Westmalle Dubbel

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

Serve in Trappist glass

This beer was quite dry and at first not nearly as complex as I was expecting. The color was solidly amber without much in the way of haze. As it warmed up a bit it began to open up and show what it had to offer. It picked up a hint of sweetness which helped to boost the malt perception. There was a bit of raisin the mouth as well as a finish that was sweet from the alcohol. The aroma too had an alcohol component to it as well as a bit of woodiness. Quite estery tasting without being particularly fruity tasting. There seemed to be some higher alcohols in here as well.

Dark hazy toffee color, good yoked bottle, traditional label. Rich aroma, of yeast, dessert wine and fruit. Sweet, fizzy and tastes a bit like sweettarts candy. Some leather and spice. The finish and body were wierd -- fizzy, with riffs of aspirin bitterness, vanilla, sugar sweetness and molasses, but overall it was a little thin. Still, a quality beer.

Bottle. Hard to believe this is my first time drinking this brew. I was really missing out. This is a truly wonderful dark Belgian that holds its own with the likes of Roch 8 and Westy 8 and other classics.

The pour is alarmingly soda-like, with humongous bubbles on top and throughout the beer, but quickly those fade and you are left with a small ring of tight foam. The nose highlights wonderful sugars, including pear, rum, raisin, caramel, and sugar cane. Lovely, and all I could ask for out of a beer like this. The palate is bright and alive, bringing with it a complex rush of pumpernickel, licorice, raisin, cookie, and a brief molasses and hibiscus finish. Love it.

Somewhat subtle aroma, noticeable alcohol and warm banana bread. Lovely color, persistent thin butterscotch head, and lasting carbonation in mouth. Rich flavors, but not sharp in any, with a warm dry bitterness in the finish. It evolved nicely as it warmed up.

Bottle. Sweet nutty and malty aroma, light lemongrass and fruity candy notes, really diverse and attractive. Several different kinds of candy, indeed. Deep ruby-mahogany pour with a soapy light brown head. Crisp taste, bone dry and yeasty with soft maltiness and increasingly hoppy hoppiness. Very dry end is nutty, [regular-] grassy, and complex. Balanced and smooth. Darkly, portentiously fruity with a medium-full body. Superb dubbel - its hop profile is to be envied by just about everyone, everywhere. [May be the best dubbel I’ve had, I need to get my hands on some more Binchoise]

33cl, from De Hopduvel Gent, easy to drink Trappist, yet complex, cloudy, nearly no head, good brew

Light aroma. Muted malts. Some hops aroma. Pleasant but weak. Dark cloudy w/small off-white head. Med watery body with heavy carb. Some sweetness up front. Medium heavy bitterness @ end. Nutty bitter after. Decent Belgian dubbel.

33cL bottle, Trappist Tasting at Joe T.’s. Pours a murky, dark cola-brown color; medium-bubbled, light-tan head with decent retention and solid lacing. Brown sugar, caramel, and dark fruits in the aroma; nicely dry, spicy, with hints of cloves; quite nice. Medium body; lively carbonation; creamy, non-astringent, very light alcohol, if any; medium-high amounts of brown sugar, cloves, and caramel notes; some dried dark fruits, but nothing especially dark; minimal hops; nice clove and vanilla presence, it seems, from the yeast; slight vinous, warming alcohol, but light compared to the others recently sampled; lightly sweet, but attenuated well. Medium finish: cola, brown sugar, light spiciness; balanced ending.