Westvleteren 12

Brewed by Westvleteren Abdij St. Sixtus
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Westvleteren, Belgium

I’m not trying to be the contrarian in the group, but as with a lot of these highly rated beers, I just didn’t get it. It’s good and the palate is ultra clean, but other than that it was nothing to spectacular to me.

Tried a six-month old (or so) bottle from 2007. In every aspect, it’s just right and no more. Aroma and taste are rich with dark fruits: dates, figs, plums, raisins. Extremely smooth; very rich mouthfeel; sweet but not cloying; a very long finish that ends with a little dryness compared to the richness of the taste. I’d really like to try one again that’s been aged as recommended (the "best of" date is stamped on the bottle top, which is usually 3 years after bottling).

tried a bottle on 3/29/08. thanks to Lemunche for having this one shipped over. dark brown color. smell of various fruits. I do believe this beer is overrated as a whole. it was defiantly good, but not the best I have ever had. some complex flavors with the fruits and noticeable yeast.

excellent very tastefull, color superb even if it is difficult to get to. this beer is dark brown and really made "in de wrede"

Re-rate 5/18/09: Bottle sample at a tasting. Deep red color. Aroma of dark fruits - plums and raisins, some cookie notes, caramel, licorice and yeast. Sweet caramelly flavor with yeast, bread, lots of dark fruits and alcohol. Full-bodied. 7/4/7/4/15=3.7

(2/28/08) Bottle sample at PreZBF@Alvinne in Heule. Bottled in 2008 (if the assumption that BBD-3yrs=bottling date is correct). Dark brown color with a light beige-brown head. Aroma of dark malt, caramel and tons of dark fruits (lots of plums, some prunes and raisins). Malty sweet flavor with some fruits and roasted notes. Finishes dry. Medium to full body. This is really great. I got three more bottles to take home (each for about 3-4 Euros!) at the Alvinne brewery shop, so I could taste it again after a bit more cellar time. 9/5/8/4/17=4.3

Bottle shared by aspidites. Cloudy copper color with noticeable yeast. Fruity aroma with yeasty spice as well. Dates, plums, raisins, sweet dark bread, candy sugar. Flavors are just as complex as the aroma. This is a liquid candy in a sense. Incredibly smooth and well put together. This is an amazing beer. Not the best of the day, but damn fine. Thanks again Mike!

Courtesy of Diane and CJ (thanks guys!). They thought this was at least 2 years old but weren’t really sure. I found it a bit thinner than I’d anticipated, I guess a byproduct of aging. Of particular note there was little to no head here. But the aroma, full of grapey fruitiness, promised something special. And indeed the rich plum, fig, raisin character was especially enjoyable. Smooth and clean. I think this beer does benefit from its own mythology and lack of availability, but it is quite good. (#3358, 3/28/2008)

Rating #100! Cap: 20.11.10 - I debated whether #100 was a worthy milestone for a Westy 12, but I couldn’t wait any longer damn it! I took over almost an hour and half to savor this little beauty. Aroma: Nose is figs, raisins, sugary candy, toffee and a touch of cherries. Appearance: Pours a cloudy caramel color with some floaters. 2 finger beige head initially that fades into a constant 2 cm topper. Lots of carbonation, though not much lacing. The head just slides off the glass. Flavor: This one is complex to say the least. Vanilla, dried dark fruits, caramelized sugar, bready yeast, all spice. Wow – it keeps changing like a Willy Wonka Gobstopper. A little hoppy alcohol burn in the finish to level out the sweetness. Palate: Creamy bubbly/tingly mouth feel. Coats your entire mouth like latex paint. Overall: An excellent complex Belgian. You could take a day trying to figure out the different flavors as it warms up. A notch or two above Rochefort 10 in my opinion, but with the availability of the latter, I’ll most likely stick with it rather than mail order from Belgium again. However, it certainly is worthy of its legendary status and a must try on your list.