La Trappe Dubbel (Koningshoeven / Dominus) - Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Gotten for a song at Premier Gourmet, made a great sharing with a business associate. While not as tasty as complex as the quad and trippel, it was tod rink slowly form like a fine wine. Strong alcohol and quality yeast aroma. Winish red-auburn colour. Initial head and retained thin lace. Moderate malt, with raspberry mid-sip.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2004 04:52:05 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.4/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Blood orange (when backlit) with Sunkist trim. Multiple bubbles can be seen feeding the underside of a caramel nougat colored crown that resembles meringue and is less than sticky. Other than a few scattered flecks of lace, the glass is untouched.

The nose is brown malty and smells like dried fruit (figs primarily) that has been plumped up with a mineral water soak. There isn't much yeastiness, nor is ther much complexity. Actually, the latter is probably due to the former. So far... not impressed.

Koningshoeven Dubbel is a less than outstanding version. Much less. It looks like the flavor score will come down to average vs. slightly above average. For the second of those to be achieved, the flavor profile will have to improve in the bottom half of the bottle.

There's too much metal, too much bitterness, not enough sweetness, and not enough depth. More malt and a more accomplished yeast strain is what this dubbel needs to be successful. Specific flavors include carob, steely caramel, unripe figs, severely bruised apples and a spent tea leaf bitterness that is out of place. The final pour results in much murkiness and (barely) pulls the flavor score to its final resting place.

The mouthfeel gets the job done, but it isn't anywhere near the usual Belgian excellence. It doesn't have enough creaminess or enough lift to be considered good.

Koningshoeven Quadrupel is one of the finest examples of the style that I've reviewed so far. Unfortunately, both Tilburg's Dutch Brown and Koningshoeven Dubbel fail to impress. If you're curious about the style, start elsewhere. If you love the style, I'd recommend leaving this one on the shelves.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2008 12:56:02 | More by BuckeyeNation

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2 ounce bottle - $4.79 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

It's been a good five years since I've last had a La Trappe, so let's see how they're doing these days! I vaguely recall either a 3 of 4-pack with a glass (that later broke). So many misty, watercolored memories!

Appearance: Pours a dark brownish-red, almost antique brick-hued body with a frothy, though somewhat short-lived, light beige head.

Smell: Dark malts and dark fruits tossed around in, appropriately enough, some dark syrup. Notes of dark sliced bread slathered in dark caramel and splashed with a bit of good, clean alcohol.

Taste: Dark, noticeably bready malts with a sweet, hearty brushing of both dark caramel and Dutch stroop. Meager hint of simple chocolate. Fruity mixture of dates, Concord grapes, and figs. Some woody hints along with a spicy dusting of finely ground pepper. A bit of alcohol heat on the semi-sweet, fruity, spicy finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-high carbonation.

Drinkability: Paired well with the 1920 silent film "The Parson's Widow" directed by Carl Th. Dreyer. Still though, it's not exactly the best Belgian Dubbel on the block, as it's beaten out just barely, at least for me, by both the Rochefort 6 and Chimay Red.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2009 03:22:35 | More by ChainGangGuy

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a dark brown color ale with a medium off-white foamy head with average retention. Aroma of sugary malt with some Belgian type yeast. Taste is really good with a nice mix between sweet caramel malt and fresh cookie with a touch of Belgian yeast. The mouthfeel is a creamy but also watery and I believe this is the main default of this beer. Body is way too thin for the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2005 19:42:11 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.13/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Undoubtedly, the best offering from Koningshoeven. Very Trapist worthy. Rusty color with a ligh haze and yeast 'floaties' swirling around. Rocky eggshell colored head sprinkled with spices. Robust malt and musk aromas with belgian famous tartness, earthiness and a little Oud Brune characteristics. Very sweet to taste with dates, grapes, nuts, berries, figs, and perhaps a little syrup and chocolate. A little sticky-sweet in the mouth. The sweetness helps the high carbonation to remain smooth and less alcoholic hot. Remains spicy throughout the finish and aftertaste. A little bite-ey toward the end, mainly due to yeast and husk. Still, tasty stuff.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2006 19:29:50 | More by BEERchitect

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A hazy, dark brown body reveals mahogany glints at the base of the goblet. The initially massive head of tan foam drops to a solid half-inch or more and leaves some very nice (but short lived) lace throughout the glass. In the nose some clear alcohol is present, though not bothersome; along with some rich malt, mild chocolate, soft dark fruit, and a dusting of delicate spiciness. It's gently zesty and then lightly creamy in the mouth as its warms; due to the combination of its medium body and very fine and lightly effervescent carbonation breaking out of suspension. The flavor is rich with soft and ripe dark fruit that's livened by a gently peppery spiciness. Sweetish toffee, caramel and chocolate appear in the finish; and the lingering aftertaste is dry with a residual fruity maltiness. Quite nice! This is possibly the shining star of the Koningshoeven line. The fermentation flaws that are more visible in the lighter bodied and more straightforward blonde and the "hotter" tripel are masked here - and even add character to it's peppery spiciness. Worth trying!

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2003 17:35:09 | More by NeroFiddled

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

An old favorite, and, dagnabbit, I always stick by my first loves...
Deep cherry red color, creeping into a purple, and a great, creamy, long-lasting head. The aroma is thick, full and rich with fruit, fresh and uplifting, citrusy, soft, and vinous (meaning:grapey, grapey, grapey). Lively alcoholic notes, but,still thoroughly mellow. Texture is also delicious, and smooth, and, well, this is not too complex, actually juuuust right. Extraordinarily drinkable. This is deep, rich, full, utterly delicious, with a long and lovely finish. Small bitterness, huge, sweet, malt component. Spicy, and smooth, and, well, not dazzling, but dependably delightful.

...
here's my take on the Koningshoven bottling, from some time in '02:
Appearance: deep, dark brown, with a smallish head. Looks good for a dubbel, but I've seen better.
Aroma: just right for style, a lovely, sweet, rich, chocolatey, fruity melange of deliciousness. Toasty, tasty, hoppy, and loaded with mouth-filling maltiness.
Very smooth and drinkable. A fairly nice dubbel, probably a notch or so below the LaTrappe bottlings. But having recently sampled the higher tier of dubbels (westveletern & such), the bar has been raised for my palate. A more affordable version of a very satisfying style of ale.
Their new slogan is a tickle, too: "Taste the Silence." Sure, I'll be doing that just after I dance to the architecture!

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2003 01:52:11 | More by feloniousmonk

zeff80

Missouri

3.93/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a deep brown color with a tan, foamy, one-finger head. Not much head retention and no lace.

S - It smelled of dried fruit. Also, a sweet smell of malt. There was a little yeast-like aroma, too.

T - The primary taste was a toasty malt. The fruit flavor was slightly understated. It had a bittersweet quality, too.

M - It was crisp and smooth. There was a somewhat warm feel from the alcohol.

D - A pretty good dubbel. Not bad considering it is not a true Belgian beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2007 15:59:23 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

3.8/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured dark brown into a snifter glass with lots of creamy brown head. The head died down into a thin layer of foam coating the surface. Very well carbonated.
S: Not very aromatic but the smell is sweet and malty.
T: Like the smell, there is malty sweetness in the taste with hints of caramel and toffee. There are some notes of dark fruits and other spices in the aftertaste. Overall, the taste is not overly complex.
M: Medium body taste with a smooth flavor due to the carbonation. The taste of alcohol is not apparent.
D; Very easy to drink, but I would probably sip one of these in a sitting given the sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2010 19:36:16 | More by metter98

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.6/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Sampled March 2007
Pours with a brilliantly clear, dark amber, purple-plum color. It is topped by an initially three-finger thick, amber-tinged, tan head. The aroma has a musty, almost woody spiciness to it; notes of clove, a touch of allspice, damp bark, cola nut, and perhaps a touch of wet cardboard.

The beer is fairly sweet, yet has a subtle dusty chocolate note. Quite a bit of fruit is here as well, with predominantly a raisin / fig note that is accentuated a bit by the light malt sweetness. There is a touch of cola character here as well as a more typical clove character and a touch of ginger in the finish. Really though the dark, concentrated fruit note are the dominant flavor here. This brew never approaches sticky though, and is in fact quite light overall and fairly easy drinking.

Not a bad beer, and considering that Dubbels are my least favorite Belgian-type beer, well it is even drinkable

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2007 21:36:01 | More by Gueuzedude

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This Dubbel pours out as a earthy brown color with a cream colored head. The head lasts for a little while. The smell is of dark fruits, earth and yeast. The taste follows up with the same qualities as the smell. The mouthfeel is smooth and silky, not much carbonation but had a good medium body to it. Overall I'm not a huge fan of Dubbels but this one worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 02:35:33 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.1/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle with indiscernible date stamp pours a reddish chestnut with 3 fingers of sand colored head. Great lacing & nice head retention

S: Nice chocolate notes, pus some subdued caramel

T: Caramel, a slight iron flavor & some herbal hops up front. Toasted grain, a kiss of brown sugar & breadyness are there as this warms. Dryness, leather & tobaacco notes follow. Finishes with some roasted grainyness, oaky dryness, treacle, warming booze, caramel, cinamon & a little bit of apple skin ( a little detracting). Really improved as it warmed, except for the weird apple skin thing...

MF: Medium bodied, vinious & very low carbonation

Drank very easy, dubbels are my favorite trappist-style. Having said that, probably middle of the pack for dubbels (still nice to quaff& would happily session on this)

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2007 04:20:09 | More by russpowell

Gavage

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer poured a dark brown color with a thin head. There was a sweet malt aroma that aroused the senses. The beer had moderate body with good carbonation. The taste was of sweet malts with hints of chocolate that came through during the swallow. The malt lingers on the tongue for a bit, but dissolves quickly. The alcohol was not very noticeable. This dubbel is worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2003 00:05:38 | More by Gavage

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Well lookie here. I found me a "La Trappe" dubbel. My understanding is that the La Trappe is the old label of what is now the Koningshoeven line. Either way...onward!

Pours an extremely dark ruby brown with minimal head after a minute. The nose smells like my mother’s chocolate chip cookies. Touch of cherries. Sugar is there, but that is part of momma’s chocolate chip cookies. Malty subdued flavor that has a caramelized sugar edge to it. Seems to be lacing something. Perhaps this bottle is beyond it’s life. Feel is thin to standard. Not all the way bubbly, but still seems to be missing something. Drinkable I guess. I am wondering if this bottle is too old.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2007 22:08:16 | More by RblWthACoz

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Rocky beige head; Light brown color. Reasonably clear.

Very sweet; Lots of brown sugar. Too coy for my nose. Horse blanket smell.

Slightly soured cherry taste. Less sweet on the tongue. Rich sugary body. Good carbonation. Too sweet for my tastes, but one can tell it is well made.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 20:26:45 | More by smcolw

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From my notes 6/6/2007 pours one-finger light tan head that fades quickly to a ring leaving a good lace. Deep mahogany color. Caramel nose. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Flavor is a nutty brown and some caramel. On-tap for €2.40 ($3.29) for a 250ml chalice from Corner House Cafe Amsterdam, NL.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2007 21:18:44 | More by jdhilt

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a chalice)
A- This beer has a dense warm brown body with a strong carbonation of big bubbles gliding up the side. There is a bubbly creamy light tan head that last for the full beer.
S- The caramel malt sweetness has notes of raisins and some darker fruit esters. There is a light clove note and warms with a touch of chocolate and a toasted malt note.
T- The slightly woody quality is well blended with specialty malt flavors and some raisins and dried fruit complexity. There is a soft spice note and a nice alcohol heat in the finish. The rich and complex malt lingers with a faint green hint in the finish and some dried cherry flavors come through as the beer warms.
M- There is a medium-full mouthfeel with a full fizz and a very soft alcohol heat present.
D- This is a great balanced and complex malt forward beer that has everything in balance. There are some oxidative notes that get in the way a bit but still this very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2010 16:26:40 | More by rhoadsrage

Jason

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: 11.2 oz slender euro style brown bottle with raised glass above the label. No freshness date.

Appearance: Dark leather brown in colour with a thin light tan lace that sticks around for a while.

Smell: Wildly phenolic with a medicinal aroma, slight tartness with hints of lemon rind.

Taste: Medium bodied with a rounded crisp and smooth mouth feel. Spicy peppery clovish palate from the alcohol and yeast which is enhanced by the carbonation. Light tartness and a hint of chocolate add to the complexities, the spiciness tingles the tongue right into the finish and the alcohol warms the mouth a bit. Hops are very subdued and don’t even make a fuss to appear. As this beer warms up a little more of the malted grain and chocolate flavour becomes more apparent.

Notes: A prime example of the style, flavours meld together perfectly with out becoming confusing or vague. A semi sharp cheddar would make a ideal pairing.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2002 11:50:09 | More by Jason

Billolick

New York

4.13/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Small bottle from a gift set box, which included the nice glass I'm sampling from.No freshness indication. Pours pretty clear, light-medium chocolate amber, with a roasted garlic colored head, leaving stringy lacing. Nose is distinctly of cola, also some vanilla and fruits mixed in. Fairly light bodied for a double, moderate carbonation. Sweet brew with notes of caramel, smoky raisins, gingerbread cookies and Belgian yeasty goodness. Nice easy drinking Dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2005 19:33:36 | More by Billolick

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appears a dark opaque mahogany with a dense, 3 finger beige head. Streams of CO2 rise along the edges of the tulip glass. Thick chunks of lacing are scattered along the outer rims.
Smell is of doughy yeast, cocoa powser, plums, grapes, with notes of black cherries, and brown sugar.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas with candied cherries and wood fired, caramelized grain note.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied with dryness lingering of cherrywood and plums with a cocoa powder finishing it off. A fine level of carbonation mixes with a warming, bready feel. Nice.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2007 20:45:56 | More by weeare138

Bighuge

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer is a murky looking brown color. It pours a fizzy champagne-like beige head. Fruit, caramel, figs and dates on the nose. Taste is heavy on the figs and dates. Some minor molasses tones mixed in as well as phenolic content, slight alcohol and just a tinge of vanilla. Body is light to medium. Nice little Trappist ale here.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2002 20:40:24 | More by Bighuge

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a dark ruby/ brown with a bthin beige head that quickly dissolves into a lacing that lasts throughout. Aroma of dark berries, roasted malt, yeast and alcohol. High carbonation up front that loses its intensity as the beer wamrs up. Sweet hints of raisin, plum, grape, black cherries and malty chocolate/caramel with a slightly dry finish..

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2008 08:16:31 | More by corby112

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.38/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Max's today.

The beer pours something of an amber brown color with good head retention and lacing. The nose is the prototypical Belgian dubbel (at least in the good ones), showing brown sugar, sweet ice tea and cola in what smells as if it will be a fairly sweet beer. On the palate, this is about as good as it gets in a Belgian dubbel. While on the sweet side, I just love the sweet lemon ice tea, brown sugar, cola, caramel and spice. The combination together is just terrific. Mouthfeel is sweet, rich, smooth and just mouthfilling. Despite the sweetness, drinkability is still very high. There's nothing heavy or tiring on the palate, and no hint of alcohol.

The dubbel style is not among my favorites when it comes to Belgian ales, but this beer is the exception to the general rule. Maybe it's the cola and ice tea that balances the sweetness so well, but whatever... this is just a very fine beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-09-2010 22:19:48 | More by johnmichaelsen

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.38/5  rDev -14%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Brown 33cl bottle, label different to the one on this review page. Best before May 2009, drank in March 2007. 7% alcohol, not the 6.50% quoted on here.

Poured into my Straffe Hendrik chalice glass, it looks very good.

Dark ruby red, very slight haze from a bit of sediment that got up from the bottom of the bottle. Light brown head which started out full and half an inche thick, but fell away fairly fast to a thin covering.

Yeast and sweet toffe aroma, with caramel and toasted malts.

I love Trappist Dubbels, this isn't as strong in flavour compared to most, but is still good, rich and fairly sweet, yet smooth and refreashing too.

The most watery of the trappist Dubbels by far, but still a lot better than most Abbey beer copies.

Westmalle Dubbel knocks spots off this beer in my eyes, but it is still a very drinkable beer. This was a fairly young beer, I have one more left, I intend to age it and see what it is like in a couple of years time.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2007 19:37:46 | More by BlackHaddock

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330ml Trappist-embossed brown bottle purchased from Steve's Cool Booze in Kingsford.

Pours a deep ruby-brown colour, quite hazed, but light enough to ensure the red filters through when held to the light. Head fizzles up in a beige-crest to begin with, but settles down to a minimal film of small bubbles. Body looks very light and a little thin, No lacing to speak of. Overall, it's decent, without being particularly captivating.

Nose is pleasant, with rounded Belgian esters providing some banana and dried fruits, and spicy pepper characters giving a rich Christmas pudding note. Some background notes of red wine and oak come through pleasantly as well, making a deeper complexity possible. It's really quite nice.

The taste is slightly thinner, but where this leaves some of the round, sweet characteristics behind, it allows the spicy, phenolic spicy characters to rise up. There's pepper, cinnamon spices on the front, with some boozy, slightly astringent characters towards the end: tannic red wine and slightly charred oak finish up. There's a bitterness towards the back too, but more from the booze and the astringency than any real hop character. It's more like the bitterness that comes from a little too much spice.

Feel is light, but helped along by some of the flavours, which have quite a textural element to them.

Overall, this is very decent stuff. I tend to be quite a fan of dubbels in any case, but I'm happy to say that the La Trappe's Dubbel is the best of their standard range I've yet had (with the Quad to come). Nice stuff.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 03:53:34 | More by lacqueredmouse