Arbor Brewing Phat Abbot Belgian Dubbel - Arbor Brewing Company

optimistictour

Michigan

4.35/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First of all, I've become a recent convert to the wide range of style, depth, and taste of Belgian brews. Especially the dubbels, of which this one is a particularly vibrant example.

Poured into my pint glass there's a finger and a half of head, tops, which quickly receded into a slight ring and all but disappeared not halfway through. Normally this would take the visual score down a whole notch but the beautiful deep dark - yet inviting - texture really sets this one apart. Darker than most Belgians I've sampled, it's still nowhere near the black hole appearance of a stout or porter. This is pretty much what I could hope a beer of this sort to look like.

Smelling only faintly like it contains any bite at all, this brew gives off hints of fruit, spices, and the tiniest whisp of smokiness while actually masking the normally semi-pungent Belgian yeast odor. Not that that's a bad thing; it's actually more inviting than some half its strength.

When it hits my tongue the real magic starts. This one starts on the tip of my taste buds with the familiar citrus note of most Belgians I've tried, yet instantly moves on like some high-speed film, whisking my mouth through a cornucopia of textures and tastes from apples (especially green apples) to grapes to... well mostly on the sour end of the fruit spectrum. But that's fully balanced by the smoky, rich velvety texture coating my entire mouth - a texture that doesn't linger an inordinate amount of time; just enough to speak it's mind and move along.

All in all, Phat Abbot dubbel is a beer I'd gladly gulp down 2 or 3 or 6 of in one sitting. It's got a great balance of sour and hearty tastes, a nostril-opening smell and enviable looks. Thankfully the 8% abv becomes readily apparent after one bottle so I wouldn't actually make the mistake of draining a whole pack at once. Simply put, the taste feels refreshing enough to quench thirst. If only it could!

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2010 05:47:42 | More by optimistictour

HarmonMW

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -2%

05-11-2013 23:52:14 | More by HarmonMW

Danielr26

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -9%

03-19-2013 21:46:45 | More by Danielr26

superspak

Michigan

3.8/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into chalice, no bottle dating. Pours very hazy dark reddish brown color with a 1 finger fairly dense cream colored head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with some light streaming carbonation. Aromas of raisin, banana, prune, clove, pepper, molasses, toast, caramel, candi sugar, dark bread, and earthy yeast spiciness. Nice aromas with good complexity and balance of malt, fruity, and spicy ester notes; fairly strong on the spicy and earthiness. Taste of raisin, prune, banana, molasses, toast, caramel, clove, pepper, dark bread, candi sugar, and earthy yeast spiciness. Lingering notes of dark fruit, banana, molasses, toast, clove, pepper, caramel, dark bread, candi sugar, and earthy yeast spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance of malt, dark fruit, and spicy ester flavors; with good complexity and zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a lightly slick, earthy, and fairly crisp mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very good dubbel style. Nice complexity and balance of flavors; and very smooth to sip on. A nicely enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 04:22:55 | More by superspak

TheBeerDad

Michigan

4/5  rDev +12%

01-09-2013 17:21:08 | More by TheBeerDad

SportsandJorts

Michigan

3.7/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

reviewing a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. i have had it on tap before and bottled multiple times though.

appearance- a deep brown. very small tannish head that faded quickly left behind a lacing.

smell- strong maltyness, and a little bit of yeast and some raisons

taste- follows the nose pretty well. strong malts, the yeast and raisons come in stronger that the nose.

mouthfeel- medium body, not very carbonated.

overall- a good, but not great dubbel. i would certainly drink it again but am not going to search desperately for it. I paid ~$12 for a 6 pack and had it on tap for $4 for a 12oz serving at Arbor Brewing

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 15:54:34 | More by SportsandJorts

Rostie

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +19%

12-17-2012 11:31:20 | More by Rostie

Acuity

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -9%

11-10-2012 19:33:49 | More by Acuity

Biffster

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer is a deep mahogany dark brown with copper and golden highlights. I poured the beer in a snifter to sample. It is clear but not brilliantly so, and it has a fairly quickly dissipating tawny head that clings to the glass.

There is a big dark malt aroma. Lots of dark ripe fruit like cherry and strawberry, along with strong raisin and even plum and a touch of prune come through along with notes of cocoa and a touch of caramel as it warms. There is a strong dark bread crust aroma and notes of toasted wheat bread. There are lots of inky clovey phenols, along with estery bubble gum and circus peanut like notes.

The beer is sweet and raisiny at the sip and moderately to strongly spicy without being hot. There is a strong graham cracker and caramel taste that is dried by the peppery spiciness. THe spicy dryness counters the malt sweetness well all the way back and the the beer is predominantly spicy at the swallow, with a bracing but not overpowering warmth and spicy bitterness in the finish.

The body is medium to medium full. The carbonation is actually medium, but seems lower because of the creamy nature and the bigger body. There is some alcohol warming but it is not hot or solventy at all.

I had every intentions of giving this a lower score when I opened it. Ive had it on tap at the brewery a long time ago and remember not being overly impressed I remember a fuller bodied, cloying and lower carbonated beer. This, I have to say, is tasty, balanced, and a pretty solid example of the style.

More importantly, the big malt and moderate creamy bitterness is screaming for food. This would be a great pair with everything from a peppery pork loin to steak to pot roast. Its body and carbonation would do well with sausage or even a saucy noodle dish like stroganoff. It would probably handle chili or stew pretty handily too.

I dont think this is a particularly extreme or classic example, but I am seriously impressed with this beer as a great rendering of a serviceable and tasty Belgian Dubble.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 03:48:07 | More by Biffster

DrinkMoreBigBeers

Michigan

3.05/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

No Date on the bottle of this one. Does not really matter for the style but still would be nice.

A - It poured out a really dark brown with little head that died off fast. Head completely disappears after a minute or so. When held up to the light you can see it through the edges of this one. Not very appealing.

S - This one has dark fruit, figs, raisins, also some bready notes brown sugar. Smells like a typical dubbel without anything out of the ordinary.

T - This one is relatively sweet with the typical dark fruit and dark cherries. I do not detect the alcohol on this except on the back end of my pallet and in my belly. The flavors hit quit fast then leave relatively quick from the carbonation. Not as satisfying as most Dubbel's I have had.

M - The mouth feel is light bodied and has a nice bite of carbonation which fits the style. I wish it was not so watery. Relatively disappointing here.

O - This is a nice easy drinking Dubbel comming in at 8%. Goes down easy and would probably be nice one to get a feel for the style. However there is nothing here that stands out, and I wish Abor Brewing would date their bottles. Try it if you have not had to many Dubbel's, and want to see what they are like.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 21:17:02 | More by DrinkMoreBigBeers

YCantWeNotBeSober

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +5%

08-05-2012 16:46:57 | More by YCantWeNotBeSober

Ohiovania

Ohio

3/5  rDev -16%

01-09-2012 06:53:20 | More by Ohiovania

imperialking

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +5%

01-08-2012 22:22:27 | More by imperialking

Giggy

Michigan

3.2/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark brown with a redish hue. Darker than what I expected. Similar appearance to a stout. Very little head.

S: Smells of dark fruits, prunes, & raisens. Dark sugars, brown and mollasses. Fruit bread.

T: Tast is much more mild than what I expected, especially in comparison to the appearance. Slight citrus and roasted malts. Chocolate dominates with a sour finish.

M: Medium body. Creamy. Little carbonation.

O: Not impressive as a Belgian

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 00:58:56 | More by Giggy

TasteTester

Ohio

4/5  rDev +12%

12-17-2011 01:48:27 | More by TasteTester

Monkeyknife

Missouri

3.48/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle a dark dirty bronze with a thin ring of tan head. No lacing left behind.

Aroma of dark ripe fruit, Belgian yeast and candy sugar.

Soft taste of tart raspberries, dark caramel malts, sugar and yeast.

Thinner bodied and wet with a light carbonation.

A bit of a disappointment and not one of my favorites from Arbor Brewing.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2011 00:26:55 | More by Monkeyknife

TheStove

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Belgian (St. Bernardus) beer glass.

Pours nice and brown having a cola like appearance with initial head during pour that quickly fades into a thin layer. Almost looks like a stout.

An initial smell is quite enticing. Fruit flavors (a bit of plum or raisin?) and nice candy sugar come through the nose initially. A few repeated smells almost have me thinking cherries as the similarity to red wine seems not too far off.

Excellent flavors as those fruits and yeast hit right away. It's sweet through the sip with some very slight hop taste noticeable at the end. Otherwise flavors of candy and fruit pervade the beverage. Enjoyable mouth feel, nice and airy but with some syrupy qualities to keep the flavors sitting on your tongue. I'd call it faithful to the style.

A great take on a dubbel. It seems like any Belgian style beer released in six packs ends up being some half-assed attempt however this is enjoyable. Not as complex as the top line of Dubbels but will do in a pinch if it's available and you're on a budget.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 07:19:41 | More by TheStove

homebrew311

Illinois

2.53/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured into Bruery snifter.

A: pours cloudy dark brown with reddish hues. Seems a bit dark and brown for the style. The head is relatively lifeless, minimal lacing.

S: sweet malts come through along with some surprising notes of dark chocolate. Some raisin in there as well. I'm missing Belgian yeast character. Seems a bit off for the style.

T: the taste is reletively bland. The chocolate character shows up again along with some plum, raisin and a touch of of Belgian character. Again, this is underwhelming for the style. Seems to be very tame. Nothing offensive tasting here, just nothing exciting.

MF: carbonation is low, body is medium

O: I would pass this one up... this is a poor representation of a "trappist style dubbel" as the label claims. It is definitely different than others with the chocolately notes, but doesn't seem to represent the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 05:49:26 | More by homebrew311

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes. On tap December 09.

Pours a dark chestnut with a garner hue and an off white to tan head that leaves some sticky lace rings. Nose brigs a bit of dark fruit but is fairly faint. Taste brngs much more, adding in raisins, brown sugar, and a bit of booze. Feel is bit light and hot, but overall this drinks pretty well.

Serving type: on-tap

10-12-2010 11:38:04 | More by Thorpe429

icetraxx

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: A dark murky brown with a half finger head that quickly evaporates into a cap. I can't see much light through it. 4

S: An entire smorgasbord of aromas come off this one: banana, pear, apple, licorice, molasses, agave nectar, belgian yeast funk, and even some varnish-like esters make way. This definitely smells like a beer that I want to drink. 4

T: The taste starts with some subtly fruity esters that make way for a restrained level of classic Belgian yeast. Malty, yet never sweet. The finish is clean and dry, with a slight lingering bitter chocolate undertone. There is also a hint of roasted malt in the flavor profile, that reminds me of an imperial stout. There are numerous other flavors that I am having trouble describing, but are quite pleasant. The aftertaste has a coffee/toffee like flavor which makes me want to take another sip. The flavor does not hold up side by side with Westy 8, FYI . 4

M: Medium to almost heavy bodied with a velvety creaminess. Nicely carbonated and properly bottle conditioned. 4.5

D: Very easy to drink. I could easily drink a second. 4.5

O: A good dubbel that I will follow up with a 2 year old Westy 8. That is probably not a fair comparison.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2010 05:22:44 | More by icetraxx

Evocatus

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark brown with no head. Smells fruity, but not citrusy. More along the lines of apples. Taste had a mix of apples, sweet raisins, and a little woodiness to it. A little bit thinner than what I expect a dubbel to be, but nothing terrible. for an 8%, the alcohol kick was surprisingly absent.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2010 03:17:21 | More by Evocatus

kbeals

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beer pours out with about 3 fingers of tan, fizzy head on top. Not much lacing but decent head retention. The beer is very dark on the top and fades to sort of a dark amber color on the bottom. Smells are of malts, dark fruits, and a touch of alcohol. Almost reminds me of grape juice. Taste is mostly fruity and tart, a bit of a malty finish touched off with an alcoholic warmth left in the chest. This beer was very carbonated, and light to medium bodied. Overall, it wasn't bad, I might try it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2009 14:26:52 | More by kbeals

GRPunk

Michigan

2.23/5  rDev -37.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bottle poured into a tulip glass.

A- Minimal head drops to a very light lace as soon as it's poured. There are some decent sticky spots left on the glass. The body is a deep, dark brown that nears black.

S- The overwhelming aroma of sour apple rushes to the forefront. Some raisin scents peek through with a bit of an alcohol accent.

T- The flavor was a little boozy. More of the green apple tones come through in the taste. I feel like there is a raisin-like flavor that's trying to work its way through, but it's just enveloped in the sour taste and overwhelming alcohol.

M- It had a bit of a bite from both the alcohol and the sour flavor.

D- It's rather harsh. It's not an easy drinker and I don't know that I'd want to give it another try.

Overall- I tried to review this beer the other night and stopped because I thought I got a bad bottle. After hitting up another store, I thought I'd give it a second try. Unless the entire batch is bad, I'm not impressed by this beer. The only other explanation is they introduced some funky yeast in an attempt to mix up the style. If I come across this one in the future, I'd be more than willing to re-review, but I feel I've dropped enough coin at this point to warrent the review.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2009 02:13:44 | More by GRPunk

drxandy

Michigan

3.65/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz to tulip glass, pours a nice brown/reddish shade, foamy tight laced bubbled head fades fairly quickly, looks pretty good

smells of belgian yeast, malty breadiness, dark fruit sweetness

taste is of figgy sweet heavy yeastliness, alcohol is hidden well but shows itself in the finish, low carbonation, creamy, appley, wood, interesting take on a dubble

mouthfeel is a lot going on, slight bitterness, slight sweetness, somewhat dry finish, lots of nuances of different flavors, heavily focused on the yeast, overall an interesting beer

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2009 20:26:24 | More by drxandy

BierFan

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a Duvel tulip glass.

Appearance: Black with a small tan head. The head drops kinda fast to a thin layer. Doesn't look that impressive.

Smell: Dark sweet fruits and alcohol. The alcohol dominates the smell as it warms.

Taste: Some sweet figgy taste with alcohol.

Overall it was ok, but I was hoping for something more complex.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2009 05:52:18 | More by BierFan