St. Bernardus Pater 6

Brewed by St. Bernard Brouwerij
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Watou, Belgium

11 1/5 ounce bottle. Pours a soupy brown with a small yellowish head. Aroma is generally malty with Belgian yeast; the same aroma as the Abt but smaller. Flavor has a good malty body, with light molasses/maple/brown sugar elements. Good carbonation, thicker viscosity. Basically a smaller sibling to the Prior and Abt, but easy to identify as being in the same lineage - there is no doubt that this is in the Bernie family in other words. Quite enjoyable, despite its reservedness relative to its bigger siblings. Overall, very good.

330mL Bottle. Rated blind. Third out of a set of 12 Abbey Dubbels. Apple-forward yeast and a bit of pils malt sugar. Quiet. Pours a brilliant, hazy blood-orange red, with a lacy, sheeting off-white head. Flavor is odd. Oxidized pilsner malt, sulfur, more minerals, and aged green apple skins. Very slightly solvent-like, which is unappealing. Kind of thin and alcohol forward. I wish I was digging this, because it’s ultra-dry, yeast-complex, fruity, peppery, and well carbonated, but somehow I’m yearning for darker malts, more complimenting yeast and less conflicting minerals. GUESS: Westmalle or Ommegang

330 poured into St. Bernardus trappist glass. Finger head, brown-red almost coffe appearance. Smell is very delicate and subtle of zesty spices and citrus. Taste is slightly bitter, with a bit of hops and sweetness. Once again very delicate. High carbonation, dances on the tongue.

medium brown with mild/moderate white head. not the most aromatic brew, but some notes of esters. moderate to high carbonation for the style. some bitterness right off the bat, more than usual for a belgian. some candi sugar sweetness with some esters coming through then the alcohol, which adds some complexity, but also a little heat, before a bone dry finish. solid dubbel

330 mL bottle. Pours brown red with an off-white head. Aroma is apple and molasses, caramel, touches of dark fruit and mustiness. Flavor is of molasses with some green apple and a slight mustiness. A little thinner than I’d like.

Tasted side by side with the Prior 8. Pours dark brown with a surprisingly small bubbly head, much smaller than the massive thick head on the 8. It recedes to a small cap with little lacing. The aroma is sweet with candi sugar and Balgian yeast. Plenty of fruity esters but with an interesting nutty character and some chocolate malts as well. The taste has the sweet malts and dark fruits up front with a lightly toasted bready malt backbone. Overall, it’s a sweet, malty taste with less spices than the 8. The mouthfeel is fairly light with lots of carbonation. This is a very good beer, though I’d put it a notch below the Prior 8 as it’s not as complex and is a bit thinner in the body. But, that’s some pretty stiff competition and this is still better than most dubbels out there.

Nice fruity aroma with that distinctive Belgium doughy, yeast smell. Fruit is almost a raspberry smell. Cloudy dark brown/amber in appearance with a nicely balanced two finger tan head. Medium body. Slick mouthfeel, very lively. Finish is long with only a slight hint of bitterness. Flavor is of dark fruits and hops. Very nice beer. Recommended.