Bornem Dubbel

Brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Ertvelde, Belgium

Bottle purchased at John’s Grocery in Iowa City. Pours a deep dark brown with a pillowy root beer float-like head that diminishes with time. The nose is of raisin, dark fruit, brown sugar and a spicy clove-like yeast note. On the light side of medium-bodied, it is softly effervescent with a mineral quality at the finish. Sweet malt notes of raisin, dates and faint brown sugar with a solid spicy Belgian yeast note in support. There’s just a hint of a fruity/drying cardboard note at the finish, but it’s noticeable enough that it’s a detractor from the overall experience. This is a solid beer, but it’s missing that x-factor that I would hope to find in a true Belgian dubbel.

Tasty dubbel from Bornem. Pours brown with a nice light fruity finish. Touch of malt and nice hop balance.

330ml bottle
7.0% ABV
I tried this beer on August 26, 2008 at “Smokeless Joe’s” in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The beer poured a dark brown with a 1” tan coloured head. The aroma was a combination of yeast, malt, and some sour smells. The mouthfeel was thin to medium bodied, with champagne like carbonation. The flavour was yeasty, heavily spiced, with a nice malty taste. A very good beer.

Bottle. Poured a monstrous, rocky-creamy, beige, unmovable head. Clear, ruby body with gorgeous lacing as the head slowly dissipates. Heavy malt and yeast nose - expected caramel, yeasty dough, some grape, date, clove and coriander. Well hidden alcohol - it only comes through at the very end on the nose. Medium body with average carbonation, but an unfortunate metallic finish and aftertaste that detracts from the experience. Overall a fairly run of the mill dubble that could be pretty good with some refinement.

Draft at Sct. Clemens Bryggeiet, Aarhus. Golden light brown body with a creamy light brown head. Malty aroma, coffee and bread. Thin watery texture. Fresh finish.

Dark Beer with great frothy head. Feels a bit heavy. A good bitterness and malt. My first Dubbel style, so I can’t compare to others of that style. Overall decent strong beer.

Dark brown-red with a thin fuzzy off white head. Aroma is figs, dark fruits, very sweet malts. Taste is raisins, licorice, figs, apples, apricot. Very sweet, enjoyable if a bit one note.

Pour is a brown with a large tan head. Aroma is fruity with some yeast and sugar. Flavor is a good helping of dark fruit with some brown sugar and caramel malts. Alcohol is no problem in this one. A good rep of the style but nothng to get overly excited about. Better than the triple for sure!