Duvel - Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The first time I had this beer I really didn't care for it. I guess my beer senses just weren't ready for something like this yet. The beer seemed to taste like metal or blood each time I took a sip, don;t know why but it kind of sucked at the time.

After trying this again a year or so later I found that this beer is a gem. It's just about as much of a Classic as Chimay or St. Bernardus.

The beer pours out with a bright yellow hazy color with a big foamy head on it. This beer is a lively one. The aromas of Belgian Yeast and some funk with booze mixed together. Some intense hops are on the nose too. The taste is quite bitter and it stings the tongue with lots of needle like sensations on every sip. This beer is really worth trying, every now and then you need to let the Devil loose!

Green Devil Beer Cocktail:
1 Bottle of Duvel
1oz of Bluecoat Gin
1oz of Absinthe

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2011 04:06:06 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle with a BBD of March 07

Pours straw colored with a slight chill haze & super fluffy 2 fingers+ white head. Says a little hazy, but throws a parfait-like head that retains superbly with insane lacing, couldn't figure out where my duvel glass was, had to make to with an a'chouffe glass; same-same!

S: Pears & apple skins, along some perfumy hop notes

T: Fruitty (dates& a little lemon& tangerine) with some dryness up front. Some peppery hop notes follow along with some breadyness. A slight warming alcohol presence is felt as much tasted. Finishes with a jammy fruittyness, earthy & lemony hops& a slight pepper edge

MF: medium bodied & slick with moderate carbonation

Drinks pretty easy for the abv. A nice Belgian pale, that probably has done more to define the style than any other offering, just because it its widespread availability. Either this or Palm was among the 1st Belgian ales I ever had. Oh, the memories!

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2006 06:16:33 | More by russpowell

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.15/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beer is bright gold and clear, basically looks like a good Pils. This one tries to jump out of the glass as it pours with a lively carbonation that creates a thick white long lasting head. The head is Meringue like in consistency. The beer smells sharp and slightly herbal and fruity, accompanied by a woodiness. Has a lightly sweet taste with a complex herbal aftertaste. Lightly bitter and hoppy. Leaves one with a soft maltiness in the finish. A very light beer that hides its alcoholic strength well.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2003 16:04:11 | More by Gueuzedude

emerge077

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Corked 750, served in cups furnished by Calvin's BBQ in Chicago.

Cork went off with a bang, and into the cup with an eternal excess of foam, that had the texture of whipped merengue. It was majestic on the surface, delicate, irregular peaks formed spontaneously. Racing carbonation was visible in the hazy golden ale.

Smell was lightly fruity pear yeast esters, with a light spicy grain element.

It had a delicate, effervescent feel that was perfectly balanced by a light maltiness, followed by pear and apple notes from the yeast. Dry finish, high on the drinkability scale. Duvel seems to be universally appealing to beer fans, wine drinkers, foodies, and even the adventurous macro drinker.

It made an excellent pairing with BBQ pulled pork, rib tips, and fried okra.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2007 21:24:24 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

330 mL bottle, poured into its own glass, a Duvel tulip,

A: Golden yellow, with a thick, white, billowing head, almost looks like a cumulonimbus cloud, excellent lacing all-around.

S: Spices, some lemon/orange, somewhat medicinal.

T: Lemon and other citrus upfront, pears, yeast esters, with a hoppy finish that is quite understated, from the Bohemian hops which are mentioned on the label.

M: Smooth, dry, spritzy, creamy, and phenolic.

D: Very good for an 8% beer, a classic of its style, Duvel is a great beer, quite simple really, but quite delicious.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2007 03:01:55 | More by Halcyondays

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

330ml squat bottle, into a Duvel chalice, at a pool hall, no less!

This beer pours a slightly hazy, very pale straw colour, with lots and lots and lots (and lots) of thick, puffy meringue-like white head, that takes forever and a day to melt away, to a little puff of creamy iceberg-like foam floating dead center in the glass.

It smells of soft, feathery bready pilsener malt, a bit of overripe lemon, sugary pineapple, duly restrained earthy yeast, and floral, somewhat zesty hops. The taste is grainy pale malt - strongly hay-oriented - a touch of artisanal white bread, lemon and sour orange rind, apple skins, crackling yeast, pithy coriander, and somewhat phenolic warming alcohol.

The carbonation is quite obviously on the high side, but in a lighter, effervescent sort of manner, in that the bubbles are much finer than yer usual deal. The body has a decent medium-heavy weight for the style, and is much smoother than it has any right being from the outset. It finishes off-dry, the semi-sweet bready malt, baker's yeast, and boozed-up fruit salad notes doing the honours.

A progenitor of the style, for very good reason. Once past the aggravating opening theatrics, everything just goes so very smoothly for such an alcoholic pale ale, so much so that one might inadvisably be inclined to make a night of this. I would suggest looking up the name's literal meaning before deciding on such a course of action.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2009 21:49:33 | More by biboergosum

Gavage

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: golden yellow in color with a thick fluffy 3" white head. Plenty of carbonation bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass. The head slowly fades, leaving a nice lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell: the aroma is of yeast, grass, and citrus.

Taste: the yeast is very prominent on the tongue, along with a pepper spiciness, citrus, decent malt levels, and crisp bitterness. Alcohol is slightly noticable.

Mouthfeel: super crisp at the start and finish, and the finish is slightly dry. Medium bodied brew.

Drinkability: superb drinkability as this is one of the more refreshing Belgian beers on the market. This was one of the first Belgian beers I had many years ago, and I still enjoy it to this day.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2005 20:25:54 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

WOW! I poured this into a Duvel glass. It pours a gold color with an amazing, almost overwhelming head with high carbonation. It smelled floral with a tinge of alcohol. The taste was like biting into a lightly sugared, spiked green apple. It was very refreshing and unique. I ordered another and let others taste it and everyone was simply amazed at the unique flavor. This is a beer unto itself. The taste of alcohol does become apparent, otherwise it would be endlessly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2006 05:23:40 | More by jwc215

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

What a nice beer. If it were more affordable, I'd drink, well, way too much. It's a little funky, a little fruity, and a whole lotta belgian.

This is kind of the gold standard when it comes to appearance. A rocky, yet fluffy white head with fine white bubbles and lacing that never stops. Aroma of belgian farmhouse funk and sweet malt and light candi sugar. The taste expands on the aroma with a mellow bitterness over candi sugar and light malts. Very drinkable. Damn what a beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2006 05:12:32 | More by tempest

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I am drinking a 750 mL C&C bottle poured into a Chimay goblet. The ale is slightly chilled, as I only put it in the fridge 30 minutes ago.

Appearance: The ale pours a crystal clear, brilliant yellow color. There is no sign of any sediment in the ale. The ale pours with an intense deep head that keeps going and going and going... The result of this head is an incredible ring of lace around the glass.

Smell: The ale has a slightly sweet candied aroma to it. There are also peppercorns in the nose.

Taste: The ale has a light sweet candied sugar taste to it. Beyond the sugars, I pick up some spices that remind me of a good tripel: peppercorn being the taste on the forefront.

Mouthfeel: The ale's hyper-carbonation provides a welcome cleansing taste with every sip.

Drinkability: This ale is a winner. The candied flavors work well in warm or cold weather and the sweetness of the ale really hits the spot.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2006 14:26:32 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled from a 250ml bottle this legendary beer pours a very pale hazy golden hue, with a highly carbonated champagne like tawny white head. What a perfect pour with one of the most amazing head retentions I have seen, will have to credit this with the priming of the candied sugar. Brilliantly spiced aroma along with a thicket of musty maltiness and a decent amount of hopping. The mixture of malty sweetness, bready yeast notes, and striking bitterness equates to one of the most amazing beers in the world. The mouthfeel is a complex combination of fizzy carbonation and syrupy sweetness. If and when they begin to keg this stuff it is going to be the true end of the world. So, drinkable just imagine what it will be like on tap.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2003 10:28:37 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.72/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My, oh my. Pours a nearly clear golden/straw with huge white head that leaves a lot of lacing on the way down. On the nose you get a very sweet tone, alcohol, and the standard fruit. The taste is citric in style with a long lasting flavor. It stays constant and does not morph into anything else less desirable. I just have to give it a 5. Mouthfeel is terrific with a good combo of bubbles and flavor. This is easily drinkable in mass quantity. Outstanding brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2007 04:45:42 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a nice light golden color with a huge white head. Nose is bready, yeast, fruit and alcohol. Taste is boom, alcohol upfront, with fruits, bread and yeast. Mouthfeel is thin and warm. The ABV is pretty prominent. Drinkability is good but not sure I would want to drink to many of these. Just not my thing.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2009 04:17:14 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Nearly all head (nearly pure white) on the initial pour. Light lace on the glass. The liquid has a mild haze. The color is light straw.

The aroma is as I remembered: lots of barnyard and musty, yeasty smells

Spritzy and spicy are the first impressions...like there is coriander and thyme in here. Strong yeast and wheat flavors. The body is moderate with a high level of carbonation. Deceptively easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2009 20:55:51 | More by smcolw

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in a tulip glass)

A- This beer pours a pale straw yellow crystal clear body with a few strands of tiny bubbles. The head is a thick creamy white cloud that turns rocky after the beer sits for a bit. This beer has nice Belgian lace throughout the drink.

S- The smell of perfume and light yeast and hints of pears and pepper are noted in the background.

T- Soft fruity notes are blended with a hint of spice and sourness. The fruit has qualities of pears, oranges with a slight buttery corn hint but it is very light. This finish has a nice hop bitterness that mixes with the spiciness of the beer.

M- Light mouthfeel with a hint of fizz in the texture. No astringency or alcohol warmth.

D- This beer is truly light and it does have some nice complexity in flavor. The buttery corn notes as it warmed seem to interfere with the other flavors but not a great deal. The head is simply incredible and the lace just last and last. This is one fizzy yellow beer that is wonderful.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2005 02:01:03 | More by rhoadsrage

Wasatch

Utah

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a cloudy golden yellow, huge head, some carbonation. It has a malty, hoppy, sweet scent. Very nice sweet taste with a medium body, there's a little hint of alcohol at the end. This is very drinkable, and also a great beer. This is my first time drinking a Duvel and it won't be my last.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2005 23:46:30 | More by Wasatch

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.9/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a five+ finger white head that takes forever to fade and leaves a good lace. Clear pale amber color. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Sweet citric nose. Flavor is balanced, slightly dry and has a citric fruitiness. $9.99 for a 750ml bottle from Capitol Convenience Concord, NH. Best by Sep 2010.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2008 22:59:53 | More by jdhilt

Jason

Massachusetts

4.68/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

330 ml stubby brown bottle with a best before date of 09 2006. Quick tips on how to pour the beer as well as “Bottle Conditioned” on the label.

Appearance: A perfect amount of foamy head from a trained pour into the appropriate Duvel glass, the lace clings to the glass in patchy clumps. The clarity is great as the pouring went well and the yeast stayed in the glass. Very pale in colour, some would confuse this with a lager as far as the light golden hue.

Smell: Hints of apple skin (juicy fruit), clean alcohol and a slight yeast bite in the aroma.

Taste & Mouthfeel: Clean pale malt flavour throughout. Three big flashes of yeast, hop bitterness and alcohol hit the palate. Big cleansing crispness makes you want an other sip. A tad juicy in the middle, with a big warming alcohol landing middle to end. Mild medicinal phenols peak in the middle and nearly vanish as the alcohol takes over.

Notes: A top shelf brew, this one does it for me and then some. Pretty much sex in a bottle and the devil told me to drink it. Duvel is close to dry champagne but so much more. Between the bitterness and the sheer crispness, this beer is what I expect from the Belgian strong pale ale style.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2003 03:59:57 | More by Jason

mdfb79

New York

3.93/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 11.2 oz. bottle into a tulip.

a - Pours a pale golden color that is quite see through, with about 3 fingers of white foam and a lot of retention. Moderate carbonation.

s - Smells of bananas, citrusy hops, yeast, and hints of spice.

t - Tastes of citrusy hops, bready malts, and banana.

m - High carbonation and light body.

d - A decent belgian that is readily available in grocery stores. I would agree with others that this could be a good gateway beer for people looking to get into Belgians, but I don't think it is as good as some others I've had. Thought the high carbonation hurt it a little bit, but still a nice beer that I'd have again.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2010 23:05:25 | More by mdfb79

Billolick

New York

4.3/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Large bottle , with cork and cage. Pours very light wheat, cloudy, head is the stuff of beer dreams. Lacing is world class. Intricate,fluffy, voluminious. Great retention, finally dissolving to the tiniest of tiny bubble sheens. Nose of yeast, pepper, powdered sugar, alcohol, citrus and a light fruityness. Taste is of limes, gin, tart, peppery, bitterness late. mouthfeel is creamy and crisp at the same time. World class Belgian. Its a blessing to us all that this nectar of the gods is widely available. Go get some now, chill, pour and enjoy with a wide variety of foods.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2004 02:18:47 | More by Billolick

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle from AKSmokedPorter as part of Secret Santa 2005. Thanks for the opportunity. Corked and caged, with a date (not sure what it indicates, probably best by) of 13.08.06.

Poured into a Rapscallion glass, formed a 2 1/2" bright white head above the clear golden brew. Head lasts and lasts, with rejuvenation from lots of deep bubbling, with lots of hunky foam lacing. Aroma is sugar and spice and everything, well, you know. Taste is spicy sweetness also, with bready undertones. Mouthfeel is light and smooth over the tongue, and drinkability is very nice. Sweet could possibly get a tad cloying after awhile, but nonetheless, a classic.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2006 00:44:54 | More by ppoitras

weeare138

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appears a hazy pale light gold with a 2 finger creamy white head.
Smell is of tropical fruit, nectarines, light zesty malts, spices featuring pepper, and hops.
Taste is of spicy orange peel, and black pepper mixed in a pilsner brew with definite Belgian yeast being implimented.
Mouthfeel is slightly harsher than smooth with a slight sweetness, bitterness, and just a touch of off skunkiness that's hard to place.
Drinkability is ok. Definite alcohol presence which makes me want to sip this more than anything else.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2005 16:51:30 | More by weeare138

Zorro

California

4.4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very slightly cloudy yellow with more than a few bubbles, looks like a good Lager.

Pleasant Spicy smell! Smells lightly of pears and perfume.

Very mild flavored, not too sweet at all. It .has a bit of woody tartness in the finish.

This is much drier than most Belgian strong pale ales. There is a bit of spice and fruitiness in this, but it is hard to pin down the exact taste.

Extremely pleasant! Taste more like "Beer" than most Belgian beers of this type, I really like it.

Mouthfeel is thicker than you would expect for such a pale colored beer. It is just about right, satisfying but no sensation that you need to chew it.

Drinkability is very good! I could drink one of these every night and be VERY happy!

A superior brew in all respects!

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2004 02:29:06 | More by Zorro

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slightly hazy golden yellow, huge white head fills up to the rim of my big Duvel tulip. Lace all around the glass. Smell is sweet and malty, spicy and grassy hops. Taste is very malty, slightly sweet, spices in the middle and a nice clean bitter finish. Very smooth mouth, the alcohol is perfectly hidden, very refreshing, excellent and timeless beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2005 03:35:46 | More by Viggo

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

4.4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was suprised to see I hadn't reviewed Duvel when I checked the Best of BA list the other day. I thought I had better get round to it.

All the best superlatives have been used by other BA drinkers and I don't want to copy anyone. So this is just an amble type of ramble. Needless to say, I think this is a fantastic beer and have scored it accordingly.

I started drinking Belgian beers on a regular basis back in 1993 and I have always thought Duvel to be a great beer and a leader within the stronger Pale Ales produced in Belgium.

I have two Duvel glasses and there are always some bottles in my garage waiting to be cooled and drunk. My local supermarket (Morrisons) has Duvel on offer at £4.00 for three .33 litre bottles, that's about $8.00 at todays exchange rate.

Being a member of the CAMRA Investors club means I have a few shares of the Duvel Moortgat brewery (part share of $67,000) and have had the pleasure of visiting the said brewery in 2005.

A very drinkable beer, one that I hope never changes its top quality ingrediants and I have put my money where my belly is too!

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2007 14:42:52 | More by BlackHaddock