t Smisje Dubbel

Pours a hazed brown amber, the color of strong Lipton iced tea, and topped by a quarter inch of sudsy foam. This reduces by more than half, but leaves good lacing. Stirring and dumping the yeast makes the beer cloudier. A raisin bread and dough yeast aroma is very pleasant. Mmmm... sweet and tart fruit and toffee malt combine for an exceptional flavor. Setting the glass down, I tasted sugared dates and dried fig. Yeast and strong black tea are in the finish. Tangy fruit, mild hops, and carbonated bubbles hang in the aftertaste. Medium in both body and fizz. Very drinkable, very enjoyable.

Bottled. Cloudy dark red-brown coloured, small but lasting head. Lots of yeast (most of which i kept inside the bottle). Fantastic aroma, malts, coffee, chocolate, wood, some Madeira indeed. Thick mouthfeel, sweet, malty, alcoholic and even some cheese. Remarkably the flavour doesn't really improve when the beer warms up. Lasting bittersweet finish, dry and some alcohol. Overall a bit like an aged (2 or 3 year old) Chimay Bleu. Fantastic brew. Thank you caesar for suggesting it!

Poured into an Urthel tulip glass, the foam commands most of the space, a creamy, off-white inviting thing, huge and slow to settle, most attractive. Underneath, an opaque magenta. Very appealing. Aroma is dark fruit (cherries, melons, grape) and spice. Not huge, but slowly unfolding, wide open and airy. Rich, yet mellow. Leaves me anticipating the same and more in the flavor. In three words: bright and tasty. But I’m not one of few words, so let’s throw out some more. Balanced. Full-bodied. Lovely. I can imagine the dates and honey in here, but can’t necessarily discern them. Sweet, but never too much so. This is an elegant beer, complex and sophisticated. A wonderful creation. Funky Belgian yeast at play amid fruit, spice and malt. Yum, yum. 9% abv? Well hidden. Beautiful. We will meet again.

Clear pale copper, honest white film. Incredible dates nose, possibly the most intense date flavor I’ve encountered in a beer and I really like the effect in a dubbel, a style which seems to often border greatness without ever reaching it. So, plenty of dark fruits, very juicy nose containing heavy chocolate backing, mild cinnamon hints, nutmeg, heavier toasted maltiness. A sweet kiss from a sweet lady. Palate can’t help but being sweet though the moderate carbonation helps it being palatable. Figgy, overwhelming dates, wet yet trying to dry out. Juicy pancake stuffing. Medium bodied, mineral, fluffy carbonation, never close to biting, all in a smooth, sweet fruitiness. Greatness.

Deep caramel, vanilla, oak flavors make their way through the air. t Smisje is not a highly recognized brewery, but I’ll tell you what, this was an overwhelming winner at a recent blind tasting of abbey dubbels. The flavor was the most complex of the 9 beers tried. After tasting, all four participants commented on how they loved this beer. Very nicely done on the sweet and just a touch of bitterness to round out the finish. This beer is better than Westmalle Dubbel, Achel 8, Chimay Red, St. Bernardus Pater 6, to name a few. Try a blind taste test and see for yourself.