Double-Wide Dubbel

With all the snow we have had recently, I must admit I have enjoyed having a rich Belgian-dubbel on tap. This is the Double-Wide Dubbel, which my friend Greg and I brewed for last year's Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day. Belgian dubbels are rich and malty ales that were traditionally brewed for Trappist monks and provided a good amount of their daily sustenance. American versions tend to be more imperial in nature, and this one is no exception. It is based on a Tommy Arthur recipe found in the book Brew Like a Monk by Stan Hieronymus. Dubbed "Double-Wide Dubbel" because it took two of us to brew the massive double batch, and it was brewed in two parking spaces outside our homebrew store, Fermentation Trap.

But, enough of the background, here are the stats and tasting notes.

Brewed: 11/7/2009

Kegged: 12/6/2009

Original Gravity: 1.076

Final Gravity: 1.014

IBU: 16

Alcohol By Volume: 7.9%

Carbonation Volume: 2.8 (15 psi at 40 degrees F)

The beer pours a deep ruby red, which contains a slightly hazy appearance. The color looks fantastic when held up to a bright light, with a thin layer of small bubbles running through the center of the ruby column. The dubbel has a thin white head that rapidly dissipates, which is not surprising, given the low hopping rate and high alcohol concentration. The aroma is very complex, with hints of raisins, dark fruit, caramel, cinnamon, cloves, and all spice. The aromatic complexity increases as the beer warms.

The dubbel's flavor is also complex. The initial part of the taste provides some of the spice hinted at in the aroma (note, this is all yeast-derived, as no spices were added to the beer). I also get a bit of a zip from what I suspect is the carbonation level, though the beer is not carbonated any more than others in my kegarator. The spice fades to a dark fruit, raisin, and honey sweetness at mid-palate. I also detect some alcohol warming at this point, though it is subtle. The end of the taste has more caramel and honey, with the sweetness lingering on the palate. The sweetness becomes cloying by the end of the pint.

I must say I like this beer, given the winter weather we have had in Central Virginia. It hides its alcohol very well and has an enjoyable complexity. However, if I made it again, I would definitely lessen some of the specialty malts and possibly lower the mash temperature. The beer could finish dryer, which would help it drink easier (though at 7.9%, this might not be a good thing). The beer is also over carbonated, as the flavor improves when I knock some of the carbonation out of it.

One other interesting thing to note is that I tried Greg's version of the dubbel and it tasted different. You could tell they came from the same base, but his had a metallic flavor that is missing in mine. We used the same wort, the same yeast, and targeted the same fermentation profile. I am always intrigued by things like this, because they clearly show that even when things are almost equal in brewing, two different brewers can produce two different results.