Draught tulip at the brewpub on 4/8/06
Gently-hazed golden-honey colored body has sporadic bubbles rising to bolster a white head that is small and held at partial cover, with no real lacing.
The nose imparts a fresh, zesty Belgian yeast, baked hay and dough mixing together with light minerals and an orange and lemon zestiness that combines with light alcohol esters to really deepen the aroma towards the end. It really lulls you in at first and then the spices explode, matched by esters and well-extracted pils malt.
Flavor begins with reserved pils maltiness that initially coats the palate, but the soft, appropriate carbonation sweeps in and wisks away the honey, replacing it with mangoes, warm bananas, curacao oranges and light pepper-like phenols. Imagine Allagash trippel at about 66% of it’s strength and you’re not too far off. What is most common to it and Allagash’s gem is the well-done yeast. Not meaty/fatiguing or even overdone in any way, but light, fluffy, with some doughiness, but plenty of fruits and phenols. Alcohol warmth is kept in check, but is notable somewhat. Warming produces light vanilla blossoms and more flowery hops, with a satisfying easing of the carbonation allowing more malt to stick to the palate. The malt depth, which seems to always be one of the most difficult things to master, is lacking here. But don’t get me wrong, what is there, is excellent and wonderfully-done.

Draught pint at the brewpub with SuIIy on 4/8/06
Utterly clear golden-blonde ale, with just a ever-so-slight hint of copper. Fizzy white head quickly recedes to cover and then ring and then nothing, no lacing (Head retention did not seem to be a strong point at Bullfrog). Fair amount of bubbles rising in the liquid.
The nose is dry, very crisp and borderline carbonic, but warming allows pils malts and almost six-row huskiness to emerge. Hops appear from the onset and are a welcome presence. Floral, light grassiness and some dried, basil-like herb notes. Clean, though, with no powderiness, vanilla, dms or whatnot.
Flavor is snappy and quickly effervescent. Crisp yeast and heavy carbonation bite at the palate, while light honey and hay-like maltiness is minimal, though importantly, not lacking. Hops are flowery, herbal and quite apparent again. There is certainly some water to this, and obviously it wasnt boiled very long, but it is still quite refreshing and clean. Upon warming, I found light cideriness to be the extent of the "off" notes, if you could even call it that (though it does interrupt the delicate hops and dosent work with the honey-grain maltiness). No alcohol apparent, and I was shocked to see it was 6% abv. A tremendously refreshing golden ale-lager hybrid.

Tasted at Belgium Comes to Cooperstown, July 16, 2005. Hazy light golden ale. Light sweet malt with orange peels in aroma. Fresh sweet malt and coriander and orange peels, with hops and alcohol warmth in finale.

Sampled on draft at the brewery this beer poured a fairly bright reddish brown with a small white head. The aroma is sweet and malty. The flavor is moderate dark malts with a light floral hop presence and a malty finish. Not too bad for a Red.

I am fond of Dubbels in general but was a bit underwhelmed by this one. Sampled on draft at the brewery this beer poured a medium dark brown with a medium sized tan head. The aroma is sweet and sugary with a hint of alcohol burn. The flavor is sweet with heavy Belgian candi sugar notes. The malts are milder than I would expect from this style. The alcohol burn dominates this one too much. The finish is a bit sharp and biting.

Sampled on draft at the brewery. The beer poured a dark brown color with a small tan head. The aroma is malty and lightly nutty. The flavor has nice roasted malts with a light hoppy undertone. The beer is sweeter than I would have expected. The finish is roasty.