St Martin Brune - Brasserie De Brunehaut

JNewbs

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I'm on a quest to drink every Belgian Dubbel I can get my hands on. I've not reviewed them, but I'm going to try to be better about it in the future!

Appearance - Typical, middle of the road look to it. Dark color, decent head, small flecks of gunk in there.

Smell - Figs, dark sweet smells. Almost too sweet smelling, honestly. But it walked that edge safely without falling off.

Taste - Slightly better than average. It had the right flavors, but they didn't balance and combine into awesomeness. Dark fruit, molasses, the sweetness from the smell really took over the taste.

Mouthfeel - A bit thinner than the norm. Average.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2011 22:58:18 | More by JNewbs

jayhawk73

Maryland

3.4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark brown w/ a two finger caramel head that sticks around for a while. The smell is that of malt, fruit, sweetness and a kind of metallic smell I can't put my finger on. That single handedly takes the smell score down a notch or two. Fortunately, I don't taste that particular thing. Sweet fruit, malt and alcohol are present in the taste. A little thin tasting for what I'd prefer, but not bad. Mouthfeel is not bad, but a little thin for me. Malt in the aftertaste, which quickly goes away. Drinkability isn't bad. I've had the St. Martin's Tripel, and I think that's a better effort. Still, not bad, and glad I got to finally try this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 00:33:47 | More by jayhawk73

perrymarcus

Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | 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 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 real big on the drinkability score... in the final analysis you could do a lot worse than this beer; you could also do a lot better.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2011 04:56:40 | More by perrymarcus

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.55/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Burnished orange highlighting around the brown body. Tanned foam has good stick, but the cragginess is just not there. Not too sticky either.

The aroma is merely present. Nothing more than a standard amount of dark fruit and spice. As far as the flavor is concerned, it's similarly restrained. The yeast and spiciness is barely noticeable as compared to other versions - this is almost an Americanized version with its thin body, overcarbonation, and paucity of flavor.

Cola-like as opposed to the creamy fullness of the better Belgian dubbels. Date and raisin, pecan and walnut, toffee and light chocolate notes. Not too bad, but there are much better examples out there.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2011 04:23:26 | More by BretSikkink

righthereisay

Pennsylvania

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

Purchased a case of this...because it was on sale.

This is an interesting one.

Poured into a beer glass, and it kind of looked like Coke. Lots of bubbles, not really foam at the top. The bubbles went down in about 15 seconds. Interesting.

The smell was not that great. Definitely the weakness of this dubbel. Didn't smell the alcohol though.

The taste was much better than the smell. tasted a little fruity. Maybe raisin, or plum. Very fine finish. Nice and dry.

Something is missing though on this beer. It has a nice body. No bitterness. Very interesting.

I gave it a 4.5 on drinkability just because it is 8%. If it was 4% (which it kind of tastes like), you could throw these down all nice. They go down really easy.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2011 23:03:10 | More by righthereisay

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

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

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #38 (Mar 2010):

The eyes are drawn to its sizable head and alluring dark mahogany color. Ripe plum and currant fruitiness forces itself on the nose; peppery and wild herbs abound as well. Creamy smooth with a fluffy, moderate-sized body. Dry malt from front to back; a little beefy and bitty, with mineral and brown malt notes. Plums and raisins feign a quick sweetness, but the dryness tears that away. Powdery yeast and a quick sting of alcohol. Bone-dry finish leaves very little in the aftertaste.

Not as deep or complex as expected, very drinkable though. Worth a go.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 02:01:43 | More by BeerAdvocate

thecarster1

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

a- bottle poured into a goblet, one and a half fingers worth of coke like head, active bubbling, medium brown.

s- bit muted nose, sweet candy sugar, light fig, raisin, bready.

t- pretty much echos nose, yeasty sweetness, light fig and raisin, very bready, a touch of alcohol.

m- medium, coating.

d- not the best drinkability, could be much more flavorful, but it's drinkable. when i reach for a belgian - which isn't often - i want a really flavorful tasty one, this fell short.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2010 17:28:03 | More by thecarster1

dozerdude

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Serving type: Bottle at room temperature in a Tulip

Appearance: cloudy brown as to be expected, a nice 1 inch medium bubbled head that fades a little to fast, but leaves decent lacing.

Smell: a not too rich malty sweetness accentuated by the slightly higher abv. for the style.

Taste: dried fruit upfront, maybe even a smidgen of chocolate, that blends nicely with the higher alcohol in the middle to give it a nice and smooth,caramalized dry fruity finish.
Mouthfeel: a little thin, yet very smooth

Drinkability: Very drinkable. A "steady eddie" in my home.

FIRST REVIEW :-)

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2010 13:11:15 | More by dozerdude

ocelot2500

Arizona

3.05/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a clear garnet color with a tight off-white head that leaves plenty of lacing.

Smells of sweet, dark fruits.

Tastes of dark fruits and some yeast spice. Dark fruits are characterized by figs and raisins. Some sweetness comes through as well. A touch of sour cherries is present. Spicy notes are noticeable, but weak. Alcohol is hidden and not noticeable. Overall, it is pretty weak on the palate and does not really make me pay attention to it.

Mouthfeel is medium-light with a fizzy amount of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2010 03:19:39 | More by ocelot2500

megahurts4

Louisiana

3.25/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

St. Martin Brune

Appearance: Brown, large head, and some lacing.

Smell: Skunky yeast and spices.

Taste: Malts, oats, some mild spices, and yeast.

Mouthfeel: Watery and light.

Overall:
Not a bad Belgian. This is very mild and slightly watery. The flavors aren't too complex, but are very faint.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2010 03:48:59 | More by megahurts4

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Chimay goblet.

Got this the same day as the Tripel a while ago, might as well drink 'em the same day today. This one pours a ruby-tinged dark amber-brown topped by a half-finger of ecru foam. The nose comprises maple syrup, dark wheat, figs, brown sugar, and a light touch of cocoa. The taste waters down the syrup, does away with the cocoa, and emphasizes the wheat and figs. Some raisins are thrown in for good measure as well. The body is a steady, almost light, medium, with a light carbonation and a smooth, grainy feel. Overall, a very nice dubbel, maybe not the paragon of the style, but definitely a nice, easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2010 23:48:29 | More by TMoney2591

PorterLambic

Florida

3.83/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours, not surprisingly, brown, cloudy with a good-sized if short-lived dark tan head. Only a film remains though.
Smell is malty, with fruit (apple and grape), yeast and wood. Very good balance.
Taste is all the same with some alcohol presence.
Fullish body with a light but sharp efferervescence. Slightly dry finish with a little warmth. Quite a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2010 18:27:43 | More by PorterLambic

metter98

New York

3.95/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is slightly hazy dark brown in color and poured into a goblet with a finger high beige head that quickly dissipated. A moderate amount of carbonation is visible, which consistently leaves a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface.
S: There are aromas of caramel malts and dark fruits in the nose.
T: The taste has a mild amount of sweetness and the flavors are very similar to the smell with notes of brown sugar, caramel and dark fruits along with some hints of spices. The finish tastes slightly metallic.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate and very smooth with lots of carbonation. There is a bit of dryness in the finish.
D: The beer is very easy to drink and the alcohol is very well hidden.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2010 01:26:52 | More by metter98

bump8628

Oklahoma

3.1/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Garnet brown with two fingers of creamy bone-colored head.

Same metallic/mineral character that I've found in the other St. Martin beers I've tried, it's a chalkiness I still can't get past. Stuck behind it there is some clove, anise, caramel, and a hint of Belgian fruitiness like overripe pears. Dry and almost tasteless at it slides down the throat.

Another unsatisfying beer from the St. Martin line. I won't be buying any again. Especially at the ridiculous price of $4.60 for an 11.2oz bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2010 16:06:01 | More by bump8628

MillRat

Illinois

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

Pours a hazy solid brown, with a vigorous tan head that dissupates into a thin cover that stays in place. Definite Belgian funk adding some dried fruit and spice (a bit of clove, maybe cinnamon) to a whole wheat breadiness and a bit of alcohol vapor. Flavor starts out with brown sugar sweetness that is cleansed by hop bitterness and perhaps a touch of sour. The beer tastes a lot less full that it is, probably due to the hops, touch of sour, and the significant alcohol presence. Certainly not the most complex Belgian style brew on the market, by why does it have to be? it does what it does quite well and scores a lot more points in the drinkability column than most 8% ABV beers, though trying to session this beer will fog the brain cells far faster than it will tire the taste buds.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2010 09:42:28 | More by MillRat

OneDropSoup

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a stemmed tulip: Purplish-brown, very dark, with ruby highlights. Two fingers off-white head, glistening & fluffy, that drop to a thick, foamy coating. No lacing.

Smells of mild cocoa, slight baking spices (cinnamon comes to me, though I know there are others I can't put my finger on), grapes, candi sugar. A good aroma, though understated.

Tongue is hit with some caramel sugar up front, some plum, grape, & dried apricot flavors, then turns up the heat slightly with alcohol, with some doughy, bready notes developing after that. Ends with an alcoholic kick & bready & non-acidic fruity aftertaste. Even a little cotton candy in there, or watermelon shaved ice -- it's like a trip to the Carnival!

Medium-full-bodied with a nice foam-up. Lingers into the aftertaste with a dryness.

Not bad at all, some interesting variations of familiar flavors. It wears the alcohol well at 8%, & I feel like one would be enough. One I wouldn't turn down if offered to me again.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2010 21:48:37 | More by OneDropSoup

smcolw

Massachusetts

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

Dark amber color and relatively clear. Decent head that settles to modest level of bubbles. Little lace that slides down the glass.

Slightly chalky, but it smells a little bit like a refrigerator. Strong alcohol aroma.

Strong Belgian malt flavor with a similarly alcoholic taste. Thin body with a high carbonation level. Smooth finish, but a short aftertaste of fresh berry. Certainly, this is a predictably full flavored beer, but it is small in many ways.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2010 03:12:26 | More by smcolw

thierrynantes

France

3.95/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beer bottle (33 cl.), tasted in 2010.

Appearance : reddish brown color with tan foamy head (not persistent).
Smell : roasted caramel and fruity aromas.
Taste and mouthfeel : sweet with caramel flavours.
Drinkability : a good beer in the style Dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2010 16:19:37 | More by thierrynantes

tmoneyba

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured hazy reddish brown with a moderate creamy off-white head that lasted with good lacing. Moderate spicy dark fruity aroma. Medium body with a sticky texture and soft carbonation. Medium complex bittersweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of moderate duration. Good spicy brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2010 12:47:15 | More by tmoneyba

Tone

Missouri

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

Pours a clear, brown color. 1/3 inch head of an off-white color. Good retention and decent lacing. Smells of sweet malt, yeast, and slight alcohol. Fits the style of a Dubbel. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp with a high carbonation level. Tastes of yeast, sweet malt, slight dark citrus, and slight pale hop. Overall, the high carbonation hurts, but overall a good simple Dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2010 21:06:17 | More by Tone

CWiggins

North Carolina

3.65/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A new one in this area. It pours a dark nutty brown, with a tan head that just keeps going and going and going. This one's a bit hazy because of all the bubbles encased in the beverage. The nose is a bit underwhelming, but there are hints of that familiar Belgian dubbel dark fruitiness, along with some dark malt and sweet sugary characteristics as well. The flavor is a bit odd, but I really like it; it's not as sweet and fruity as most Belgian dubbels. Instead, it's more like a strong American brown ale without the over-the-top hoppiness. I admit it's very refreshing to taste this, and I clearly want more like it! It is a tad over-carbonated for my taste--sometimes I find myself fighting through the bubbles to get to some flavor. It's very drinkable for the style, and may be a sort of "gateway" beer for new initiates into the Belgian beer experience. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2010 02:13:49 | More by CWiggins

EbPhrygian

Connecticut

3.48/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought this along with a Gulden Draak at a specialty wine/cheese store. Didn't review the other beer, but here we go...

Poured from an 11.2-oz bottle into a snifter (at this point I should probably diversify my glassware).

Appearance: A hazy copper color with a relatively large head that retains well. This beer looks good.

Smell: Sweet, mild aroma of bread and fruit.

Taste: Missing a certain yeastiness, spiciness, and/or complexity to my palette. A little sour. Simply average.

Mouthfeel: The malt and carbonation are refreshing.

Drinkability: Simple, smooth, light, and crisp, this beer is certainly drinkable at 8% ABV.

Notes: Though it is by no means rare, this seems to be the least-known beer I've reviewed and maybe even tried. In fact, I haven't had a legitimate Belgian brew before (aside from Stella Artois). By the way, the aforementioned "Dark Triple" was definitely a notch above this one. Would prefer the Tripel style and I'm sure there are better readily available examples of the Dubbel than this. Was a neat experience to purchase and try, though.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2010 00:52:07 | More by EbPhrygian

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: A dark amber in color with a small, short livid head.

Smell: Bready malts, a little bit funky. Dark fruits and a hint of sourness.

Taste: Light fruits. Raisen. A bit of mineral water from a Belgian well. Not very yeasty at all. Alcohol is very well hidden.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied. Smooth enough. Rich.

Drinkability: An interesting Belgian. Good for what it is. Simple flavors that work well.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2010 18:53:55 | More by Stinkypuss

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

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

Brown acorn lightly dusted in black soot. The beer is not so dark as to be entirely without colour although highlights and transparency are definitely out of the question, regardless of the angle of inspection. Even its head is tarnished an earthy, brownish tone. It accounts for about a sixth of the glass (and even more if you include the threads of lace).

There's a lot more black licorice in the nose than I typically care for. It isn't so much that the anise spice itself is abundant or overpowering but simply that there isn't much else to wash it out. A dab of sweet, brown sugar malts and a vague, generic dark fruitiness both weigh in but neither tips the scale substantially. The aroma definitely fails to enthrall.

And the taste fares only slightly better. The malts generate a sense of all things sweet (caramel, toffee, molasses) while the yeast does likewise with regards to spices (clove, cinnamon and especially anise). There is an amiable dark fruitiness - prune, raisin, fig - that helps push things along. The flavours all fit together nicely, none being overly dominant.

The body isn't so dense as to weigh the shelves down but it is considerably malty. The palate is short-changed not a drop of the sweet, sugary serum that was extracted from those grains. It is, however, spared the scourge of the 8 or so percent alcohol. Both qualities afford the beer a comfortable level of drinkability.

I love Dubbels but there are much more desirable examples out there. I relate St Martin Brune to a lot of movies I've seen: it was worth sitting through once but not really a second time. I liked it alright, it was well worth the price of admission but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to others. Final review: one thumb up, one thumb sideways.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2010 19:34:47 | More by biegaman

HeightsEats

Ohio

2.9/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

This wasn't bad, but doesn't really compare to other Belgian beers for either taste or aroma. The beer has a nice deep copper color, but the smell borders on metallic, not yeasty like a typical Belgian. The flavor is also a bit one dimension and thin, with neither the yeastiness one expects from this variety nor the roasted sweetness typical of dark beers. This would probably be fairly drinkable, but I wouldn't have too many of them based on the quality of beer for the price. Flying Dog even does Belgians a lot better than this one (not to mention Chimay, Corsendonk, Saint Bernardus, Duvel, etc.).

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2010 22:57:16 | More by HeightsEats