Westmalle Dubbel

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

Serve in Trappist glass

Bottle tasting at home. Graciously provided to me in a trade, and then callously forgotten (by me) on who was so kind to provide it, I deeply appologize! Very nice abbey double, right up my alley... gots to luv dem bruin monksies! Nice malty backbone, sweet with fruit flavors of raisin and plum, but not overly so. Medium carbonation blends well with the creamy body and the small bite at the end. Nothing so amazing as some of its finer brethren, but an enjoyable experience none-the-less!

Bottle from systembolaget. Pours brown red with a big beige head. Aroma of yeast, dry fruits and a little alcohol. Big spicy and fruity taste.

33cl/330ml bottle poured into a Chimay glass... Appearance - Cloudy dark maroon in colour, with a rich rocky caramel head. Good head retention and some lacing. Aroma - Roasted malts, floral notes, and a pretty strong fruit profile (apples, banana, cherries, dates, etc.). Slightly acidic and yeasty. Very inviting. Taste - Starts you off with some solid roasted bready maltiness, then going into a fruity combination, courtesy of the yeast strain. I was getting cherries, apples, and a bit of banana for the most part. Then you get some mild cinnamon spice and a bit of floral hops. Perhaps one could taste a little chocolate as well. Quite dry in the finish, with some lingering roasty bitterness. Quite complex overall, and definitely smooth. Palate - Medium-bodied, a little crisp at first, but overall it is quite smooth. Not too peppery or spicy, but a little acidic. The alcohol is well-masked. This has got to be one of the best dubbels I’ve had, and I think it is a little step above Chimay Red (but I’m probably being subjective). Very balanced beer: not too complicated, yet full-flavoured and interesting.

Pours a classic deep red-brown body with a dense off-white hat on top of my Trappist bowl. Smell is very fruity, with strong caramel notes and hints of cherry. The bubbly, ticklish carbonation suits this brew well, livening up what otherwise could’ve been a too sluggish brew. Taste is mild candy sugar, some caramel, oak, fruity esters and hints of raisin. Smooth, but could have been more feisty in the ways of flavor. Still, this dubbel is very true - in fact exemplary - to its style, and I gotta give credit where credit is due. (Last part to be read with Yoda voice) "Very crafty blend, this is. Very nice and drinkable brew, this is. The Trappist monks have taught you well, Westmalle Dubbel."

Pours dark brown with beige head; aroma of caramel, burnt sugar, spices, hints of dark chocolate and fruitiness; medium body, smooth carbonation; flavor starts sweetish of caramel and fruits, but soon takes a quick turn towards long spicy finish revealing some dark chocolate notes on its way as well.

reddish brown, a few floaties courtesey of my appauling pouring technique. suprisingly mostly chocolate on the nose a bit of malt and very little ’belgianess’. burnt sugar flavour and a few more esters and phenols. dry mouthfeel. pretty good but not very ’belgian’.

Brown body with tanned head. Aroma has some dark fruits, yeast and cola. Some sweetness from sugars, too. I’m getting the cola like flavour from this one. Dark fruits, I suppose. Fresh and light for a dubbel. Not as thick and fullfilling as I would guessed.

330 ml bottle a dark brown colored beer with a beige head aroma bitter spices yeast and dark fruit taste spices dark fruit and a bitter finish