Westmalle Dubbel

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

Serve in Trappist glass

UPDATED: JUL 8, 2010 Bottle 1993 and a earlier tasting of a bottle from 1982, kindly shared by Nnudd. What a treat. Pouring it made a small tan/yellow head that disappeared immediately, leaving a nice mahogany body. The aroma was quite dim, dominated by nuts, dark fruits and caramel. Tasting it was very interesting and what a nice flavour, so smooth and balanced with notes of nuts, dark fruit, wood and port. Unfortunately it was pretty thin bodied which ruined the overall impression a little bit, nonetheless it was still a fantastic beer.

Bottle. Apperance; Dark brown with some red in it, clowdy. Very fruity Aroma and flavor. This is one of my favourite beer.

Pours a reddish brown with a dark beige head. Smells fruity, floral, leaves, cereal. Taste pretty sweet. Palate is fruity, light bodied, slightly bitter/tart, lively carbonation, long sweet finish.

Reddish brown with a medium head. Aroma is dominated by sugar and yeast, with a little fruit and bread. Taste is sweet, with some caramel toffee flavor, but not overpowering due to the alcohol and carbonation. A really great beer, as expected from the masters of the style.

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.

A classic style and a great legend. The thick head is gorgeous to behold. Poured from bottle @ home into Westmalle glass. I even used my Westmalle bottle opener to open it! There are figgs; spices and dark chocolate on the nose. I get a nutty texture, spices, fruits and chocolate on with a slightly woody oak finish. This is a good beer and one I have consumed on several ocasions so I felt obliged to buy a bottle and rate it. This has 15th September 2011 on the bottle best before date. Enjoyable beer.

Poured with a little too much head perhaps, but redeemed itself with a full smoky flavor that kicks you in the teeth. Exceptionally smooth finish. The monks continue to make outstanding beer.

Reddish in colour featuring a rich beige head. The aroma is rich in esters, almost malty vanilla and butterscotch and then it enters into a fruity powerhouse. On the palate it is really rich, creamy, balanced and possesses a nice long finish. well carbonated and slightly bitter and very very pleasing taste this brew is one of my all time favs.