Duvel - Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV

Ave

Iowa

3.15/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Not having tried this until just recently, I was surprised at what my eyes & nose was presented with. Bright golden in color, slightly murky like a heffe & with a massive foaming head. This brew of course really dose better in a tulip or bulb. It settles in & becomes very foamy even as it dissipates in density it holds its volume. Very impressive! The smell is almost overwhelming, as it seems to be with most of the big Belgians. Very sweet & fizzy in the nose with that wonderful Belgian yeast aroma.

The flavor is unfortunately not to my tastes, being as sweet & fizzy on the tongue as it is in the nose. It taste like Belgian Champaign beer. Not a bad thing I guess, but I don’t like most Champaigns. It is supper yummy, but just too sweet.

I can get my way through a liter, but not much more than that really.

Ave

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2003 21:54:52 | More by Ave

sirpsycho

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

From bottle into glass, best before date 4/2009. Nice golden color. Head was frothy and full. Taste was kinda spicy, hoppy, citrusy, carbonated. Not what I was expecting after hearing about this from so many people. Thought I was going to be blown away, but then again, maybe it's just not not my favorite style of beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2007 11:28:42 | More by sirpsycho

Krakistophales

Connecticut

3.15/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Pours golden with a big white fluffy head that retains as white bubbly film

S: Hints of cane sugar, some spice, little bit of a citrus zest, but pretty muted

T: Not much going on here. At first, a bit of a peppery/citrus zest and spice mix, the end being a bitter, kind of pilsner-ish hop finish. Not impressed.

O: I don't see why this gets rave reviews. I've had much more flavorful strong pales and pilsners. Oh well, it's not bad, but it's not good either.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 23:56:59 | More by Krakistophales

FLAbeergutinMASS

Massachusetts

3.18/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

My experience with this beer was auspicious from the beginning. I had to use a pair of vice-grips to get the cork out. Once out, the beer gave off tremendous fruity esters musty carbonation. Now I am not entirely sure how Belgian Strong Pale Ales are supposed to taste (well, yes I do) and this is highly disappointing. At first there is a wonderful tickle as it enters, then sour, plain sourness, almost like the beer was stale. I wanted to shake up the sediment to get a different taste.

One area I highly commend this beer in is it head. Meringue like from the beginning to the end. I will not be “re-visiting” this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2006 20:42:43 | More by FLAbeergutinMASS

Jredner

Florida

3.18/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Kinda a rauchbier aroma, but less pronounced, though still unexpected. Some maltiness. Pale golden in color. The head rioted in my glass. After calling in the authorities it settled down somewhat, but continued to stand around leering at me. Malt profile with some tickling alcohol and pear notes. Mild spice, but much less than many Belgian Strong Ales. Much ado about nothing it seems.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2006 19:42:48 | More by Jredner

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.18/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Acquired from grub courtesy of the Birthday Club 2, so a big “Thank you” goes out to him. Poured from a 330ml bottle into a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a bright yellow color with a large foamy white head that fades very slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of bananas, light malts, Belgian yeast, some spice and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with a strong sourness and flavors of Belgian yeast and spices. There’s a mild hops presence and a thin malt character. The after-taste is slightly bitter as there isn’t very much sweetness throughout the taste to counteract the sourness and bitterness.

M: Very crisp and a little smooth, medium body, medium-to-high carbonation, clean and very dry finish.

D: Tasty, goes down easy, not too filling, nice kick, good representation of style, I had tried this beer at a tasting once long ago and didn’t like it very much, however, that was before I had tried many Belgian beers. I liked many Belgian beers that I tried since then and realized that I may not have given this beer a fair shot, thus I was anxious to give this beer another try. However, I was disappointed again. I realize now that I simply don’t like this beer as much as I appreciate its craftmanship.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2007 04:57:00 | More by TheManiacalOne

smakawhat

Maryland

3.18/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured from the bottle into a tulip/thistle glass. Best before July 2013 so she should be ready to roll.

A very thin bubbled totally white head of two finger size with some cake like retention. Real nice lemon gold clear body with much carbonation visible. The clarity on this beer is quite amazing has some very see through character to it. Head falls slowly and head bubbles all seem to be a nice pin head size. Good glow to this beer too and lots of sticky lacing as well.

Bouquet on the Duvel is a simple basic slight butter and yeast. Quite pleasant with a faint must. This is probably a good place to start, it's not too strong on the nose. Has a sweet creamy smell to some extent too, but also a sense of very clean.

Taste is predominantly fizzy... like club soda. Fresh club soda. I am getting... nothing else. Is this club soda beer? What's missing here? I feel like I am drinking Canada Dry or something with perhaps a little bit of hay/grass.

I can't rate this very high and probably not going to have it again for drinkability cause I know there are others in this style that I prefer by far.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 01:55:00 | More by smakawhat

pwoods

Ohio

3.2/5  rDev -25.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

330ml stubby brown bottle from Party Source poured into an oversized wine glass. Best by 3/2010.

A: Big ass pillowy head. Nice retention throughout and very strong lacing. Poured very slowly resulting in a perfectly clear golden color.

S: Juicy acidic fruits along with some floral hops. In the back of my mind I keep thinking witbier. Slight presence of alcohol.

T/M: First taste makes me think witbier, too. Has a strange tasting bitterness to it that leads to the alcohol and big medicinal phenols. Citrus twist at the end for a dry finish. Higher carbonation makes it pretty light on the palate.

D: Has a very different taste than what I was expecting. It's not bad but not something I'll get often. Easy to drink and refreshing, though.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2007 20:12:55 | More by pwoods

Pencible

Virginia

3.23/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This poured a clear gold with fluffy white head, like a typical light Belgian ale. It smelled like sour yeast and lemon hops. It tasted like muted grapefruit bitterness and yeast sweetness, with no depth or real character. It was slightly thick with mild carbonation and a weak aftertaste. Overall this was a mediocre example of a beer style I don't really like; not worth drinking again.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2008 23:05:15 | More by Pencible

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.23/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed on 8/19/08. 33 cL bottle. Pours a slightly cloudy piss yellow with a huge foamy white head. Aroma of wheat, light fruits. Flavor is similar with an initial spicy kick. A bit boozy and leaves a strong warmth in your throat. Ok, but nothing special....
6/3/7/3/14 (3.3/5)

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2008 18:52:08 | More by LilBeerDoctor

boogyman

Washington

3.23/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A- Poured into my tulip glass a clear golden color with a big billowy 3 finger white head. Bubbles constantly refuel the great head.

S- Light banana and some yeastiness. Very fresh smelling in my opinion.

T- Light grapes and banana has a strange light boozy hoppyness. Aftertaste is kind of bitter and sticks on the tongue for a long time.

M- Goes down smooth but you can tell there is tons of carbonation going in with it. Whats really scary is it doesn't seem to make you burp much to begin with but you can feel the pressure building up. This one would give you a stomach ache if you didn't belch often enough.

D- Well I am a novice when it comes to golden ales of this caliber and I would say I enjoyed drinking this brew but I think it could of done better masking the 8.5% ABV. I couldn't seem myself having more then one or two of these before I got sick of it or from it.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2010 02:19:17 | More by boogyman

Mjoepp

Sweden

3.23/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Golden but a little "muddy", probably yeast as it smells belgian yeast. The head is enourmous if you pour the liquid clucking through the bottle The head is white and quite creamy when it settles in.

S: Sweet belgian yeast and a little touch of flowers. Light carbonation.

Taste: Sweet belgian yeast which is noticed both while the liquid is in the mouth and and ater swallowing. The aftertaste is a bit hoppy and a bit of sweet candy.

O: Not what I rememberd, but it is easy to drink. Almost to easy.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2010 18:32:28 | More by Mjoepp

glazeman

Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a snifter

A: Light gold in color with a 3 finger fluffy white head. The beer has excellent retention and lacing.

S: The nose on this beer is very yeasty. There's a lemongrass and a little bit of orange in there as well.

T: There's some hops up front that come through as light citrus fruits, particularly lemons and oranges. The middle is the most prominent part of the beer and is dominated by the yeast that comes through as a yeasty earthiness and peppercorns and some light grapes. A little bit of chalkiness at the finish.

M: Very crisp, but perhaps a little over carbonated for my liking.

D: I didn't find the taste here all that interesting or unique. To me it was almost like a slightly more flavorful, over carbonated run of the mill pilsner. The drinkability is hindered by the high carbonation. To this beers credit it masks the ABV well. Still, I prefer delerium tremens to this any day.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2011 00:03:00 | More by glazeman

Elevator

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -24.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pour & Aroma: Served chilled in a frosted large tulip glass. Initial pour is very cloudy, light gold with a heavy haze. Two fingers worth of cloudy foam. Not a pronounced aroma, some pepper, grasses, yeast and grains with very faint citrus, all of which are very subdued.

Taste: First quaff gets me a wallop of alcohol wrapped around my tongue with a ton of bubbles and acidic hop. Very dry. Light biscuit hidden in there somewhere, mild sweetness is overwhelmed by the alcohol and bitters. Thin body, almost like a champagne. As the temp rose of both glass and beer, aroma and flavors emerge that are of a far more citrusy and aromatic nature. Hop is still there at the back end standing strong, but I’m getting some really great sweetness in there I hadn’t gotten at all at first.

Verdict: I definitely would enjoy this with some cheeses or cold meat. It doesn’t come across to me as well-sculpted, but if you’re looking for something relatively inexpensive with some bite and solid ABV (8.5%) you could certainly do worse.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 03:06:08 | More by Elevator

glasscleaner

New York

3.25/5  rDev -24.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Duvel could be a cross between La Fin du Monde and Bitburger Pils IMO,without the value[Bitburger's way under 1/2 the price[for 4 500 ml],and LFDM's tastier with a higher ABV].
Duvel's nice, yet it's an emperor without any clothes kind of beer,since few want to criticize it openly.
Duvel doesn't blow me away,and I suggest while it's worth a visit,the living ain't easy.
Hit it,forget it,and find something steadier instead.
My preference to this is Hennepin,which is outstanding!

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 08:45:28 | More by glasscleaner

twelvsies

Maine

3.3/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had this beer awhile ago, and wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be, given the hype. Decided to give it another go and get pretty much the same results. It is one of the most visually pleasing beer I've ever had, I'll give it that. Big mountainous head, milky white, piling out of the top of my glass. Smell and taste are sugary sweet, with traces or Belgian spices and spicy herbal hops. Taste is nice, but there's a strong alcohol kick to it that doesn't seem to belong in this beer, and I have no beef in general with a little alcohol kick. And maybe a little overly sweet. Basically I'm pretty underwhelmed with this beer. Maybe if I'd had lower expectations I would've liked it more, but it still seems like an average Belgian ale to me.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2005 19:31:54 | More by twelvsies

MrHurmateeowish

New Hampshire

3.3/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

33cL bottle from A-1 to-go in Gardiner. Light yellow translucent body with several inches of white head. Smells malty, citrusy, and slightly skunky (uh-oh...). Tastes citrusy and peppery with a hint of skunk... On the upper side of light-bodied, with a fair bit of carbonation in this one. Relatively drinkable. I have to believe this wasn't the best bottle. I'm sure I'll try it again though.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2006 04:25:38 | More by MrHurmateeowish

ccrida

Oregon

3.3/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

THE BSPA. Which I apparently have never reviewed. Honestly, it never was my favorite, but I haven't had it in quite some time, and the "buy a 4 pack and get a free tulip" promo seemed like a good excuse to revisit this world classic.

33cl stubby, around 40-45F, poured into the famous Duvel tulip. This beer looks perfect. Clear gold, an eruption of bubbles streaming up from the etched "D" in the bottom center of the glass. Big pillowy white head, rock and slow settling, taller island of foam in the middle, while as the sides subside, it leaves heavy, foamy lace.

Smell is pils grain, table sugar, minerals (seltzer like), light herbal, grassy hops and fruity belgian esters. A pretty nice balance between it all, but not overly robust or exciting, even when I bury my nose in the glass.

Taste is still not my favorite, overly grainy and boozy for my taste in the style, where I prefer more esters. I've just always found it to simple and rough, and that is still the case. Even letting it warm up a good bit, the only thing that gained strength was the alcohol.

Mouthfeel is very crisp, a sharp if very fine (small bubbled carbonation).

Drinkability is ok. Just a strong and simple Belgian blonde in my book. The glass is by far the best thing about the whole package. While I appreciate it's good looks, the taste just doesn't do a lot for me, and I find it to be average at best. About as close to American lager as you can get in a Belgian Ale, taste wise. And isn't that really what it's all about?

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2009 04:18:42 | More by ccrida

Psilo707

California

3.3/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Seeing this getting a solid A, I was excited to try this one out, especially since it shares a shelf with Chimay at my liquor store.

Appears very light and fluffy with a bright yellow hue to it. Head is extremely thick and lacing sticky. Smell is sort of mediocre.. no real distinctly good aroma to it.

Tastes very cheerful and a slight bit fruity. The aroma when drinking it is not too pleasant though and leads to a lessened taste for me. Mouthfeel is decent and creamy, and drinkability is high.

Overall, not nearly as good as I expected, and I like Chimay much better. But still a decent Belgian Pale Ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2009 02:25:32 | More by Psilo707

Methodd

British Columbia (Canada)

3.3/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330mL bottle poured into a pint glass.
Appearance: Very light golden color. Huge, huge amounts of shock white fizzy head that turns into clumps of white foam. Huge clumpy lacing stick to the glass.

Smell: Nothing remarkable. Citrus and yeast.

Taste: Boozy. Citrus, pear and very yeasty.

Mouthfeel: As the head indicated it's heavly carbonated. Smooth swallow and little after taste.

Drinkability: Typical Belgian Strong. Not really sure what all the hype is about. I'm not a fan of the style but even so I don't see anything to write home about here.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2010 03:51:11 | More by Methodd

Takahiro

Oregon

3.3/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

From 750ml bottle into my Duvel Tulip glass
it's been years since I tasted it before.
This is the first Duvel after I got into drinking Belgian style beers.

Looks straw light-pale color, very clear.
fluffy 1.5" white foam that lasts a while
bubble size varies

smellls sweet fruit up front. I also pick up lager-like characteristics in the back ground. smell is "rounded" sweetness (not sharp), and some yogurt (i pick this one up in saison I recently brewed).

taste fruity. Some sweetness, which is different from maltiness/body. as a matter of fact, the body is fairly light. there's some soury yogurty (rounded) flavor, which I tend to pick up from strong Belgian beers. May be some "wheaty" characteristics, i don't know.

I notice that some of the sweetness comes from alcohol, which I feel very well in the after taste.

this one leans towards hoppiness, which seem to intermingle with the alcohol in the after taste.

it's drinkable, but not as good as I thought it would be.
may be related to "bad" handling before it got to my mouth.

will try again.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2010 02:23:00 | More by Takahiro

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Ba Review #142
Served On: 03/16/2012
Glassware: Duvel Glass
Labeled ABV: 8.5%
Date/ Code: 12/2013 – code: L1511 0336

This one was from a gift pack that included 4-bottles of the Golden Ale and a full-sized Duvel tulip glass.

Look: Poured from the bottled (+ sediment). The beer had a hazy bright golden color with a high level of carbonation bubbles reacting to the laser etching on the bottom of the signature Duvel glass. Head was a clump of white foam, almost like a scoop of ice cream.

Smell: The aroma was of a medicinal banana. Also some sweet Belgian candy sugar notes were present. Some grassy hops were detected as well.

Taste: First was an herbal banana - like a banana that wasn’t quite ripe. Then was a quick alcohol bite with a clean Belgian yeast note that diminished just before a tasteless finish.

I'm afraid this beer may have been hyped up a bit. Granted I'm a little biased - being American and all, but this one has certainly been influenced by some European marketing tactics. Let's face it - most American pale ales would blow this one away. For example - Oskar Blues Dales Pale Ale, or even anything from SN... and this one is even considered a 'strong'.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 18:40:35 | More by CraftBeerTastic

leviathan85

Massachusetts

3.33/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked up a bottle in a mixed 6er, pured into a large wine glass.

A: Great pour with a huge white head tat floated on top of the beer and billowed up over the rim of the glass.

S: Light fruits (def. some apple) and hints of yeast and hops.

T: Nothing wrong here, subtle and complex. But just not my cup of tea. Like a complex champaigne.

M: Very carbonated. Smooth.

D: Highly drinkable; alcohol isn't noticable. But at 8.5 abv this drinkability doesn'y get you anywhere really.

Overall a solid belgian ale. I would probably have this again paired with a steak or some lobster. But to relax and enjoy a high abv beer on its own; i can think of a number of different offerings that I'd prefer. When I want a beer I want to feel like I'm having a beer and this one just doesn't do it for me.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2007 06:56:47 | More by leviathan85

jpkoch1962

Indiana

3.33/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I'm a heretic. The Duvel Belgium Strong Ale just doesn't do much for me. I've read plenty on this style -it's history, taste profile, as well as critics rave reviews. I finally broke down and purchased a 755ml bottle.

I will readily admit that Duvel is the class for its style. I just do not enjoy a skunky, very dry, tart ale.

Duvel poured a brilliant straw yellow. It was a very slow pour, and I allowed the head to slowly build. The carbonation was fantastic. A thick, long lasting white head built within seconds. The aroma was a tart apple smell very much like a white Riesling wine. As a matter of fact, the entire ale was quite dry, vinuous and tart. A definite sweetness was detected in the middle, but the skunky, apple esthers overpowered this beer, making it more of a wine than an ale. The finish was dry, with a lingering of juicy fruit and apples remaining.

I suppose this is the King of Belguim Ales, but it's not my cup of tea. A warning, the alcohol will hit the uninitiated. At 8.5% this ale is nothing to mess with

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 23:59:59 | More by jpkoch1962

callmemickey

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Wonderful golden body.. fluffy white head... lots of lace.. a great looking belgian.

S: Balance between sweet malts and a bit of yeastyness... lots of fruit notes.. lots of pears and peaches... lots of alcohol comes through though.

T: The taste is very much like the nose... the yeast and alcohol don't quite blend the way many other in the style do it for me.

M: Medium to light body... crisp finish.

D: The taste just doesn't sit well with me... ive tried time and again to like this beer as much as "im supposed to" but i find the beer coming up short each time.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2008 01:03:03 | More by callmemickey