Trappist Westvleteren 12 (XII) | Brouwerij Westvleteren (Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren)
Brewed by:
Brouwerij Westvleteren (Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren)
Belgium
sintsixtus.be
Style: Quadrupel (Quad)
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 10.20%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
(Yellow Cap)
Added by BeerAdvocate on 11-12-2001
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 6,392 | Reviews: 1,881
4.93/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.99/5 rDev +8.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Look: Dark brown with a moderate head.
Smell and taste: very similar. Wonderfully intermingling flavors including spices, some grain, even a hint of fruit. You find something new every time you taste it.
Feel: My friend and I initially described it as almost umami-like, but that's not quite accurate. It does hint, however, at the depth and full-bodied character of the beer, which fully envelops every sip.
Overall: it's quite the hike to get out there, but it's a fun day trip made even more worth it by the beer.
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look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Look: Dark brown with a moderate head.
Smell and taste: very similar. Wonderfully intermingling flavors including spices, some grain, even a hint of fruit. You find something new every time you taste it.
Feel: My friend and I initially described it as almost umami-like, but that's not quite accurate. It does hint, however, at the depth and full-bodied character of the beer, which fully envelops every sip.
Overall: it's quite the hike to get out there, but it's a fun day trip made even more worth it by the beer.
517 characters
4.94/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
First sip and unfortunately forever addicted
44 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
First sip and unfortunately forever addicted
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4.34/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.22/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
L: A dark brown, with off white color, sediment is apparent. Not the best looking beer.
S: Raisins, forest floor, biscuits. slight boozy smell
T: Very well balanced beer. A blend of dark fruits, sweet malty flavors but nothing over the top sweet, a slight boozy chocolate taste towards the middle. Hints of toffee and plum to finish.
F: Smooth but slightly too carbonated.
O: This is a fine beer, very well crafted and the balance is fantastic. A very drinkable beer with deep complex flavors. I really enjoyed tracking this beer down and was not left disappointed but slightly underwhelmed. Still the best Quad I've had but not sure if I'd go out of my way to track this guy down again.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
L: A dark brown, with off white color, sediment is apparent. Not the best looking beer.
S: Raisins, forest floor, biscuits. slight boozy smell
T: Very well balanced beer. A blend of dark fruits, sweet malty flavors but nothing over the top sweet, a slight boozy chocolate taste towards the middle. Hints of toffee and plum to finish.
F: Smooth but slightly too carbonated.
O: This is a fine beer, very well crafted and the balance is fantastic. A very drinkable beer with deep complex flavors. I really enjoyed tracking this beer down and was not left disappointed but slightly underwhelmed. Still the best Quad I've had but not sure if I'd go out of my way to track this guy down again.
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4.49/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
5/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Poured into a Pint Defiance tulip. The body is a dark chocolate brown with a tan finger head with amazing retention. Aromas are the same as the flavors. Flavors include apple, pear, toffee, milk chocolate, caramelized sugar, dates, plum, vanilla, and brown sugar. The feel is highly carbonated, with a slightly heavy, but marshmellowy body.
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look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Poured into a Pint Defiance tulip. The body is a dark chocolate brown with a tan finger head with amazing retention. Aromas are the same as the flavors. Flavors include apple, pear, toffee, milk chocolate, caramelized sugar, dates, plum, vanilla, and brown sugar. The feel is highly carbonated, with a slightly heavy, but marshmellowy body.
340 characters
4.07/5 rDev -11.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Think I had it too young. Very good, but not the hype.
54 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Think I had it too young. Very good, but not the hype.
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4.78/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
5/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Let me explain why I think it is the best on the world. First, I am a wine person. When I moved to Belgium I had never heard about the Westvleteren. I got the suggestion from a blog from someone who doesn't know beer. When I tried it I said: "My God, this is amazing", then I start to read like crazy about the beer.
That said, I went there with no expectations, it was just a weekend trip, so I could appreciate it as neutral. I believe a lot of people has high expectations and it bothers the judgement.
To say it is the best in the world is subjective, but I think it is in a class of outstanding beers, with Rochefort 10 and others that must receive a 5. Today is the best for me, tomorrow maybe I can find another one, but this will always be amazing.
The good news: I could place a call last week and tomorrow I will pickup my 2 crates, with 48 bottles at the abbeys. If I move from Belgium, I will miss it.
914 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Let me explain why I think it is the best on the world. First, I am a wine person. When I moved to Belgium I had never heard about the Westvleteren. I got the suggestion from a blog from someone who doesn't know beer. When I tried it I said: "My God, this is amazing", then I start to read like crazy about the beer.
That said, I went there with no expectations, it was just a weekend trip, so I could appreciate it as neutral. I believe a lot of people has high expectations and it bothers the judgement.
To say it is the best in the world is subjective, but I think it is in a class of outstanding beers, with Rochefort 10 and others that must receive a 5. Today is the best for me, tomorrow maybe I can find another one, but this will always be amazing.
The good news: I could place a call last week and tomorrow I will pickup my 2 crates, with 48 bottles at the abbeys. If I move from Belgium, I will miss it.
914 characters
4/5 rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Not my cup of tea.
18 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Not my cup of tea.
18 characters
5/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Bottle dated 17.6.18. Decanted into a Rochefort chalice. Clear dark brown, thick creamy light tan head. Head lasts forever. Smells of dark fruit dark wine and dark rum. Smooth fruity lushious wounderful flavor. Engages all the taste buds. I do not feel or taste the booze going down, but after a bit i can tell it's there. Full body but not syrupy. Easy to drink. I do think its the best of the Trappistes and like Quads. Thanks to my step son for finding this for me!
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look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Bottle dated 17.6.18. Decanted into a Rochefort chalice. Clear dark brown, thick creamy light tan head. Head lasts forever. Smells of dark fruit dark wine and dark rum. Smooth fruity lushious wounderful flavor. Engages all the taste buds. I do not feel or taste the booze going down, but after a bit i can tell it's there. Full body but not syrupy. Easy to drink. I do think its the best of the Trappistes and like Quads. Thanks to my step son for finding this for me!
474 characters
4.59/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Beer review #3000 for me.
A - Pours a nice raisin color with amount of floaties, lacing is moderate and dense.
S - Raisins, plumb, fig, toasted toffee, slight rum aroma, very little alcohol in the nose.
T - Complex and flavorful with no flavor being dominant. Plumb, brown sugar, toasted toffee, figs, rum, raisin. Nice lingering rum and toasted toffee.
M - Big medium body, creamy carbonation.
O - This aged fantastically!!
431 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Beer review #3000 for me.
A - Pours a nice raisin color with amount of floaties, lacing is moderate and dense.
S - Raisins, plumb, fig, toasted toffee, slight rum aroma, very little alcohol in the nose.
T - Complex and flavorful with no flavor being dominant. Plumb, brown sugar, toasted toffee, figs, rum, raisin. Nice lingering rum and toasted toffee.
M - Big medium body, creamy carbonation.
O - This aged fantastically!!
431 characters
4.43/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
3.92/5 rDev -14.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Remember when I first joined here this brew sat around the top 100 list as the proverbial shit. Remember passing on it about five years ago when it came to my area with a price tag of $299.99 per six pack. Wasn't having it but I knew a guy who did. He came over tonight with the final bottle and since we were childhood friends, he thought he'd share with me. So here goes.
Looks - Poured into a goblet. Deep heavily murked brown woth a large tan head loaded to the brim with bubbles. High carbonation and no lacing surprisingly upon a finished glass.
Smell - You get all the usual quad suspect with a substantial whiff of alcohol.
Taste - Low bubblegum levels with a heavy hay like presence. Raisiny and highly alcoholic.
Feel - Surprisingly thin bodied with high carbonation. Flavors all retain and it swallows with a boozy slickness.
Overall - Glad I finally got to try it. Worth $299.99 a sixer? Hell no. This is a good beer of course but I honestly prefer Rochefort ten. More explosive flavors and the alcohol is better hidden.
1,039 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Remember when I first joined here this brew sat around the top 100 list as the proverbial shit. Remember passing on it about five years ago when it came to my area with a price tag of $299.99 per six pack. Wasn't having it but I knew a guy who did. He came over tonight with the final bottle and since we were childhood friends, he thought he'd share with me. So here goes.
Looks - Poured into a goblet. Deep heavily murked brown woth a large tan head loaded to the brim with bubbles. High carbonation and no lacing surprisingly upon a finished glass.
Smell - You get all the usual quad suspect with a substantial whiff of alcohol.
Taste - Low bubblegum levels with a heavy hay like presence. Raisiny and highly alcoholic.
Feel - Surprisingly thin bodied with high carbonation. Flavors all retain and it swallows with a boozy slickness.
Overall - Glad I finally got to try it. Worth $299.99 a sixer? Hell no. This is a good beer of course but I honestly prefer Rochefort ten. More explosive flavors and the alcohol is better hidden.
1,039 characters
4.42/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Tasted alongside the St. Bernardus abt 12, which is supposedly a derivative of this beer.
L - dark brown, raisiny; creamy off-white head that dissipates quickly
S & T - raising yeasty wholewheat breaddough; toasty; rum-raisins; earthy herbally (almost like a thyme cough syrup); very 'full' flavored, more so than the St. Bernardus
F - slightly boozy, creamy, quite smooth, but with a definite cognac-y alcohol glow
O - very, very solid beer. Would definitely not call it best-beer-in-the-world though... I did prefer it over the St. Bernardus, as it is more 'full' in its flavor, like it's turnt the flavors up a few notches without going overly overboard and cranking it all the way up to 11. That said, it is more boozy than the St. Bernardus, and the St. Bernardus recipe seems to have evolved since Westvleteren withdrew the outsourcing of their recipe to make all the flavors way more sessionable and harmoniously blended, whereas this 'real deal' is more of a rollercoaster.
983 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Tasted alongside the St. Bernardus abt 12, which is supposedly a derivative of this beer.
L - dark brown, raisiny; creamy off-white head that dissipates quickly
S & T - raising yeasty wholewheat breaddough; toasty; rum-raisins; earthy herbally (almost like a thyme cough syrup); very 'full' flavored, more so than the St. Bernardus
F - slightly boozy, creamy, quite smooth, but with a definite cognac-y alcohol glow
O - very, very solid beer. Would definitely not call it best-beer-in-the-world though... I did prefer it over the St. Bernardus, as it is more 'full' in its flavor, like it's turnt the flavors up a few notches without going overly overboard and cranking it all the way up to 11. That said, it is more boozy than the St. Bernardus, and the St. Bernardus recipe seems to have evolved since Westvleteren withdrew the outsourcing of their recipe to make all the flavors way more sessionable and harmoniously blended, whereas this 'real deal' is more of a rollercoaster.
983 characters
4.87/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.33/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Trappist Westvleteren 12 (XII) from Brouwerij Westvleteren (Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren)
Beer rating:
97.6% out of
100 with
6,392 ratings
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75