelton Bros. import) poured into a chalice at a beer bar.

It has been a while since I last reviewed a beer on here, but since this has been one of my holy grails for many years, I figure I ought to review now that I've finally tried it.

Poured a dark brown color with minimal bubbly head. Aroma of dark malts, and the tiniest hint of fruit. Taste was similar, with perhaps even less fruits, but the sweetness was balanced, I thought. Nice, solid mouthfeel.

The first time I had St. Bernardus 12 (per my review here), I enjoyed it but didn't think it was great (it is a bit more dry and less fruity than Rochefort 10) - my like it it has grown very much over the years, and to be honest, I doubt that I could tell the difference between the two if I couldn't see the bottle. Until I manage to do a side-by-side of Westy 12 and Bernardus 12, I'll side with the assertions that these are effectively the same beer.

While an excellent beer, I have no interest in trying this again until I manage to visit the brewery. For the outrageous price of $40, I could have enjoyed the same experience with a bottle of St. Bernardus 12 six times over...

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 02:30:41 | More by mithrascruor

nUgZ

North Carolina

4.11/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a dark amber color with a two finger head and a little lacing.

S: Dark fruits, apple, and a little alcohol.

T: Sweet dark fruits, nuts, yeast, and a touch of alcohol. Hides the alcohol pretty well for a 10.2% beer. Pretty damn easy to drink.

M: Medium to heavy bodied with good carbonation.

O: This is a pretty enjoyable beer. It's fairly complex, easy to drink, and it hides the alcohol well. I'm glad I got to try it, but I wouldn't put forth the effort to get another bottle. It's not one I'd wait in line for.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 00:00:18 | More by nUgZ

DDesruez

Belgium

4.24/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

I just had this beer and i have to accept it's absolutely one of the best beers I ever tasted. Only the Sint Bernardus 12 seems to be close. The taste is very full and has a kind of wooden taste. The Westvleteren 8 is absolutely more fruity, but less exceptionnal.

I absolutely recommend the beer and the website that helped me to get the beer for a good price (even if i don't know if this is allowed in my review: http://westvleteren12.webs.com/ )

Enjoye

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 22:23:06 | More by DDesruez

IPA4LIFE

United Kingdom (England)

4.78/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A- Dark brown color with ruby-red hues in it. Tan, effervescent 1 inch head popped up with an aggressive amount of fizz. The head seemed a bit too watery for me. Basically, I expected more of a fluffy, sturdy head. The head is my one mark-down on appearance.

S- Spice notes, with vanilla, brown sugar and clove.Fairly phenolic. Very small notes of fig.Aroma isn't as bold as the taste, but it is consistent and nice.

T- Ok, here we have something special. Deep roast caramel malty flavors, brown sugar, vanilla, clove and allspice, burnt marshmallow,and dried fig are all present. Sweetness that is almost like a Dr. Pepper (in the best way possible). Aftertaste is dark dried cherries and a hint of vanilla. Warm hints of booze matched with strong phenols and a very dry finish make this one of the best tasting, most complex beers out there.

M- Fairly full-bodied, really nice.

O- This is a solid, solid, beer. I am very glad to have tried it, and the taste really is world class. Some of the subtleties of this beer just can't be found anywhere else. With that being said, I don't think I would constantly hunt this beer down or seek it out. Given another chance, I would love to drink it, but the money and effort are at the far end of my tolerance for acquiring beer, when something like St. Bernadaus 12 or Chimay 12 is readily available. With all of that said- I would still have to concur that this is the King of Belgian beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 01:31:51 | More by IPA4LIFE

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

4.74/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

11.2oz bottle poured into a wide mouthed snifter, taking care not to disturb the yeast. Best before date of 10/2/15 is stamped on the cap.

A: Pours a dark, mildly hazy brown color. The rocky, off-white head rises at least four fingers atop the glass, even on a pour of average strength. The head is quite persistent, and a thick crown remains as long as there is beer in the glass. Lacing consists of a single jagged ring and the odd patch here and there.

S: Very fruity on the nose with aromas of fig, date, plum, pear, and bruised apples. Complex yeasty scents. Nutty, earthy, slightly musty, hint of leather. Brown cocoa and bread crust. Very restrained whiff of spicy alcohol. Subtle cracked pepper and spice.

T: Treacle, brown sugar, molasses, dark caramel. Slight phenolic edge brings peppery and spicy tastes. Subtle earthy/herbal hop character. Dried figs, dates, and rum-soaked golden raisins. Honeyed sweetness. Earthy, musty, and nutty yeast. Spicy alcohol is barely noticeable toward the back end. Drying finish of brown cocoa and fading yeasty spice.

M: Moderately heavy in body. Mouth-filling, creamy, lush, and ridiculously smooth. Carbonation caresses the palate and scrubs and lifts subtly and seamlessly. Warming in the mouth and in the pit of the stomach. This might possibly be the best mouthfeel I've ever experienced.

O: So this is Westvleteren 12, perhaps the most elusive and highly rated beer on the planet. I must say, its reputation is certainly deserved. This beer is a work of seamless balance and grand complexity. It just feels more focused and more refined than any other beer within the style, and it may well be the most drinkable beer of its size. There are those within the style that draw very close comparisons, and some may even have a slight edge in terms of complexity and depth of flavor. However, it's the balance and sheer drinkability that set Westvleteren 12 apart and make it worthy of its place among the world's elite beers.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 01:35:04 | More by ryan1788a5

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.6/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 5

33cl bottle into a snifter, dated 18.01.15, so it should be about a year old

A: Pours a deep amber color, a tad lighter than expected for the style. Three fingers of foam developed quite quickly, a bit prickly, but with pretty good retention. Lacing is good.

S: Spices are most evident in this beer, moreso than I'm used to for the style - orange bitters, licorice, and cardamom. A strong, malty sweetness helps balance this spiced aroma with prunes and plum. Very well balanced.

T: Sweeter than expected from the aroma, I get a strong plum flavor to start. Prunes quickly come in after that with a fairly strong caramel sweetness. The caramel and dark fruits play well off each other. The spiciness from the aroma is also in the flavor, balancing the sweetness. I get mostly cardamom with a bit of peppercorn.

M: Medium bodied for the style with slightly stronger than average carbonation. This beer was very easy to drink.

O: This beer was consumed in about ten minutes. Even while reviewing, it just went down so quickly, even while picking out all the complexities present. This is a complex, yet quaffable beer that begs you to keep drinking more. Good thing I have three more on order.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 14:44:18 | More by coreyfmcdonald

Trilogy31

California

4.5/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Thanks matt for the bottle share. In the nose i oddly get almost a hefeweisse yeast - slight banana and clove, bakers chocolate, bready malts and carob as well. Thick rich and lush on the palate; bring the flavors on the nose with a dry almost earthy finish. Very complex stuff that i am not equipped to describe. Beautiful head with a ruby tinted hue on the basic quad brown color. Very excited to try this and an excellent beer but not close to the best i have had. Bottle was a usa export.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 05:08:28 | More by Trilogy31

Zach136

Georgia

4.56/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Quads of Fame Blind Taste Test

Bottle from the Brick Pack "expires" 10.2.2015

A - Dark, deep amber, thick pillow of a head.

S - Lght nose, some grapefruit and red wine.

T - Rich but hot and boozy, a bit of yeast. Very complex dark fruits.

M - Nice thick feel but not too sweet, big fan.

O - Very great beer it actually came in third for our test, but it was still amazing and worth it. I can't wait to pop open my other bottles in a few years.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 02:43:36 | More by Zach136

pmarlowe

California

4.41/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Much thanks to jgluck and mdfb79 for this. XII release. Tulip glass.

A: Pours a medium-dark, dull coffee brown with a finger of sand colored head. Pretty good clarity, excellent retention and lacing.

S: Vanilla/cream and red and dark fruits (black cherry, plum) and mild caramel in the secondary. Lots of fruit but it's in balance. Almost candyish.

T: Rich, delicious red and dark fruit, finishing with mild bitterness, sweet malt, and a little booze. Really clean, balanced flavor makes this very drinkable.

M: Creamy texture, medium body and medium-high carbonation.

O: Very drinkable, nice complexity. Its excellence is not in being barrel aged, loaded with hops, or 14%, but in a superb balance and flavor.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 04:56:00 | More by pmarlowe