Abbey Belgian Style Ale - New Belgium Brewing

kbub6f

New York

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

Bought locally (Grapevine refrigerated shelves), 2-3 weeks in my fridge, served 45F, reviewed 45F-60F.

A big, thick, cream-colored coarse head collapses with uneven lacing. The color is dark copper, almost brown.

The smell is faintly metallic with yeastiness and bubblegum.

It starts off somewhat metallic and fruity, giving way to serious bubblegum and a hint of spice in the middle. The finish is bitter and a little watery with a caramel aftertaste.

Not bad at all, but more interesting Belgians abound.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2003 18:26:26 | More by kbub6f

Reidrover

Oregon

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

This is my first Belgian style "double'..i saw it on sale in the local grocery store for $5.99..so nothing to lose!
bought a sixer of brown 12 oz bottles, I liked New Belgiums Amber ale..so though this would be good.
And i was correct wonderful ruby red color when the light shines through my glass..just a small head that goes to a lace very quick.
The smell is wonnderful..this is the best beer smell for me ever..beautiful a work or aromatic art!..Big fruity scent..banana nut bread comes to mind.
Great taste what can i say..its marvelous..
good in the mouth and altogether a rather good a American belgian style ale...if this is just the American version i look forward to my first Chimnay or other often mentioned Belgian dubbels

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2003 21:07:50 | More by Reidrover

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

Bruiser81

Kansas

3.65/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

An awesome reddish brown color with the perfect head. The lacing was the best part .This was the first Abbey I tried and I was impressed. I was not expecting the fruity aroma, which was pleasant mixed with the aroma of the alcohol. Bananas dominates the smell but is very faint in the taste. The malts dominate the taste which is well balanced with the sweetness. Very smooth mouthfeel and easy to drink. However unlike what it is says on the bottle I think this beer is better cold than cool. As it sits the taste thins out a great deal. I believe it is best to drink this beer quickly.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2003 14:18:17 | More by Bruiser81

AtrumAnimus

Texas

3.68/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I have mixed feeling on this one. An excellent example of Belgian style ales. The color is beautiful and golden brown with a tinge of redness to it. The Bouquet is perfect. Hops with alcohol and fruity accents. The flavor does not match the bouquet. I was expecting a taste that rivaled Chimay based on the nose and the thickness of the head. But was let down by something that is a bit rough around the edges. The beer starts off well and starts to peter out on flavor on the finish. The balance seems to get lost after exposure to air for more than say 10 minutes. So drink this one fast - don't linger on it.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2003 07:37:07 | More by AtrumAnimus

maxpower

Missouri

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

Cloudy amber color, huge foamy off white head, leave a lace in my glass. Flowery, yeasty aroma and some caremel. Sweet, full body and full mouthfeel, nice banana and toffee flavor, the best American, for this style, a great brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2002 15:55:49 | More by maxpower

Morris729

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep reddish amber color with a foamy off-white head. The aroma is dominated by banana peel with hints of citrus and honey. The taste is of ripe bananas, apples, and figs. It is crisp and refreshing in the mouth and a pleasure to drink. This is one of my favorite brews from New Belgium Brewing Inc.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2002 23:10:44 | More by Morris729

Dogbrick

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Great Americanized version of a Belgian Ale. Very appealing amber color with a very thick beige head and good lacing. As a matter of fact I had some spillage that may have been the result of shipping (thanks to the gentleman who traded for it!). Nice spicy and fruity aroma. Nicely complex flavor consisting of bananas, alcohol, and some other fruits. This is definitely a worthy effort at the Belgian style from a stateside brewer!

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2002 08:37:20 | More by Dogbrick

nathi

Colorado

3.43/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Wonderfull deep amber color, thick tan head.

Fruity and spicy aroma. Very rich malt in the back with notes of fig and a real nice breadyness. Alcohol aroma adds a great intensity. Spcy clove aroma blends well with rich bready malt to remind me of fresh baked spice bread. Hints of bananna, but not over powering.

Medium body with high carbination and acidity. Malt flavors dont come through as much in the flavor. Spicyness really comes through in flavor. Almost a bit to spicy for the lack of malt and the strong acidity. Very fruity with hints of berry, pear, and bannana. Tartness in finish, flavors dont really linger. Complex but dosnt balance out as well, Has a best before April 03 date, probably would smooth out with age.

I have always found this beer interesting, but the acidity and spicyness wear on me and I cant drink a lot of it. Which is suprissing since the much spicyer and tart Saisons are one of my favorite styles, I just dont think the combination works as well with this dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2002 16:01:20 | More by nathi

mjohn27603

Michigan

4.28/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From a 22 Oz bottle marked best before 08Mar03. Pours with a big head. Caramel in color. Smells of bananas and yeast. The smell promises something equal to the Belgian beers. Tastes of bananas, pears, and yeast. A bit more subtle and thin than my favorites of this style. Still very good. I brought this bottle back from Colorado to Michigan and wish New Belgium was sold in this state. I've got 2 more 22 oz bottles and I think I'll let at least one cellar on the advice of the other reviewers

Update: 2/9/03. Opened bottle cellared for 4-5 months. Smell is of yeast. Light mahogony in color. Taste has loads of bubblegum in it. I don't think I've ever had a beer with so much bubblegum. There is some pepper and a kick of alcohol. Very yummy indeed. I raised the smell and taste scores a bit and lowered the appearance. I want to chew this beer because it is so full of bubblegum.

Update 4/14/03. Same batch as previous two reviews. This time I get more caramel, some lingering banana aftertaste. No bubblegum now. Taste is more syruppy and doppelbock-like. I think I liked the taste a couple months ago. Best before March 8, 2003. Maybe 4-5 months is optimal cellar time.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2002 18:22:47 | More by mjohn27603

mzwolinski

California

4.18/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark amber, with a three-finger foamy head. Very well carbonated and slightly hazy.

Yeast is the first aroma to hit the nose. After it warms, it develops a distinctly "bubblegum"-like scent. Spicy with hints of green apple and other ripe fruit.

This is a very smooth tasting beer. Slightly chocolately, though perhaps more reminiscent of cookie dough, with some figgish/fruity notes. Very little hop flavor at all. Sweet finish which becomes somewhat pepperish with the alcohol as the beer warms.

A nice beer, though perhaps a bit light (dare I say "Americanized"?) for the style. Still, congrats to New Belgium for putting out beers of this quality.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2002 14:31:10 | More by mzwolinski

Gusler

Arizona

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

This bottle is a little over 2 years old, so I'm looking forward to the changes. The pour is a deep garnet color, the head insignificant, the lace is skeletal. Nose is malt, light hints of caramel, "winish", hints of fusel alcohol. Front is malt, thickly sweet, the top is intermediate, the finish is droughty, discreetly acidic, somewhat sour, unassumingly hopped. There is a bit of "Tummy" warming, and a beer I always have in my "Beer Cellar", and well worth your effort to try. Ranks #224 on my current 1000 beer master list.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2002 12:07:22 | More by Gusler

BeerAngel

Texas

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

Pours a hazy rich dark amber color with a 2 1/2 finger off-white head. Smells delicious revealing a combination of fruits with banana being very apparent with traces of alcohol as well. Very warming alcohol taste with pungent fruit flavors with a trace of yeast and tapers to a slight cough syrup finish...but not in a bad way. It is light to medium bodied and goes down very well. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2002 17:38:38 | More by BeerAngel

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.47/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer is brown/ruby in color. A medium beige head sits on top and fizzes away to a film in seconds. Luscious fruit aromas. Pear, banana and apple esters seem to be the dominant tones on the nose. These fruity characteristics carry over to the taste as well. Very nice tasting beer with pears and apples taking the forefront. Very nice yeast characteristics too. A slight breadiness and cookie dough like aspect. The bottle says full body, but to me it seems more like medium at best. This is a very enjoyable brew. Thanks a million to marc77 for the New Belgium samples and the awesome homebrew.

After tasting 4 New Belgium brews over the past few nights, I have come to the conclussion that they are a high quality brewery.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2002 20:33:43 | More by Bighuge

Pegasus

Texas

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

Pours a thick cream-colored head with a dark brown color. Lots of fireworks as flakes of sediment swirl in the stream of carbonation, resembling a blizzard in a snow globe. The flakes continue to rise and fall to the bottom of the glass. Well-carbonated with lots of sticky lace. Quite a bit of sediment remained in the bottle after pouring.

Aroma consists of dark fruits, and spicy clove notes, somewhat like a Hefeweizen. Taste begins with clove and banana flavors, gives way to strong alcohol, finishing with rather bitter hops. Mouthfeel is good, though less than spectacular. A very nice beer, well worth a try, although I would not choose it for a session brew, as there is something a bit overpowering about it.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2002 19:51:39 | More by Pegasus

beernut7

Massachusetts

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

This is another sock knocker from New Belgium. Much like, but a bit lighter than the Ommegang brew of the same style, this beer pours with a deep dark amber color and a foamy tannish head. The extra yeast from bottle conditioning adds a fruity malty yeast aroma than is very inviting. The initial tanginess of the yeast is quite a nice touch to a well balanced very tasty beer with a clean finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2002 19:41:39 | More by beernut7

jreitman

California

3.55/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Chestnut colored with a nice amount of thick tan head. Belgian yeast aromas are evident from the start and continue into the mouth. I found this to be a relatively bland and subdued version of a dubbel, but nothing was truly off, just toned down.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2002 21:13:45 | More by jreitman

BeerBob

Nebraska

4.6/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

From the first time that I've tried this "Abbey" ale by New Belgium, I have been enamored.

On Monday, July 09, 2001 10:41 PM I e-mailed New Belgium this message...

Ok, I've tried your Abbey Ale, Now, where do I have to go to get my habit and consider celibacy?

I believe, I believe, I believe!!!

Then there was the reply... on Tuesday, July 10, 2001 7:30 PM

“Robert,

You don't actually have to join a monastery and take on celibacy just to enjoy abbey ale. We are glad you feel that strongly about it, but joining a monastery might actually cut into your drinking.

glad you enjoy the beer,” So I reluctantly capitulated... darn.

The intensity of the dried fruit flavor is truly amazing. It’s almost like having a fruit orchard right in your glass.

From the brown 12oz bottle, with a “best before” date of “19apr03”, “Abbey” ale pours an amber with copper hews.

If I had to pick the fragrance and taste of first impression, I would have to go with sweet toasted fig, then a slight dark roasted and spiced coffee.

I’ve had Beers that I thought that where all most as good as sex, never before have I had a Beer I might be willing to give up sex for.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2002 19:02:50 | More by BeerBob

bditty187

Nebraska

4.55/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer has a rich dark color with depth and feeling. It is earthy-organic with a banana and mushroom taste that is very unique and very good. The Abbey tastes great at first sip and at the last drop. Very few beers have flavors that last this long, change so subtlety, and taste so brilliantly delicate. Very few beers impress me like this one.

Goes great with dessert.

What should you expect from a New Belgium product? Nothing but the best.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2002 07:50:47 | More by bditty187

Jordan

California

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

A sediment packed mahogany presentation. Alcohals, paradise grains, clove, and bananas on the palate. Thinner bodied than the titan 'Ommegang - Ommegang'. Also a flavor that is not as enduring, but this is a good brew none the less.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2002 08:27:51 | More by Jordan

Andy

Massachusetts

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

Big tan head, deep mahogany color. Spicy nose, alcohol warming hints. Figgish flavor with very dry finish. Substantial hop bite balances alongside a yeasty flavor. Very pleasant as it warms and the bitterness subsides. Some fruity, spicy flavors balance with dark malt. Very complex and a great offering from NB.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2002 19:15:38 | More by Andy

pbrian

Connecticut

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

At first, I was ready to criticize this beer for being too "clean" and a little thin. But as the beer warmed, and especially after a dose of yeast, the complexities really began to come out. A solid Abbey, not as "rustic" as our East Coast version, Allagash Double.(That's not a criticism, just a comparison)

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2002 05:35:40 | More by pbrian

Murph

Arizona

3.95/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a nice clear brown with a thin retaining tan head. The smell has touches of bubblegum, yeast and some light alcohol. The first taste to hit the tongue is bubblegum with some yeast and alcohol. There is a very light hop spiciness and the beer has so nice light fruit qualities which disappear as it warms. The mouth-feel is nicely smooth but the beer is a bit thin for the style although it is still nicely drinkable. This is a pretty nice dubbel although the style has yet to win me over as a true believer. I can drink one but usually by the time I get to the bottom of a 750 bottle I am kind of tired of the beer. Not a bad beer at all though. Nice example of the style.
Thanks to Jaybeerman for the sample.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2002 08:39:11 | More by Murph

proc

Michigan

3.13/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Spicy, with a very pronounced yeast presence. Pours out to a very dark ruby color. Definetely gets better as it warms. Very good, but not outstanding. I would've preferred just a little sweetness to balance out the spiciness. Thanks to jaybeerman for sending this my way.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2002 05:38:31 | More by proc

marc77

California

3.35/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Hazy light brown in color, with an attractive and persistent one centimeter head when poured into a tulip glass. Huge bubblegum esters dominate the aroma, but slight green apple acetaldehyde is in the background. Fruity Belgian yeast contibutions comprise the forefront of NB Abbey's taste-- Banana and bubblegum borderline on being overbearing, but thankfully are ensued by a pleasant slightly roasted and raisinlike Special B (dark Belgian caramel malt) flavor. It's medium bodied and the smooth mouthfeel helps accentuate the subtle caramel flavors. It finishes slightly sweet w/ Special B burnt toffee flavors on the tongue. Although this is certainly a flavorful brew, it lacks the complex Belgian yeasty notes that are integral to a Dubbel. It was a bit too clean to balance the very strong bubblegum and banana flavors. There's nothing offputting about this beer, however.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2002 22:45:30 | More by marc77