Wednesday, December 7th, 2011
An Abbey Ale that’s in Double Trouble in more ways than one.
Holgate Brewhouse has created this beer to be a shining example of a Belgian Abbey Ale or Dubbel, but as I’ve found time and time again those crafty Belgian monks aren’t easily upstaged. A Dubbel style beer by definition usually will have an alcohol range somewhere between 6-8% ABV, be rich in malts and have a mild or understated hop bitterness. Double Trouble has all of the above and sits at the top end of the scale with 8% alcohol per volume and an IBU of 38. It is a limited release beer that only comes in 330ml bottles at the cost of around $5 a bottle.
Double Trouble has a big caramel malt aroma mixed with dark fruits like raisins. It is copper in appearance with a half inch off white head that unfortunately disappears to leave no lacing or beading. The bottle I opened seemed well under carbonated and almost flat which was disappointing to find. You can certainly taste an abundance of dark malts in this beer though it all comes through too alcohol like for me. The smell and taste of this beer both had an almost burning sensation like having a shot of whiskey. Holgate recommends trying this beer with sticky desserts or cheese platters.
In my opinion this beer has nothing on a real Belgian Dubbel like Westmalle Dubbel. Plus when you consider for an extra $2 you can pick up the real thing imported all the way from Belgium, why wouldn’t you! Please try Double Trouble for yourself and make your own mind up on whether the Aussies or Belgians do it better.
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts: 8% alcohol – 330ml brown bottle – Pop Top
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Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
It’s been about four months since I reviewed my last Westmalle and that was the Tripel. This time round it’s the Dubbel which weighs in at a lighter 7% alcohol per 330ml volume.
Westmalle Dubbel is available year round at selected bottle shops and is slightly cheaper than the Tripel at around $7 a bottle but be wary when purchasing to check the best before date as a lot of these bottles seem to have sat around for a while. I need to make mention that the bottle I purchased & later reviewed here had a best before date of 24th February 2011 which was unknown to myself and is something I am in the process of chasing up with the supplier. Fortunately for me though this brew undergoes a secondary fermentation process inside the bottle and like most other Belgium beer does appear to get better with age. It is also available in 750ml bottles though I have yet to see one and they say it gives the beer ‘a more subtle aftertaste’ not that I found anything wrong with this at all.
It pours a massive flowing cream coloured head with tightly packed bubbles that slowly subsides to leave a lovely consistent coverage of lacing. The beer is a dark, rich-brown in appearance and allows no light to seep through. It is perfectly carbonated. The aroma is woody and almost oak-cask like and has wafts of dark fruit like that of a plum. The taste is filling and warming. It’s full of biscuit and toffee malts along with the dark fruit notes which are well blended together. A very pleasant beer to drink and one that I would like to try more of – though perhaps next time a bottle that hasn’t past its best before date.
Personally I found this brew more enjoyable & drinkable to its stronger relative the Tripel, probably due to the fact it was exceptionally smooth on all the senses. I highly recommend giving this Belgium a go, you won’t be disappointed – even if your bottled has passed its best before date!
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts: 7.0% alcohol – 330ml brown bottle – Pop top
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