Its confession time. I skipped church this morning, vying instead for a late wake-up call and a relaxing morning. This season, and especially this week, can be somewhat tiring and I knew looking ahead, that my wife and I wouldn’t be getting much quality time in the next several days. So here I am, pouring out the day-long guilt with a very forgiving St. Bernardus Pater 6.
The last time I poured a St. Bern’s, I was greeted by an overflow of foam, and this time I was on the defensive. While things still didn’t go quite as I would have like, much more of the brew ended up in the glass than on the floor. The liquid flowed out a perfectly opaque brown, rimmed atop with a bit of frothy head, receding like the poor Saint’s hairline. It smelled candied, much like the Abt 12, sweet and fruity and delicious. The taste was incredibly carbonated, even surprising me a bit by the almost-burning sensation. While still quite smooth, after the initial burst of bubbly, the brew was thinner than its much bolder brother beer, and thus went down a bit more sparkly and bitter. The finish was very grainy, wrapped in tart, almost apple-like frutiness.
Had I not had the St. Bernardus quadrupel just a few nights ago, I would have perhaps enjoyed this beer even more. As it is, I know a brew exists with all the positive qualities of this one, yet absent of the few things that make it a bit less pleasing. Still a great choice, and with a bit less abv, one you can enjoy without dozing off shortly after.
ABV: 6.7%
Grade: A-