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Trappist Dubbel
Brouwerij Westmalle
- From:
- Brouwerij Westmalle
- Belgium
- Style:
- Dubbel
Ranked #3 - ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- 93
Ranked #3,397 - Avg:
- 4.18 | pDev: 10.05%
- Reviews:
- 1,338
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Yesterday at 11:33 PM
- Added:
- Nov 25, 2000
- Wants:
- 250
- Gots:
- 621
Westmalle Dubbel (7%) is a dark red-brown beer with a rich, complex taste thanks to re-fermentation in the bottle. You pick up touches of caramel, malt and fruity esters reminiscent of ripe banana. The beer pearls beneath a covering of dense, cream-coloured froth. A lovely lace pattern forms on the inside of the glass once emptied. The long, dry finish of this balanced, mild Trappist beer will stay with you.
Trappist or Dubbel?
In 1865 the monks of Westmalle started brewing a dark Trappist beer in addition to their table beer. They adjusted the recipe in 1926, doubling the amounts of raw ingredients to produce a new, stronger beer. Dubbel is a logical name for this doubled beer, though it is more often simply called ‘Trappist’. To this day, the 1926 recipe is the basis for Westmalle Dubbel.
Westmalle Dubbel: bottle and tap
We are all familiar with Westmalle Dubbel in 33 cl bottles. But around 150 carefully selected Belgian cafés and restaurants serve this beer on tap from barrels containing 20, 30 and 50 litres. In the barrel, this living beer evolves differently to emerge with a slightly sweeter taste.
Westmalle Dubbel can also be purchased in 75 cl bottles. The beer matures in a different way in a larger bottle to produce a noticeably milder finish.
Trappist or Dubbel?
In 1865 the monks of Westmalle started brewing a dark Trappist beer in addition to their table beer. They adjusted the recipe in 1926, doubling the amounts of raw ingredients to produce a new, stronger beer. Dubbel is a logical name for this doubled beer, though it is more often simply called ‘Trappist’. To this day, the 1926 recipe is the basis for Westmalle Dubbel.
Westmalle Dubbel: bottle and tap
We are all familiar with Westmalle Dubbel in 33 cl bottles. But around 150 carefully selected Belgian cafés and restaurants serve this beer on tap from barrels containing 20, 30 and 50 litres. In the barrel, this living beer evolves differently to emerge with a slightly sweeter taste.
Westmalle Dubbel can also be purchased in 75 cl bottles. The beer matures in a different way in a larger bottle to produce a noticeably milder finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by JMD71:
Reviewed by JMD71 from Massachusetts
3.95/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.95/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Appearance: Huge 3 fingers of tannish head. Very carbonated. There's a nice bubbly texture on the head when poured which draws back after a few minutes leaving nice lacing on the glass.
Smell: Rich caramel & malt strong in the aroma. Hints of earthy fruits such as dates, raisins, & prunes. Slight cherry aroma somewhere?
Taste: Like the aroma, the flavor is rich with raisins & dates. Warming with a slight alcohol touch in the finish. Very subtle. Very well balanced. Finishes crisp...
Mouthfeel: Slightly thick & cloying, but not in a bad way. Expected in this style. Very warming, but carbonation lends a criso, clean feeling.
Drinkability: This is VERY drinkable from my point of view! I could live on this. It is well balances between maltiness, fruitiness, & alcohol. Not overpoweringly rich or sweet.
Comments: I truly enjoyed this all the way through the glass. Each sip seemed to be better than the last. By the first true Belgain dubbel I've reviewed, this was everything I had expected.
Apr 14, 2006Smell: Rich caramel & malt strong in the aroma. Hints of earthy fruits such as dates, raisins, & prunes. Slight cherry aroma somewhere?
Taste: Like the aroma, the flavor is rich with raisins & dates. Warming with a slight alcohol touch in the finish. Very subtle. Very well balanced. Finishes crisp...
Mouthfeel: Slightly thick & cloying, but not in a bad way. Expected in this style. Very warming, but carbonation lends a criso, clean feeling.
Drinkability: This is VERY drinkable from my point of view! I could live on this. It is well balances between maltiness, fruitiness, & alcohol. Not overpoweringly rich or sweet.
Comments: I truly enjoyed this all the way through the glass. Each sip seemed to be better than the last. By the first true Belgain dubbel I've reviewed, this was everything I had expected.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by tdm168 from Pennsylvania
4.01/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
4.01/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a purplish amber with a short-lived off white head. The nose is full of fruit; plum, apple, figs. The flavor also has dark fruit notes with plum and fig present. There's a hint of cocoa and a faint bitterness underneath. It's a very dry beer with a heavy amount of carbonation. The carbonation detracts from the flavor because the bubbles take over the palate blocking flavor.
Yesterday at 11:33 PMReviewed by jjamadorphd from Florida
3.7/5 rDev -11.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.75
3.7/5 rDev -11.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.75
This was a very interesting beer to down...
On the one hand, it looked great and tasted great, but on the other, it's scent was somewhat meh to me and the mouthfeel was super carbonated. It was so carbonated that it essentially detracted from the overall experience, even after I let it warm a bit. Overall, it's still a good beer, just not one that "tingled" my toes...
Feb 11, 2024On the one hand, it looked great and tasted great, but on the other, it's scent was somewhat meh to me and the mouthfeel was super carbonated. It was so carbonated that it essentially detracted from the overall experience, even after I let it warm a bit. Overall, it's still a good beer, just not one that "tingled" my toes...
Reviewed by Mr_Brown from Pennsylvania
3.88/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.88/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
forgot to rate it as I drank it. This review might be not very accurate.
L: beautiful brown color, nice foam.
S: nutty, sweet.
T: sweet nutty taste. A bit like sweet wines. Caramelized malt.
F: thin body, easy to drink, some linger in the aftertaste, port like feeling.
O: I can feel it's a superior dubbel, but not a big fan of nuttiness, caramelized malts and sweetness.
Feb 04, 2024L: beautiful brown color, nice foam.
S: nutty, sweet.
T: sweet nutty taste. A bit like sweet wines. Caramelized malt.
F: thin body, easy to drink, some linger in the aftertaste, port like feeling.
O: I can feel it's a superior dubbel, but not a big fan of nuttiness, caramelized malts and sweetness.
Reviewed by KomodoDragon from Virginia
4.14/5 rDev -1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25
4.14/5 rDev -1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25
beautiful copper color, so darn clean. small head, efficient lacing.
So many rich scents, banana, clove, toast, caramel, herbal hops.
Many rich flavors. robust sweet caramel malt. Breadiness, some fruit, dried figs or even apricots. Hefty carbonation hides the transition flavors to the finish, which is long and lingering, accompanied with some more sticky sweetness. Almost port like sweetness.
Nice and complex, and super well crafted. A lot going on, and more to explore with each sip.
Jan 18, 2024So many rich scents, banana, clove, toast, caramel, herbal hops.
Many rich flavors. robust sweet caramel malt. Breadiness, some fruit, dried figs or even apricots. Hefty carbonation hides the transition flavors to the finish, which is long and lingering, accompanied with some more sticky sweetness. Almost port like sweetness.
Nice and complex, and super well crafted. A lot going on, and more to explore with each sip.
Reviewed by mactrail from Washington
4.29/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Very frothy ruby-brown brew with beige foam in the big Duvel tulip. Aroma of dark fruit and raisins in the nose. Rich and lively on the tongue. The taste is warm and dark with a woody fragrance. Deeply malty with a delicious roasted flavor enhanced by the yeast. The sweet candy note is restrained but essential along with the dates and figs. A great historic brew to sip and savor. These Belgian brews are seeming like bargains given the quality and the silly prices of even average U.S. craft brews. From the 330 ml bottle purchased on the West Coast. Apparently bottled Feb 08 2023.
Nov 26, 2023
Trappist Dubbel from Brouwerij Westmalle
Beer rating:
93 out of
100 with
3078 ratings
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