Westmalle Dubbel

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

Apr. 2007 - Beer poured burgundy/brown color, decent head, no lacing at all. Very wine-like aroma. The flavor on this one was much dryer and less sweet than typical dubbels. Subtle dried fruits, faint candied sugars...more earthy than most belgians. A bit overcarbonated, in my opinion, but I enjoyed this.

Pours a dark reddish brown with a tan head. Aromas of caramel, malts, and fruity sugars. Mild malt flavors with a bit of sweetness. Medium body with moderate carbonation and a thin mouthfeel. I’m not a big fan of dubbels but this is one of the best I have tried.

Bottle. Dark red color with a decent beige head. Fruity aroma, hops and caramel come to mind. Good and refreshing carbonation. Hoppy flavor in the beginning but finishes off more malty. Even a ripe cherry flavor comes to mind. Not a very distinguishable palate but leaves nonetheless a good feeling about it.

I tasted this beer before I got my account with ratebeer, so I can’t really remember all the flavors.

33 cl. bottle, nice tan head, malty nose with some hoppy aromas also, nice caramel flavor

Brown, tan head. Nose is apple, yeast, brown malt, dark fruits. Flavor is rich malt, yeast - restrained spice, alcohol, cherries & wood. Malty yeasty finish.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy, brown body strewn with fine yeast particles and topped by a full, foamy, off-white head. Smell: Quite fruity with strong notes of plums and dried bananas. Hint of chocolate. Spicy yeast character. Malts are less prominent. Taste: Dry, slightly bready dark malts with a restrained sweetess. No more than a touch of chocolate. Light spice. More bananas and less plums in the flavor. Mild hop bitterness. Dry finish with a tangy fruitiness and lingering yeast note. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Moderate carbonation. Drinkability: A solid, though somewhat subtle Trappist ale.

This wonderful beer is pretty much what I think of when I think of an abbey dubbel. It’s very dark red with a huge light tanhead that’s long-lasting and leaves a bit of lace. The aroma is a bit like a barleywine, with rich dark malty qualities, caramel, toast, yeasty bread dough, and fruit with hints of alcohol. The taste is first malty sweet, spicey fruit and toast with smooth, warming alcohol - also a bit like a barleywine. Then it becomes more bitter in the spiciness with more caramel, cehrries, prunes, etc., and balances out nicely. It is a rich, complex, but smooth and easy-to drink dubbel.