Stoudt's Abbey Double Ale - Stoudts Brewing Co.

thain709

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Mastracchio's

A - Served with a deep copper body that showed some ruby highlights...the head was white and creamy and stood two fingers tall...it fell to a full cap and left some lacing

S - Rather sweet on the nose...caramel, toffee, brown sugar, raisins, dates, cherries

T - First sip reveals a high sweetness level again with caramel and brown sugar leading the way...the transition into the middle of the beer was subtle and pleasant...the dark fruits take over and really stand out...the dates and raisins can be picked out right away...cherries and plums are more subtle, there's even a hint of grape...some sweetness comes back and joins the fruit for the finish

M - Medium bodied...smooth and creamy...semi-sweet

O - I'm not sure if Stoudts is brewing this again or if this is a vintage keg...either way this Dubbel showed a nice balance of flavor, but one pint was enough for me

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2012 13:50:59 | More by thain709

orsulacp

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

According to my brother in-law this is the best beer I've every on tap at my house. There is a small tan head on top of a deep dark mahogany body. The smell is very complex, a little alcohol then some plum, a little citrus/apple tartness, and some sweet caramel. The taste has more of the apple tartness with a good malt background, there is a touch of bitterness in the dry finish. The mouthfeel is medium with a good biting carbonation. The dry finish and the medium body make this beer very drinkable. I had this with some English Cotswald and they went together really well.

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2008 01:35:43 | More by orsulacp

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

2.73/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a hazy deep amber color with a tan head. In the aroma, sweet dark fruit, primarily cherry and a hint of alcohol. In the taste, sweet to dry plum and dark cherry, hints of alcohol as well. A malty and smooth mouthfeel and a dry dark fruity aftertaste. Big alcohol presence, and a not a good representation of style.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2008 08:03:56 | More by OWSLEY069

Boto

Connecticut

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

Draught: Guest Beer @ Northampton Brewery: This one pours an opaque lighter brown color. There was almost no head to it at all. The aroma mainly a caramel sweetness, along with notes of raisins and plums. The taste was akong the same lines, except with a touch of clove to the taste. A hint of bitterness also comes through at the end. Quite nice!

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2005 01:30:09 | More by Boto

donnebaby

North Carolina

3.85/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Rosy red purple color, dark and clear. Active in the glass yet nothing more than a clear bubble ring.

Served very cold, it took time for the smell to emerge. When it did, it was spicy, with lots of alcohol. However, my mother claimed simply that it: "smelled like beer".

Taste began with a spicy shot to the throat. Creamy carbonation otherwise in an overall medium body. Taste was on the thin side, with structured, light sweet plums and alcohol, with notes of cinnamon and raisins. Cleanish aftertaste with some chewy grains arriving late.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2004 04:07:16 | More by donnebaby

psugrad98

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Dark brown/black with thick tan head and thick clinging lace. Rich toasted nutty bouquet. Taste is rich and mouthfeel is rich and mouthcoating. Nice chewey yeast character. Spicy but well balanced, but I would like more of a smokey malt character than there is present, but still a great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2002 06:00:34 | More by psugrad98

mcslain

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber purchased at the brewery.

Pours with a nice head and some sticky lacing.

Color is a gorgeous mahogany brown red.

Taste is fruity and smokey: plums, brown sugar, raisins, clove. Quite sweet and malty. Spicy fruity yeast.

Nice full almost syrupy body. This one is a real smooth drinker. Not my favorite style but clearly a well made brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 03:51:07 | More by mcslain

tikk

New York

2.55/5  rDev -32%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Bottle dated 11/12/01. Found at the rt 59 beverage in nyack today.

Vigorous pour, produced some head on a reddish brown beer.

Smells kind of smokey, a tad bit fruity, hard to placecould be the ten years.

Taste like it smells. Must be past it's prime and broken down. I get tart cherries, smoked malt, but at the end it is just off, almost to a sour level. Im not a fan of sours,but i dont hate this.

Mouthfeel, something is off, it feels a little bit grainy.

That being said I'm not going to dump it, and i'll keep on trying this.

I wish i had a fresh one to compare it to, but if i had a shot at another I'd pass it up.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 02:41:56 | More by tikk

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

765ml (1pt, 9.87oz) bottle from unknown source, maybe Yankee/Sturbridge. Vintage date 6/4/03.

Poured into a large glass chalice, with little to no head over the clear reddish amber brew. Brew is leggy, but no lacing to be had. Aroma is deeply malty, with dark fruits present and accounted for as well. Taste follows the nose, starting the rich grains, then omving nicely into the dark fruit character, and the combo fades away upon the close. Mouthfeel is soft over the tongue, still plenty of carbonation, and drinkability is great. Age hasn't hurt this one a bit.

6/23/04 - 4/4/4/4.5/4.5
765ml (1pt, 9.87oz) bottle from Yankee Spirits, Sturbridge, MA.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a dense 1/2" beige head over the reddish amber brew. Laces excellently. Nose is quite malty, with some bits of fruit and alcohol present as well. Taste is the grain backbone upfront, but quickly segues into a tangy fruit flavor. Well balanced. Mouthfeel and drinkability are both good to excellent, with the only limiting factor being the fruit character could get a bit overpowering, possibly.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2008 01:50:55 | More by ppoitras

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A corked and capped 750 mL bottle purchased at the brewery just before Christmas.

A: The bottle opens with a loud pop and pours with a bubbly black tea color. As the ale settles, it takes on a dark brown hue that has enough sediment that clarity is thrown out the window. The head was never sizeable and sits as a small pool atop the glass.

S: The aroma is a delectable blend of raisins and plums, some dry cherry and plenty of candi sugars that have a fuller, darker aroma.

T: Fruity, dry, slightly funky. This dubbel offers it all. The first flavors to register are dark alefruits: the raisins and plums and dates. A Belgian yeast strain adds a distinct dryness, an almost but not quite tart flavor. Candi sugars come in near the end and give a dark sweetness to the beer that nicely combats the yeasty dryness.

M: Sweet and full of flavors, this beer does the dubbel style right. I hadn't had this one in years but it is as good as I remember.

D: The alcohol is low but also well hidden. The full flavors make for a very enjoyable bottle. I;m gonna have to nab a couple more of these.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2008 01:25:33 | More by akorsak

bjohnson

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

thanks to zrrbrrt for including this in my ba anniv. package. Appreciate the opportunity. Vintage 04 champagne bottle, capped.

Pours a dark hazy plum color with hints of brown. A thin one finger off white colored head holds nicely towards the edges of the glass leaving a hole in the middle. Bubbles sticking to the sides of the glass are making me think this one is a bit carbonated. We'll see. Deep dark fruits. Figs and juicy purple grapes laced with thick molasses and caramel. Real sweet malt.

Figs and prune drenched in caramel. Burnt brown sugar notes are quite hefty. Slight nuttiness underneath the sugar notes. Belgian esters are there, but are a secondary part of the mouthfeel. Mouthfeel takes on a yeasty bready characteristic that adds to the thickness of the body. Dry and a tad chalky towards the back of the mouth. Slight nestle cocoa powder taste on the tongue also. Thick and too sweet for my taste buds. I'd rather just suck on some rock candy.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2007 02:08:59 | More by bjohnson

goodbyeohio

Oregon

4.35/5  rDev +16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

stoudt's.. once doubted, lately.. all beers i've had from them have been winners. nice.

this one is an 03 vintage 750ml, pours a muddy brown with bloody highlights.. nothing but a wisp of condensed cream on the surface in a swirly-bird pattern. not much lacing to speak of.. looks aged, i guess.

sweet roasted nutty smell, similar to a chocolatey stout. interesting twist on the dubbel stereotype. caramel and sweet potato hints waft up as well here. complex in its charred sweetness.. appealing nose.

age has affected this beer nicely producing no off flavors. big brown sugary caramel presence with a hint of acidity, like a candy apple. malt presence has held up well, revealing a donuty breadiness that remains solid and together. slight coffee presence muted ultimately by the creaminess that the brew has developed.. like reversing the proportions of your daily coffee with cream. love the brisk tartness present in this beer.. slightly vacant yet grassy, contributing mostly to the body of an aged beer something that i dont normally see.

got one? open it the f- up...

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2006 01:45:22 | More by goodbyeohio

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Vintage '04 bottle...
Appears a dark mahogany with a small tan head. Spotty lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is of yeasty bread, toasted nuts, warm caramel, mild cocoa, vanilla, black plums, raisins, and perhaps a hint of cherries.
Taste is of yeasty bread, along with the aforementioned aromas.
Mouthfeel is slightly fizzy and yeasty along the tongue. Sweet & bready brew. Pretty well balanced.
Please...bring this style back! Even if it's only once a year!

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2006 14:31:02 | More by weeare138

warriorsoul

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared a 750ml w/ my brother in law and could not resist a review...on New Beer Sunday, I am ashamed to say I have not tried this brew.
Pours a dark rust color w/ a full finger of off white head...hangs around a bit, but very little lace forms.
Very nice aromas, filled with sweet malt and raisins...
The taste is very enjoyable...more raisins and some vanilla mixed in...this offering is a malt bomb w/ some lingering bitter hops in the finish.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied...could be a little less carbonated.
Either way, this is one fine offering from Stoudt's and glad to have finally tried this one....would have no problem having a few pints of this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2005 21:38:00 | More by warriorsoul

granger10

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -20%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This beers pours a crimson color with burgundy highlights. Nice volumnous tan head comes and goes. Moderate lacing. Aroma is striking of dark fruits and Belgian candi sugar, I couldn't get much else. Maybe some chocolate notes. Taste was simply not the best. This beer has a very sweet red fruit flavor to it. Reminiscent of communion wine. Yeast doesn't provide the phenolics or flavor depth or contrast I'm looking for. Finish is somewhat artificial and a bit acidic. Body is on the light side. Just not my cup of tea.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2005 11:14:17 | More by granger10

blitheringidiot

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Big ole 750 from last year’s old skool style.

Goes into me tulip with a dark russet cat brown bottle matching pour topped off with an impressive tan khaki frothy head cap, leaving behinf some small sediment particles in the glass.

Spicy aromas of cinnamon and slight bananas

First swigs: Bananas and rum raisin ice cream. A tad of metallic notes. Lingering bready yeasty wheat bread and rye notes. Fruity middle of plum and pear. Almost reminds me of a little quad. Ice cream notes of rum raisin. Wheat cracker.

Full bodied dubble.

Last swigs: Raisins and cinnamon waffles. Hidden ABV %. A fine interpretation of the style.

Beer is good. Happy beering.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2005 05:01:59 | More by blitheringidiot

Suds

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

From a 750 ml bottle with a crown cap. A gift from a friend, the bottle was dated 11/12/01, but it seems to have held up okay. The beer poured an dark amber-brown color with a respectable tan head. It has moderate carbonation and a malt and alcohol aroma. Slight fruit in the background, but also a vinous, winey quality. The beer wasn’t quite as sweet as I anticipated. There is a burnt chocolate and plum and raisin flavor as well. The dryness continued into the finish. Medium body. On the whole, this is a respectable, drinkable beer, but certainly not outstanding. I’d hoped for a little more complexity and depth.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2005 23:42:02 | More by Suds

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Stoudt's Abbey Double poured into my glass a murky brown color with a creamy tan head on top. The foam faded quickly leaving only a few spots of lace behind. A sweet malty aroma with notes of sugar, nuts and yeast greeted me before each sip.

The flavor of this smooth medium to full bodied beer is mainly sweet malt. It begins with some brown sugar, before some earthy notes of nuts and caramel malt move in. It finishes with a touch of clove. A somewhat sticky palate with a sweet brown sugar taste is left behind.

This is a nice smooth and malty beer, but does not seem to have many of the spices I've experienced in other dubble's. Still, it's quite drinkable and hides the 7% alcohol well.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2005 23:04:05 | More by WanderingFool

MuddyFeet

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer poured a true mud brown, with no head. Also, while the carbonation was not present to the eye, it was quite fizzy once it hit the mouth. The aroma is like sticking my nose into the spice drawer: cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, ginger. There were also hints of lemon in the beer. The mouthfeel was a bit overcarbonated, but it mellowed out quickly. However, the spices and cloves formed a layer in my mouth which stuck around. Not sure it was all that bad, but different.

PS: The girlfriend likes this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2005 00:46:09 | More by MuddyFeet

apintofknowledge

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a very nice deep brown reddish color, with a decent amount of carbonation. The aroma is of slightly sour fruit. The taste however, is much sweeter than the smell. Rich luscious fruit comes through… think fruitcake (cherries, raisins, figs) but without the negative connotations. There’s a hint of sourness to contrast the brown sugar taste that also is present. Even a little winter spice… cinnamon and cloves… comes through in a very mellow way.

All said a very enjoyable and easy drinking dubbel-style… not as distinctive as its Belgian counterparts, but a worthy approximation of the style. I liked it even better pairing it with this year’s Thanksgiving meal. It paired very well with the dark meat of the turkey, the cinnamon sweet potatoes and the sausage & apple stuffed squash. In other words, a great compliment to the hearty flavors of Fall.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2004 02:40:20 | More by apintofknowledge

silenius

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

I was rather disappointed with this beer.

Pours a dark brown red that obscures most light. The head is a nice light brown that fades quickly to nothing. No lacing.

Smell is light raisin and prune with some light clove and vinegar. Not very pleasant.

Taste is a lambic like sour bite with a raisiny aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated with a tannin-like drying effect.

I'm drinking the whole bottle, but won't buy again.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2004 03:14:17 | More by silenius

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.45/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

750 ml bottle, vintage date of 8/02. Pours a dark brown cloudy liquid. Thick tan head disappeared pretty quickly. Not much lace in the goblet. Smells of candy fruit, some spices. Fruity flavors, estery, dry with some spices, maybe some orange peel. Faint chocolate flavor in the finish. Slight warming from alcohol. Moderate carbonation. Overall, not bad. Not one of my favorite styles, but a bargain for the price. Certainly worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2004 02:26:26 | More by Bierguy5

CRJMellor

Arkansas

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

Pours cloudy, dark caramel brown with an off-white head tht ebbs away quickly. Leaves very minor lace on the goblet.
Aroma of caramel, dried plums, fructose with some bread and light yeast notes.
Flavor of sweet, sticky caramel dominates with a little bit fo brown sugar, dark fruits and a touch of spicy yeast.
Mouthfeel is sweet, in fact cloyingly sweet. Not enough alternative notes to cut through the sticky sweetness and balance the beer.
Drinkability i above average but too sweet and one dimensional for style. Decent beer just isn't top-notch.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2004 14:38:37 | More by CRJMellor

aracauna

Georgia

3.33/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a dark ruby brown with a good head that lasts awhile. A little bit of melon in the nose, but not a whole lot else other than a slight bit of almost chocolate malt. The flavor is nicely complex, although there’s an unusual tartness involved that I’m not sure I like or not. It does improve as it warms, but the tartness doesn’t go anywhere.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2004 02:25:53 | More by aracauna

beergeek279

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from the 765 mL bottle into a goblet. The color is a dark tawny brown, with a wispy white head. The smell is a nice fruity, plumish, malt. The taste is very fruity, estery, plumy, with only a bit malt sweetness behind it readily noticable. Mouthfeel is average. As for drinkability, could have a few.

Not a bad beer, but not a world-class double either...mostly too much emphasis on the esters/fruits and not enough maltiness. Still, definitely enjoyable and hopefully this (along with the tripel) will make their appearance in Stoudt's new 12 oz. bottles.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2004 18:22:57 | More by beergeek279