Benelux Dub

Brewed by Benelux Brasserie Artisanale
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Montréal, Canada

Drank at the brewpub in the evening No Habs No, December 5, 2009. cask version (12 oz). Hazy caramel brown, small head. Aroma of spicy and juicy tart fruit. Taste of dry herbes, some notes of fruit malty, bitter but watery. Good but I’ll try the original!

[on tap at brewpub] Cherry, almost medicinal but not quite, aroma with a touch of toffee. Almost clear chestnut with a thin, white ring. Sweet, buttery pumpkin flavour with notes of cinnamon and coriander. Light to moderate bitterness and moderate to medium carbonation. Medium body, bitterness lingers a tad in the finish.

On tap at the brewpub. Pour is dark brown with considerable amber peeking through, minimal head but one that’s very crisp. The mouthfeel is initially lively but fades somewhat quickly. Crisp fruit notes mingle with a solid (and not overly sweet malt presence). Not the most lively body, and this tends to make some of flavors less full than they might be otherwise. However, it’s a competent rendition of the style.

My Bottom Line:
Bubblegum phenols weave through this slick Dubbel’s caramel sweetness, as herbal and earthy hops flicker in the background.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A sheet of foam covers the hazy brown.
-The mouthfeel is well fed and remains drinkable at all times.
-I seem to be getting faint chocolate notes at times.
-It’s hard to compare to authentic Dubbels because most are bottle-conditioned, but I’d say this is pretty spot on.

On tap at the brewpub.

Pours a clear ruby color with a thin offwhite head. Aroma of burned caramel and berries. Flavor of burned caramel, berries, mildly roasted and smoked malt and mild bitterness in the end. Interesting.

En fût. Verre de 12 oz. à la brasserie. Arôme: Odeur de caramel et de raisins. Apparence: La couleur est bourgogne avec une faible densité de bulle. Présence d’un moyen col crémeux et d’une large dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de caramel fruité et de raisins avec une pointe poivrée. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture vineuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Légère présence de raisins en arrière goût. (Rating #1390)

A deep red mahoganny beer with a thick creamy light moka head.Sweet caramel malt in aroma, light vinous notes, and a bit of butyric acid (again!). In mouth, candy sugars, licorice and roasted coffee. Medium bodied. On tap at Benelux, Dec. 8 2007.

In short: Standard toasted, caramelized and slightly fruity Belgian brown ale. On the dry side. Average for the style.
How: Tap at brewpub, about a week after its release
The look: Clear burgundy body with a medium off-white head.
In long: Dry toasted bread with dry caramel and berries jam. Slightly buttery. Some unexpected banana notes, especially on the nose. Medium sweet and medium hopped, the beer is well balanced. A bit resinous in the finish and a little rot/wet dishcloth that bothered me a bit. Fizzy beer, the carbonation could have been more relaxed. Overall pretty dry. A very decent beer but to me this is a disappointment considering Benelux track record with Belgian Ales. Still, the dyslexic customer ordering a Bud should be pleasantly surprised.