Westmalle Dubbel

Brewed by Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Malle, Belgium

Chestnut brown pour with a light beige head. Aroma is strong malt and fruit. Well-balanced body with malt and hop, good mouthfeel. Finishes with a soft and long sweetness.

Bottle. 12 oz. Split with James. Pours deep maroonish brwon with a tall, two-finger tan head. Aroma of roasted malts, fresh cherries, chocolate, barley, and hints of scotch. Smooth, heavy body with a rather creamy mouthfeel. Nice snappy finish. Excellent dubbel.

Serving date: 2009-02-19. Served in tulip. 330 ml bottle with the trappist collar around the neck. Freshness date (best before 2010-11-12) and glassware recommendations printed on the label. A very deep ruby color. It looks fantastic when held to a light. Develops a huge, 3 finger light brown head that sticks around for a good while. Some lacings and plenty of foam linger on. A lovely smell of fresh fruit. Some yeast aromas, going towards the smell of banana, as well. Plenty of sweet notes from malts and chocolate. Plenty of sweet malts and fruit - mostly red currants and banana. Then, a tarter fruitiness - like red apples just a little unripe, or just apple peel - appears. A gentle spiciness and soothing chocolate flavors round things off. The finish has a very mild bitterness and a restrained hop character, is somewhat spicy and slightly tart (but by no means sours). The alcohol is warming. Medium body. Plenty of carbonation. Slightly coarse and crisp, but still rather smooth. The fruit character in this one is just amazing, great balance between sweetness and tartness - very refreshing. Truly complex and well balanced. Perhaps, I would have liked just a little more bite in the finish. Serving type: bottle (Copy of old Beer Advocate review)

Pours dark brown with a thick, rocky beige head. Aroma of malts, fruits, toffee, coffee and caramel. Taste is dry and bitter, but still has a round sweetness coming along. Well balanced, although a bit dry for a dubbel. Finish is very warm, dry and bitter. Good carbonation.

Bottle from the Eastchase Majestic. Dark pour with an off white head. Malty aroma with some dark fruit and alcohol. Flavor is cherry, alcohol, malts, and chocolate.

One of the best beers I have ever had the pleasure of tasting, this gorgeous looking dubbel is characterized for me by its fruity taste. My personal experience with this beer evolved as I drank it, starting with an initially strong fruity taste and eventually transitioning to a more mild (comparatively more mild than the initial impression) flavour. Yeast in, yeast out, doesn’t matter; this is truly a stellar beer.

Pours dark reddish-brown with never-ending creamy off-white head. Aroma of sweet malt, toffee and some hops. Taste has notes of dates & bitter dark chocolate. Some subtle notes of cherry. Sweet, but a good hop bite that balances it well. Creamy texture. Overall this is an excellent, easy drinking dubbel.

12 oz bottle from the Four Firkins. Dark, chocolate color with a nice creamy white head. Fruity, slighty sour aroma. Flavor is tart with some dark fruit notes. The finish is a bit sour. Pretty complex yet smooth beer.