Westmalle Dubbel

Brewed by Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Malle, Belgium

This trappist poured with frothy head and approached qualities of the better trappist dubbels I’ve had. The only difference was the Westmalle had a distinct bitter taste and aftertaste that the others don’t. I assumed this was inadvertant, so it knocked the score down. Still, this brew is excellent in flavor and richness for the genre. Unfortunately, it’s the same price as it’s best competitors @ $5.49 a bottle.

Pours a dark brown. Farily smooth, but a little bit of bitterness throughout the beer. Chocolate and slighty fruity in flavor. Got a little better as it warmed up just a little bit. A very good beer, but there are better beers out there of this type.

Bottle from me noodle sister. The Tripel had long been a real favourite of mine, had the dubbel a couple of times before. Nice but not being a huge fan of dubbel’s, there are others I would prefer to drink if I had the choice. Without choice (like being in Bollington or some similar type hole) you’d rob a bottle of this when they aren’t looking. A little bit watery for my preference in dubbel’s, a little bit dissapointed but I did have high hopes. Still tasty. And it was my birthday.

08/12 0.33 l bottle at Scout Irish Pub in Samobor. Poured reddish brown body with medium ebony head. Sourish malty aroma of dark fruits, specially raspberry and plums. Nice. Bittersweet flavor, quite fruity and yeasty with caramel following the aroma, but it was quite watery, which ruins also the finish which was short, but still, quite nice fruity. I didn’t reach expectations, which were high for this one, as their Tripel was fantastic when I had it.

12oz. bottle. Pours a thick, dark brown with a thin, grey head that dissipates quickly. Heavy aromas of roasted malts, plums, sweet fruits, with hints of caramel. Taste is of bitter hops, sour fruit, and yeast with some caramel and warm alcohol to finish. Mouthfeel is crisp and sharp with some strong carbonation. Good stuff

THOUGHTS: Just like the Trippel, but a dubbel. Nice but not great. More chocolate as it warmed. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a nearly opaque, muddy, medium brown with orange highlights and an average to large, off-white head that mostly diminished. The aroma was moderatel caramel malt and milk chocolate with moderate yeast and some dark fruit, plus something slightly unpleasant. The initial flavor was moderately sweet and lightly acidic, while the finish was moderately to heavily sweet and lightly acidic and bitter with an average duration. The flavor was chocolate, yeast and a little spice. The flavor drops off a little at the the end. The medium body was slightly syrupy but dry with very fizzy carbonation.

Still sets the standard for abbey dubbels. Its malty, dark-fruit character gives way to more hops when found on draft. Great with steak or beef stew. Very pretty beer.

Bottle at Firewaters in Atlantic City. Pours a deep brown color with amber highlights into the trappist glass. A quick inch of head and Belgian lace stuck around awhile. Fruity notes accompanied the malty, yeasty scents on the nose. A very complex taste with several flavors rushing the palate. A nice balance between sweet and bitter with fruit, sugar, spices and malt. Excellent smooth finish.