The obligatory dubbel in this animal-themed series commissioned at Grain d'Orge, this one referring to the (red) deer. Came from a festive packing containing all three Thirsty Animals beers plus the customised glassware. Thick and foamy, pale yellow-beige, regular and dense, moussey, shred-lacing head thinning and dissolving over an initially clear, deep chestnut brown robe with burgundy-reddish glow and dots of protein, eventually becoming hazed. Aroma of dry caramel, ground hazelnuts, medlar, tea, brown soap, green pear, banana peel, coriander seed, clove, treacle, dried peach, rosemary. Fruity onset, sweetish with a slight sourish edge, hinting at pear and medlar with a touch of baked banana, quite sharply carbonated; smooth brown-bready, cereally and caramelly malt sweetish core, some light honeyish sugariness but nowhere too sweet, let alone sticky. Herbal hop bitter notes in the end alongside phenolic clove and nutmeg spiciness and added coriander spiciness; meanwhile a volatile retronasal whiff of rusty iron passes by, indicating the first sign of oxidation. Completely predictable, stereotypical Belgian dubbel - a textbook example of the style, I would even say. Correct, like the two others in this very classically styled miniseries.

Clear reddish brown beer with a beige head. Aroma of dark reddish malt, caramel, spices, raisins. Taste of raisins, plums, dark malt, nuts.

Kräutrig herber Start, leicht erhöhte Karbonisierung. Lavendel, ansteigende Herbe, geringe Süße, kräutriger Abgang. 8/9/8/7/10/8

21/II/21 - 33cl bottle as a gift, shared @ home, BB: XII/2020 (2021-155) Thanks to Johan T. for the bottle!

Clear deep amber to red brown beer, big creamy dense beige head, stable, adhesive. Aroma: bit yeasty, malty, unripe banana, dried fruits, figs and dates, bit earthy, grains, some cow fodder, some caramel notes, bit of milk chocolate. MF: ok carbon, medium body. Taste: quite some banana peel, pretty dry, soft roast, chocolate notes, caramel, ripe banana, yeasty, little floral. Aftertaste: soft roast, some dried fruits, more banana, caramel, some alcohol, more yeast, little spicy, coriander, caramel, bit sugary, decent!

Paired with a pizza bianca with bacon and brussels sprouts.