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Allagash Dubbel
Portland, Maine
BJCP Category: 18B Belgian Dubbel
Allagash Brewing Co. <visit site>
34
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[expand]Total Score: 38/50
A phenol emphasized Belgian Dubbel. Certainly a gentle giant, easy drinking and a good example of the style. This version, or at least my bottle, finishes drier than expected. more >
[close]Total Score: 38/50
Aroma: Light dried plum and berries, fruity aroma with spicy phenol aromas including slight clove-like phenol. Soft alcohol evident. Maltiness is light for the style with hints of chocolate malt. No hop aroma, OK. No DMS. No diacetyl. Very balanced and inviting aroma. (10/12)
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Appearance: Big moussey and long lasting head. Dark mahogany color is appropriate to style. Somewhat hazy, but OK for this ale style. Very pretty beer. (3/3)
Flavor: Malty sweetness up front with a drying finish. Spicy phenols are more dominant than the fruity esters from either malt or yeast. Some chocolate malt notes but lacking a great deal of malt complexity. Drying finish leaves a bitter aftertaste, balanced more toward hop bitterness than malt sweetness. Low spicy, hop flavor. Noticeable alcohol. No DMS. No diacetyl. (14/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium body. Medium alcohol warming. Well carbonated. Drying finish leaves a bit of rough mouthfeel. Alcohol is soft, not hot or solventy. (4/5)
Overall Impression: A phenol emphasized Belgian Dubbel. Certainly a gentle giant, easy drinking and a good example of the style. This version, or at least my bottle, finishes drier than expected. Additional malt sweetness, with Munich and aromatic malts, would help both balance the hop finish and add malt complexity that would balance the assertive phenols. Still, this is a very drinkable Dubbel. It would especially go well with pot roast, roasted potatoes and burgundy gravy. (7/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 35/50
At first, this came across as something between a triple (spritzy dryness) and Belgian Strong (alcoholic heat) even though the alcohol level as listed on the bottle is lower than either style. more >
[close]Total Score: 35/50
Aroma: Rich caramel malt with subdued earthy hop and fermentation quality, some banana esters and a slight acidic tang reminiscent of dried tart cherries or even toasted dried cranberries and dried prunes. Prune character intensifies as the beer warms. (7/12)
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Appearance: Deep elegant velvety ruby red with a dusting of gold highlights. Ever-so-slight haze as from a bottle conditioned beer. Rocky off-white pearlescent head persists; leaves delicate lace on the sides of the glass. (3/3)
Flavor: Caramel malts and earthy flavors follow the aroma. Toast with a bit of burnt sugar emerges, like mince pie or raisins that stick to a baking tray, and develops into a roast malt flavor in the finish. An acidic note mid-palate, like dried prunes mixed with cooked dried cherries. Balance is toward the dried fruit character rather than malt. Subdued though detectible hop bitterness, and low earthy hop flavor. The finish is surprisingly clean, almost crisp. Clovey phenols emerge as the beer warms further. (15/20)
Mouthfeel: Body is a little thinner than I expect, with a spritzy carbonation that prickles the tongue. Some alcoholic heat; not creamy or full-bodied. No astringency or lingering sweetness; finishes dry. (3/5)
Overall Impression: At first, this came across as something between a triple (spritzy dryness) and Belgian Strong (alcoholic heat) even though the alcohol level as listed on the bottle is lower than either style. Dried fruit complexity increases as the beer warms, and finish includes a clovey spicy note that complements the warming alcohol and dried cherry tartness. (7/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 29/50
Good example of the Dubbel style but not as lush, soft and balanced as the best commercial examples. more >
[close]Total Score: 29/50
Aroma: Initial burst of caramel and toasted malt followed by plum and raisin notes. Has some typical Belgian esters and phenols similar to Westvletteren. Steady state aroma has alcohol, but the roastiness is high for the style and there are some unpleasant solvent and medicinal notes. (8/12)
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Appearance: Deep brown color with a substantial haze that is probably due to the yeast being roused during shipping. Creamy white head with excellent retention. (2/3)
Flavor: Malt character is a little flabby compared to the Trappist versions of this style. Caramel notes are particularly subdued, with dry roastiness being the predominant malt flavor. Esters, raisins and ripe fruit flavor notes add complexity but also accent the roastiness. Some alcohol is evident in the finish, as appropriate, but there is also a slight sourness that lingers on the palate. Hop bitterness is sufficient to balance. (10/20)
Mouthfeel: A little thin, as noted above, with some warming notes from ethanol. Astringency leaves harsh aftertaste that is not usually present in this style. (3/5)
Overall Impression: Good example of the Dubbel style but not as lush, soft and balanced as the best commercial examples. Yeast bite may be accenting the roasty and astringent flavors, but even taking this into account, less dark malt would improve the balance. Overall profile is closer to the Strong Dark style. The sourness creeping into the finish should be monitored. (6/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 36/50
Could be young; alcohol is somewhat forward. Flavors are all right, but haven't melded well yet. A little less hopping would let the malt come through more. more >
[close]Total Score: 36/50
Aroma: Perfumy with a complex mix of alcohol, esters and phenolics. Has a slight solventy edge. Moderate malt—bready, light caramel. Esters have a dried fruit character—raisins, prunes. Alcohols give a drying quality. Could use more malt in the balance. Slight “corked” character (it was in a 750-milliliter corked bottle). (9/12)
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Appearance: Huge cascading mousse-like head with the color of aged lace (creamy tan). Deep amber color. Moderately hazy. The head settled slowly, leaving characteristic Belgian lace. (2/3)
Flavor: Alcohols and phenolics accentuate the already dry finish. The bready, biscuity malt flavors seem fairly low; could use more complexity. Well attenuated, with a slight roasted flavor (maybe deep caramel) showing up in the finish. Esters are blended in and have the same raisin/prune quality as the aroma (maybe with a hint of bitter orange peel). Medium bitterness and earthy hop flavor—both are a bit high, and last into the finish. Spicy phenolics throughout. A bit of acidity present. (14/20)
Mouthfeel: Very high carbonation—mouth-filling bubbles dominate palate. Medium to medium-full body—seems lighter with the carbonation level. Drying alcohol heat. Cork-like astringency. (4/5)
Overall Impression: Could be young; alcohol is somewhat forward. Flavors are all right, but haven't melded well yet. A little less hopping would let the malt come through more. Quite dry—a little residual sweetness or a richer malt palate with more body would help offset the alcohol/phenolics. Interesting complexity. I'd like to try this again in six months. (7/10)
