Westvleteren Extra 8

Brewed by Westvleteren Abdij St. Sixtus
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Westvleteren, Belgium

Big thanks to presario. Pours a dark hazy brown with a huge pile of tan head. The head lasts a while, dissipating into a film that never quite goes away, and leaves a generous lacing along the way. Solid malt aroma: molasses and raisins. Flavor begins like liquid cinnamon toast: a solidly malty backbone offsets overt brown sugar sweetness and cheek-tingling spices, mostly cinnamon. It becomes fruitier in the middle, somewhat tart, mostly raisins and figs, some orange and booze, which aren’t so well harmonized with the rest, before becoming roasty on the finish: toast, more sugar, molasses, figs, some coffee. Long sweet finish. Medium to full body. Some mouthfeel elements, warming, effervescence, spicy sensations, continue long after the swallow. The last gulp is thick with yeasty sediment, a satisfying conclusion.

12oz bottle big thanks to deepsouth for sending this my way. First off this smells pretty amazing, light hints of cherry and malts but just a real nice smell, raisins. The flavor is a nice bready dubbel. Nice beer, remimds me of the westmalle dubbel a little bit, very good. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 02-21-2009 04:55:40

Bottle, sampled at Woodshop Quad, thanks to wetherel for making sure I had some! Pours a cloudy reddish-brown with a big off-white head. Big aroma, of malt, citrus, pine, and dark fruits. Taste starts sharp, of pine hops and alcohol, then picks up a lot of sweetness, with malt, caramel, and dark fruits. Lingering sparkly sweet sharpness. Nice carbonation. Awesome beer.

Pours itself from the bottle, with a dark hazy brown colour, with a big sized frothy tan head. Raisins, plum and alcohol aroma. Taste is a basket of the same ingredients + some added malt and chocolate, even some nutty flavour

Frothy light tan head good carbonation in a dark red brown pour slight mist aroma plum raisin port wine molasses woodyness maltiness hop flavour raisin toffee citruspeel mild prunes figs nice fizzyness around the mouth feel a tang to liven the palate sediment light mists up the last pour flavour no different the finish smooth sweet and bitter dry lovely.

The girlfriend got a bottle shipped to me from Belgium. Upon opening, started to foam over on me, poured into glass to reveal deep murky brown brew with a light tan head. Fruity and earthy aroma. Complex tastes with dark fruits, spice, chocolate, smoky wood. Perhaps too carbonated, with very sharp bubbles in the mouth. Slightly warming, with a nice medium body. A flavor I could never get sick of.

Courtesy of Chris and Merideth (Thanks guys!). Crazily active immediately upon opening. Muddy brown, volcanic rocky top. Very even drinker witha mild, yet nutty aroma. Smooth, almost creamy with quite the nutty character which surprised me a bit. Quite good. (#3513, 2/19/2009)

BB: 05-12-11 Ap - Rosey-brown with burgundy highlights, splotchy pattern in the head which was also noted in the Blond, small bead, persisitant head, fine lace. Ar - dried fruits - fig, plum, raisin, some warming alcohol notes and esters with an overall perceived smoothness. More vinous notes evident as the beer warms. T - subtle and well balanced flavours of sweeter fruits, soft malt, caramel, with a warming finish and a noticeable but smooth bitterness. M - Creamy, slightly prickley (ethanol), with a pleasant smoothness from start to finish. D - Very smooth and well balanced beer, a delight to drink, but not quite as overwhelming as I was expecting. Reminds me of a lot of the St Bernardus brunes, or a fresh Westmalle Dubbel.