Duvel - Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV

Andrew61923

Connecticut

4.36/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle at roughly 40 degrees into, what else, my Duvel tulip.

A: Extremely clean light gold with a huge white three finger head. Looks perfect in this glass.

S: Again, very clean. Some lemon and citrus mixed in with a note of white grapes.

T: Damn that's crisp. A good amount of spice at the front, but mellows out. Just a very well-balanced beer.

M: I keep coming back to this word, but the best way to describe this beer is clean. A good amount of carbonation (which adds to the pleasant appearance). Would be very easy to have too many of these without picking up on the ABV until you stand up.

O: I will never call myself a huge fan of Belgian-style beers, but this is one of the best I've ever had. Add in the fact that this beer looks simply perfect in its own glass, and this was an enjoyable experience.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 18:46:11 | More by Andrew61923

Fatehunter

Oregon

4.23/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a tall tulip glass. A big three fingers of head on a clear, golden colored body. Lots of bubbles coming up.
The aroma is lemon and crushed grain in a wonderful way.
The taste is champagne like with a light fruit and mild bitterness. The complexity is great.
The texture is crisp with moderate carbonation.
Obviously one of the best beers around.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 03:01:00 | More by Fatehunter

kangarooAdam59

Maine

4.68/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

From the bomber into my chalice:

A: hazy golden body leaving a half centimeter of white foamy head that appears and lasts for a minute before dieing in a concave sort of way. Some streams of carbonation are seen rising.

S: centered around spices and sweet fruit coming through in a light way. Belgian yeast is there but more subdued.

T: spicy and sweet sometimes at the same time and sometimes not, amazing (at least to me).

M: medium with the normal amount of carbonation felt on the tongue. A slight creaminess comes through as well. The aftertaste is sweet and the finish is sticky.

O: big wow here. I didn't know this was going to be this good. I read the hype and had to check this out for myself. I'm really glad I tried this because I'm not normally a fan of the lighter Belgian styles so for someone like me to add to the noise of how good this is, well, my numbers should speak for themselves.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 01:00:33 | More by kangarooAdam59

TheCondor

Missouri

4.48/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had always heard so much about the magnificence of Duvel, I just had to score a bottle and give it a shot. Plus, it is one of the Beers of Fame, which I am on a quest to imbibe all off and review. Side poured with standard energy from the bottle into my regimental tulip glass.

Appearance - Pours a light straw yellow color with an absolutely, ridiculously massive soapy white four finger head that never really fully dissipates, always leaving some sort of head on top of the beer. Clings to the side of the glass like glue. One of the best presentations I've ever seen out of any beer style.

Smell - The yeastiness and breads are certainly present, along with a lot of different lighter fruits such as apples, white grapes, etc. Kind of smells like white wine in a sense. Very good on the nose.

Taste - Tastes like God loves you. The fruity esters sweep the palate and are followed by the crackers and breads towards the middle of the drink. A touch of bitter hoppy, a bit of pepper, very well balanced.

Mouthfeel - Big carbonation, light body, so smooth and easy to drink. I smashed the whole bottle by myself in short order, and besides the good feelings I had, I easily could have drank a lot more. Finishes just a touch bitter and with a hint of alcohol warmth. Awesome.

Overall - Are you kidding me? If you haven't had this beer, you need to go get it right now. Spectacular. Enough said.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 04:08:18 | More by TheCondor

HabiMendes

Rhode Island

4.26/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Before everything else, you see a golden and highly carbonated appearance, with a large white neck that imply a refreshing taste. In the smell, you notice delicate spices, that are able to pronounce themselves very well in a relatively strong beer.

The excellent, refreshing taste indicates that this is, indeed, a superb alternative for a Pilsner, with more style, of course. It's a refreshing, albeit strong, beer. Such strength doesn't leave too much space for the hops, but the spices are still there!

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 18:08:54 | More by HabiMendes

Bashao

Israel

3.83/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Pours light and clear yellow from the bottle. Nice foam head that lasts long.

Smell: very strong hop aromas. Some flowery scent.

Taste: a bit sour with a bitter end. Highly carbonated.

Mouthfeel: medium body.

Overall: Good Belgium ale. I liked it.

Comments:the beer was poured into a snifter glass.not a Duvel glass.
Yeast residue in bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 12:21:30 | More by Bashao

N3rdM3t4l

Oregon

4.94/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

330ml stubby into wine glass (due to the abscence of a snifter)

A: cloudy golden straw color with a fantastic head of chunky white foam. Looks great and the head won't die.

S: the other reviews don't lie juicy fruit on the nose. Lots of apple almost like cider. Good yeasty smell like a bread starter. A bit of alcohol on the nose but it makes it smell like white wine. The apple smell is so strong I can smell it a foot from the glass.

T: sweet, more cidery apple flavor with great yeast flavor. Same as the nose, but it has more to it than that. It finishes a little bitter but not overpowering. Really good. It finishes good and dry like brut.

M: smooth and devilshly good. Lighter body than expected almost like a lager but the carbonation gives it a very champagne like mouthfeel but thicker. Like a lager. Wonderful.

O: no wonder it is called one of the worlds best beers. This is great. Not much else I can say really but ohh hell yeah.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 06:12:43 | More by N3rdM3t4l

Luminol

5/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a tulip glass

A: Golden in color but a bit hazy. Tons of carbonation. Nice beautiful foamy head.

S: I'm picking up a lot of smells here: clove, apple notes. The smell is very refreshing.

T: The taste is similar to how the beer smells. There's hints of clove and banana, some spices, and a bit of orange. It also has this apple cider-type flavor amongst all the flavors. The bitterness is very mild.

M: Light bodied, and the carbonation draws out the flavors. The carbonation really makes this beer stand out.

O: This is a perfect beer. It's very tasty and refreshing. It's a really good Belgian Golden.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 08:34:18 | More by Luminol

JohnnyMc

Ohio

4.95/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A classic example of the style!

Pours out a clear, bright yellow with about 3 fingers of a very fluffy, white head.

The aroma is packed with fruity esters. There are notes of bananas, apples, pears and white grapes, some lemon zest, orange peel, coriander, the typical Belgian yeast strain and some bready, yeasty notes.

The taste is very similar to the aroma. Up front there are a ton of the bananas, apples, pears and white grapes which is followed by lemon zest, some white pepper, orange peel as well as coriander. The Belgian yeast strain is very dominant and it finishes with a decent amount of bready/yeasty notes.

Finishes very dry, has a crisp and clean mouthfeel, a light-medium body and is carbonated like champagne. Not trace of alcohol anywhere in this beer. Very smooth and highly drinkable.

If you like Belgian Ales you HAVE to try this one. Amazing.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 20:26:41 | More by JohnnyMc

KYGunner

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

The single most carbonated ale I have ever seen the rush of bubbles created a telescopic off white head. The more the bubbles rushed to the surface the farther the head retreated from the top of the glass. The ale had a cloudy golden hue that was quite striking.

The scent is of yeast, cloves, honey and even a bit of lemon. Very complex.

A kind of mead like quality the taste is like a Bit O' Honey candy. There is an apple taste at the back and I'm impressed with the variance on the tongue. There's even a bit of citrus somewhere in there but it is lost quickly.

Despite the immense carbonation the feel is light and tangy. Very smooth it drinks easy and well.

These are not my favorite flavors, especially in beer, but I understand the high numbers this ale receives as it is very intricate in its tones.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2013 23:48:07 | More by KYGunner

Onenote81

North Carolina

4.16/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle poured into a chalice. Pours a slightly hazy, straw-gold with a small white head on top. Good retention, and there's plenty of lace left behind. The nose is sharp with Belgian yeast, sour citrus, dry grass, coriander.

This one starts out really spritzy and a bit harsh. A massive amount of carbonation on the palate. Thankfully, though, this smooths out as I sip. Gets much more mellow and cleans itself up. A bit dry on the finish.

Wonderful balance on this one. Completely understand now why this one is rated so highly. Spice, tart yeast, lemon zest, dry crackers. Just a touch of alcohol rounds this one out. Man this is incredibly balanced! Nothing really overpowers here, but every flavor plays their part and adds to the whole. A spectacular beer.

This is a style I don't drink very often as I haven't had many that I really crave, but this one jumped to the top of this list. One I will revisit again and again.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 18:10:31 | More by Onenote81

Joshpu

California

4.34/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a bottle into the Duvel glass.

A: Golden yellow, thick two finger, soapy head. Lots of carbonation. A little hazy, mostly clear though.

S: I smell pepper, yeast, apples maybe, some sort of fruit(s).

T: Tart tasting. Definitely getting the yeast and possibly apple taste. Hops, and also the pepper.

M: Medium bodied. Pretty crisp, dry mouthfeel. Smooth on the feel.

Overall, I have to say I am not a huge Belgian beer guy, so definitely have to take that into account. But with that said, I can respect this beer, it just seems a little one-dimensional to me. Honestly, it just sortof has that Heineken taste to me, with a little extra.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 09:42:58 | More by Joshpu

fitrock2112

Ohio

4.54/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured the Devil oh yeah, into the Belgium Duvel glass.

A - The clear beauty, is light yellow grass with a two finger of white puffy head.

S - Getting some Belgian yeast, touch of clove with mild sweet light fruit.

T - Ahh, nice crisp and refreshing, I taste more clove, Belgian yeast, bread, some citrus mid palate. Not noticing hardly any alcohol. Some tartness.

M - Highly carbonated, with a silky smooth light finish.

O - This is a nice beer, Gotta give it high marks. Highly Recommeded! Cheers!!

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 23:02:13 | More by fitrock2112

Premo88

Texas

3.89/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

330 ml bottle (six-pack style) poured into glass mug

A = yellow, pale gold, lively carbonation ... and opaque but still very light. looks almost, dare i say, like an American lager, but with a rich white head, creamy almost ... a head full enough to hold up a bottle cap

S = subtle, almost stale, again more akin to what i think of as American lager than ale ... but a perfect beer smell. could've fooled me into thinking its a lager.

T = clean, crisp, relatively light but with a very strong hops taste that tips you off that this is no lager. i'm going to say a bit fruity, though my palette is immature.

F = again with the theme: light. almost watery. very carbonated.

O = really good but very different from what i was expecting, probably because i fell in love with Chimay's white earlier this week, and being a novice when it comes to Belgian ales and trappist, I'm confusing myself on tastes. I like this beer a lot and have a feeling I'm going to like it more and more.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 04:54:13 | More by Premo88

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.01/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours a crystal clear golden straw with a huge bubbly white head that turns to meringue at the top. A constant flow of carbonation bubbles feed a head that persists forever and making pouring 12 oz into a pint glass impossible in one attempt. The aroma on this is quite unique. Apple cider and pears along with a bready yeasty aroma are quite inviting. Bits of pepper and spice round out the nose quite well. The flavor is crisp and just a hint of sugary sweet with a heavy does of apple and light fruits. Light hints of pepper and other yeast derived flavors balance this quite nicely. Light to medium body with a spirited level of carbonation and a sweet almost tart and bubbly mouthfeel. This is a unique and wonderful beer, how come I am just trying this now?

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 04:45:17 | More by johnnnniee

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.68/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

First off I love the categorization for this beer, listed as a Belgian Strong Pale Ale, I would call it a "Belgian Strong Golden Pale Ale", there's nothing quite like it. Snagged one of these in a corked 1pt 9.4oz bottle, which is usually a sign of great things to come. In this case it definitely was.

Look - Impressive bottle and artwork, not much more to say here. Pours light and slightly hazy with an aggressively bubbly head. Golden with a slight touch of amber.

Smell - Resembles a high-end pilsner here, a little bitter smelling. Made my mouth water.

Taste - Crisp, citrus (lemon? apple?) with just the right amount of hop overtones. Almost spicy and zesty, incredible!

Mouthfeel - This brew is so refreshing and thirst-quenching. It made a cold January evening feel like mid-summer. Could drink for a while but it is strong so take it easy!

Overall - This is a terrific brew, met all of my expectations and shattered them. Disclaimer, I am a huge fan of golden-style ales in general so this taste may not line up with yours, but for me this is one of the best of this style I have ever had.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 12:36:45 | More by JMScowcroft

Tomhet

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slightly clear yellow, rife with rising carbonation bubbles rising at high speed. A one-finger eggshell-white head sits atop the body and slowly dissipates, leaving cascading lacing. Aroma is out of this world. You're first hit with some crisp, citrusy hops ala lemon zest, some pines, and a faint trace of spiciness. Some bready malt backbone to the scent can be detected, but it's not exactly at the forefront.

Taste is simultaneously refreshing and complex. Straight up on the tongue is a crisp citrusy lemon note; incredibly balanced with some yeast notes. Plunge a little deeper and there's a delicious green apple note that is more than welcomed. Other citrusy notes combine perfectly with the yeast and create a miasma of flavor. Mouthfeel is slick, wet, and infinitely refreshing all the way through the finish. This reputation is well-deserved.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 06:27:40 | More by Tomhet

bkrebs

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

750mL bottle for a New Year's toast.

Pours a clear, light golden color with a full bright white cap of foam that persists. Plenty of lace on the glass throughout the tasting.

The aroma is dominated by black peppery phenols with a low underlying pear fruitiness and a slight grainy pils malt aroma.

The flavor is mostly peppery phenols with a touch of that pear fruitiness. Some noble type spicy hop flavor comes through later with a hint of grainy pils malt. The bitterness is rather firm and enhanced by the almost complete lack of sugar sweetness. The aftertaste is lingering phenols and light noble hop flavor. I don't get any sense that this beer is 8.5% alcohol.

A rather firm bitterness and high carbonation level enhances the bone dry mouthfeel.

In many ways, this beer exemplifies the basic qualities of the best belgian beers. It's dry, with pleasant phenols and fruitiness, and it's shockingly easy to drink considering the relatively high alcohol content.

Truly a classic and highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 21:18:30 | More by bkrebs

jibjib513

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Serving Type: Bottle from gift-set, into Duvel Tulip glass.

Appearance (4.0): Attempted to pour as the instructions on the side of the box state. This worked for the most part but I did manage to get a little too much foam. Had to set it down for a minute and eventually cut the head off with a knife, like they show in the stella artois commercials. I'm not sure if that is correct handling or not.

Smell (4.0): Smelled great!

Taste (4.0): Taste great, higher alcohol content but barely noticeable with all of the complex flavors coming through.

Mouthfeel (4.5): As with most of the Belgian beers, this one doesn't disappoint in the mouthfeel category.

Overall (4.0): A solid, world class beer. And I am also excited to get the tulip glass that came with the 4 pack gift set!

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 13:51:21 | More by jibjib513

King_KongDCO93

Minnesota

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

A: Large white head. Golden and carbonated. you can see through the glass. Looks a lot like a Champagne.

S: Nice floral scents, hops,

T: Really like the pilsner malt flavor. It is mildly bitter and has a nice citrus notes.

M: tangy and creamy flavors work well together

O: very smooth and drinkable, extremely well made.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 17:21:58 | More by King_KongDCO93

Braz

Washington

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

Pours a gorgeous golden blonde with a huge white head that slowly recedes to a rocky cap. Good amount of fruity aroma. Very lively looking beer. Tastes are fruity for most part with a bitterness toward the end and a fairly hoppy finish from the saaz. Excellent mouthfeel. Very lively carbonation with a dry finish. Will definately try again. Very high quality stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 23:53:37 | More by Braz

JamesMN

Minnesota

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

Appearance: Translucent golden hue with a strong stream of effervescence rising from the bottom. Huge four finger white foamy head. Leaving great lacing.

Aroma: Bready grain and yeast. Some apple and fruit juice notes. A 'dry' aroma.

Taste: I'd attribute most of the flavor here to the yeast. Fruit notes of pear and apple paired with spices. The malt bill seems almost simplistic as to let the yeast's flavors shine through. A little bit of biscuit malt flavor. There's some bitterness in there but not really noticeable. Finishes dry. Wouldn't guess it's as high as 8.5% ABV, although there is a nice warmth in the back of the throat after a while. Nice aftertaste of apple cider.

Mouthfeel: Medium body but feels lighter due to the high carbonation. Almost below average drinkability because of the drying effect on the palate.

Final Thoughts: I'm not blown away but it is definitely a great example of the style with no off-flavors. Would I drink it again? Sure.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 05:03:20 | More by JamesMN

HarryPotHead

Maryland

4.48/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured into my favorite chalice this golden beauty produces a head like no other! Thick and creamy like meringue, it holds it's form to the last drop with about as much lacing as I've ever seen. Excellent presentation from start to finish. A solid 5.

S - Aroma can best be described as a subtle blend of grapefruit, lemon grass, and malt. With the high alcohol content I expected something very different....something overpowering. The smell of alcohol is masked very well and the overall bouquet comes across as very layered and refreshing. Very fine!

T - Again, refreshing and complex. Slight citrus notes, toasted grains, and then a subtle warmth to the finish. Hops are not overwhelming but are very well balanced with the rest of the brew. Again, the high alcohol content is masked well but is present none the less....this is not a bad thing.

M - Smooth bodied and lightly carbonated like an ale even though it looks a lot like a pilsner. Goes down easy.

O - As they say...."the Devil is in the details" and this one is finely detailed! About as complex a brew as I've ever had. All aspects are in tune and finely crafted. I really enjoyed this beer but found the price hard to swallow at $12.99 for a bomber. That alone makes it unsessionable in my book (unfortunately), but maybe I'll hit the lotto!

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 03:06:53 | More by HarryPotHead

sirdrinkwell

Florida

3.78/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours a translucent straw with an abundant amount of foamy white head, which after settling gives way to considerable lacing.

S-yeast, malt, and wheat are present up front, followed by some very mild floral/herbal notes...somewhat underwhelming.

T-Mild and dry peppery spice mixes with the yeasty herbal characters present in the aroma, and a subtle hint of lemon.

M-In spite of the intense carbonation this ale has a very smooth feel. Quite refreshing.

O-A very drinkable and pleasant, if overrated ale. Perhaps what makes this a winner is its subtlety.

salud!

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 04:03:11 | More by sirdrinkwell

tectactoe

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a pale, golden-straw color with a humongous, pillowy white head that lasts for an incredible amount of time and leaves decent lacing. The aroma is strong fruity esters, banana, pears, apple skins - crisp and refreshing tone. Light clove spice and bubblegum is present, thanks to the Belgian yeast strain, although it isn't overdone or overpowering. Some light hops on the nose, grassy, dry, musky. The taste is certainly no slouch - Duvel often gets pegged as one of the quintessential BSPAs, and it's hard to disagree with that upon tasting it. A combination of pears, apple skins, bananas, cloves, gum, yeast, breadiness, and light hops all hit your taste buds at once, in seemingly perfect harmony. The initial sweetness from the malts is never too high, but always inviting as it slowly turns into a light hop bitterness by the end of the sip. Crisp and light on the mouth feel, high carbonation almost causes the beer to evaporate in your mouth while just the flavors remain intact. Alcohol does nothing more than provide a slight warming background, and even then, it's only really noticeable as the beer warms up - very impressive despite being 8.5% ABV.

Duvel is amazing, and it's certainly the beer you want to start off with when introducing someone new to BSPAs. All around, it contains the flavors you expect from a Belgian ale, but handles them in a nearly perfect way. Don't pass this one up, you'll be sorry you did.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 12:44:20 | More by tectactoe