Westvleteren Extra 8

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

Thanks to Tony at Oldsmar Tap House for the Westy 8, 12 side-by-side: Insofar as the side by side goes, I actually preferred the Westy 8 to the 12. It had less of an alcohol presence and I felt that the spices were richer in the 8 due to this. Aroma is dark plum, cinnamon, candi sugar, sweet malts. Flavor is rich and balanced, with tinge of rum-soaked raisins, molasses, spices, and a captivating sweet maltiness. An amazing beer to savor.

Reiew #200. Bottle courtesy of deepsouth. Pours dark, dark cola brown with a big off-white head that shows very good retention and excellent lacing. Aroma is very sweet initially with candi sugar and a healthy dose of Belgian yeast in the nose as well. Dark fruits are also prevalent with a hint of spices on top. Taste is a more complex version of the nose. The sweetness is toned down just slightly with caramel and toffee playing a huge role on top of the dark fruits. Molasses sweetness is there in the background. Mouthfeel is truly exceptional - the perfect balance of medium to full body and high carbonation. The tastes just dance all over the tongue. This is one of the better examples of a Dubbel I’ve ever had and the drinkability is off the charts.

Near black with a medium sustained foamy head. Roasted aroma, particularly coffee, spice and dark fruit. Coffee flavour also, estery, plums and raisins, a lot of alcohol on the finish. Full bodied. A very distinctive beer, big and flavoursome while still complex and refined.

2007 bottle, had 6/19 at Kulminator. Pours dark brown with a a thick tan head. Aroma of dark caramel malts and dark fruits. Fairly high carbonation. Finish seemed a little overly vineous. Certainly not a bad beer, but a little dissapointing after the 12.

Bottle dated 10/06 shared by FlacoAlto - Pours a slightly hazy light brown color with a nice off white head. Faint lacing. Aroma is big esters and slight oxidation. Flavor is cereal malt and light esters. Palate is smooth. Medium body. A good beer. Be nice to try a fresh one some time. Thanks Sebastian.

I figured I should pop open something decent for my birthday, and I figured this would do. Pours dark brown with a thick head. Grape, caramel malt, candi sugar, and tobacco nose. Flavor was very similar, lots of dark fruits come out as well. Finish was thick, lots of stuff going on but not something I really cared for.

Increbiel ber with dark brown color, veru nice and thick foam. Taste of malt, rye bread, caramel, hearth, fruit. A bit portish. Very very long aftertaste. Good carbonation. A good little brother of the 12 with the main defect of being rather light in palate.

c. 6 months old bottle. Opaque ruby brown w/ a beige nicely lacing head. Roasted malty aroma, rye bread, coffee, maple syrup, spices, berries & apple sauce, just a hint of alcohol. Incredibly balanced flavor, malts and fruitiness, berries, coconut, spices, little port. Quite strongly hopped with soothing alcoholic, a bit port vinous finish.. Roastiness and coffee get more pronounced with the yeast poured in. Just amazing. I have a few 12’s waiting in the cellar, and this one surely puts some pressure on them.