Westmalle Dubbel

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

Serve in Trappist glass

Rich creamy tan head tops this brown beer. Aroma is dominated by malty caramel and liquorice, which is also found in the flavour. The latter is predominantly sweet, but is balanced by subtle bitterness. There are hints of fruit and coffee as well. Good carbonation, full body. A very harmonious, somewhat subtle and definitely balanced trappist dubbel, maybe that is why it is so undersung?

UPDATED: NOV 8, 2005 Sweet tasting, and Malty with cheesy yeast with dark reddish color. Available at Downtown Wine & Spirits in Somerville, MA

Bottle. Pours a dark chocolate black, virtually opaque with a thick creamy off-white head. Fantastically intense aromas of figs dates and plums, as well as chocolate (Nutella) and hazelnuts. I immediately got an interesting flavour of ice tea and peaches, even though the beer is more malty than fruity: Caramel, custard and creme brulée are present throughout. As it warmed, further flavours of almonds and amaretto came through with aromas of Bailey’s & Irish cream. A delicious and surprisingly refreshing and drinkable beer. Not too watery, the palate is as close to perfection as I’ve experienced so far and the aftertaste is very moderately bitter. Excellent.

UPDATED: JUN 11, 2008 Bottled. Deep reddish-brown with a massive, tan belgo-head. Very appealing appearance. Aroma of spices and alcohol with a pronounced malty sweetness and bitterness. Balanced flavor with mostly the same elements. Long warming aftertaste with little bitterness. Rating: 7-5-8-4-17-4.1. (051109)

Bottle, in appropriate glass. It pours a loevely more or less clear body, brown, with a ruby glow, and with a thick, creamy beige head on top. Really firm head, it doesn’t level when I start sipping the beer, but form holes and bumps, and a lovely set of lacings. Dried fruits like raisins and prunes, dark sugars, a little spiced touch, some notes of alcohol and a little caramel. Some faint chocolate notes too? It’s quite effervescent in the mouth, sort of palate cleansing, but still sweet enough not too accomplish that. I could wish for a fuller body, but the flavors, prunes, berries, raisins, dark sugars, some alcohol and a little spicyness, are just lovely. There’s a pleasant bitterness towards the finish, managing to harness the sugars. This is a beer I return to quite frequently, and it goes well all the year, even in the summertime. (080611)

Sampled from a 12oz bottle. Dark with a caramel nose. Large off-white head. Caramel with a touch of anise and bread. Lively and warming. Sweet malts with a slight acidic finish. Notes of dark fruits. Nice yeast undertone. Yummy!

Bottle. Sweet, candy, plums, raisins with a thick head. Just a delicious beer.

Cerveza Trapense de la casa Westmalle. Aroma intenso con finales acaramelados. Acolor marrón obscuro, con una tenue espuma y cuerpo completo. Sabor agradable, fuerte y un poco alcoholico al final, cumpliendo todas las caracteristicas de una verdadera trapense. En reumen, una excelente Cerveza.

Pours dark brown, tan head..Dark fruit tofee, caramel and mixed dark sugars..very nice dubbel.