Val-Dieu Brune

Brewed by Brasserie de l’Abbaye du Val-Dieu
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Aubel, Belgium

Very dark brown, dense in color, though not much haze. Great head, 2 fingers in the glass and had longevity and body. I seriously smell grape soda on the nose. First I thought fresh ripe plum, but no, it’s purple soda. Top shelf. Minute Maid, not this ’Shasta’ or -insert local grocery chain here- off brand. I’m not thrown yet, and it’s a solid aroma, no off flavors, so I’m not bashing it. Just different than expected. Good mix of dried fruit and abbey yeast, still getting a hint of that grapey goodness on the backend. As it warms the yeast component stands out more making it more full and intense.

Nice dark brown color. Steady foam from the bottle. Nice toasted aroma in the nose. In the palate also nice toasted malts and some sweetness but not too much. Aftertaste is a good balance between sweety dried fruits and light chocolate bitters.

Bottle. Poured a dark brown with a thin beige head.Yeasty and malty nose, with hints of cocoa. Similar flavor, with some dark fruit flavors, a bit on the sweet side. Finish was sweet and dry. Nice beer.

Botteled at Horsens Beerfestival. Hazy brown body with a medium beige head. Aroma of sweet, light roasted malt, caramel, spices and dry fruit. Flavor is sweet, mild roasted malt, caramel, spicy and some dry fruit. Rather plain and one-dimensional.

Best Before: 09/09/10 Appearance: Pours out a clear, dark reddish-brown body with a large, frothy, ivory-colored head. Nice, delicate lacing. Smell: Malty, mocha-scented aroma with further notes of nutty toffee, dark fruits, booze, and candi sugar. Taste: Heavily sweetened mocha, sugary toffee candy, and even a pinch of cocoa powder strike the palate. Flavors of fruit, anise, baked bread, and sourish yeast are present but this all gets somewhat obscured by all this rampant sweetness. Drying finish (though still quite sweet) with just the tiniest bit of alcohol heat. Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Moderate carbonation lends some assistance in scrubbing away all of those pesky sugars. Drinkability: While not exactly a classic of the style, it remains a sweet, pleasant dubbel.

Bottle from my dad. Dark brown colour. Really nice dubbel, caramel and really spicy aroma. Sweet, then bitter and sour/tart flavour. Overall a bit watery.

A 0.75 ceramic bottle (12/06) shared at Pikkulintu. Thanks Marjut. Apple and toffee in the nose. Pale reddish brown colour.. Pale head. SOme dark fruits in the nose. Also some medicinelike in the taste. A slight chocolate ion the taste.

(0.75 l ceramic bottle, bottled at 12/06, at Pikkulintu, Helsinki) Dark reddish brown. Hazy. Malts and sweetness in nose. Full bodied and soft palate with medium carbonation. Malts, raisin, sweetness, black currant, hint of roastedness and some syrup in taste. Malts, sweetness and some roastedness in aftertaste.