Buckeye Ho Ho Ho Magic Dubbel

Brewed by Buckeye Brewing Company
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Lakewood, Ohio USA

Date: 04/22/2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting

clear amber, thin fine off white head, sweet fruity malt aroma and flavor, light bitterness,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 2.9/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

22oz bottle acquired in trade with OhioDad (thanks!). Poured a medium and clear reddish/brown color with a large sized off white head. Aromas of dark fruits (plums and raisins), yeast, and caramel. Tastes follow the same. Fizzy and carbonated body (that didn’t detract).

(Bottle, 2006 vintage) Pours a dark mahogany body with a moderate creamy beige head. Nose of plums, raisins, caramel, spices, and microflora (would have swore this was Jolly Pumpkin yeast in a blind tasting). Flavor of raisins, apple, plums, brett, and clove.

Bottle courtesy of OhioDad: Pours a slightly hazy copper bronze with a nicely-lacing white head. Nice, authentic Belgian malty, dark caramel aroma with good mild yeasty spice authenticity. Body starts with a good, earthy caramel and biscuity sweetness with pleasant Belgian yeasty balance and authenticity.

Pours dark brown with a sparce white head. Smell is very sugary and fruity with hints of sourness. Taste is tarte with lots of underlying spiciness. Well balanced and very enjoyable.

Bottle. Poured a hazy ruby brown with a medium off-white head. Medium fruit and spice aroma. Medium body with a sticky texture an fizzy carbonation. Moderate spice and fruit flavor with an average finish.

Head is initially average sized, fizzy, off-white, fully diminishing. Body is hazy dark amber, dense tiny particles, bottle conditioned. Aroma is moderately malty (cookie, caramel), moderately yeasty (mold, cobwebs), with light notes of nutmeg and smoke/whisky. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. Aroma isn't all that vibrant, but still very pleasant. I quite like the flavor balance for the style...mostly bitterness to counteract the malt, without so much acidity.

Bottle from MAP shared with the shindig at Kuhnhenn: Hazy burnt orange and brownish highlights, minimal head or lace. The aroma has notes of some fruit, bready malts, dusty yeasts, very weak for a dubbel. The taste starts with a yeast character and a bit bitter. Additional undertones of apple, flowery hops, cardamom, ginger, and a touch of oak. The feel is refreshing enough, snappy on the backend. Okay but nothing special, not quite to style either.