St Martin Brune - Brasserie De Brunehaut

Blindpigbiz

California

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Style/abv: dubbel/8%

Smell: subtle soy sauce with caramel and dark chocolate

Taste: black coffee, dark chocolate, orange zest, and coca cola--mild effervescence also occurs throughout

Pairs well buttery bread sticks, but I suppose everything does

*this is fairly odd and would dare the risk takers to try this beer with BBQ tri-tip

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 22:00:04 | More by Blindpigbiz

beergoot

Colorado

3.54/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

The body appears as a deep, ruby-red mahogany and is crowned with a thick, sticky off-white head. Sweet, dark fruit smell; dates and old raisins; sweet and rich. There is a strong caramel flavor overall, with a somewhat fruitiness and a small hint of hop bitterness. The feel comes across medium-light with a somewhat robust fizziness from the carbonation.

This is a decent and flavorful dubbel but rather coarse and weak with the mouthfeel. Certainly not bad, but not necessarily a 'must-have'.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 01:10:32 | More by beergoot

Ciocanelu

Romania

3.63/5  rDev 0%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

330 ml bottle, poured into a long tulip glass.

Brown color, a bit cloudy. One finger head that reduces to nothing.
Smell is dominated by dark, sweet malt. Quite boozy.
Taste is on the sweet side with notes of brown sugar and liquorice.
Body feels medium and fizzy.

Overall it was a decent brew. I wasn't very impressed but I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 23:06:22 | More by Ciocanelu

UCLABrewN84

California

3.93/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle pour at the BevMo Holiday Beerfest held at Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles, CA.

Pours a murky brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, brown sugar, dark fruits, and spices. Taste is much the same with a mild spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with some nice aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 21:59:12 | More by UCLABrewN84

pkalix

California

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

dark brown with a little light around the edges, small foam on top.
smell is of malts, dark fruits (someone mentioned raisins).
taste is the same, tastes like a holiday fruitcake.
thick feel, carbonated but flat, if you know what i mean....
overall, a little too sweet (although i like the sweeter brews normally). i think it's rich and filling and is a decent brew, but again, there are better belgiums, for certain....

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 01:39:44 | More by pkalix

superspak

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330 ml bottle into chalice, June 2010 date notched. Pours very cloudy dark reddish brown color with a 1 finger dense dark khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Decent spotty lacing on the glass, with a small bit of carbonation streaming up. Aromas of big raisin, prune, caramel, molasses, bread, pepper, clove, earth, candi sugar, light chocolate, nuttiness, and yeast spices. SOme pretty nice aromas with good balance and complexity. Taste of big raisin, prune, caramel, molasses, chocolate, toffee, bread, toast, pepper, clove, herbal, nuttiness, and earthy yeast spices. Moderately dry on the finish; with lingering notes of dark fruit, chocolate, nuttiness, pepper, and earthy spiciness on the finish for a short bit. Nice balance of flavors; with a bit more maltiness over the earthy spiciness. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a very smooth mouthfeel with the carbonation. Alcohol is extremely well hidden with pretty much no warming noticed at all after the finish. Extremely easy to drink. Overall this is a nice Dubbel. It wasn’t as robust in flavors as I was expecting; but it was still nicely balanced and fairly complex. Quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 04:54:39 | More by superspak

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.18/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

11.2oz bottle served in an oversized wineglass.

pours an opaque mahogany tone with just shy of 1" beige-colored head. so-so retention; lapses with a bit of a rush into a thin cap/collar around the glass. good lacing.

nose offers a distinct sweet maltiness with aromatic spices, dark fruits, and yeast. nice if somewhat unspectacular aroma. flavor, unfortunately, is a step back. the relative fullness of the nose just doesn't translate; what i get instead is somewhat chalky and metallic. belgian yeast, yes, and the dark fruits are there, so it's not completely bad, i was just expecting a bit more.

medium bodied with medium carbonation. not a huge fan here... in the final analysis you could do a lot worse; but you could also do a lot better.

originally reviewed: 03-01-2011

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 03:44:19 | More by BostonHops

hopfacebrew

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle dated July 2010 to Duvel tulip the beer arrives a cloudy deep dark brown with a small 1/2 finger off-white head, some retention, almost no lacing. The nose is odd, dark fruits and belgian yeast, though a prevalent vinegar character that doesn't seem to fit, perhaps a mishandled bottle? Interestingly enough the vinegar is not found in the flavor, at all. Mildly sweet with a fruity ester in the yeast blend fairly well with the dark fruits. Medium bodied the beer finishes with a lingering plum flavor. No hint of higher abv. Overall, not bad but not great. Doubt I'd go out of my way for this brew again.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 02:04:49 | More by hopfacebrew

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

750mL corked and caged bottle. bottled on date of Jan 2010. so about 2 years old.

appears a muddy brown. thin white foamy head that quickly fades. aroma is malty with Belgian yeast esters. taste is a bit of caramel, toffee, slightly sweet. the beer is fizzy when cork popped and poured, but it calms down a bit. on the thinner side.

overall - about average for a Dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 04:51:32 | More by jmdrpi

chinchill

South Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle

Pours a clear dark mahogany with a large tan head. The head has good retention and leaves exceptional lacing.

Aroma: a very appealing aroma of dark fruits, baked bread and toffee.

T: Lots of dark fruit! Sweet, but just the right level to compliment the other flavors. Slightly spicy with hints of roasted nuts and a trace of pepper. A fine lingering aftertaste of toasted grain and spices and dark fruits, featuring plums and dates.

M: excellent carbonation, giving this a lively yet creamy smooth feel. Medium body.

O: exceptionally enjoyable; higher ABV is well hidden. Nearly world-class Belgian Bruin, similar to Maredsous.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 05:15:30 | More by chinchill

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Nice picked this up at the House of 1,000 beers for $1.75. Score!

A - Hazy dark brown almost pitch black with a 1/4 inch of opaque colored head that quickly turns to a mild lace ring. Little to no sticky lacing.

S - First thing I notice is the vinegar like cherry smell in this dubbel. Underneath that it's very faint Belgium yeasts and dark fruits but I expect a tart sour brew.

T - To me the sour smell really doesn't transition into the taste at all maybe mine is aged but it taste like a nice Belgium Dubbel. Mild sugars and fruity yeasts clash pretty well with some raisin and candied plum flavors. If anything it's only slightly tart in the finish.

M - Medium bodied and well covered ABV. If I had to guess I would assume it was around 6-7%

Overall a very pleasant real Belgium dubbel with slight tart flavors mostly sweet and a nice body. Best $1.75 I ever spent.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 22:55:45 | More by DrDemento456

Philousa

California

3.03/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Served in a St. Martin glass from the tap at The Refuge on 1/27/12.

Sits a chestnut brownish reddish with good head that laces. Looks delicious in the glass and the color piques my interest. Chocolate, raisins, and a hint of caramel in the nose. It's sweet, but not syrupy. Amber malt with a thin mouthfeel. Caramel, bitter chocolate. Metallic aftertaste. The coppery taste is very off putting about halfway through. Creamy in feel, the yeast still came through the tap.

This had some real potential. The nose is superb. I think I could have gotten more out of it if I hadn't had the St. Feuillien Wit before. The acidity got to my tongue. The big set up by the aroma was a terrible let down in the taste, as the metallic aftertaste really just stripped any complexity or richness that the aroma and front end of the taste promised. I'm kinda mad a this beer, really. It could have been a contender. I'm going to try this from a bottle to see if maybe the lines at The Refuge were to blame. I'm staying hopeful, I guess.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2012 16:58:22 | More by Philousa

danedelman

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

poured from a bottle which expired 6/10, yummy!!

A-deep copper amber color with large white fluffy head.

S-dried fruit, dark candi sugar and dark molasses. What else can you ask for in this style. very mellow smelling due to the age.

T-Tons of dark candi sugar with belgian yeast flavor. No booziness at all. Nice and mellow. Figs, prunes, dates, and candi sugar all blended well over time.

M-very drinkable which could be dangerous.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 21:55:58 | More by danedelman

brentk56

North Carolina

3.23/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a clear mahogany with a nice foamy head that could do a better job with the lace given its heritage

Smell: Caramel, nuts and dark fruit, with an odd beefy metallic character

Taste: Caramel, dark fruit and nut flavors, up front, with some spice developing by mid-palate; the flavors thin out significantly, after the swallow, leaving an odd metallic edge that lingers on the tongue along with brown sugar sweetness

Mouthfeel: A bit thin for the style and overly fizzy

Overall: The elements for a good dubbel are here, but the execution leaves a bit to be desired, unfortunately

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 17:44:12 | More by brentk56

SpeedwayJim

New York

3.38/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

By way of BBF 2011. 750ml corked and caged bottle. 2011 vintage. Poured into a Darkness snifter. Shared with schen9303.

Pours a nice, frothy 2 finger light cream colored head with good retention. Beer is a clear, dark brown amber. Lacing is stringy and spotty with moderate stick. Looks good.

Nose is very nutty. Caramel, brown sugar, bark, and nutmeg. Strange but decently aromatic.

Opens sweet and spicy. Caramel and big nuttiness. Brown sugar is prominent. Spiciness towards the middle. Bark, more brown sugar, and almond rind at the back. Finish is sweet brown sugar with little aftertaste. No fruit, Belgian yeast qualities, or clove characteristics that I've come to know from the style. Still decent though.

Light bodied with ample carbonation. Bubbly and coarse in the mouth and oily and filmy going down. Filmy finish with a quick, slightly lingering aftertaste.

Another average offering from St. Martin. They represent the styles that they do relatively well, but again, nothing sets this one apart from your standard dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 03:21:30 | More by SpeedwayJim

stephens101

Oklahoma

3.6/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer looks as good as any beer I've seen, as the fluffy tan froth is promising, but we need to delve a little further to see if there are some brains behind the pretty face.

Dark brown with cherry streaks where the light hits. When fully settled the head lingers soft and rolling atop the brew. Has an involving aroma with a nice blend of bubblegum, cotton candy and dark fruits. To the tongue I get more bubblegum, a little grain and grass, and a distant bitterness. Has a slightly syrupy finish. After a few sips the bubblegum breaks into pure sugar, but the beer is never cloying.

A little thin in the mouth, with a light to medium body, and dry going down. I never get even a hint of alcohol, although some mention a certain booziness with this one.

An attractive beer that reveals a slightly simpler side when you get to know it, but never lets you down, and keeps you content the entire time you are together, which is something you really cannot find too much fault with.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 00:33:26 | More by stephens101

51mmz0rz

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a La Trappe chalice. Bottle date 5/09, so it has some age on it.

A: Opaque brownish hue, Small bubbles form an off white head, which fades quickly.

S: Intensely boozy in a good way. As if I can smell the age on it. Good yeasty aromas, malt sweetness. Powerful.

T: Tastes starts nice up front with a lot from the aroma. The middle is disappointing. Looses complexity, seems watery. Slight sherry and roasty notes on the finish.

M: Super dry on the finish, good mouthfeel overall though.

O: Solid, but honestly a bit forgettable. Lacks some expected complexity, but is more refreshing as a trade off, especially since the finish is so clean. A little age adds a nice character to the finish, upping the flavor a bit.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 00:22:51 | More by 51mmz0rz

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this one in the company of the brewer himself! Bottle February 2010. Served from bottle into a St. Martin tulip. Poured ruby red with a three finger light tan head that subsided to two fingers really slowly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, dark fruit, bread, and alcohol. The flavor was of sweet malt, dark fruit, bread, plum, raisins, and sweet alcohol. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. I really liked how complex the flavor was on this one for a Dubbel. However at 8% you definitely would have thought it was much higher due to the flavors of alcohol you got off of it. The aroma was a little weak in comparison to the flavor but was still pretty nice. A definite must try if you get the opportunity.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 17:31:17 | More by thagr81us

RomaniIteDomum

Florida

3.88/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours brown with some reddish highlights and a nice little head.

The smell is a little one-dimensional with the theme being "sweetness". Not too much identifiable here, maybe some plum and fig.

The taste, thankfully, is very layered. Stone fruit, sweet malt, berries, figs, and peaches all meld nicely together and dance ont he tongue. The finish is light and sweet, yet keeps you wanting.

I do like the smoothness this acheives in the mouth. Lots of full-bodied goodness here.

Overall, this isn't bad. It's a pretty good dubbel, but not spectacular.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 05:59:10 | More by RomaniIteDomum

Mora2000

Texas

3.58/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a brown color with a small off-white head, about the color of iced tea. The aroma is candy sugar with a lot of toffee malt and a tad bit of dark fruit. The flavor is similar. I get some sweet candy sugar/brown sugar notes as well as some caramel and toffee. The alcohol is definitely detectable. Thin to medium mouthfeel and high, prickly carbonation. A decent dubbel but not one of the best.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2011 01:27:56 | More by Mora2000

farlieonfootie

Florida

4.22/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured out of a bottle into a tulip glass, Abbey St. Martin Brown is the color of richly-steeped iced tea, with a thick, off-white head that leaves behind little to no lacing. The smell is malty, with overtones of chocolate and just the barest hint of sweetness -- maybe molasses?

Abbey St. Martin Brown's first taste is rich, roasted malts, followed closely by dark fruits, which are relatively restrained. The beer has a decent mouthfeel, and is refreshing for a dubbel, with moderate carbonation. It's eminently drinkable, and the alcohol is extremely well hidden. If it's been around since 1096, it's got to be good; run out and get yourself some today.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 14:08:50 | More by farlieonfootie

oberon

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at M'Coul's in Greensboro.Poured into a Orval glass a chesnut brown with a tinge of burnt orange,a weel difened head atop.Phenol spice sticks out most in the nose along with subtle dark fruit.Flavors of clove-spice and dark fruit,almost fruit cake in nature.Like others of said its not overly complex but its got decent flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2011 13:08:37 | More by oberon

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.35/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

750ml bottle served in my Chimay Chalice. Bottled March 2010 notched on the back label. Pours a dull brownish-purple with a loose, half inch, cream-colored head pockmarked with tiny craters. A consistent sheet of tiny bubble clusters adhered to the walls of the glass below the cap. Head eventually dissipates into a sudsy skim and a thin, bubbly band around the shoulders. Some spots of lacing, but no adherence. Nose expresses dark fruit (prunes and plums) and a mild, vinous quality. There's also a slightly bready/maltiness in the mix. Taste pales in comparison to the nose - muted and bland with a trace of something metallic in the mix. There's also a bit of yeast that cuts across the flavor profile. Virtually no aftertaste - flavors just drop away between quaffs. Mouthfeel is light-medium with a lively carbonation that offers a slight bite at the back of the throat before culminating in a pleasant, dry finish. All and all, a bit dull for style - not bad, but not something I plan on revisiting anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 23:18:54 | More by Jwale73

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.78/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a one-finger khaki head that fades quickly leaving no lace. Cloudy brown color. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Nose is very light fruit, flavor is light and dark fruit, some sweetness. Bottled May 2009. $4.49 for a 330ml bottle from Julio's Liquors Westborough, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2011 22:23:48 | More by jdhilt

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

2.78/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I'm not so sure about this one. The color was a deep murky brown color. The taste had this strange sweetness to it but it also had a bit of a dirt like flavor too. This dubbel doesn't really hit home for me. It's not the most refreshing Abbey Dubbel I've ever had and not much above average either. I think I can leave this one on the shelf from now on at the store.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2011 00:54:40 | More by Knapp85