St. Bernardus

[Belgian]

Well the St. Sixtus 'family of beer" 5-packs have been arriving at LCBO Cooper St.

So far the Prior 6 and Pater 8 are both reeealy nice, I could enjoy the Prior as a fairly regular beer since it's way less alcoholic than the monstrous Abt. 12.

The expected spicy / dark dry fruit character is there in degrees, and they share a wonderful banana-bready undertone - I suppose from both the yeast type used and the sweetish malt sitting in there 'just so.' The hops are mingling in the background adding just a hint of bitterness & structure. What refined balance, Unibroue try and copy this! In either beer the glass seems to get better as I sip. (Standing in freezer under ten minutes, then pouring and giving it a short rest.)

Quite enjoyable stuff, wow.

[tupalev]

This is a great value 5 pack, especially as I think of what I paid for each one of these beer's individually at Joe's last year (or was it earlier this year? can't remember...)! Completely worth it though, and I am excited to try the Watou Tripel, which is the only one that I did not see at any of the beer bars the last time these were available. A top class brewery that has never disappointed, I'm glad this gift pack will allow more people to try these gems.

Jeff

[lister]

My girlfriends wants that pack so I'll be picking up one tonight. The banana-bready undertone sounds interesting. I'll be doing sample tastes so I'll see if I'll be picking up my own pack...

Figures that, according to lcbo.com, the De Koninck isn't at Davisville while the others are. *sigh* Hopefully that'll only be the sites usual inconsistency as I'd like to get everything all at once. I don't want to walk over to Queen's Quay.

[Belgian]

Well I've worked my way into a second pack of these already, and ohh my are they good.

I initially found the St.B Tripel a touch brassy in the hops. Later I had the newer Watou Tripel - absolutely delicious - and it seemed by comparison a bit fuller and rounder actually (with a pasteurized pear/apricot juice fruitiness tucked in there) with a smooth wheatbeery mouthfeel and delicate yeastiness. The second time with the St. B Tripel it seemed a lot smoother and balanced, oh my confounded tastebuds. The Watou was a bit explosive, so have the glass on hand for it!

I really like them all. The St. B Abt. 12 has a nice hit of a deep black grapey quality to it that reminds me a bit of Unibroue's excellent La Terrible. I don't mind paying a decent price for such a decent beer! The mix pack is an excellent idea.

[Belgian]

Related topic, how are the De Koninck? Of a similar standard?

[Manul]

I thought the Sixtus name was associated with Westvleteren, but maybe I'm wrong. Anyway when I was in Brugge I had the Sixtus 12 (according to the restaurant's menu) and then the St. Bernardus 12 and they seemed quite different.

[lister]

On the De Koninck, I've only had a bottle of the flagship so far. (I bought two packs. I break glasses sometimes.) I'll probably try the blonde tonight during the Leaf game. My experience with De Koninck so far has been limited to two on-tap pints, one at Michelle's Brassier and one at the Bier Markt. Both I really liked. The bottle version is good but obviously a small step back from my on-tap experience. If it was regularly available at the LCBO/BS it would be in my second tier of purchase rotation.

I picked up a St. Bernardus pack on the weekend. It turns out my girlfriend was interested in the pack from Holland instead. I've only tried the Prior 6 so far. While I didn't find it revolting, it also didn't give me that "Hey this is good!" feeling. I didn't really notice the banana-bready undertone.

[Bobbyok]

I thought the Sixtus name was associated with Westvleteren, but maybe I'm wrong. Anyway when I was in Brugge I had the Sixtus 12 (according to the restaurant's menu) and then the St. Bernardus 12 and they seemed quite different.

They are related. From the St. Bernardus Website (http://www.sintbernardus.be/en/history.html):

Shortly after the Second World War, the Trappist Monastery St. Sixtus decided to stop to commercialise their beer as they wanted to call upon non-residents.

An agreement was made : inside the walls of the Trappist Monastery there would brew only beer for their own consumption, for sales to the public at the gates of the Monastery and also for a few taverns whom where connected to the Monastery. Mr. Deconinck on the other hand would brew and commercialise the Trappist Beers under licence (for a period of 30 years)

Next to the cheese factory, a new brewery was constructed and Mr. Deconinck started to brew the Sixtus beers with the help of the Masterbrewer of Westvleteren, who brought along his wisdom, knowledge and the original recipes.

In the beginning of the 60’s, the sun-in-law of Mr. Deconinck, Mr. Claus stepped into the brewery and negotiations started to renew the license. This was finalised in 1962, again for a period of 30 years (until 1992)

In 1992, the agreement came to an end because the Trappist Monasteries (5 in Belgium and 1 in the Netherlands) decided that the qualification ‘Trappistenbier’ could only be given to beers brewed inside the walls of the Trappist Monastery.

Therefore, since 1992 the beers brewed at the Trappistenweg 23 in Watou are commercialised under a new brand name ‘ StBernardus’ (referring to the Refuge de Notre Dame de StBernard – cfr. supra).

At this point in time we also enlarged our range of beers by adding a blond beer, StBernardus Tripel to the existing Pater 6 – Prior 8 – Abt 12.

[Belgian]

I've only tried the Prior 6 so far. While I didn't find it revolting, it also didn't give me that "Hey this is good!" feeling. I didn't really notice the banana-bready undertone.

Hey, our tastes have been pretty different so far...

We all get something different out of beer, and I found all the St.B stuff in varied degree complex, fruity, bready and yeasty, a wonderful harmony.

15-17 celsius or "barely garage cooled" is good. You lose the more delicate nuances otherwise, stuns the taste buds.

[lister]

Hey, our tastes have been pretty different so far...

We all get something different out of beer, and I found all the St.B stuff in varied degree complex, fruity, bready and yeasty, a wonderful harmony.

15-17 celsius or "barely garage cooled" is good. You lose the more delicate nuances otherwise, stuns the taste buds.

Last year with the Petrus gift pack I had a varying reaction to the beers there. I expect the same with the St. Bernardus and Holland packs. I'm finding though I'm developing a liking towards English and English-style ales.

Like all new beers (and white wines) I sample them at different temperatures starting with right-from-the-fridge cold continuing along the way until it's room temperature. Unless I find something absolutely horrid.

[Belgian]

Last year with the Petrus gift pack I had a varying reaction to the beers there. I expect the same with the St. Bernardus and Holland packs. I'm finding though I'm developing a liking towards English and English-style ales.

Like all new beers (and white wines) I sample them at different temperatures starting with right-from-the-fridge cold continuing along the way until it's room temperature. Unless I find something absolutely horrid.

Right, I remember most of the Petrus stuff being pretty subtle - by far favoring the sour Oud Broun.

"Different times, different taste" also. Like I said, the Bernardus tripel was a bit cumbersome the first time, and heavenly the next. I'm stocking up.

[northyorksammy]

couldn't find it Sunday at Summerville--anywhere else I can pick up a couple?

[esprit]

...maybe cause "Summerville" is some fantasy town in a fairy tale...just kidding but it's Summerhill.