Achel Trappist Extra - Brouwerij der St. Benedictusabdij de Achelse

brystmar

New York

2.83/5  rDev -34.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Sat on this bottle for about a year. Best before 3/16/2012.

Dirty brown body, thin tan head & lace with big bubbles. Ugly, to be honest.

Aroma is super sweet & bready, which is offsetting to my senses. Aged hops and Belgian candi sugar join the above in the flavor. Figs, plums, other dark fruits. Again, way too sweet for my liking.

Pretty sure my distaste for this brew isn't due to the extra time on the bottle -- minimally attributable, at most. Lacks the depth, spice, and overall complexity of its Trappist siblings.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 19:51:51 | More by brystmar

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

Massachusetts

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

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.35/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

750ml bottle into a snifter

A: Pours a very dark amber with two fingers of very dense off white head. Decent retention.

S: Great balance and complexity. I love the dark fruit aromas here - prunes and raisins mixed with plums and even a bit of peach. A bit musty with orange zest and nutmeg. As the beer warms, I get some caramel sweetness to add to the complexity.

T: Esters are surprisingly strong in this beer as compared to the aroma. Lemon and orange zest mixed with nutmeg are apparent. Sweet prunes are also there, but not particularly strong. The beer stays quite dry throughout.

M: A bit thin with fairly strong carbonation.

O: The aroma on this beer is amazingly complex and balanced. The flavor is good, but not quite as strong on the dark fruits as I'd like.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 02:49:30 | More by coreyfmcdonald

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.05/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle poured into a CBS snifter. Bottled 10/16/2009, I think. Bottle was getting quite old so I opened it.

Appearance - Deep brown with a bit of murk. Builds a nice head as I pour it, as many Belgian darks do. Thick collar as the khaki head recedes.

Smell - I always find it difficult to describe these aromas. It's not caramel, it's much fruitier, but it has a brown sugar tinge to it. Definitely some heat to this, too. Not a sweet aroma.

Taste - Much fruitier right up front. Touch of sweetness. Dark fruits give way to quite a bit of earthy and slightly bitter flavors. Some oxidation could be the cause of the bitterness. Not as boozy as the nose.

Mouthfeel - It is just a little bit thin. Oxidized and bitter, but still a nice drink. Medium carbonation.

Overall - Probably should have drank this sooner. Kept at 55 degrees for 3 years or so, but still showing some age. Still quite a good beer, though.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 01:25:29 | More by Alieniloquium

nzerbe

New York

4/5  rDev -7.2%

03-03-2013 23:03:47 | More by nzerbe

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

4.1/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Long complex and notable dark ale.

Presentation: 750 ml capped green bottle. Bland label with the name of the brewery in burgundy, cream and white. .Side notes offer small description noting intent and background. Shows notched best by date 16 N 12, and Alc. by Vol. (9.5%). Served circumstantially in a tulip glass.

A - Deep ruby brown pours, generous head, good retention, fair surface memory, with some touches of some lacing.

S - Very sweet and fruity nose, long sense of figs, prunes and yeast woven in…

T - … sugar. Very sugary at first with the complex dark dried fruit spectrum unfolding shortly thereafter. Reiterates a rather sugary if well integrated narrative as it settles that leads to a complex range of port/dark fruit/vinous notes, dark caramel..

M - Medium-full body with generous carbonation.

O - Plenty of complexity, yeasty fruitiness leaning on its sweet edge. A snifter for this next time…

Notes: Almost the last Trappist brewery I had to try.
and it is well in line with the expected quality for the denomination. This fists well with the range of most reserve quads/specialty strong dark ales. Nice offering worth the memory and repeat.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 20:19:10 | More by Daniellobo

spoony

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

03-03-2013 15:36:30 | More by spoony

deac83

Texas

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

03-02-2013 03:41:21 | More by deac83