Abt 12 Barrel Aged Sour
Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
Beer Geek Stats:
| Print Shelf Talker
- Style:
- Quadrupel (Quad)
Ranked #81 - ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 89
Ranked #10,279 - Avg:
- 4.19 | pDev: 8.11%
- Reviews:
- 6
- Ratings:
- From:
- Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
- Belgium
- Avail:
- Rotating/Seasonal
- Wants
- 1
- Gots
- 2
SCORE
89
Very Good
89
Very Good
Notes:
St.Bernardus Abt 12 is the flagship beer of Brewery St.Bernardus and is considered as one of the best beers in the world. The Abt 12 is brewed according to an original recipe from 1946. St.Bernardus Abt 12 Barrel Aged Sour is brewed with that same recipe. After the brew, we let the beer rest in Oak barrels for 3 years. This beer aging lets the beer go sour. In June 2019 we blended it with freshly brewed Abt 12 and bottled it in 75cl bottles. Balanced in flavours, perfect as can be, heavenly nectar within your reach. Enjoy!
Reviews: 6
| Ratings: 20
| Log in to view all ratings and sort
Reviews by rajendra82:
rajendra82 from Georgia
4.04/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
Classic quadruple look, with a ruby red body, a head that started at two fingers thick and settled down to a layer of bubbles, and a larger amount of lacing against the chalice walls. The aroma was that of cherries, red apples, and plum. You cold feel the sourness in the smell. The taste was tart like vinegar with a large amount of tannin from the oak barrels as well. This was very dominated by the aged part of the blend, although it appears to be the minority. The feel felt far less rich in the mouth compared to what I remember the regular Abt 12 to be. There was a bit of runny feel to this, and the warmth from the alcohol was more apparent. A nice experiment that leans more on the Flanders red side of thing rather than the Quadrupel.
Mar 02, 2020
4.04/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
Classic quadruple look, with a ruby red body, a head that started at two fingers thick and settled down to a layer of bubbles, and a larger amount of lacing against the chalice walls. The aroma was that of cherries, red apples, and plum. You cold feel the sourness in the smell. The taste was tart like vinegar with a large amount of tannin from the oak barrels as well. This was very dominated by the aged part of the blend, although it appears to be the minority. The feel felt far less rich in the mouth compared to what I remember the regular Abt 12 to be. There was a bit of runny feel to this, and the warmth from the alcohol was more apparent. A nice experiment that leans more on the Flanders red side of thing rather than the Quadrupel.
Mar 02, 2020
More User Reviews:
BeerForMuscle from New Jersey
4.15/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Feb 24, 2020
4.15/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Feb 24, 2020
jhlosito75 from Pennsylvania
4.24/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Feb 23, 2020
4.24/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Feb 23, 2020
AlpacaAlpaca from New York
3.94/5 rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Jul 21, 2020
3.94/5 rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Jul 21, 2020
Jcarriglio from Florida
4.23/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Aug 11, 2020
4.23/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Aug 11, 2020
Spaceman_Jer from Colorado
4.13/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Jun 22, 2020
4.13/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Jun 22, 2020
Wasatch from Colorado
4.75/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
750ml Bottle
Caged/Corked
Nice to see this around.
Poured into a chalice a very nice grapey/brown color, very nice carbonation, with a very nice thick/creamy one-finger plus light tan head, which also leaves some very nice medium size islands, and some very nice sticky lacing behind. The nose is very nice, malty, hoppy, yeasty, with a very nice dark fruit complex (grapes, figs, raisins, plums, cherries, prunes, dates), apples. The taste is pretty awesome, malty, hoppy, yeasty, with a very nice dark fruit complex (grapes, figs, raisins, plums, cherries, prunes, dates), apples. Full Body, ABV hidden very nicely, this is a very nice complex brew. Overall, a very nice take on the original.
Aug 09, 2020
4.75/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
750ml Bottle
Caged/Corked
Nice to see this around.
Poured into a chalice a very nice grapey/brown color, very nice carbonation, with a very nice thick/creamy one-finger plus light tan head, which also leaves some very nice medium size islands, and some very nice sticky lacing behind. The nose is very nice, malty, hoppy, yeasty, with a very nice dark fruit complex (grapes, figs, raisins, plums, cherries, prunes, dates), apples. The taste is pretty awesome, malty, hoppy, yeasty, with a very nice dark fruit complex (grapes, figs, raisins, plums, cherries, prunes, dates), apples. Full Body, ABV hidden very nicely, this is a very nice complex brew. Overall, a very nice take on the original.
Aug 09, 2020
desint from Belgium
4.24/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Nov 06, 2019
4.24/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Nov 06, 2019
TLA from Pennsylvania
4.13/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Mar 11, 2020
4.13/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Mar 11, 2020
beerrat from Virginia
4.83/5 rDev +15.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Feb 15, 2020
4.83/5 rDev +15.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Feb 15, 2020
REVZEB from Illinois
4.67/5 rDev +11.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Opaque leathery brown with a thick beige collar and lacing. Smell has the rich tart oak in a satisfying way, bringing along notes of huge dark fruit especially plum and date, brown sugar, toasted toffee, big apple, and of course the classic belgian yeast. Taste is a clone, get more wood tannins, lemon zest, and sight juniper berry, otherwise playfully tart and rich dark fruit and malt flavors including biscuit play. Feel is yeasty smooth with light tartness, oak and malt backing, and decent warmth. Reminds me of brouwerij alvinne's work, very nice. Loved it and I was very skeptical
Sep 11, 2020
4.67/5 rDev +11.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Opaque leathery brown with a thick beige collar and lacing. Smell has the rich tart oak in a satisfying way, bringing along notes of huge dark fruit especially plum and date, brown sugar, toasted toffee, big apple, and of course the classic belgian yeast. Taste is a clone, get more wood tannins, lemon zest, and sight juniper berry, otherwise playfully tart and rich dark fruit and malt flavors including biscuit play. Feel is yeasty smooth with light tartness, oak and malt backing, and decent warmth. Reminds me of brouwerij alvinne's work, very nice. Loved it and I was very skeptical
Sep 11, 2020
BKotch from Texas
4.35/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Mar 01, 2020
4.35/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Mar 01, 2020
puck1225 from Texas
4.25/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Had this from tap at the local World of Beer.. poured into an Orval chalice. Beautiful reddish brown color with nice head and lacing. Sweet, fruity smell. Dark fruit taste, a bit of sour background, sweet bears. Very pleasant beer as you would expect from this brewery.
May 30, 2020
4.25/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Had this from tap at the local World of Beer.. poured into an Orval chalice. Beautiful reddish brown color with nice head and lacing. Sweet, fruity smell. Dark fruit taste, a bit of sour background, sweet bears. Very pleasant beer as you would expect from this brewery.
May 30, 2020
sd123 from Texas
4.28/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Nov 10, 2020
4.28/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Nov 10, 2020
HopBelT from Belgium
4.4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
Oct 10, 2019
4.4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
Oct 10, 2019
RollDamnTide from North Carolina
3.84/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Feb 23, 2020
3.84/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Feb 23, 2020
rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.24/5 rDev -22.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Had this at the very last formal beer event I went to in 2020, Sour Sunday during SFBW.
Pours a dark brown with 1/2" light beige head and good retention for a soured beer. Aroma wasn't poppin' off. Plenty of those feet like vinegar brown malt aspects to it alongside the strong yeast dark fruit presence.
Taste, kind of interesting, even if not a great drinking experience, it was informative. Came on like a mix of different styles, quad, sure, but there was a flanders like acetic vinegar sourness to it. I wonder what the percentage of fresh to 3 year old Abt 12 is? Definitely that old world sour kind of beer. Surprised at how even though its sour, the yeast presence still is so prominent. Booziness seems to bond with the bitterness and both are amplified.
I had mixed feelings about this. Quads are so respected, but don't generally jive with me, my old money leans towards lagers. This was different, drinkable, but still not my thing, even though I tend to prefer the wild/sour stuff more than quads. It is what it is.
Nov 24, 2020
3.24/5 rDev -22.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Had this at the very last formal beer event I went to in 2020, Sour Sunday during SFBW.
Pours a dark brown with 1/2" light beige head and good retention for a soured beer. Aroma wasn't poppin' off. Plenty of those feet like vinegar brown malt aspects to it alongside the strong yeast dark fruit presence.
Taste, kind of interesting, even if not a great drinking experience, it was informative. Came on like a mix of different styles, quad, sure, but there was a flanders like acetic vinegar sourness to it. I wonder what the percentage of fresh to 3 year old Abt 12 is? Definitely that old world sour kind of beer. Surprised at how even though its sour, the yeast presence still is so prominent. Booziness seems to bond with the bitterness and both are amplified.
I had mixed feelings about this. Quads are so respected, but don't generally jive with me, my old money leans towards lagers. This was different, drinkable, but still not my thing, even though I tend to prefer the wild/sour stuff more than quads. It is what it is.
Nov 24, 2020
bluehende from Delaware
4/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Jan 19, 2020
4/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Jan 19, 2020
emerge077 from Illinois
4/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dec 13, 2019
4/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dec 13, 2019
snaotheus from Washington
3.97/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
2020-09-14
750ml corked/caged bottle served in a wine glass. Don't see a date on it.
Pours a dark brown, slight reddish tinge, smallish head and lots of carbonation. Smell is light sour, some oak, mostly quad.
Taste is sour...can't identify how. Not lemony. I get dates. I don't know words for the tastes. I like it, but I can't describe it. I'll keep trying. Almost a tart red grape flavor with a lot of must/skin bitterness, though not quite -- that helps capture some of the sweetness, which is definitely there. Almost a chalky flavor, somehow.
Mouthfeel is surprisingly light and dry. Overall...this is definitely interesting. I wish we had opened a standard abt 12 next to it for comparison. It seems lighter and more drinkable than my memory of a standard quad. It's a different beer entirely, and enjoyable in different ways.
Sep 14, 2020
3.97/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
2020-09-14
750ml corked/caged bottle served in a wine glass. Don't see a date on it.
Pours a dark brown, slight reddish tinge, smallish head and lots of carbonation. Smell is light sour, some oak, mostly quad.
Taste is sour...can't identify how. Not lemony. I get dates. I don't know words for the tastes. I like it, but I can't describe it. I'll keep trying. Almost a tart red grape flavor with a lot of must/skin bitterness, though not quite -- that helps capture some of the sweetness, which is definitely there. Almost a chalky flavor, somehow.
Mouthfeel is surprisingly light and dry. Overall...this is definitely interesting. I wish we had opened a standard abt 12 next to it for comparison. It seems lighter and more drinkable than my memory of a standard quad. It's a different beer entirely, and enjoyable in different ways.
Sep 14, 2020
Abt 12 Barrel Aged Sour from Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
Beer rating:
89 out of
100 with
20 ratings
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