Abbey Belgian Style Ale - New Belgium Brewing

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Very creamy foamy head on amber brandyish body, a bit of yeast sediment as expiration date in 2 more months. Fruity yeasty aroma and taste. Very creamy mouthfeel like whipped cream. Tangy fruitiness and hops kick finish so that aftertaste is melange of malty, yeasty and moderately bitter. Very enjoyable American version that stands up there with Ommegang and Unibroue. Only 7%.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2006 03:45:57 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.38/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Particulate-laden orangish bronze with a monumental head of creamysoft beige foam. The cap begins its slow motion descent as surface bubbles languidly pop, resulting in random squiggles of soapy lace. The color is on the lighter end of the dubbel scale, but is plenty pleasing to the eye.

The nose is dominated by Belgian yeast. No surprise since 'an authentic Belgian yeast strain' is in use according to the label. Clove spice is dominant. It isn't as brown malty as expected, nor as fruity. A little more power would be great.

The flavor is wonderful and changes in fascinating ways over the course of each sip. It's malty sweet with a spunky carbonation out of the chute, is darkly fruity and spicy on the backstretch and develops a deepening, expanding burst of fruit and spice--and warming alcohol--at the wire. It also improves noticeably with warming. The mouthfeel is incredibly well-mannered with a smooth richness that retains a light elegance thanks to a perfect amount of carbonation.

Abbey Belgian Style Ale (the name is too generic) is a wonderful homage to the original dubbels of Belgium. It's no Westvleteren 8, but is unquestionably the best American-brewed dubbel that has ever crossed my lips. New Belgium's best? Even though I haven't tried their entire lineup, it's hard to imagine that they could top this.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2005 15:08:23 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured a nice reddish brown with a big off white head. Nice slow fade left a good quarter inch film on top. No significant lace, but good audible carbonation.

S - Smell was full of dark fruity esthers. Notes of figs and raisins were quite noticeable as well a nice well rounded belgian spiceness and a hint of pears as it warmed.

M & T - First impression was a great feel on this one. Very smooth with awesome carbonation. Very lively when sipping. Hints of figs apples, peaches, pears, raisens were all readily apparent. A slight touch of alcohol could be found but was not distracting in the least.

D - Overall a really nice belgian ale and a good quality drinker. Very sessionable and a new favorite from New Belgium for sure.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2007 00:05:07 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the brewery. August 2009. Reviewed from notes.

Pours an amber-red with a light tan head. Good lacing. Nose brings forward some spice with dark fruits and a bit of bread. Taste brings some fairly strong yeast characteristics to the front with some dates and raisins. Slight alcohol presence. Good body with a bit of heat. Drinks fairly well fresh but could probably use some time.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2010 01:35:49 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

4.2/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Best by 4/21/13.

Pours a clear copper with a foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, spices, Belgian yeast, and a very nice banana bread aroma. Taste is much the same with a banana bread flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer with a great smell and some tasty flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 04:13:57 | More by UCLABrewN84

brentk56

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy dark amber color with garnet highlights; not much head, decent retention and lacing

Smell: Nice fruity aroma - bananas, plums and pears along with some peppery spice

Taste: Starts with a nice fruity flavor that builds through to the finish but remains rather dry, unlike many Belgian dubbels; nice yeasty aspect as well

Mouthfeel: Just perfect for a Belgian style - soft, medium bodied with plenty of carbonation; some warming on the finish

Drinkability: A very nice American interpretation of the Belgian style that goes in its own direction

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2006 23:06:13 | More by brentk56

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.05/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle - I lost my receipt! from Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia. Well, actually, I sent it through the shredder.

Appearance: Pours out a clear, darkened amber-hued body with a largely-sized, off-white head.

Smell: Fruity, spicy, smelling of mashed bananas, golden raisins, and ground cloves coated in a variety of sugars. Teensy hint of chewing gum.

Taste: Modest tastes of caramel, brown sugar, and one lone, lost chocolate sprinkle with a background bread crust element. Tangy, ever so slightly sourish fruity, spice mix. Again, the cloves and light pepper are arm in arm with the fruitiness tasting of raisins, dates, and ripe bananas. Very faint herbal tone. As with the nose, there's a small hint of gum wandering about. The hops are incidental, at best. A little candyish sweetness, some drying action taking place, some spice and fruit on the smooth finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Just a hair above medium carbonation.

Overall: Dubbel perfection? No, but it's certainly one of the better American-born dubbels available and has been for quite some time.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 14:55:11 | More by ChainGangGuy

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3/5  rDev -25.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle: Poured a hazy red brown colored beer with a medium head with average retention. I noticed lots of sediment floating in my glass. Aroma is quite sweet with a nice malty tone underneath. At first, I was surprised with the sweetness of this beer, which hides some of the floral malt used in this beer. The end is quietly bitter but lack some roastiness. Something is missing here, not the best dubbel I had…

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2004 16:20:04 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Candied malt, fruit flavor and savory notes abound in this- a trademark of the famed New Belgium brewery. Their Dubbel Ale is a staple in classic Belgian flavor profiling. It's simply a who's who of the taste of Belgium.

It's near perfect clarity casts only the faintest of diffusions against a bronze-ruby backdrop. The classy ale releases a dense blanket of foam that nestles the beer nicely in a cocoon of light tan froth. A slow recession to skim the beer yields intricate lacing left on the glass behind the fading beer. It's a beautiful looking ale.

Whiffs of toffee and brown sugar start the aromatic spread. But the beer's sweetness and fruit character carry complementing notes of candied malt, black cherries, caramel apples, and a tinge of red licorice. The aromas excite the senses with spiciness of white pepper, dried orange peels, and a dash of soft coriander. Earthy hops offer a soft glow of wood that simmers underneath all that fruit and spice.

Delicious tastes of brown sugar and toffee sweetness coat the tongue with a candied taste of confectioner's sugar. Hiding just beneath are the fruit flavors of apples, cherries and grapes. Richer and earthier stone fruit flavors of dates, figs, and raisins give a depth and variety of taste that exudes savory and succulent notions. Racy red wine flavors are slim but do offer vinous taste to usher in a spicy and earthy sweetness of light cinnamon, clove, and allspice. The taste is remarkably understated but complex, while retaining exemplary drinkability.

The savory ale starts off with a body that's malty and semi-rich. But it very quickly makes a turn toward dry spice, and evaporative warmth. A slow fade at middle palate never reveals its deviant turn to spicy heat late. The beer is simply way too drinkable to be so strong.

New Belgium Abbey Ale comes so close to selling the authentic Belgian character to me, but alas it reveals too much caramel sweetness and earthen yeast character that I expect from American-made Belgian beers. Where those are overly simplistic and sweet, this one doesn't go that far, but approaches the Dubbel Ale taste with somewhat timid character.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 06:14:35 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a medium brown with some reddish tint with a thinner head than expected,the aromas more than make up for the lackluster appearance of this beer sweet malt and very fruity with a faint smoky-like yeastiness.Flavors of raisins and toffee really jump out at ya up front but its not overly sweet in my mind,a touch of phenolic spiciness in the finish with some warming alcohol as the beer warms a little.A fine American example of a Belgian Dubbel,I would buy again.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2005 23:39:28 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

New Belgium's Abbey delivers a very hazy russet brown body beneath a fair-sized head of light-tan that's lightly creamy. The head retention is average and it doesn't hold real well, but it does maintain a thin surface covering and a good collar, and it leaves some light lace about the glass. The aroma offers dark fruit (sweet dark raisins, juicy red wine), candy, light caramel malt and a subtle spiciness. It's smooth across the palate with a light-medium body and exceptionally fine-bubbled carbonation that's mildly effervescent but does no more that caress the tongue. The flavor follows the suggestions of the aroma with some additional candyish sugariness, some more fruit, some leafy hops, and a stabilizing back-bone of bitterness. It's well balanced and although the alcohol is noticeable, it actually acts as part of the flavor profile and isn't offensive at all. It finishes with dark fruit and leafy hops in a fairly long, gently lingering aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2005 12:08:07 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Chimay goblet.

This is the random beer chosen to see the finish to MLB's Opening Day. It pours a clear ruby brown topped by a half-finger of dirty-cream foam. The nose comprises raisins, nutmeg, dark wheat, cinnamon, Belgian yeast, clove, fig, and a few drops of light maple syrup. The taste follows pretty closely, with the additions of black pepper, red grapes (very red wine-y thing goin' on here), and a touch of darkly-toasted rye bread. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a lightly syrupy feel. Overall, a pretty nice dubbel, though it doesn't warm all too well. So long as the temperature is controlled, this ain't too bad at all.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2011 07:52:51 | More by TMoney2591

metter98

New York

4.03/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: The beer is clear amber in color and has a slight amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a half finger high off white head that died down, leaving a patch of bubbles in the center and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Moderately strong aromas of candi sugars are present in the nose.
T: Like the smell, the taste has sweet flavors of candi sugars along with some notes of dark fruits and hints of spices.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: I thought that this dubbel was a good represention of of the style and wasn't overly sweet.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2013 23:28:05 | More by metter98

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.53/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Slight head and a purely peachy color. Aroma is magical, delightful, a veritable fruit salad in the nose...tropical fruits, mango, banana. Great hop presence, and a delicious spark on the tongue. Light in texture and body, but full of flavor. Medium carbonation, and, again, a beautiful little ballet by hops on the palate. An excellent dubbel, one of the best stateside versions I've ever encountered, if not the best!

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2003 19:50:18 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

3.83/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark gold/amber color with a 1/4" offwhite head that fades to lacing. The aroma is great. It has a nice fruity, pale and crystal malt scent along with a Belgian style yeast aroma. The taste is decent. It has a dry and earthy flavor that boasts of pale and crystal malts. It goes down easy, but finishes weak and dry with no malt sweetness; very disappointing. The mouthfeel is decent also. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a good drinking beer despite the lack of mouthfeel and malty flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2005 02:01:19 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

3.7/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

At the time of this review, this is the #11 top Dubbel on the beeradvocate Top Beers - Dubbel list. Served in a New Belgium globe glass because I can.

Beer is brown / dark amber and mostly clear with a big off white / tan head of small and medium bubbles, lots of lacing, moderate carbonation, looks good.

Sweet, thin, mild dry in the aroma, hints of bitterness from grain, smells really nice.

Beer is thin with a mild roasty / ashy finish on the back end with some grain bitterness, the forward and late midpalate are cidery with a mild apply sweetness. Overall the beer is decent but not great. I'd have it again but the flavor is the most disappointing this about this. Lose the ashy finish and you have a really nice dubbel here.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 01:45:57 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

3.78/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a reddish-amber color with a light tan head. The aroma is very nice. I get a lot of cherry and candy sugar notes, as well as some toffee, Belgian yeast and chocolate notes. The chocolate is faint and is only present occasionally. The flavor is heavy on the toffee and dark fruit. The cocoa is also more present in the flavor than it was in the aroma. The beer is a lot drier than I expected and I think this is a little bit of a turn off. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A nice American-made dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2011 04:15:20 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

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

A - 12 oz bottle poured out an amber hue with a good white head. It left distinct lacing.

S - It smelled of malt and spices. There was also a fruity aroma (banana?).

T - The malt flavor was outstanding. Caramel flavors popped up throughout. Nice sharp spiciness

M - It is smooth and crisp. A medium-bodied brew with just a touch of alcohol warmth.

D - Very drinkable. One of New Belgium's best and a great "American try" at a dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2006 15:40:56 | More by zeff80

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.78/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Acquired via trade from Wasatch, so a big “Thank you” goes out to him. Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light reddish brown color with a large off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of Belgian yeast, dark fruits, spice and caramelized malt.

T: The taste is malty with flavors of dark fruit, Belgian yeast, some smokiness and a little spice. There’s a mild hops presence that brings a little balance. The after-taste is slightly bready and a little sweet.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, clean and dry finish.

D: Tasty, goes down ok, not very filling, decent kick, good representation of style, it’s good beer to drink for a while. There are a couple of others that I might choose within the style above this one, but it’s still pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2007 02:55:17 | More by TheManiacalOne

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.35/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours almost clear caramel with a lively/fluffy white head , Very good head retention and impressive lacing

Smell: Yeast, mustiness, malt faint hint of phenoylic (sp) tones

Taste: Fruitiness/yeastiness, woody taste more like popsicle stick than oakiness. Some choclate notes also noticed up front with appreciable dryness and plum-like notes. Slight sourness, alcohol & dryness come through in the finish.

MF: Chewy enough with a effervesicent (sp?) presence that helps bring out the beer subtleness

Drinkable for its sytle, which I enjoy, but not a session quaffer to me. Holds its own with its oldworld brothers/cousins

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2006 04:35:47 | More by russpowell

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.85/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a brilliantly clear full amber color with ruby highlights when held up to the light. It is topped by a thin light brown head and has a persistent level carbonation. The aroma is full and rich with sweet notes of fruit, and alcohol. I get aromatic notes of raisins, dried plums, figs, rum, and brandy. The taste is light and fizzy up front with a fruity sweetness throughout, though the sweetness is light and in line with the light palate of this beer. This beer is predominantly fruity with notes of concentrated plum, raisin, and fig. The alcohol that was evident in the nose is nicely muted in the taste. This is a solid example of the Belgian Dubbel, it is perhaps a bit too clean, but that has it's niceties, no higher alcohols or off astringencies.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2005 05:33:46 | More by Gueuzedude

Halcyondays

California

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours a dark red/maroon with a light off-white head, good retention.

S: Dried fruit, lots of sugar, molasses.

T: Has a lot of brown candi sugar taste to it, very sweet. Raisin and fig juice predominate. Good flavour and it has clear Belgian yeast characteristics if not the interesting complexities of the great Belgian dubbels.

M: Strong, full body, this beer is built really well, no trace of alcohol sharpness, very smooth.

D: A nice beer, my of my favs that I've had from New Belgium. Good, drinkable tasty dubbel.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2008 05:40:10 | More by Halcyondays

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This beer pours a very attractive reddish-copper colour, with one finger of tight sudsy pale beige head, which leaves a near-perfect latticework of lace around the glass as it drops away. It smells strongly of mashed banana, dark fruit, doughy breadiness, and mild, soft yeast. The taste is bready malt, a bit of clove, plum, date, a twinge of molasses, and dry yeast. The carbonation is moderate, but oddly noticeable at times, the body medium weight, crisp, and a bit pithy. It finishes mostly dry - biscuity and fruity.

A very nice, rounded, and enjoyable dubbel. The booze certainly doesn't show in any real way, making this a decidedly easy drinker - if that's your thing.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2010 23:26:02 | More by biboergosum

Gavage

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: pours a brown color with a tan 1" head that lingers around a while before falling to a spotty surface foam.

Smell: malt sweetness and some ripe dark fruits are pleasant on the nose.

Taste: big malty beer here. Caramel, brown sugar, raisins, some mild yeast spiciness, and a general bready feel makes up a solid dubbel. Alcohol is barely noticeable.

Mouthfeel: medium-heavy in body. Little prickliness to start but smooth and creamy at the finish. Aftertaste has malty goodiness stuck in the mouth for a while.

Drinkability: this one went down quick and easy compared to some other dubbles. Very tasty beer worth trying, and having a few bottles in one sitting worked for me.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2009 20:02:37 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to bitterbill for this!

Best before 06 Feb 10 - Poured into glass chalice:

Pours mahogany with an off-white head that becomes wispy. Trailing lace sticks.

The smell is fruity - banana (strawberry?), apple, with caramel and some herbal spicing.

The taste is of sweet maltiness - caramel/toffee with banana and apple fruitiness. It has a dryish spicing in the finish, with a light touch of alcohol.

It has a creamy body with an effervescent touch.

It is fruitier interpretation of the style, but with a nice maltiness that doesn't become too sweet.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 14:17:20 | More by jwc215