Achel Trappist Extra - Brouwerij der St. Benedictusabdij de Achelse

ToolHead

Denmark

4.55/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

75 cl bottle; served in DBF 2004 glass.
Deep reddish brown; moderate head. Pleasant, assertive aroma with alcoholic presence and an impressive, spicy touch. Enormous taste, full of malt, alcohol, and spice; very much in-your-face. Sweetness dominates the highly complex impression, and the finish is wonderfully long and warming.
Mouthfeel is soft and rather sugary, though never unpleasantly so. Drinkability is good.
A highly impressive beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2004 15:20:40 | More by ToolHead

ystazi

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

06-12-2013 18:15:00 | More by ystazi

CelticAleMan

California

4/5  rDev -7.2%

06-11-2013 17:50:50 | More by CelticAleMan

Twal

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

06-09-2013 03:12:25 | More by Twal

cambabeer

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

06-06-2013 15:50:39 | More by cambabeer

jrae2424

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

05-30-2013 00:46:42 | More by jrae2424

tom10101

Quebec (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -18.8%

05-28-2013 19:22:33 | More by tom10101

stephens101

Oklahoma

4.38/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I always welcome a new Trappist brew, and all indications point to a winner here, but the proof is in the magnum.

Poured right down the middle of a goblet. Dark reddish-brown in color. Has a slight, off-white head that seeks escape and gets it quickly. A few bubbles reside atop the brew and a thin sheet of lace clings to the side.

The aroma of ripened red grapes, grain, burnt sugar and belgian yeast floats timorous. Tickling the tongue are an array of dark fruits including grapes, plum and persimmon. Behind that lie some more notes of burnt sugar, licorice, faint hops, and a touch of tartness.

Medium to heavy bodied and mostly smooth going down with a bit of an alcohol edge that comes in toward the end and lingers.

A well-crafted brew that is giving me a happy-buzz:) Woot!

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 21:15:37 | More by stephens101

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4/5  rDev -7.2%

05-19-2013 13:49:30 | More by Photekut

crosenkrantz

Switzerland

4/5  rDev -7.2%

05-15-2013 22:08:12 | More by crosenkrantz

strongaf

Washington

4/5  rDev -7.2%

05-06-2013 05:40:00 | More by strongaf

shagens

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

05-02-2013 16:10:43 | More by shagens

alex_hart

Oklahoma

3.99/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: A deep brown with a red hue that comes through when shown in the light. Strong carbonation present with a 1/4 finger tan head that dissipates quickly. No lacing.

Smell: Dark fruits, some belgian yeast, and then some more dark fruits. Pleasant to smell. Looking forward to the taste.

Taste: Much of the same with the dark fruits coming forward. Alcohol presence that is easy to detect but not overpowering. A slight belgian yeast comes through on the back.

Mouthfeel: Strong carbonation and slightly oily on the tongue. Pleasant for the style.

Overall: This is a good strong dark, but I'm glad it was a gift. I'm not sure I would pay the $15 price-tag myself.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 22:59:45 | More by alex_hart

Jason1337

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -7.2%

04-29-2013 19:18:24 | More by Jason1337

Tinfang

California

4.75/5  rDev +10.2%

04-28-2013 20:26:00 | More by Tinfang

randylangford

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +16%

04-26-2013 23:33:07 | More by randylangford

mscudder

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750 served in a chalice.

A - Deep brown hue with a one-finger ivory head. Retention was short lived but left fair lacing.

S - Dark fruits, dark fruits and then more dark fruits. Lots of plum, sweet raisin, touch of fig and nutmeg. Perhaps a bit of citrus.

T- Sweeter on the tongue than on the nose. Nice esters and a dry taste throughout. Flavors follow from those described on the nose, although more distinctive courtesy of candi sugar.

M - Medium body with lively carbonation. I would prefer a fuller body with a touch less dryness. Well done nonetheless.

O - This is a strong showing that I can see enjoying on a number of occasions. A bit steep at $18, but you get what you pay for.... and this is excellent.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 03:07:53 | More by mscudder

Spider889

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

04-08-2013 14:18:32 | More by Spider889

Honus1

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

04-07-2013 23:06:32 | More by Honus1

Elbrownbag

Netherlands

4/5  rDev -7.2%

04-02-2013 20:23:05 | More by Elbrownbag

cosmonick

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

03-29-2013 03:23:44 | More by cosmonick

Chrysostom

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

As always, I review live, not from notes, puzzling out the libation brewed in houses of salvation. As always, I review to style (ala BJCP), modified by personal taste (contra BJCP), not solely to personal taste, which would be unfair to many great examples of styles that I don't personally favour.

My second beer from Achel (my first was a Bruin 8º), and my first had from a 750mL, or when I was even halfway sober.

(Note, that since my words below to most people won't seem to match up with my numbers on first sight, that I can not stand Rochefort. I'd drink Budweiser first. This has some of those similar spiced flavours, but to a lesser degree, so I can drink this, even if I wouldn't particularly want to.)

Without further ado, a review.

Presentation: 750mL crown-capped bottle, $17.99. Served around 45º and warming as I write. They should at least put a cork on it for $18, nearly twice the price of most other Trappists. The crown cap is somewhat difficult to remove, requiring attack with a beer key from several directions. Although I hear it's kind of rare, so I should be thankful for getting half a case. Poured in to a Chimay chalice/goblet.

A: Clear brown coming out of the bottle, somewhat hazy reddish-brown in the glass with red highlights. Poured gently, as with all Trappists, to avoid getting too many lees in the glass: on said gentle pour, one finger of head is produced, which recedes at a moderate rate (over about two to three minutes) to a cap on the face of the beer, leaving a sheet of lace down the side of the glass.

S: Spice that is very similar to Rochefort (it's nearly impossible to describe except by experience), alcohol, and bready malt. There's some yeast in there too. Doesn't sound incredibly complex, but that spice - whatever it's from, spicing or yeast - complexifies it nicely. None of the characteristic Belgian funk, but the Belgian spice, as mentioned, characteristic of Rochefort. No alcohol. No dark fruit.

T: Rochefort spice comes through loud and clear, and first. Some moderate sweetness, a little funk, and some sweet dark-bread flavours follow. Orange peel, coriander, cinnamon, and nutmeg are components of the spice. Spicing is not overwhelming like Rochefort - Rochefort has so much spice the beer is disgusting and undrinkable. Not my preferred kind of Quad/BSDA, and a demerit for the style (I rate Rochefort similarly lowly, and Chimay and St Bernardus Abbot 12 highly). It gets noticeably better and less spicy (in the bad meaning of "spiciness" as is characteristic of Satan's concoctions such as Rochefort) as it warms, bringing the beer from a 2.75 or 3 to a 3.75. Not extraordinarily complex, especially for a Trappist - the (illegitimate) spicing predominates.

M: Rich and creamy, fading to a somewhat nutty astringency on the finish. Highlight.

D: Moderate middle of "low".

O: Drop the spicing and clone Chimay or St Bernardus Abbot 12, or even Achel 8º Bruin. Not a bad beer, but not great, and disappointing for the price, rarity, expectation, and Trappist moniker.

To style (16E): 90/100 (spicing is allowed, according to BJCP)
To taste: 67/100 (spicing is not allowed, according to my palate).

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 11:15:04 | More by Chrysostom

jgammoniv

Maine

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

03-20-2013 01:47:36 | More by jgammoniv

saeh

France

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

03-16-2013 18:31:32 | More by saeh

WynnO

Florida

5/5  rDev +16%

03-15-2013 06:03:22 | More by WynnO