Witkap Pater Dubbel

Brewed by Brouwerij Slaghmuylder
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Ninove, Belgium

Ohh, Jeepers-creepers, a top ten if ever I tasted it. I downed plenty of these, enough to rid the bar of bottles and for me sadly to later have me move onto other things. This was unquestionably good stuff. Damn, my rating started small by number but just kept climbing with each bottle, and that in itself is rare (many a beer rates highly in small doses, only good ones last!).
From the bottle into its own shallow chalice @ Cambrinus, Rotterdam, Holland.
Shimmering in the dull lit bar this ruby red ale presented itself, quite bright indeed just a few fine streams of carbonation could be deciphered in the silhouette upon the sides of the glass. Head was full, firm and rocky upon the first glassful. Sandy in colour and managing to wake some wickedly artistic, solid lacing. Aroma is deeply fruity, vinous and ripe, and it really tickles the nostrils and excites. It bares notes of plums, ripe, sweet tangerines, tart cranberries and equally tart, under-ripe red wine grapes. In the mouth it is wonderfully vinous, almost medicinal and yields such a wonderful amount of spicy fruit in its otherwise medium-short body. Back of the palate is sharp, but balanced with a beautifully rounded ’zing’ of bitter, overcooked fruit. Dry in the back, some malt shines through here, before a very long, satisfying, wine-like fruity swallow that leaves the palate excited and anticipating each ensuing mouthful. Best of both worlds this is warming, mellowing like a good Dubbel, but in a strange parallel it is quaffable and refreshing. Yes!!!. I, pure and simple, loved this. When you need a release that only comes from each slow follow-on mouthful, you know the ale is a damn good one. Lovely!!! (33cL, 09/06 -09/05 [more bottles as explained], Cambrinus, Rotterdam)

Deep maroon brown colour, thin head. Malty aroma with hints of fruit. Flavour has different layers of rich fruit and malt. Texture is smooth and a little oily. Aftertaste is the same as the main flavour of the beer which makes it very moorish.

Dark brown colour, fluffy thin lasting head, full,..with lots of the whole garden, thin mattalic of old carton-parts. Very nice full charactar one.

Tap at The Palm Tavern. I had 2 glasses this was so good. The beer pours to a murky brown body with a white head. The aroma is sweet Belgian yeast and malt with some tobacco and complex brown sugars. Sweet tobacco malts throughout the aroma and flavors. Perhaps some earthy fruits. Clean Belgian yeasts and nice light hops. The palate is sweet but finishes really clean. For lack of a better term, this is a lawnmower beer and would be nicely enjoyed on a hot summer day.

Very very good beer. Wonderful to drink in company...specially when you have a lot of time.

Clean dark amber color; huge, rocky, persistent, creamy head; fine perlage. Aroma of malt, lovely hop flowers, tobacco. Malty taste, with a lot of caramel, quite sweet in the late stage; ends with some sweetness and a surprising aromatic hopping. Pure; excellent.

From bottle at Camargue, Antwerpen. Very dark brown with a creamy, tan head that leaves nice lacing. Great raisins and nut aroma. Nose is promising chocolate and rum as well. Chocolate flavours move to the front, followed by slightly tart berries. The taste remains on the sweet side. Surprisingly light body for all the flavours, but still decent. Positively surprised by this beer.It is also well beyond its best before-date (June 2004?)

Dark brown with a frothy head. Very strong dark taste for a dubbel, reminds me of a quadrupel, which I like a lot!