New Belgium Abbey

Brewed by New Belgium Brewing Company
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

Serve in Trappist glass

Dark amber with a frothy off white head. Aroma of some malt but plenty of Belgian yeast esters mixed in with it. Taste was also malty and of cereal. Just enough funkiness to it to be a decent Belgian style, a style which is growing on me.

UPDATED: MAR 2, 2010 New Belgium Brewing Company--Abbey Belgian Style Ale 1991 12 oz. Bottle Release. 6.80% ABV--22 IBU’s. (4.0 / 5.0) Abbey Ale--Clear light brown body. Hint of Belgian fruit yeast body, but supported by robust malt. Light bitter alcohol finish. A male version of a feminine brew. 11/25/1998. New Belgium Brewing Company--Abbey Belgian Style Ale--2001 12 oz. Bottle Release. 6.80% ABV--22 IBU’’s. (3.75 / 5.0) Abbey Ale. Clear semi-dark copper amber color. Sediment flecks. Floral malty yeasty spice front. Malty mild Belgian body. Crisp toasted caramel notes. Tangy mild Belgian malt spice end. Malty Belgian. Yeasty. Sampled 8/16/2001. New Belgium Brewing Company--Abbey Belgian Style Ale--New Block TM Logo and ABV--2004 12 oz. Bottle Release. 7.00% ABV--25 IBU’s? (4.0 / 5.0) Belgian Ale--Dubbel. Thin big foamy lacy head. Clear dark amber bronze color. Rich floral Belgian ester spice mild hop front. Thick hot spicy sweet toasted Belgian fruity malty ester body. Hot spicy mild hop end. Too Belgian! Sampled 12/30/2004. New Belgium Brewing Company--Abbey Ale--New Logo 6-Pack--New Bottle Label. 2006 12 oz. Bottle. 7.00% ABV--25 IBU’s? (4.25 / 5.0) Belgian Ale--Abbey--"Foamy lacy head. Flecked hazy rich amber color. Mild hot hop coriander front. Malty caramel coriander fruit ester Belgian yeast ""hoppy""body. Rich tangy hot Belgian spice end.Smooth malty big Belgian brew." Sampled 9/16/2006. New Belgium Brewing Company--Abbey Belgian Style Ale--Explore Series--A beauty of a Belgian dubbel with six different malts and an authentic Belgian yeast strain, etc. 2010 12 oz. Bottle Release. 7.00% ABV--25 IBU’s? (4.5 / 5.0) Belgian Ale--Dubbel--Dense lacy off white rich rocky head. Clear bright rich amber color. Floral delicate toasted caramel Belgian ester mild NW hop front. Thick sweet Belgian caramel doughy fruit hint malty tangy plum fig body. Spicy mild hop EtOH hint end with lingering toasted Belgian fruit ester malt notes. 2/18/2010. 6-Pack--$6.99.

12 fl oz bottle. Pours dark and golden deep amber with a small tan head. Aroma is dry yeasty vegetable like, roasted caramel and light spiced. Roasted caramelish flavoured with a distinct phenolic note. Dry and roasted malty into the finish.

Flowery, malty aroma, thin white head, light copper in appearance. Mostly light taste with a touch of hops, floral aftertaste, lightly carbonated. Very complex flavor, delicious.

From bottle. Pours transparent brown/dark amber with a small tan head that dissipates quickly. Flavors of fruity esters, bubble gum, and clove. Surprisingly good for a pseudo-Belgian style. I’m only recently appreciating Belgian-style ales, and this one is really decent for being on the supermarket shelf. I would buy again for the 7% and a decent fake Belgian flavor.

Perhaps I am biased from living in Belgium during military service (SHAPE-Belgium), but I must admit I was disappointed when I tried sampled this double at the insistence of an enthusiastic craft beer pal. Awards aside, to my palette it seemed underdone compared to robust brune/doubles like St. Bernardus Prior 8, Westmalle or Abbey Saint-Martin Brune.

Big aroma of plums, raisins, dark fruits, clove and yeast. Flavor is similar, indeed. Strong, complex and quite good.

12 oz bottle pours deep reddish brown with no retaining head into a chalice; nice lacing. Very nice, sweet nose: malt, yeast, plumb, raisin, fig, noticeable booze. Very yeasty taste profile, vanilla, raisins, dates. Finishes very yeasty with some spice and booziness. Odd astringency in the finish that I didn’t find too pleasant. Frothy mouthfeel with medium body and carbonation level. Goes from sweet to overly bitter for the style in one gulp. Eh.