St. Bernardus - Pater 6 Abbey Ale

The Brouwerij St. Bernardus is in the Watou province of the West Flanders region of Belgium.  Surprisingly for Belgian breweries, it was founded only in 1946.

Pater 6 Abbey Ale - This Belgian Abbey Ale pours a reddish-copper-brown, cloudy, with a massive foamy head.  As the head goes down it leaves extensive lacing on the glass.  Smelling this beer evokes what my brain identifies as the quintessential "beer" smell.  The taste is full of subtle flavors of sour fruit, caramel roll, malt, grain, in a perfect balance to hop bitterness. 

There are many Belgian beers I have tried that I have not liked.  There are the ones that are too sour and there are the ones that are too sweet for my taste.  I give it to the monks though, I have really liked the Abbey ales such as the St. Bernardus line and Trappistes Rochefort.