New Holland Brother Jacob’s Dubbel

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

Tap at ACBF 2009: Brown pour with a tan film of head. Nice dry aroma with notes of cocoa and peat like dark malt earthiness. Fluffy feel with a rich flavor yet very dry and drinkable with subtlety. Flavors of cocoa, soft raisiny, and a fig note as it warms. Very nice dry example without the alcohol or residual sugars like many American examples of this style. Nice.

Draft at Liquor Barn in Springhurst - Pours dark brown/near black with a moslty receding foamy tan head. Aroma of brown sugar, toffee, and caramelized fruits. Tastes of caramel and bubble gum. Mouthfeel is full bodied with soft carbonation. An unusual but quite tasty dubbel.

On tap at The Beer Engine Lakewood, OH. Smokey aroma to signal the smokey/spicy/sweet flavor. Thin mouthfeel, no head and poured a dark black almost pseudo-dark purple. The mid mouth feel the alcohol really comes through and leaves a very subtle sweet tone in the aftertaste.

Draught at Sycamore. Carbonated and sweet Dubbel. Nice flavor. Bit of plumb. Little bit of cola. Well done.

Draft at Hew Holland. Poured clear dark brown with a moderate creamy off-white head that lasted with excellent lacing. Moderate spicy, toast malt aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture and flat carbonation. Medium complex bittersweet flavor with a medium sweet finish of moderate duration. Good spicy sweet brew.

On tap at Crunchy’s, East Lansing. Deep, clear red body, medium buff head. Estery nose with dark fruits and wisps of alcohol. Sweet, rich body, with plums, cherries, and bubblegum punctuated by strong, bitter and earthy esters. Spicy, chewy goodness.

On draft at the Craft Ale House in Limerick. This beer pours a very dark brown color with a purplish hue. The light tan head leaves ample lacing around the glass. The nose is full of malts and different spices, like curants, ginger and coriander. The body is fairly thick, but goes down smooth. The flavors are a little too sweet for my liking, but are pretty well balanced. There’s quite a bit of sweet maltiness but just enough hoppiness to balance it all out. The finish is pretty sweet as well.