Strangely (considering we are a Belgian specialist importer!) Dubbels always seem a bit of an overlooked style. I can rattle off a string of Dubbels I really enjoy, and will certainly order when in Belgium. But this style of beer just doesn’t seem to attract the attention of the Aussie beer market, so we don’t bring a lot of them in.
So its about time we had another Dubbel in the packs, even if it is from a French brewery! ‘The Debauchery’ Brewery brew a full range of styles, including a handful having a Belgian influence.
Dubbels typically have a rich malty body with aroma and flavour of dark fruits, caramel malts, a little earthy minerality, low to medium bitterness with a good carbonation and fairly crisp mouthfeel.
I reckon this beer is a pretty good representation of the style. The aroma is deep and inviting, even if it isn’t packed full of Belgian yeast character. The flavour is rich without really being sweet, and the hop bitterness is probably at the top end of a low level. The aftertaste has a certain spicy prickle rather than a lingering hop bitterness.
I hope you enjoy your La Debauche Double Belge as much as I did!