Dubbel XX (Java Bier - Zeeuws Dubbel)

Flesje meegenomen van weekend Zeeland. Diep donkerbruin helder bier met weinig schuim. Aroma van caramel en fruit. De smaak is zoet, caramelachtig en fruitig (pruimen, druiven). Weinig nasmaak.

Bottle shared at the 2015 edition of the chriso Pre-GBBF tasting - London. Cheers! Pours clear brown with lots of particulates and a creamy, off-white head. Plummy fruits in the aroma, brown bread. Medium sweet flavour with ripe and jammy fruits, bready malts. Medium bodied with average to lively carbonation. Sweet finish, with low bitterness, dried fruits, plums, berries. Not bad.

Dutch dubbel which, according to the brewery, is supposed to be the modern equivalent of a 19th-century "Hulster Monnikenbier", but in reality is an alias of Dobbele Java / XX Dubbel, a beer I drank regularly in Hulst many years ago. Comes from a stubby swingtop bottle, sold at the Albert Heijn supermarket in Hulst. Densely lacing, creamy, pale yellowish beige head with sufficient retention; colour is a cloudy brownish burgundy. Sweet and estery aroma of banana, brown candi sugar, milk chocolate, overripe peach, candied dates, toasted bread, medlar, sweet liquorice, caramel, coriander. Fruity taste, sweet but not too cloying, raisins, banana, blue plums, soft carbo, fluffy and smooth mouthfeel, nice bready and caramelly malt sweetness with spicy yeastiness on top, becoming quite toasted in the end yet smooth, with a herbal, peppery hop bitterness for balance, bittersweet resiny coriander and lingering yeastiness. Rather stereotypical for the style, but well rounded and nicely balanced, with a pleasant spicy hoppiness and drying toasted bitterness to it.

Bottle at Pre-GBBF Shindig 2015. It pours hazy mahogany brown with a small beige head. The nose is soft, sweet, toasty, toffee and caramel. The taste is soft, sweet, malt-drive, toasty, cocoa and spice with a short, dryish finish. Medium body and moderate carbonation. Perhaps a touch old? Not much depth to it, but easy-going enough.

300ml bottle. Ruby red glowing, dark copper colour with lots of floating chunks and average to huge, thick, creamy, fairly lasting, minimally lacing, beige head. Strawy and minimally fruity aroma, hints of red berries, red jelly, jelly bears, yeasty overtones. Taste is sweet fruity, notes of red berries, red jelly, some straw; light body, slightly watery.

Huge brownish head; dark brown beer with a reddish sheen; shards of lace. Sweetish, caramel, maltsyrup, parsley, bit of conifers. Sweet, nutty, dark & wet bread, watery finish. Obvious dark malts - but also colouring additives, I fear. Just the sweetness keeps lingering on, impression of slightly spiced cookies; Not very well-bodied, empty feel and empty palate. Rather lame. Why?Earlier Rating: 9/1/2004 Total Score: 3.3Fluffy yellow-brown head, irregular; opaque brown beer with reddish shine. Nose with dark, but sweet chocolate and banana. Som lactic notes as well. Bitterish taste, part spicey, part cocoa-powder (rather than coffee). Piquant, spicey spiking. The malt underneath strengthens the idea of the old-fashioned cocoa-powder drink. Refreshing mouthfeel, despite the cocoa connotation; medium bodied. Aftertaste is dry, medicinal-bitterish. I don’t think this is bad at all. It has, however little or nothing in common with either lambic, either Flemish Oud bruin.

Bouteille 75cl @ RBBSG III. Léger bru, col beige. Arôme est fruité, caramélisé et malté sur un fruité noir rappelant les dates. Le bouquet houblonné est discret et laisse plus la place aux malts. Palais est malté très belge dans l’approche surtout lorsque l’on sait où est brassée la bière. Petite touche de grillé entremêlée à ce côté fruité noir léger. Garde une amertume houblonnée noble rappelant le Saaz.

750 ml. bottle sampled @ RBBSG III. Thanks to Mathieu87 & PriorL! Indeed, very nice label. Reddish brown. Metallic bit sour, thin. Bitter metallic, thin, weak, sour berries. Cool label & bottle but other than that nothing really.

30 cl. bottle @ home, bought online @ hetbiermoment.nl. Hazy amber brown with a tan head. Malty aroma with caramel and dark fruits. Some licorice and bay leaf are also noticeable. First few sips had a slightly metallic aftertaste but as the beer warmed up that fade away. Nice atypical dubbel.