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Directory›Brouwerij St. Bernardus

St. Bernardus Abt 12

Brouwerij St. Bernardus
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🌍 Belgium · Belgian Quadrupel · One of 4 Belgian Quadrupels in hopIQ

St. Bernardus Abt 12 is the brewery's crown jewel and one of the most revered Quadrupels in the world. At 10.5% ABV — the figure is confirmed on the label — it pours a deep mahogany brown with ruby highlights and a dense, persistent tan head. The aroma is immediately extraordinary: ripe plum, dark cherry, fig, and raisin cascade over a base of milk chocolate and vanilla, with a warming thread of alcohol weaving through it all. Bottle-conditioned using the original Saint Sixtus yeast strain (the same used at Westvleteren), it shows the complexity of extended maturation. On the palate it is voluminously full-bodied but deceptively smooth — the 10.5% is almost invisible behind layers of dark malt sweetness, warming spice, and gentle bitterness (~22 IBU, estimated). The finish is extraordinarily long, trailing dark fruit, chocolate, and clove into a clean, drying warmth. Brewed to the original Westvleteren recipe until 1992; still made with the same yeast. Cellars beautifully for up to a decade.

ABV
10.5%
IBU
22
SRM
dark44

Flavor Profile

How this beer tastes, mapped across 48 flavour tags

dark fruit
95%
rich
85%
chocolate
85%
full-bodied
85%
caramel
80%
malty
80%
boozy
75%
fruity
70%
sweet
65%
spicy
65%
vanilla
60%
smooth
60%

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About Belgian Quadrupel

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Belgian Quadrupel?

Belgian Quadrupel is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Belgian Quadrupel

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same dark fruit, rich, chocolate character as St. Bernardus Abt 12 will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of St. Bernardus Abt 12

Serve at 4–7°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 12–14°C. This is a contemplative beer — warmth unlocks the dark fruit, caramel and complex malt.

Goblet
Recommended for this style

The wide mouth and heavy base promote head formation and channel rich aromatics toward the nose. Traditional for Belgian strong ales.

Built for cellaring. Age 2–5 years for deeper complexity. Store upright at 12–16°C.

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