St. Bernardus Abt 12

Abt 12 is a classic quadruple. Beeradvocate classifies it as a Belgian Quadruple (Quad).

Brewer's notes: St.Bernardus Abt 12 is widely regarded as one of the best beers in the world. It is therefore no surprise that it is our brewery’s flagship beer, ranked at the very top of the St.Bernardus beer hierarchy. It is brewed in the classic quadrupel style and adheres to the original 1946 recipe.

St.Bernardus Abt 12 has a very fruity aroma that is the result of using our own unique yeast. It brims over with different, complex tastes and stands out through its long, bittersweet finish. Thanks to its mild, rounded taste and perfect balance between bitter and sweet, this beer goes down very easily. When you drink an Abt you can enjoy life to the full!

Tasting notes: 

20260119: Alex and I split 750 ml at a dinner the night before his 40th birthday. It is a pleasure.

Rating: 5 glasses

(1103) A deep complex beer w/ fruit and yeast notes. Upgraded from 5 glasses. 

(0908) Shared bottel w/ GS. Apples, borown sugar, wheat. w/ a spicy bite. Complex and way too easy to drink. Each sip called for more. 

Click here to read an earlier review.  Previous ratings: 5, 6, then 5 glasses 

St. Bernardus Tripel

St. Bernardus is a great Belgian Tripel. It has a bit more clove and a little less peppery spice than Allagash Tripel.

It has the 6th highest rating on Beeradvocate for a tripel.

Brewer's Notes: "St. Bernardus Tripel is a traditional abbey beer that follows the classic tripel style. In the Watou region a tripel is often referred to as a ‘Bernadetje’. A fine tribute that pays homage to Bernadette, the youngest daughter of Evariste Deconinck, the man to whom the monks of Abbaye Sainte Marie du Mont des Cats sold their Belgian property in 1934.'"

Click here to read more about the brewer's description of the beer.

Tasting notes
20251226: Alex A brought a bottle for Christmas dinner. It was a great match for the menu. The beer has a bit more clove and a little less peppery spice than Allagash Tripel.

Rating = 6 glasses

20091104: Click here.

20081129: Click here.

St. Bernardus Christmas Ale

Brewer's Notes
St. Bernardus Christmas Ale is a dark, seasonal beer, full of wintery character and flavours that we brew every year ready for the festive season. 

St.Bernardus Christmas Ale is an intensely dark beer with a full, yet slightly fruity flavour, overflowing with the tastes of winter and zesty seasonal aromas. Aniseed notes are complemented by hints of creamy caramel and fire-roasted chestnuts. This zestiness shows no signes of abating, pushing through to a magnificent finish of dried fruits and chocolate. Just like all of our beers, this brew bears the imprint of the unique St.Bernardus yeast (dating back to 1946), that gives it its own special complexity. Simply stated, St.Bernardus Christmas Ale is the perfect degustation beer to warm your heart and bring a glow to your loved ones on a cold winter night.

Jan. 25, 2021
Alex and I shared two bottles over the last couple of weeks. He liked the first bottle so much that I bought a second one for him for his birthday. It is a delight, a flavorful spiced Quad.

BeerAdvocate

Rating: 5 glasses.

Witbier

Brewer: St. Bernardus Style: Witbier Tasting notes: (1004) On draft @ Mekong. Ditto. (0703) The perfect wit - light, refreshing, yeasty, fruity, and extremely quaffable. Rating: 6 glasses

Tripel

Brewer: St. Bernardus Style: Tripel Tasting notes: (0910) On draft @ Mekong. Sweet apple and pear, w/ a little alcohol and a tiche of spice @ finish. (0801) Not what I remembered. Nice but nothing great. Downgraded from 6. Thought about a 4. (0711) Very nice. Sweet apple at first. Late I noticed pear and sour funk and alcohol. At the bottom of the glass the alcohol started to take away my breath and I detected banana. (0709) Pear, apple, pepper, spices, and a little sour funk. Some alcohol comes forward as the beer warms. Better (fruitier, darker, sweeter) w/ yeast. Wonderfully balanced and very drinkable. Top 100: 29 December 2005 and 10 March 2007. (Not 4 November 2009.) Rating: 5 glasses

Prior 8

Beer: Prior 8 Brewer: St. Bernardus Style: Dubbel Tasting notes: (0907) Wonderful: root beer, complex, quaffable, nice deep bite at end. A great beer. Went gr8 w/ flank steak. May rate 7 glasses. Top 100: 29 December 2005 (not 10 March 2007 or 12 July 2009). Rating: 6 glasses

St. Bernardus Abt 12

Beer: Abt 12 Brewer: St. Bernardus Style: Quadruple Tasting notes: (3) Sweet apples when cold. As the beer warmed, a tiche of alcohol emerged and a nice light hoppy spicy finish emerged. Did not make me go WOW. (2) A complex mix of alcohol sweetness, brown sugar, apple butter, and cinnamon with a touch of sour bitterness at the end. Made me go Wow!. (1) Complex, sweet, dark fruits, and alcohol. Good to sip and (too?) easy to gulp. Did not make me go Wow!. Would like to age some in cellar. Dates on which reviewers @ BeerAdvocate rated the beer as one of the top 100 beers on the planet: 29 December 2005, 10 March 2007, 22 January 2009. Recommendation: Recommended without reservation. I vacillate between highly and without reservation.