Additional notes:

Over time this has become my favorite Dubbel by light years, but mainly because it doesn’t have many of the characteristics of many others in the style, especially the appearance. The beautiful, deep red clarity on it belies the so typical, dirty dishwater appearance for many others in the style.

There’s also a light, fruitless that comes with this beer that for me, places it in a category I might call “Light Quad” or “Light BDSA” IF such a thing made any sense.

Original notes: 01/08/2005

Drank this one from my Westmalle Chalice – thanks meathookjones!

This is a difficult beer to get my head around. There are many competing, opposite characteristics that make it really quite complex.

On the downside it felt very light bodied, with a thin mouthfeel. However, the initial disappointment of the lack of body seemed to be immediately compensated for in the lovely light drinkability (for a 7% ABV beer) that came with it.

Then there was the lovely, thick headed pour that initially met me, but after a few minutes the beer had disintegrated into a flat, diet coke type appearance.

This was followed by the next positive experience that was a fruitiness to the definite hop character that I find difficult to pin down, but I like very much. Th hop bitterness was almost simultaneously added to by a layered strong, but subtle alcohol sensation – very nice.

The finish reminded me of a whiskey and water, a sort of dilute spirit taste.

Not as good as the Tripel in my opinion, and anyway it’s a different beer, but well worth a try. A complicated beer, that will need an experienced palate to fully appreciate.