Trappist Westvleteren 12

Trappist Westvleteren 12
Brouwerij Westvleteren (Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren)
Quadrupel (Quad)
10.2% ABV

OG?

IBUs?

Poured at room temperature into a big 25 oz snifter on 10/26/10. The cap carries a date of April 29, 2013; had it right after Rochefort 10 so there's some comparison in notes.


Appearance 5/5
Clear mahogany brown with a massive, very light brown, rocky "Belgian" head, with good head retention and good lacing.

Aroma 4.5/5
Little alcohol, compared to Rochefort 10. Toasty malts with warm richness, raisins and dried plums; like a pie that's still in the oven! There's some chocolate as well, but no coffee. Little, if any, phenolic notes: I have heard that Westmalle & Westvleteren use the same yeast but I can't see any similarity.

Taste 4.5/5
Effervescent and slightly sweet at the beginning, with elements of caramelized sugar along with dark fruit in taste. A long, long finish that is dark, slightly bitter, rich, comforting, and warm, with a slight tannic astringency. This is not the best tasting beer I have had, but this sure is a magnificent beer. Only a fool could underrate its merit. Very complex with dessert like sweetness, very present hop bitterness, and wine and over brewed tea like tannic finish; the finish wouldn't have been as clean without that sharpness of character. This beer deserves to be the legend it is. I have rated some other beers higher and I will do so in future too, but this beer is quite an experience.

Mouthfeel 5/5
I have the exact same comment as I had for Rochefort 10: "The body is medium, but its presence immense." However, the mouthfeel on this one is lighter than Rochefort 10.

Drinkability 5/5
Supreme!

Other
Had it again two days later, side by side with Rochefort 10, St. Bernardus 12, Rochefort 8, Chimay Blue, Cuvee Van De Keizer Blauw, and Trois Pistoles. Although I am rating Westvleteren 12 higher than Rochefort 10, it's only because of better looks and absence of alcohol in aroma; these two, although very different, are just as good as each other in my opinion. My taste preferences lean more towards Rochefort 10, which is a good thing because that's way easier to come by.