by Mokke Bier
A Belgian Dubbel is such a staple of most Belgian brewery portfolios, and such a regular offering in the bars and cafes, that you can sometimes become complacent in the face of this style.
With all the focus on hops, it is a nice change up to have a beer that is all about the malt. And that is what you get from this beer.
The beer pours a slightly cloudy mahogany, and has quite a subdued aroma, even with the Belgian yeast.
Four different malts combine for a lovely sweetness early. The flavour of caramel, prunes and a bit of dark chocolate is strong. Behind that there are hints of licorice, peach, banana and a woody note. There is also a minerality to the subtle spice notes and a hint of something slightly sour right on the finish.
It isn’t a classic Belgian Dubbel, though it has most of the standard characteristics. The earthy minerality and sour note make this something a little different, but very enjoyable.