Vanilla Tree Dubbel - Westbrook Brewing Co.

sholland119

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -11.2%

08-27-2012 17:36:19 | More by sholland119

ADTaber

South Carolina

3/5  rDev -11.2%

05-21-2013 00:01:08 | More by ADTaber

tommyguz

Pennsylvania

1/5  rDev -70.4%

05-11-2013 01:08:26 | More by tommyguz

marshmeli

New York

3/5  rDev -11.2%

05-10-2013 20:52:42 | More by marshmeli

rjknyy

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

04-20-2013 18:35:32 | More by rjknyy

DaPan

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

04-13-2013 22:06:35 | More by DaPan

dvmky

Kentucky

3.25/5  rDev -3.8%

04-10-2013 21:11:33 | More by dvmky

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

3.73/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

22 oz bottle poured into a snifter at cellar temperature.

L – Ruby brown color with a 1-finger creamy, frothy, cream-colored head. Nice retention as the head fades down into a thin cap of froth that sticks around throughout, and there’s some patchy lacing. The color is in the right place, but the head characteristics aren’t as great when compared to true Belgian dubbels.

S – I’m getting a lot going on here – Chocolate, vanilla, plums, black cherries, candi sugar, cloves, a touch of oak, and some medicinal phenols. The aroma isn’t bad, but the medicinal qualities make it a bit less smooth than good Belgian examples. The aromas also aren’t quite as well blended as the better examples.

T – It starts off with a mix of sweet malt flavors and spices, specifically plums, raisins, black cherries, cloves, vanilla, molasses, and a bit of cocoa. As the taste progresses, vanilla becomes more prevalent, along with candi sugar. Towards the finish, dry, woody oak appears. It’s not your typical dubbel, but it’s certainly not bad.

F – Medium-to-full-bodied with good carbonation, a creamy and velvety smooth mouthfeel, and a sweet and somewhat dry finish. Malty and dark fruity sweetness lingers for a bit along with some oak dryness. The creaminess makes the mouthfeel very close to great dubbels; I just find it extraordinarily hard to find an American example with a spot-on Belgian mouthfeel.

O – This is a decent beer, albeit not the best example of a true dubbel. All the elements are there in the aroma, taste, and mouthfeel, but they’re just not where they need to be to make it a good example. The head characteristics could be slightly better, the aroma has some medicinal phenols that are slightly off-putting, and the aromas and flavors aren’t as well-melded as good dubbels. The mouthfeel is maybe the best part and is very close to the real deal. The oak is an interesting factor, but doesn’t really add to the beer in any major way. I can’t lie and say that I didn’t expect more from Westbrook, but hey, they make so many fantastic beers that they deserve a pass every now and then.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 03:17:33 | More by BlackBelt5112203

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +10.9%

03-31-2013 21:28:31 | More by mikeincharleston

dvmin98

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -11.2%

03-16-2013 21:54:05 | More by dvmin98

THECPJ

Delaware

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

03-14-2013 00:53:04 | More by THECPJ

claytong

Vermont

2/5  rDev -40.8%

03-14-2013 00:52:53 | More by claytong

Pookie

Georgia

3.25/5  rDev -3.8%

03-06-2013 05:22:41 | More by Pookie

SPRichard

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

02-25-2013 21:26:47 | More by SPRichard

GTB

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +47.9%

02-05-2013 18:21:34 | More by GTB

Circleo12

South Carolina

2/5  rDev -40.8%

01-30-2013 12:21:32 | More by Circleo12

jsanford

Georgia

4/5  rDev +18.3%

01-30-2013 03:18:59 | More by jsanford

harpus

Alabama

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

01-28-2013 21:13:03 | More by harpus

DangerDawg

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +10.9%

01-17-2013 21:00:28 | More by DangerDawg

Jlang2012

South Carolina

2.75/5  rDev -18.6%

01-08-2013 23:14:21 | More by Jlang2012

RoryOMoore

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +18.3%

01-08-2013 04:11:04 | More by RoryOMoore

sendbeer

Georgia

2.25/5  rDev -33.4%

01-06-2013 05:53:26 | More by sendbeer

Keener

Indiana

4/5  rDev +18.3%

01-02-2013 22:00:20 | More by Keener

Zaphog

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -3.8%

12-23-2012 03:35:55 | More by Zaphog

JeffreyJDavis

North Carolina

3.38/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bomber (bottled 11.11.12) into a Westmalle chalice (wishfull thinking via osmosis?)

A: pours a deep and dark chestnut brown. Nice color, but almost no head, a razor line. 2nd aggressive pour gave me maybe 5mm with very rapid dissipation .

N: doesn't smell like a Dubbel, the dark fruits I would expect are pretty subdued. Smells more like a Christmas ale, aged on oak, oak is almost the primary nose I get. Smells sweet, but not really Belgian Candy sugar sweet.

T: again, doesn't really taste like a Dubbel, more like a Christmas Ale or Winter Warmer. Nice maltiness that you would expect, sweet with light cocoa and a very subtle vanilla. Actually I was concerned when I bought it that the vanilla would blow out the rest of the beer taste, but seems the aging on vanilla beans does little other than suggest vanilla. Oak comes out in the finish.

MF: lack of carbonation is the miss for me. Smooth and easy to sip, with very little alcohol astringency on the finish. Nice, but probably not as velvety as a Westmalle or other true Dubbel.

Not a bad beer, just not a true Dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 16:46:02 | More by JeffreyJDavis