Yet another Belgian ale, this time a Dubbel. The average punter probably sees a Chimay or Duvel at the IGA and thinks it to be a bit of a novelty act. I used to be that guy. The amazing fact is that there is such a long list of impressive Belgian ales out there that it really puts everyone else to shame. Even if you aren't a huge fan of the style itself, which is a category that I somewhat fall in to, you still have to respect the fact that it's noticeably obvious that they really fuckin care. It's not just marketing some dry bitter fizzy water to a crowd of primates, there are generations of dedication in each bottle.
Enough of such wankerish ramblings however, on to the beer. This 8% dubbel pours an expectant auburn brown, with a deep granulated body and sizable head. The beer has only a moderate feel considering the pedigree, but is very crisp in return. The malt is dry, and the sweet and spicy fruits are subtle, if not a touch restrained. The finish is bitter, even sour, like certain white wines. I am as much a wine buff as Steven Hawking is a gymnast, but that's what it reminds me of.
Somehow though, I am unimpressed. To a degree. It's a slightly more boring version of something great I've had before. Kind of like The Hangover 2. Strangely though, because the framework is so good, if someone offered me another slightly more boring version of this beer again... I would still drink it. It's a good scale to be towards the bottom of I guess. Good beer, but there are better variations.
7/10
No comments:
Post a Comment