Westmalle Dubbel

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

Serve in Trappist glass

33cl bottle from Discount Liquor Milwaukee, best by 27/07/12. Pours deep brown color with an off-white head and some lacing. Aroma is malty, dark fruit, raisin, anise, brown sugar. Medium body on the palate with average carbonation. Flavor is sweet, malty, a little boozy, with a light bitter finish. I could drink this every day were it not for the price.

Bottle; Pour is murky brown with a nice, typical, frothy, fine bubbled beige head that retains well; spotty lacing into this tulip. The nose is terrific, as expected, as well. Spicy sweetbreads, caramel, brown sugars, raisins really. This malt forward brew is on the easy side to drink, as well. There is a bit of cream from the head ; the spiciness tends to linger a bit, there is a noticeable and general sweetness present of course; while the hop presence is mild at best. My only fault is that this brew, or my bottle, feels slightly thin on the tongue; I give the edge to St. Bernardus.

Sampled at Texas Beerfest. Pours a cloudy brown with a medium creamy light tan head that lasts awhile leaving sticky lacing along the glass. The aroma is brown sugar and raisin malt. Medium mouthfeel with a sweet malt and brown sugar and caramel. Easy to drink hiding the alcohol well. A very good Abbey dubbel.

Sampler at Øl og matfestivalen. Dark brown/red, offwhite bubbling head. Malty aroma with spices, raisins, fruit. Full bodied with a rich taste of dried fruit, chocolate, sugar. Good complexity and balance

Dark brown pour with a healthy off-white head; fine but visible sediment gives a hazy appearance. Impressive fruity bouquet; berry coulis, sour cherry, apple, toffee and dates. On the tougue they meld with biscuity malt, wood barrel and vinous flavours. Bitey hop bitterness in the tail, with quite a bit of residual tartness and bitterness. More carbonation than I’d expect from a Trappist ale, though it doesn’t detract much. Right up there with the best dubbels.

Das Dubbel beginnt mild malzig, wobei sich dieser Ton mit der Zeit deutlich verstärken wird. Sehr voluminös breitet sich ein süß und rauchig wirkender Ton aus, deutlich würzig, aber nicht sehr stark. Das Bier scheint sich bewusst auf diese Töne zu konzentrieren, ohne überladen zu wirken, was zweifelsohne gelingt. Die nun stärker gewordene Malzigkeit ist nun der Mittelpunkt des Bieres, kräftig, dennoch weich, das Bier bleibt süffig. Wieder ist das Bier kurz alkoholisch, aber keinesfalls störend. Gelungenes und empfehlenswertes Bier. Test vom 7.10.2007, Gebinde: Glasflasche Noten: 11,12,13,13,12,13 - 12,60

Dark brown/ruby color; Medium slightly creamy body; Aroma of sweet malt, yeast, dark fruit, & spice; Flavor of slight sweet malt, yeast, caramel, dark fruit, raisons, and some hops; Nicely balanced & complex; Overall, I enjoyed this one - great dubbel.

Bottle in an Amsterdam bar. Brown pour with off whit head. Aromas of malt and dark fruit. Flavor of fruits, raisins, plums. Medium carbonation. Nice balance.