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10/25/2007 | Beerfirsts - "W12"
Author: Pete Czerpak
"Westy" or Westvleteren is a Trappist brewery that we speak in hushed tones about. Its hard to get and not likely to get any easier to find. They're not interested in expanding commercially so they produce what they want to for noble survival. I had my first Westvleteren 12 (W12) last night and it wasn't even in a dream of beergeekdom.
Beer-firsts, they're funny things. First microbrew other than Sam Adams - Pete's Wicked Brown Ale in the early 90s - liked it. First german hefe-weizen - mid90s - didn't like it. First batch of homebrew - 1995 - turned out OK using Eroica bittering hops. First GABF attended - 1996. First Oregon Brewers festival attended - 2001 - very good time. First trip to Belgium - 2002 - 37 beers between 2 people in 4 days (good time in case you couldn't tell). First sour brew done in the Rodenbach style - 2005 - still a dozen 750s left for sampling.
Now first Westy12 - 2007 - here we go......
W12 sat for 4 days settling down in my cooler. Believe me, it was a tough 4 days to wait, looking in on it every day, wondering if it was too fresh or something else would disappoint me.
10.2%ABV is a lot of alcohol even in a fine Belgian beer. Plenty from Belgium wander down in the 6.5% to 9% category but very few break that 10% barrier since they get a bit tougher to palate and so very costly to brew.
My cap was dated best before 29.08.10. A very fresh bottle indeed from a late August bottling. The bottles are simple with no label but a embrossed trappistbier lettering in the bottle neck. I'm still wondering if it was too new and I should sit on it for a few more months. No way!
Without further ceremony, I popped the cap, took a quick sniff and poured W12 into a shallow chalice thankfully from one of Westvleteren's brethren. A pint glass is in no way appropriate. The first thing I noticed is that even with a couple day long rest period, there was still a decent amount of bottle sediment. I stoppped pouring just as it emerged leaving a previous half inch of W12 in the bottle all muddied up. I'd have the vitamins later and keep my first glass clear and free of yeast bits.
The nose was of deep malt similar to that of the first runnings of a doppelbock. It almost reminded me of cola probably due to some interesting belgian yeast caused spiciness interacting with some carmelized sugars. Mild cocoa appeared also, especially with broader inhalations. No obvious clove notes or apple pears like you might see in the tripels and strong goldens. Very different nose than the Rochefort 10 from last week.
Beer color was of the deepest auburn and mahogney. Certainly not black. But some real good red highlights when held up to natural light. The foamy head was a medium beige color with the bulk of it fading quickly thanks to the 12 designations high alcohol. However, a thin veil of finely sized bursting bubbles kept recovering the surface of the beer with a great everpresent thin head. The foam ring left after a taste easily clung to the glass walls never sliding back into the liquid.
Alcohol notes were my first impression. Certainly not a subtle introductory taste to W12. CReamy maltiness, powdered mocha like you see in the coffee shops, and some lighter espresso came through the palate. Its very rich in layers. No sharp acrid roast flavors. Mouthfeelwise, its a much bigger tasting quad than the Rochefort offering #10 from last week. Probably a lot fresher too so this one may fade to a finer drink in passing months. Some spices left in the aftertaste along with pleasant malt and some alcohol remaining in your nasal cavities.
As my glass is nearly empty, the nose reminds me of a maple sugarhouse during production where they are boiling off all that water and concentrating the sugars from the sap.
Concentrated intenseness would be a fair statement about W12.
What a beer, I'm ready for a second after some more aging time when further layers reveal themselves and the alcohol blends more fully. Or perhaps after I find a W12 glass that has the branding.
cheers to those rare firsts in beer, pete....