Brouwerij St. Bernardus Abt 12
What the brewers say
“Dark with a full, ivory-colored head. A fruity aroma, complex flavors, and a long bittersweet finish with a hoppy bite. A balanced beer, with a full-bodied taste and an equilibrium among malty, bitter, and sweet.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Toasty caramel malt sweetness with low spicy phenolics, similar to a saison. Subtle fruity ester profile of dates, cherries, and plums. Low green pepper note. A bit of the mild/earthy/ spicy Noble hops aroma.”
Flavor: “High fruitiness with rich dark fruits of plum, cherry, and raisins. Slight phenolics balance well with the fruit. Aftertaste is fruity with slight alcohol note. Toasty and biscuit malt sweetness. Nice smoothness in this beer. Some slight Noble hops bitterness and earth- iness help to cut the sweet. Subtle malt sweetness and light fruity character are overtaken by a rather strong spicy Noble hops flavor and bitterness.”
Overall: “High carbonation, fruit, and a great warming all in balance. Well- centered in the style. Has all the makings of a great quad, but hops are a bit too forward—almost as much Noble hops character as malt and fruit.”
