Achel Trappist Extra - Brouwerij der St. Benedictusabdij de Achelse

ikantspel

California

3.95/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

served slightly chilled into a duvel tulip

pours a heavy dark brown with a lot of carbonation. heavy carbonated head but not as bad as their 8 bruin. little bit of sticky lacing

the only thing i can get from the smell is a toasted malty yeast. other than that its anyones guess

carbonated mouthfeel. earthy taste and the alcohol slightly creeps in. not bad for a 9.5.

great beer. only BSDA better imo would be TROIS PISTOLES but then again i haven't had them all

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 04:29:24 | More by ikantspel

midnite2sixman

Michigan

4.13/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a brownish orange with a nice foamy head. The nose on this is belgian yeast delight, figs, fruity bread and raisins.

The taste is sweet and smooth up front with raisiny and ripe fruit on the tip of your tongue.

Easy, typical belgian taste on your tongue.

Drinkability is pretty solid on this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2009 09:27:52 | More by midnite2sixman

petacutlasaurus

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Phew. Grabbed one recently for the minimalism of it, gathering dust on the back shelf. Glad I did! Super effervescent dark beer with inches of dark brown head that faded quickly. Smelled great with a load of dark fruits, caramel and alcohol. The taste was mostly determined by the dark fruit, but was elaborated with some burnt, smokey tinges as well as some whiskey notes and a little bit of leather and earth on the finish. All in all, a great beer that's really betrayed by its inauspiciousness and usual position deep in the back of the lowest shelf. Can't wait to try this out of the bottle one day.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2011 01:13:45 | More by petacutlasaurus

jbone78

Florida

3.93/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had a couple of these, just now got around to reviewing.
A- Poured in my St. Bernardus goblet. A reddish color with a nice carbonated head. Lacing not bad.
S- sugar, bold fruits like raisins.
T- This is the surprising part. there are the flavors of dark fruits, but less belgian sugar flavors and more of a sourness that I do not expect. Could bee the yeast?
M -Traditional Trappist, well carbonated.
D -Not Bad, I just prefer other trappist ales.

-Bye

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2009 01:49:45 | More by jbone78

DARIVA

Netherlands

3.53/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Perfect amber beer with a beautiful head.

S: The smells are not really recognizable, something sweet.

T: The taste is slightly sweet beer.

M: Delicious carbonation and a good foam feeling.

O: Not easily drinkable, beer with a bitter aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 11:05:09 | More by DARIVA

duracell

Quebec (Canada)

4.75/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750mL bottle into a Goblet.

Pours a dark brown color with a nice off-white creamy head which disappears rather quickly. It shows a very nice malt character with strong dark fruits aroma, yeast and caramel besides. Delicious caramel flavors, in addition to nutty and spicy notes. I also pick out some herbs. A bite of alcohol balances the relative sweetness of the candy sugar. The mouthfeel is just excellent, with a full body. In my opinion, the low carbonation suits perfectly this brew. Overall, this Trappist beer is just outstanding! It shows very complex aroma, an excellent drinkability and perfectly balanced flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 22:49:06 | More by duracell

MCDuhamel

Ohio

4.58/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a capped 750 ml bottle into a chalice glass, at around 50 F. Pours a very dark ruby liquor, with a dense meringue like head that coats the side of the glass. Lively carbonation is evident. The nose is a bit subtle, but mostly of fig and dried fruit, with a bit of clove. On the palette there's more of the same, but it is more evident and followed by a pronounced spiciness of alcohol, whose warming presence is made apparent. Some toffee-like character shows as well, with a definite impression from the carbonation cutting what could otherwise be a cloying sweetness. The finish is surprisingly dry, with a slightly sour fade. The mouthfeel is moderate; a bit coating, but again balanced by vigorous carbonation. There's a creaminess lent by the head.

Overall this is a world-class beer, and among the best Trappist ales I've had. It's very hard to find in Cleveland, but definitely worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 21:01:54 | More by MCDuhamel

4thelvofbeer

Virginia

4.83/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Awesome. Period. If you think regular Achel is good, the extra is great! I took a tour of the brewery at Achel and the 750ml format bottles (the format for the Achel Extra and the Blond Extra...which is also great) are bottled right there at the brewery by the monks. The other Achel beers (the 330s) are bottled off-site at at a larger bottler. The extras are really good!!

A: Dark brown, big creamy head
S/T: Grains and malt, awesome balanced smooth taste, not overpowered by the souped up alcohol content.
M: Again, smooth, really nice
O: One of my favorite Belgians!!!

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 21:09:21 | More by 4thelvofbeer

Paddez

Belgium

4.4/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Found and bought this 750ml bottle in ABS Drinks in Winksele
.

Appearance: A brown & hazy liquid topped by a big, tan head. Very little lacing. Looks creamy and delicious.

Smell: Malts, raisins, dark fruits, coffee, brown sugar & some faint spicy notes. Very good but a bit too faint. Gets more full and complex as the beer warms though.

Taste: Buttery malts, toffee and dark fruits mainly. Slightly dry spices and faint hops balance out the sweetness. Yummy!

Mouthfeel & Drinkability: Full bodied, this brew is smooth and creamy. The mouthfeel fits the style really well. The alcohol is wondrously well-hidden and doesn't show at all. Excellent.

Conclusion: A most excellent beer. A prime example of the style and by far the best brew from Achel.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2005 17:25:26 | More by Paddez

radioscooter

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Still making my way through the 'real' Trappists with fervor.

This is the first time I tried Achel.

Thankfully not as frothy and carbonated as I expected.

Appearance is excellent - apple amber with a fantastic, 2" foam that could hold up a set of stripper's ta-tas. Beautiful drapey, pimitive lacing.

None of this dissipating vanishing head - i still have some foam at the end of the glass.

Subdued aroma.

I'm not a Blonde fan, but this one is tasty. Hints of coriander, strong alcoholic vapory fruit flavors. Golden taste, if that makes sense.

No aftertaste here of any impact, making this an all-night drinker. Would be heaven paired with some Baked Brie and apples.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2010 23:54:28 | More by radioscooter

cdrogers

Illinois

5/5  rDev +16%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from 75cl bottle to Rochefort chalice.

A: Strong dark tea and raisin color. Head was a nice off white, about 1/4 inch; seemed very thin. I generally hand wash all glasses because the dishwasher leaves a residue that seems to mess with the head. May have been too cold when poured. Second glass had a much better head.

S: Subtle hints of sweet caramel and molasses. Nothing harsh on the nose though. Balanced.

T: Has a "dark" flavor, maybe a coffee. Very smooth and has a nice tingle in the mouth and on the tongue. Get the alcohol at the end, but not without some sweetness. Maybe some brown sugar for the sweetness and that is where the "dark" comes in as well. Quite complex, but very good.

M: Just gets everything involved. In amazing experience. As mentioned above there is a nice tingle on the tongue. Nothing overpowering, it all works well together.

D: I could drink one of these every night, but at $18.99 a pop and somewhat rare in the southern Illinois region, it would be a bit impossible. It's an exceptional trappist yet again. I am somewhat biased because anything trappist I absolutely love, the monks know how to brew. Would recommend this to anyone at least once, but because of the price only. If it were cheaper and offered in a smaller size that would be even better.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2010 03:21:01 | More by cdrogers

BeerLover729

New York

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

A: Dark, cloudy beverage topped by a light tan head consisting of large bubbles.

S: Caramel, apple, raspberry, astringent harshness. Crazy mixture.

T: Raspberry stands out the most from all the fruity esters but there is a presence of the apricot/date/general dark fruits thing going on and even maybe a little banana. The raspberry and other fruitiness fades to a wonderful caramel creaminess followed by a phenolic astringenty finish.

M: Medium body and bubbly carbonation. Creamy maltyness lingers on the tongue but not in a cloying way.

D: Goes down well. Each sip shows a new aspect of this complex beer.

Notes: Awesome. Trappist yeasts, gotta love em!

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2008 01:51:25 | More by BeerLover729

jdoolin

Ohio

4.7/5  rDev +9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Trivia: Achel Extra was first brewed as a Christmas seasonal beer, but because of its popularity, it is now brewed year round.

Presentation: 750mL bottle, poured into a proper Achel chalice.

Appearance: Absolutely gorgeous. A beautful, dark ruby brown. Produces an outstanding, off white, creamy head that hangs around for the duration and produces heavy lacing. Stunning.

Aroma: Has a very good, assertive aroma. Malt aromas, caramel, hints of chocolate are surrounded by a wonderfully pleasant fruity aroma. Only hints of alcohol.

Taste and Mouthfeel: Oh so creamy and smooth. Sweet at first, but finishes drier than I thought it would. The caramel malt flavors and sweetness hits up front, followed by the lovely fruitiness of this beer. A little bit of spiciness and alcohol, slightly warming, come in before the dry, yet flavorful finish, which is like a little echo of the malt and fruitiness I tasted before. Amazing.

Notes: Very well done. The monks at Achel should be proud of this beer, and proud that they take part in the brewing themselves (to a degree, anyway). This ale was a tremendous surprise for me. One that I will come back to again and again. Not easy to find, but well worth the effort.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2006 04:37:58 | More by jdoolin

tconboy

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A nice very red with a nice tan head poured into an Achel chalice. Smells of malt and candy and dark roasty bread. Tastes beautiful with dried fruits, bready. Very very smooth. This goes down easily, highly drinkable.. especially given the ABV. Smooth mouthfeel with but still a little lively. A nice product, as you'd expect from a Trappist product.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2009 17:24:25 | More by tconboy

DrewShal9

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: hazy, golden with a white head that remains laced on the sides as the beer is drunk or stays if you don't haha
S: very fragrant, fruity, floral
T: sweet initially with tropical fruits of pineapple and guava maybe some mango that turns slightly bitter and drying at the end
M: moderately carbonated with a milky body. Dries like a champagne
O: not bad but not great either. Will return to see if it's different on a fresh palate as I had a few other brews before tasting this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 02:48:25 | More by DrewShal9

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

greg202stewart

Rhode Island

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Someone tried to tell me that this beer was very limited and hard to obtain (wrong). It was however just as pricey as the rest of the Trappists. Compared to the rest Achel unfortunately ranks last on my list although I haven't tried La Trappe. I had very high expectations and it didn't meet them. It poured out a reddish brown with small head into a St. Bernardus Tulip. It had some spices and flavor but lacked the life I expect from a Trappist. It was too sweet which was a turn off. It reminded me of a St Bernardus Abt 12 that was too sweet or just slightly off. Not bad, but in my opinion ranks low on my favorite Trappist list.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2009 13:20:58 | More by greg202stewart

ales4baldo

California

4.63/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

P-Simple Trappist bottle. Standard label with the authentic Trappist product logo.

A-Poured thick. Got about a nice finger and a half of head that seems to fall off quick. Must cocoa brown with a coffee appearence. Cloudy and foggy.

S-Like with most Belgian's, lots of yeast and malts and candy. Dont really get much smell as it all seems to hide beneath the carbonation.

T-Oh wow, what you cant smell is made up in flavor. A delicate balance of all things good. Malts and candy seem to be up front. Yeast and grains seem to linger about. Come through strong and finishes soft.

M-Really smooth beer. Very smooth. Delicate and precise. I really like the heavy malt prescense in this one. Has a very quick finish and no linger at all, also finishes really dry.

O-A really good beer. I like the crisp quick draw this beers has so as to forget what you had and makes you want more. Smooth and subtle in so many ways with upfront flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 05:39:30 | More by ales4baldo

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

Bisho

Australia

4.35/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Quads are my favourite so this could have been a little biased but this is not your typical quad.

I have never been a real fan of Achel Blonde or Brune (I find them a little on the bland side) but this one took me by surprise...

A: Deep ruby brown and cloudy in appearance with a great fluffy head. Lots of lacing down the side of the glass.

S: Smells more like a fruity wine. and this is where this quad lacks the typical sweet aroma; only the fig and malt overtones. However, it just makes what is to come even more special.

T: Exceptional! Not the typical sweet aftertaste of my favourite quad (Rochefort 10), it rolls off rather dry but flavoursome all the same! Lots of malt, spice and dark fruit. YUM!

M: Very well carbonated for a quad, lots of lasting bubbles that you can still feel long after it's gone. Somewhat similar mouthfeel to the Unibroue 17.

D: You must drink this at almost room temperature to get the most out of it. Never drink it too cold. A little bit of alcohol burn afterwards but this does not affect what is surprisingly a very easy drinking quad. More please!

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2009 10:08:26 | More by Bisho

AleDrinkToThat

Tennessee

4.9/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Three fingers of bubbly, audible beige head in a Karmeliet tulip glass, and the ale was just brown enough not to be considered burgundy, and slightly opaque.

Smell: Hints of ripe pitted fruit and spice, with sweet malt and a bright hoppiness. Those Trappists win again in the complexity arena.

Taste: Sweet dark malt hits the taste buds immediately, then opens up to reveal the fruit and spice, and finishes with the bright hops and leaves a fruity, malty aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Extremely smooth, with a sweet coating of the mouth. The alcohol is barely discernable, but does a great job of leaving the mouth and throat just a little warmer.

Drinkability: God has truly blessed the Trappists. I don't know how they do it, but each Trappist ale that I've had (five of six Belgians) has been some of the most complex, sweet nectar that has ever been poured into a bottle. The alcohol is deceptively muted in this Achel, but that %ABV measurement up there is for real, so bask in the sweetness with slow, blissful sips.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2008 06:54:33 | More by AleDrinkToThat

yapi

Belgium

4.7/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I must say one of those hidden gems in the trappist beer section... wonderful full flavors, so much better than the regular bruin, it's not even funny!

I have a lot of experience with drinking aged westy's - easily amongst the best beers in the world - and this one reminded me a lot of the best westy bottles I've ever had. I had the same amazingly balanced caramel and honey notes, next to the well known dark fruit/candy sugar notes of course, and well, then I'm sold.

A killer beer, and even though it's already high up in the ranks, still underrated.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 11:49:45 | More by yapi

Vipsanius

Texas

4.22/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a little lighter than other dark Belgian ales...nice 2 finger sticky head with good retention.

The dominant aroma is of grape fruit juice...seriously. Bread, apples plums, and raisins are other scents I could pick up on.

The taste starts sweet, some spices (nutmeg, allspice), the fruit taste gives way to a chocolately flavor...very interesting yeasty bread-like aftertaste.

The mouthfeel is bit over carbonated but otherwise nice. Chewy, full bodied, sticks to the palate.

Like most other beers of this style, this definitely isn't a session beer. There's a fine line here on letting it warm up to get more flavos out of it and letting it get too warm to where the alcohol takes over...not in an annoying way, just enough to mask the other flavors. Overall, a good beer but there's some others I'd prefer in this style.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2006 03:07:45 | More by Vipsanius

amiles

Oregon

4.72/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

What an amazing beer! Found this at a local shop here in Chicago, West Lakeview Liquors. Never seen this in Chicago other than 'now'. Labeled best by... 07/08. 6th of the 7 Trappist breweries I can now check off my list.

Poured a dark ruby red with a massive head that was made to impress, into a Delirium Tremens glass. Waited and waited, enjoying the aroma's. The head slow retained itself into a tan froathy head that was like no other. The aroma literally made my eyes slightly roll back in my head each time I took a wiff. Lots going on with this beer... Quite impressive. This kept my interest all the way through, as most get boring towards the end. A bit different than the other Trappists. I was sad to see this one go. Savor this one... Exceptional beer! Sip it and pour small glasses... If you find it... Buy it!

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2007 03:45:42 | More by amiles

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