St. Bernardus Abt 12 Special Edition

Formerly brewed at St. Bernard Brouwerij
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Watou, Belgium

Clear red/brown color with a big fluffy beige head. Aroma of candy sugar, yeast and some fruits. Flavors of candy sugar, yeast and sour fruits.

Poured a brown with red edges. good head and nice lacing. Drank this with eagle alongside std. 12, the std 12 aged, and a roche 10 aged 2yrs. Aroma was of strong yeast and more spices then the std 12. Flavor was of yeast plums rasins and other fruits. Mouthfeel was very smotth with not bit to it. Good beer still like the std 12 more though.

Bottle (750ml). Shared with MrManning, my bottle via trade with Adrian910ss. Poured murky deep orange with a solid lasting foamy beige head. Initially I thought this was perhaps a little bottly, but the sharpness resolved to dry spicy yeast and a medley of herbal, funky and sharp spices - reminded me somewhat of the Chouffe Houblon - tons of yeast, spice and sweet malt, but very hoppy ... there was even some lactic sourness in there, with increasing alcohol presence and lots of coriander. Taste of caramel malt, dry spices and coriander, but a tad boozy, malty finish - I felt the hoppiness seemed a bit forced and it finished very unbalanced - solid backbone to it, though. Average very lively body, alcoholic and much more bitter aftertaste than the "regular" ABT 12 - frankly, I prefer the regular quite a bit more, but this is interesting and solid.

Bottle courtesy of Adrian910ss: Poured a dark brown color ale with a super huge foamy head with perfect retention and lacing. Aroma of spiced cookie dough with some dried fruits. Taste is a mix between cookie dough malt, light toffee, spiced and some dry fruits. Body is full with some great carbonation and alcohol is very well hidden. IMO it is still not as good as Rochefort 10 but I still believe this is one of the top beer of this fine style.

Special Edition found in Skjold Burne Århus. This is pure silk! The best beer yet! So many flavours, so much aroma, so many vibes and .... so much! Thank you St.Bernard 271206. Found and bought again at Voldby Købmandsgaard nov.07.

Considering the style, Scores ranging from 1 to 5, 5 being the most intense
Appearance:
Body:   Clear(1)->Murky(5) : 4   Light Brown(1)->Dark(5) : 3   Ruby : 2   Still(1)->Sparkling(5) : 4
Head:   None(1)->Large(5) : 4   White(1)->Tan(5) : 2   Lasting: 3   Lacing : 3
Aroma:
Intensity : 4  
Yeast : 4   Bread : 3   Apple : XX   Esters : 4   Banana : 3   Phenols : 2   Leather : XX   Perfume : 2   DMS : XX   Diacetyl : XX
Malt : 4   Biscuity : 3   Toast : 3   Caramel : 4   Toffee : 2   Maple : XX   Molasses : XX   Nuts : 3   Candy : 3   Pumpernickel : XX   Cereals : XX   Fruits : 2   Chocolate : 4   Coffee : XX   Vanilla : XX   Grapes : 1   Blackberries : XX   Dates : XX   Cherries : XX   Plums : 3   Figs : XX
Hops : 2   Noble(1)->American(5) : 1   Leafy : XX   Floral : XX   Orange : XX   Herbal : 2   Spicy : XX   Pine/Spruce/Resin : XX
Notes :   Earth : 2   Wood : XX   Cloves : 2   Smoke : XX   Pepper : 2   Ginger : XX   Peach/Pear/Apricot : XX   Candi Sugar : 3   Anise : XX   Vinous : 1
Flavor:
Initial Flavor : Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 4   Finish Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 3   Sourness : 2   Bitterness : XX   Complex : 4   Length : 4
Palate:
Light(1)->Full(5) : 5   Flat(1)->Fizzy(5) : 4   Clean : XX   Sharp : 3   Watery : XX   Oily : XX   Chalk : XX   Astringent : XX   Alcohol : 3   Mineral : XX   Oxidation : XX   Metallic : XX

Comments: Exceptionally well rounded ABT. Kinda less vinous and grapey than the regular St.Bernardus or so it feel. Tastes a bit darker on the other hand (more chocolatey dessert flavours). A pleasurable drink to be sure and never exaggerating the alcohol flavours.

25-ounce bottle. Light brown with a giant foamy off white head (and I mean GIANT). Aroma previews the high alcohol content and includes hops, roasted fruits, malt, brown sugar/molasses, and spice. Flavor was very similar. The hops were very distinctive, well chosen. The flavor was strong and well blended. Carbonation and alcohol defined the palate and finish. A nice sweet smoothness of plums and hops joined the finish. Very, Very enjoyable.

# 1300. Served cold. At the low temperature there is a substantial hop profile. The beer is brown and much lighter than I expected. Some sediment. The high abv is obvious in the taste and the aroma, but it works in this beer. As this warms, it gets sweeter and is more like a traditional abbot style beer. Flavor includes banana, sweet malt, apple, and yeast. A great anniversary beer.