Westmalle Extra

Brewed by Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle
Style: Belgian Ale
Malle, Belgium

A lightly hazed blonde with a creamy white head. An herbal malt with lots of hoppy surprises, coriander and orange. In mouth, a light coriander with diffused hop juices, pleasant drink for the monks. From JPattyn, Belgium trip, Nov. 2006. Shared with Ian Guénard, GRM, and Dumdum, Dégustation Trappiste I, March 9,2007.

Bottle conditioned, 330ml. Hazed gold with short lasting head. I’ve held on to this one since my last trip to Antwerp. Overall a malty, yeasty beer with a dominant sugary fruit note, fleshy rather than citric to me. It matures in the glass to a sharper, but not quite hoppy tone, more tea like than that, like a lemon tea. Good without being great.

Unlabled bottle thanks to sk8viking. Straw yellow with huge foamy white head. Lots and lots of bubbles coming off the bottom of the glass. Aromas are sweet and citrus. Lemon zest with apple. Flavor was more citrus and some sweet malts. Some spice before the finish and a nice bitter end. Pretty good.

Bottle, thanks to sk8viking. Poured a slightly-hazy, stewed banana yellow with lots of rising carbonation, a full, thick white head, and lovely rings of lacing as it descended. The nose was soft and supple, sporting darker fruits, peppery yeast, and floral and earth hoppage... citrus notes and other complexities emerge with warmth. Flavor was a delicate blend of spices and darker fruits, citrus twang and earth... several layers of complexity. Creamy middle on the palate with a just-shy-of-medium body to it.. really dried out on the back-end leaving a refreshing spicy earth and fruity finish. Powerfully well-crafted... I could drink a whole lot of this stuff!

33cL bottle...thanks Joris!!! Light bodied, straw to golden-colored ale with a small head. The aroma has no sweetness, just some hop aroma. Nicely carbonated and the bitterness comes right through in the flavor. Quite carbonated like a champagne but quite delicious. Very dry on the palate with very little sweetness. It tastes less than 5% ABV. Great beer!

Thanks to Dan & Joelle (DewBrewer) for sharing this treasure. 33cl. Bottle. Pours a hazy pale. The nose is flowery and kind of pine-like with some bread dough. The flavor has pine, citrus, earth with flowers in the mix as well. Very effervescent and slightly acidic in the finish and just enough bitterness to round it all out. Great beer.

(Bottle 33 cl) Pours a clear golden with a handsome and frothy off-white head leaving a broad curtain of lacework. Lightly spicy aroma. Light and somewhat watery body with spicy accents - white pepper perhaps. Dry - very dry - with a touch of yeast and diacetyl, perhaps a slightly chemical tang. Dry and lightly hoppy finish. Almost as a watered down Orval, but a pleasant session beer indeed. 131206

LCRBM2, bottle from Joris (thanks). Muddy unclear yellow body. White stable creamy head. Aroma of earthy hops, with citrus, abricot, some fish. Light bitter and dry flavour, spices. Full creamy finish.