St. Bernardus Brewery is home to the revered St. Bernardus Abt 12, a beer that’s more than just famous; it’s a legend in a bottle
Beer Name: St. Bernardus ABT12
Manufacturer: St. Bernardus Brewery
Origin: Watou,Belgium
Company Founded in: 1946
Beer Type: Quadrapel Ale
SRM (Colour): 35
Abv (Alcohol) 10%
IBU (Bitterness): 15
My St. Bernardus ABT12 Beer Experience
ABT, short for “Abbot,” signifies the pinnacle of quality (8, 10, 12 highest) in the brewery’s lineup. As the flagship beer, this quadrupel-style ale adheres faithfully to its original 1946 recipe and holds the top position in the St. Bernardus beer hierarchy, accounting for more than half of the brewery’s total output.
Pouring into the glass, it exhibits a cloudy dark brown hue, that hints at its intricate complexity, makes it a visual masterpiece. Crowning this elixir is a creamy, pillowy head inviting you into its world.
The Aroma is a tale of sweetness woven intricately with quadruple doses of caramelized malts and sugars. Dry fruits, banana, clove, caramel, toffee, and molasses meld seamlessly with a subtle hint of high alcohol content, a testament to its strength.
A sip reveals a festival of dry fruits—plums, figs, raisins, and berries—accompanied by bananas, cloves and an ensemble of caramelized notes. It culminates in a yeasty, bready finish balanced by a pleasing dryness and a touch of bitterness. Towards the end, hints of nuttiness and a subtle alcohol presence emerge, adding to its rich and harmonized complexity.
The highly carbonated yet seamlessly integrated mouthfeel orchestrates a burst of flavors on the palate leading to a dry, lingering finish that leaves a delightful tingle. It doesn’t overpower but leaves just enough flavor to relish between sips.
St. Bernardus Abt 12 epitomizes a solid, mellow beer that earns accolades for its outstanding performance. Each sip reveals new layers of complexity, eliciting awe with every taste.
Despite no longer being officially classified as Trappist, its rumored connection to Trappist heritage, possibly inheriting its recipe from the famed Westvleteren Brewery, adds to its allure.
This beer isn’t merely a local favorite; it’s a global sensation, earning accolades such as the World’s Best Dark Ale at the World Beer Awards. Consistently top-rated on platforms like RateBeer and Beer Advocate, adorned with medals from the European Beer Star and International Brewing Awards, it solidifies its status as an elite Belgian ale.
For anyone yet to savor the marvel of St. Bernardus Abt 12, seeking it out is a journey worth undertaking. It’s more than a beverage; it’s a masterpiece—a testament to brewing excellence that continues to captivate beer lovers worldwide.
Bit of a History About the Brewery
The St. Bernardus Brewery has a fascinating history deeply rooted in Belgian brewing traditions and the legacy of Trappist beer production.
The Story begins in the 20th century when a cheese factory called ‘Brouwerij Sint-Sixtus’ was established near the Trappist monastery of St. Sixtus in Westvleteren, Belgium. This monastery was known for brewing exceptional beers but faced challenges meeting the growing demand. To manage this, they licensed their beer recipes to the nearby cheese factory, allowing them to brew beer under the St. Sixtus name.
In the mid-20th century, the cheese factory underwent significant changes. In 1956, due to internal disagreements among the monks, the brewing operation at St. Sixtus ceased. This prompted one of the key figures in the brewery, Evarist Deconinck, to continue brewing the same recipes independently. Deconinck acquired the brewing rights, recipes, and the yeast strains used by the monastery and founded the Brouwerij Sint-Bernardus in the village of Watou, a few miles away from the original monastery.
Initially, the brewery operated under the St. Sixtus name, but after legal disputes, they rebranded as St.Bernardus.
