Monday, February 4, 2013

Westvleteren 12

Yes! I got a bottle thanks to a friend who agreed to a swap. So, without further ado, here's the skinny.

Appearance: An off white head that hangs on for ages. The body is a milk chocolate brown.

Smell: Malt forward with dates, raisin, caramel, grapes, sherry, and cooked cherries. Very little hop in the nose.

Taste: Very complex malt flavors with a balanced hop bitterness. There's a little toastiness to complement the same caramel luciousness in the nose.

Mouthfeel: While there is a little thickness, it's surprisingly light for a 10.5% beer, no doubt due to lots of candi sugars. There's a little tickle of carbonation but it isn't particularly high for a Beligian.

Overall: A wonderful complexity of cooked fruits and a perfect balance of malt and hops shows me why this beer is so often rated as one of the best in the world. That said, it's a bit expensive to have more than once or twice unless I lived nearby the Abbey and could get it with less hassle. But don't misunderstand me, I really enjoyed this beer. 97/100

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