Kapittel Pater - Brouwerij Van Eecke N.V.

theopholis

California

3.9/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance- Trancluscent, amber/ruby with a good, loose off white head. The head has good retention, and leaves a very impressive lace.

Aroma: Aroma is kind of under-stated. I get just the barest hint of horse blanket/barnyard smell. Some malt sweetness, and just a tad sulfer at the very edge of perceptability.

Flavor- Fairly complex mixture of malt sweetness, barnyard, and oddly enough, has what can only be described as a meaty aftertaste. Some hints of dark fruits (raisin, plum, red grapes). Just enough hops to let you know this is beer, which is fine for the style. The malt sweetness, tannins and hops mix on the back of the tounge very nicely. I'm not much into Belgian beers, but this stuff ain't half bad.

Mouthfeel- The body is a slightly syrumpy, but only medium body. Well-carboanted. A pronounced puckering quality, probably due to the tannins.

Drinkability- I'm not a good judge of Belgian beers, but I like this stuff. Which probably means real waffle-heads don't like it, but the rest of us would find it a good introduction to Belgian styles.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2007 05:03:29 | More by theopholis

sullysbeer

Michigan

3.45/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aroma: Slight horse blanket/barnyard, malty sweet, hints of chocolate, burnt marshmallow, slight sourness.

Appearance: Clear ruby red with a slight off white head that lasts with some brussels lace.

Flavor: Malt up front, barnyard/horse blanket, slightly meaty, hints of raisin and grape skin and slightly tart. Decent hop flavor and a bitterness that lingers just a bit. Huge fruity esters.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied, astringency on the teeth and a bit high on the CO2 just like the Belgian Style.

Overall Impression: Very complex beer. Crazy complexity with a different flavor than I have ever tried. Not one of my favorites but you won't be disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2007 00:37:23 | More by sullysbeer

Absumaster

Netherlands

3.75/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A brown, red beer with a creamy head, which collapses after several minutes.

Smell is malty with caramel, a light diacetylic smell which isn't bad and earthy. The yeast gives the beer a spicy smell.

Taste is caramellic and sweet malty, with no room for any bitterness, only a very low bitterness to support the malt. Liquorice and a light roast. A very smooth mouthfeel and a medium body. Aftertaste is slightly bitter and dry with some sweet malty caramel. which lingers.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2007 10:50:52 | More by Absumaster

deeplennon

Washington

3.68/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Newer bottle design then one shown in the picture, featuring four monks at a table quaffing brew.

Great caramel color, aroma and flavor, lack of overall depth in the latter two though keeps the beer from being outstanding. Balance between the low alcohol and sweetness is just about perfect. The depth they did achieve is probably about as much as you can get in a 6% Belgian. Very very very easy to drink, an evening of these would be nothing to complain about.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2007 02:14:10 | More by deeplennon

clickpush

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pour: 33cl bottle to tulip glass. 1.5 finger light tan head over rich ruby hued body. A little bit cloudy and a few bubbles trail up from the bottom. The head makes a slow descent. Nice cling to the glass as it goes down.

Nose: Huge malt aroma, very fruity and touches of chocolate. Cherries and oranges, a little sour tartness. I'm anticipating a bit of spiciness, some good depth, and a dry finish.

Mouth: Very small strong carbonation immediately, tickling the tip of my tongue. Good milk chocolate flavor all the way through, accented by some watermelon taste, and a finish of roast malt. The middle of the mouth seems under stimulated, but I really enjoy everything else. A bit of metalicity, but maybe because it's very cold.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2007 07:04:40 | More by clickpush

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.58/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Best by date of 2006, Sampled March 2007
Pours with a lightly hazy, reddish amber color and is topped by a frothy, tightly bubbled, amber tinged tan colored head that starts out three-fingers in height. The aroma smells of dark fruit notes with a touch of oxidation character, which seems to accentuate a concentrated fruitiness. Notes of prunes, figs and raisins are prominent, but there is also a caramelized character and a rich, sweetish bread-like note. Clove-like fermentation notes are also in the aroma as is a general spicy Belgian yeast type note.

The beer is fairly sweet (when taken in the context of this beers alcohol content). Again a fruity malt character is most prominent in the flavor as well. Notes of fig and raisin join a rich, spice cake like character that does not overly accentuate the spice notes. Touches of ginger, join the typical clove-like notes and perhaps a hint of pepper. There is also an earthy spice character here that is a bit harder to describe. This has some light oxidation character to it, but it again seems to accentuate the fruit and malt character. All in all a pretty tasty tipple.

Purchased: Park Lane Liquors, Lancaster CA

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2007 04:30:48 | More by Gueuzedude

oelergud

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark opaque brownish red body with good carbonation. Light tan head of tiny to medium bubbles. Decent lace and low retention.
Dark bread and slightly sweet scent. Fairly mild.
Taste is also sweet dark bread. Aftertaste is pretty much the same.
A simple and very pleasant taste.
Medium fullness of body, abit of coating and slick.
Good drinkability, simple mild and sweet, very pleasant.

-Oelergud

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2007 01:26:49 | More by oelergud

kernalklink

Arizona

3.45/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Decent belgian dark- nice frothy pour, sticky lace. Strong aromas of dried fruits- currants, raisin and a great spicy balance. Not too sweet, but definately a presence of caramel sugars. Nice finish with an oily hop profile which allows the spicy sweetness to continue to the end. Not as dynamic as others of the style, but a refreshing intro to the dark belgians.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2007 16:12:48 | More by kernalklink

GbVDave

Illinois

4/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from an 11.2oz bottle into a Hommelbier tulip.

A: Pours a clear, ruby-brown. Very creamy two finger head that receeds to a faint glaze. Sheets of lace on the glass.

S: Faintly musty malt aromas mixed with caramel, oak, sweet plums, and tart cherries.

T: Sweet malt that's tempered by a lightly bitter and drying hop quality. Also tasted hints of black pepper, candi sugar, and spices. Sweetness is rather subtle.

M: Oily and smooth. Not thick or syrupy. My lips were coated with a tropical fruit sweetness. My tongue held on to the dry, hoppy, spiciness.

D: I found this to be enjoyable. The low abv and subdued sweetness make this an easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2007 21:33:47 | More by GbVDave

SilentSabre

Georgia

3.1/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I felt this was very average. Poured a reddish brown colour with a huge sandy blonde head that dissolved into a thin blanket of frost in about 40 seconds. Smell was both malty and candy sweet, and a bit sour, as well. Taste was a bit bland, but not bad. Short stint of bitterness shows up in the middle for a split second. Not a terrible brew, just very average for the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2007 23:55:15 | More by SilentSabre

EPICAC

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I had a bottle of this at Delerium Cafe in Brussels.

Appearance: Pours a hazy amber-brown with an off-white head that fades to a quarter-inch layer leaving patchy lace.

Smell: Caramel maltiness, with an intriguing smoky character.

Taste: Caramel sweetness, light pepper, toasty malts with a neutral finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, low carbonation.

Drinkability: Too sweet.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2006 01:25:20 | More by EPICAC

Beeryce

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Possesses a wonderful nose, complex and diverse, with sweet and slightly roasty/smokey maltiness as well as wafts of musty alcohol and a faint floral/piney hoppiness. Light tan head is very creamy with a fair amount of volume and good stability and retention producing nice lacing. The beer’s color was a light amber and clear for the first pour, but a turbid almost silty brown when the second pour added the sediment from the bottle conditioning which also darkened the head considerably to a light brown. The carbonation is moderately low.

The taste is likewise rather complex, starting out malty sweet of brown sugar and caramel. This transitions to more of a roasted smokey maltiness with alcohol really coming through. The finish is a balanced slight smokey bitterness with malt dominating but hops nicely accenting. Overall awesomely balanced but malt plays the lead role and the alcohol is not hid, instead complementing the taste wonderfully. A slight metallic taste was present but not so much as to be overpowering or too distracting.

The mouthfeel was slightly syrupy which matched well with overall taste making it a highly drinkable, sessionable beer. I also enjoyed the artwork on the label, 4 monks drinking. A certified Abby Ale and a great beer, a must try Belgian, highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2006 14:41:49 | More by Beeryce

brentk56

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a hazy dark copper color with a light beige head hat declines rather quickly and leaves some splashes of lace around the glass

Smell: Caramel malt with some earthy hop aromas

Taste: Starts with a sweet toffee flavor that, after the swallow, is joined by some earthy hop bitterness; overall, the sweet flavors predominate with a touch of spiciness on the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with effervescent carbonation

Drinkability: Remembering that this is not a Strong Dark, it has plenty of flavor for the style; overall, however, it is just a touch under-attenuated for my tastebuds

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2006 21:48:48 | More by brentk56

CH3CH2OH

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Faint malt aroma, no hops to speak of. Pours a cloudy dark brown with a fine, tan head, almost a mousse. Very smooth mouthfeel with a light back bone of malt with a finish of noble hop bitterness. Esters a subdued for this variety. Nice drinkability; an excellent session beer. Aroma - 7; Appearance - 2; Flavor - 11; Mouthfeel - 3; OI - 7 (30/50).

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2006 02:11:55 | More by CH3CH2OH

Sigmund

Norway

3.65/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

330 ml bottle, bought in Frederikshavn, Denmark, as "Kapittel Watou Pater" (no "Het" on the label anymore). ABV is 6.0%. Clear and beautiful reddish brown colour, large and lasting light tan head. Nice malty aroma with notes of caramel and bakery, hints of wood, Christmas spices and dark fruits. Flavour is malty sweet but also fruity and zesty, quite nice. Some spices in the background. Definitely not a bad beer, but a tad too sweet to make me ecstatic.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2006 20:30:59 | More by Sigmund

bashiba

Iowa

3.9/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a creamy brown with a thick head, some retention and lacing with a ton of carbonation.

Smell was yeasty, musty, and spicy with some banana and date notes.

Taste is full of spicy yeast with hints of apples and cherries, a touch of alcohol and mustyness. Has a mild bit of earthy hops to round it out.

Mouthfeel is creamy and light.

A light and easy to drink belgian brown.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2006 18:11:16 | More by bashiba

Blakaeris

Iowa

3.98/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours murky chestnut brown with an absolutely massive head that hangs around for quite awhile before settling into a rootbeer float-like creamy mass with excellent lacing.

Smell is malty with nice dark fruit character, dates and cherries mostly. There is also a doughy yeastiness with very subdued hints of spices.

Taste is not what I had expected of a dark ale. The caramel malt is still a major player up front, but then a strage fruity mustiness that would be more at home in an Old Ale takes over. Finish is quite dry and has understated leafy hop bitterness and yeasty spices.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied.

I found this beer to be unusual and tasty. Sort of a belgian old ale. Interesting fruit complexity and malt profile. Mustyness is what keeps me coming back, but then again I like the olde ale style almost as much as a belgian dark.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2006 01:56:59 | More by Blakaeris

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cloudy reddish hue, 'neath a big, rocky, puffy head, cocoa-tinted...

Yeasty, spicy aroma, very Belgian...apples and cherries...baking bread. the muffins are rising...and getting down with the fruit.

Taste: Baked apples, bright berries, raisin roundies, ...nice yeast and juicy malt...tidy hops...noiceness, indeed, with frankly fat malt, and yummy yeast.

Yummy, yummy...what more need be said...I like it. It works. I'd have another. Please?

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2006 06:30:56 | More by feloniousmonk

Fugazme

Nebraska

3.33/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A hazy/auburn color... not much head to speak of... a decent appearing beer.

Aroma is pretty good... slightly yeasty/bready with fig/raisin... some medicinal qualities and alcohol.

Taste is malty upfront with good dried fruit qualities through the middle... again, bready/yeasty.

I'd say this beer is "ok"... pretty average and non-complex.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2006 14:45:43 | More by Fugazme

Mandrake

Nova Scotia (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, deep ruby red with a nice and tall head building to two fingers in my goblet. It is a light cream, and is retained well, leaving some good lacing. Smell is rich and fruity, but a bit muted, with notes of dark fruits and raisin, spices, and a yeasty backdrop. Taste falls flat. Bitter spices and a tealike note, but where did the fruits and yeast go? Mouthfeel is watery and flat, despite the visible carbonation rising. Drinkability is good, but it's just not much of a beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2006 02:52:40 | More by Mandrake

RedHaze

Nebraska

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

Pours a mury brown with a one inch off-white head that fades slowly to a thick cap, and leaves behind a nice webbing of lace.

Smell; bread dough and caramel malts, with hints of plums and earthy yeasts.

Taste; a bit sweet with lots of caramel and bread dough flavors going on here. As this warms the Belgian spices and fruits make an appearance, along with a bit of a hoppy bitterness in the finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, and just a little on the dry side.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2006 23:56:17 | More by RedHaze

Bierschenker

Belgium

3.65/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

BB: 09-07
Colour is dark amber. I poured it in and I got a nice head, but it soon started to form big bubbles that popped and made it collapse in a few seconds.
No scent noticeable, some malt in the distance maybe.
Overpowering iron oxidation with the first taste. Dry. Chocolate, malt, grains, slight alcohol and yeast.
Nice mouthfeel, bitter chocolate and malt softly lingering on, if you stir up the yeast, it also takes part in the tasting game.

Correct, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Ut Vivat, Crescat, Floreat!

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2006 16:50:54 | More by Bierschenker

TurdFurgison

Ohio

2.93/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I've never seen this in any shops in the U.S. yet, and wanted to try it. So while I was in Antwerp I bought a bottle at Bierwinkel Den Dorstvlegel and brought it back with me.

I'd hoped it would be better than it turned out to be. It looked all right I guess, murky brown color with some decent foam which didn't last very long. The smell was more sour than I expected. I kind of expected more of a bready yeast aroma like St. Bernardus Pater. The taste was slightly sour too, which didn't meld well with the sugars and other flavors in the beer. I won't be getting this again.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2006 15:05:54 | More by TurdFurgison

JudgeRoughneck

Louisiana

3.53/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A- Brown in color, roughly 14 LU. Minimal white head that does not hang out long.

S- caramel, malt, faint whiffs of old hops

T- Sweet, sugary, caramel malt base. A sweet brew with bigger clove taste than the sublte one found in the Prior, nice herbal hop contribution.

M- Lively and fizzy

D- good sipper, might get old fast

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2006 18:17:30 | More by JudgeRoughneck

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev +3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - A dark orangish brown with one finger of light tan head that dissipates in about one minute leaving only a few odd specks of lacing behind.

S - Figs, dates, raisins and alcohol. The odor isn't unpleasant, but it is nothing worth while.

T - Chocolate and coffee malt with a sweet fig and candied sugar backing. A bit of tin is detectable. There is a short-lived mild bitter aftertaste, balanced between a hop and coffee.

M - Smooth, creamy, slick and very, very refreshing. Top notch mouthfeel.

D - Very drinkable. It is a bit strong, but would session well. It goes well with food, and I wouldn't mind having it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2006 03:18:51 | More by mrasskicktastic