St. Bernardus Abt 12

Bottle at Beer Bistro, Toronto, July 2007. Pours a dark reddish brown with a generous foaming head. I smell wonderful aromas of dark dried fruit, apple, caramel. This thing is loaded with flavour, complex: raisin, prune, licorice, sugar, alcohol.

A very nice and good ballanced beer. Tasted on draft as well as on bottle. Fruity and full bodied with a great aftertaste. A must for everybody.

I drank this right after a westy 12 b/c i’ve heard it’s as close as you can get without going to the monestary. It is similar, but much more carbonation. nose is of candi sugar and slight alcohol. The high carbonation takes away from the taste. A very thin mouthfeel, though. hints of fruit, but just a tease.

Finally- And on draught too! Pours a deep ruby red/mahogany with a large creamy almond coloured head. Aroma is fruity- black cherry, mangoe, brown sugar and raisins. Taste is semi sweet, again notes of dark, overripe fruits- apples, peaches and possilby a little bananna. Cloves and other spice is noticeable in the finish. Well carbonated, great structure holds up well in the mouth.

There’s a reason I keep this one on tap at home and the price is totally justified when it hits your tongue. Huge malt aroma and flavor. Sweetness balanced out by high alcohol content and mild hop character. Dark fruits dominate this flavor along with yeasty spiciness. Please don’t drink it ice cold because you’re wasting your money.