New Holland Brother Jacob’s Dubbel

Brewed by New Holland Brewing Company
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Holland, Michigan USA

On tap at the MBG Summer Festival. Poured near black dark brown with a brown head, not exactly what I expected out of a dubbel. Aroma was wheaty with sweet malt notes. Flavor consisted of sweet malts with a slight undertone. Very odd for a dubbel.

Certainly no Abbey Dubbel - more of a weak porter to me and yet another disappointment from New Holland.....Sampled on draft at Fat Heads in Pittsburgh PA this beer poured a dark black color with a trace of a tan head. The aroma was faint, dry, roasty and a bit woody. The flavor was dry, bitter, roasty and smoky with a faint hint of cherry and seaweed. The finish was medium length roasty and dry. Medium to light body with the alcohol well hidden. Disappointing.

Experienced on tap in a tulip glass. I rate this based on its adherence to the dubbel style guidelines. This, was not a dubbel. I’m not sure who the Q.C. person is at New Holland, but they should probably be fired. The aromas and tastes were far more similar to a brown ale. Notes of chocolate and toasted/roasted malt come through in the nose and on the palate. The sample had far too much hop bitterness for a dubbel, and there were no characteristic notes given from a trappist or abbey yeast. Overall, note a bad beer, but a strong English brown rather than a dubbel.

On tap at Dilly Deli. Dark brown with a medium creamy tan head. Not much aroma in this one, maybe some roasted malts and a hint of toffee. Flavor is similar to a dry stout: dominated by roasted malts with some carmel sweetness, dark fruits, and a subtle smokey finish. Light bodied with a dry finish. Quite drinkable for the ABV.

Draft at Binny’s South Loop. Pours a dark brown with a dense offwhite head. Nose is roasty and spicy. Earthy and chocolate coming through as well. On taste, some raisins and roasted grains. Reasonably dry and very well crafted. Nice.

On tap at the Flying Saucer in KC. Pours a deep brown body with a purple shade to it. Inch thick, dense and creamy, tan head that dissipates slowly and leaves a good amount of lacing. Aroma is somewhat weak with sweet caramels, smoke, toasty toffee, brown sugar, dark fruits, and chocolate. Flavor is nicer than the aroma and quite rich. Big and deeper sweet caramels, a light smoke and toasty toffee, some plum and cherry with a light bubblegum ginger, brown sugar and chocolate, and a really nice underlying earthy bitterness that balances the rich and sweet flavor quite well. Finishes slightly dry with a moderate lingering taste of smoke, toasty caramel, chocolate, dark fruits, and some earth. Palate is medium bodied and smooth. Overall, not a bad dubbel. Rich and sweet, but nicely balanced with some smoke and earth. Pretty tasty.

Sampled draft on tap at the brewpub (Holland, MI). Pours a very dark brown, translucent, with red edges, moderate offwhite head that dies to a film and coats the sides. Aromas are vaguely sweet, light fruity esters and darker or brown sugar malt notes. Inital mirrors this with some decent bitterness throw in, banana, nuts and faint smoke, and brown sugar. Light bodied, quaffable. I desire a little more out of my dubbel, but I can see this being popular. Finish is vaguely sweet and earthy, with light fruitiness. Nice.

A decent dubbel. Aroma was extremely weak. Could pick up hints of dark roasted malt but little else. Pour was a beautiful deep dark brown with a healthy 2 finger near tan head and lots of bubbles. Taste was full but a little thin. Roasted malt, fizzy chocolate and caramel with no aftertaste. Nice carbonation. Tastes NOTHING like an abbey dubbel but more like a porter. Not a bad tasting beer, but not what I was expecting.