Trafalgar Abbey Belgian

Brewed by Trafalgar Brewing
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Oakville, Canada

Bottle is at least 8 months old, bottle says best before March 09. Poured a brown color with ruby red highlights when held up to light. No head to speak of. Nose is strong. Lots of spice and dark malts, some hints of yeast. For an older bottle, the smell is excellent. Flavour is sweet, but with plenty of spice present. Some cloves, and maybe a bit of nutmeg or cinnamon. Very sweet, plenty of malts. Some molasses or brown sugar. Not much hops to speak of. Carbonation is low, but fitting. Beer is reasonably creamy, but not thick and oily. Actually a pretty nice beer, I really didn’t have much expectations for this, even when it was fresher.

Very strong sweet and fruity nose with some licorice and plenty of roastiness. I have to say the aroma is really not very appealing. Dark brown body topped by a very shy tan head that recedes rapidly and fully. Dark malts counter the sticky sweetness in the flavour but it is still overly sweet. Dark malts in the aftertaste. Watery texture to the body with pretty strong carbonation. Tulip glass. Cellar temperature. Bottle purchased at the LCBO at Lynden Park Mall in Brantford in May-08.

650ml bottle from the LCBO Pours a dark brown with NO head or lacing looks like coca cola The aroma is really nice lots of malt and fruits alas the taste does not live up to the aroma bland and thin malt and a touch spicy

650mL bomber from the LCBO. I would not have bought this if it was not fresh, and I had not had my first positive experience with ANYTHING from this brewery recently. Pours a coca cola colour with no head. Smells like home brewed amber ale of sorts. Not bad, but only with the slightest hint of anything Belgian like in it. Flavour is, decent, not infected, just kind of bland. Decent caramalts, maybe a small hint of spices, almost making it Belgian like. Some dryness in the finish hints at Earthy herbal hops and makes it passable as a Belgian. The alcohol is present but not in a cloying way. It is actually not a bad beer, it is just not really an Abbey Dubbel. At best it is a home brewed Belgian Amber Ale, though I know people who could brew a better one. Quite an accomplishment for Trafalgar.

Man that smells good! Malts, raisin, beery and a bit of smoke. Dark brown clear pour with little head. Watery at the start but full at the end. Very malty, some spice, something clove like in the finish. A pretty nice mix but could be sweeter and more consistant but still very nice. Nice to know it’s a local as well. Oh, there is something in the aftertaste that is a little too tart and a bit mediciney. Really wish that wasn’t there, it pretty much kills the beer.

Pours a dark-red brown, with no head and the least amount of carbonation I have ever seen. Aroma is a wierd mix of breads, dark fruits and what I can only describe as cooked gelatin for anyone who has ever worked in a lab. Flavour isn’t much better with artifical, chemically tasting sweetness and spices followed by a slightly bitter finish. Mouthfeel is way too thin for the style.

Bouteille 650ml, courtoisie de Blankboy. De couleur brune-rouge foncée et claire. Nez de levures fruitées (prunes), d’épices (coriandre, traces de muscade), moyen de malt légèrement rôti, léger de sucre brun et avec des notes de houblon herbeux, de pain et de chocolat. Mince-moyenne en bouche avec un pétillement moyen-bas et une texture moyennement huileuse, légèrement crémeuse et aqueuse. Léger goût de levures fruitées (prunes, traces de raisins) accompagné d’un goût épicé (coriandre, traces de clou de girofle et de muscade) et de notes de légumes bouillis lors de l’entrée en bouche auquel se rajoute un moyen goût malté de caramel sucré et léger-moyen rôti ainsi que des notes de pain, de chocolat et de sucre brun puis en finale l’on retrouve une légère amertume de houblon herbeux (herbes mouillées) ainsi que des traces de noix asséchantes. Post-goût moyen aux petites notes sèches, légèrement amer de houblon herbeux, de rôti avec des notes de chocolat, de levures fruitées (pelures de prunes, notes de moût de raisins) et de noix.

22 oz bomber. When I tried to open this the whole cap and neck of the bottle came off in my hand... looks like it broke clean so hopefully I don’t swallow shards of glass. If I do though, blame these bastards. Deep brown beer with very light carbonation. Aroma is nutty and oxidized with lots of coriander and an aroma that reminds me of the bad old days at Trafalgar. A touch of plum and prune, but the infection has really taken this over leaving a thin sour mess of a beer. Blech.