Belgian Dubbels

Make Mine a Dubbel!

Mark West

Originally Published in Vol. 2, Iss. 1 (Oct/Nov 2008)

What imagery does the word “monk” conjure up in your head? Vows of silence, celibacy, daily manual labor, prayer, solitude; along with brown cloaks and bald spots, these are the images I have. It takes discipline, passion and commitment to adhere to the tenets of a monk.

 

Then, of course, I also think of beer. Beer, wine and other liquors have long been a big part of monastic life. Not only drinking, but also crafting their libations. In the earlier history of the monasteries, people drank alcohol commonly because it was safer to drink than the water from open wells. The more devout monks that go through seasons of fasting usually preferred beer because it also offered some substance and nutritional benefits that other alcoholic beverages could not provide.

 

Belgian and French monasteries brewed a variety of beers throughout the Middle Ages, but The French Revolution, and the Napoleonic era that followed, destroyed most of those monasteries. And since the monks brewed their beer only for themselves, their recipes were not very well documented.

The monasteries rose from the ashes in the 19th and 20th centuries and they resumed their brewing. This time the recipes were better documented. The modern monasteries often employed secular brew masters. They brewed three main types of beer … three strengths really. As the story goes, they had a table beer for everyday drinking. A second, slightly stronger ale was made for the nuns, and the third and strongest was made for the priests. Today, Belgian Abbey ales are classified much the same way — only we call them single, dubbel, and tripel ales. There aren’t very many, if any, commercial examples of the “single.” That seems to make some sense since it was probably a rather average beer. The triple is a notoriously strong ale with significant alcohol content and more moderate hop characteristic.

 

Today, though, we are going to focus on the dubbel.  The dubbel is what we commonly consider Trappist ales to be and Trappist ales, in my opinion, are some of the finest and most well crafted beers ever made.

The Trappist monks are Benedictine monks belonging to the Reform of the Cistercian Order that originally settled in Normandy, France at the abbey of La Trappe. These monks are guided strictly by the rule of St. Benedict, meaning that their daily life is split between manual labor and prayer. Further, they don’t eat meat and observe vows of silence, among other strict disciplines. And to my surprise, the wear white garments, not brown. The Trappist monks’ passion, commitment and discipline, along with a dire need for sustenance, yield a very hearty, full-bodied and masterfully balanced beer.

 

The idea of commercializing their beer didn’t come along until the Abbey of Scourmont, at Chimay, offered their craft to the world in the 1860s. The beer became widely popular and other monasteries followed suit. Breweries began to imitate their beer, but much the same way Champagne can only come from Champagne, France. Only Trappist monks can produce Trappist beer. Therefore, the Trappist ales’ imitators marketed their beers as “Abbey ales” or “Belgian dubbels.” If you are looking for authenticity, there are only a handful of true Trappist ales to choose from.  Of the world’s 171 Trappist monasteries, only seven produce beer commercially. It’s a good thing that many of these “imposters” have done a fantastic job.

 

The word dubbel means what you think it might mean, “double,” and it refers to the amount of malted grains. These are big, bold beers with an amber to ruby body and thick, light head. Dubbels don’t shroud these malty characteristics under a heavy hop flavor. In fact, the hop characteristics are low to non-existent. Instead, the malts balance against alcohol, esters and phenols. While this is a decidedly hearty and full-bodied beer, it isn’t as heavy as you might think. Belgian candy sugar is added to the brewing process to keep the beer lighter while increasing the alcohol content. The roasted malts can lend a chocolate to caramel sweetness. Other flavor characteristics of this beer can also include fruity esters of raisins, plums or dried cherries. In my opinion, there are few beers that can rival the symphonic balance of the Belgian dubbel.

Chimay Red

Chimay, Belgium

They Say

“First sold in 75 cl (25.4 fl.oz) bottles, it is noted for its coppery colour which makes it particularly attractive. Topped with a creamy head, it gives off a light, fruity apricot aroma produced by the fermentation. The taste perceived in the mouth is a balance confirming the fruity nuances noticed in the fragrance. which imparts a silky sensation to the tongue, is made refreshing by a light touch of bitterness. To the palate, the taster perceives a pleasant astringency which complements the flavour qualities of this beer very harmoniously. This top fermented Trappist beer, refermented in the bottle, is not pasteurised.”

 

I Say

I had to start my tastings with the godfather of Trappist ales. While they are quite possibly not the ones to invent this style, they are certainly responsible for awakening the world to the Trappist mastery. I sampled the original style in the 75 cl corked bottle. Chimay pours out more golden amber, but there is a slight hue of ruby. The head was moderate and left plenty of lacing in my glass. While the beer was clear, there was an ample amount of sediment suspended in the beer; no doubt a product of being both bottle fermented and packed with malted grains. And when I say suspended, I mean suspended.

When I swirled the glass, bits of yeast and grist seemed to stay in place relative to the liquid’s movement. The aroma was slightly bready with a deep raisin overtone. The taste was slightly phenolic (band-aid or medicine-like), balancing with a sweet apricot flavor. There was only a hint of alcohol, but I would not describe it as astringent (as their own description does). The mouth feel was creamy — almost thick, the finish smooth and sweet. Chimay is very sophisticated and complex in flavor, with a slight zip.

Westmalle Dubbel

Antwerp, Belgium

They Say

“Westmalle Dubbel is a dark, reddish-brown Trappist beer with a secondary fermentation in the bottle. The creamy head has the fragrance of special malt and leaves an attractive lace pattern in the glass. The flavour is rich and complex, herby and fruity with a fresh-bitter finish. It is a balanced quality beer with a soft feel in the mouth and a long, dry aftertaste.”

 

I Say

Westmalle is legitimate Trappist ale. The abbey is better known for their Belgian trippel, but their dubbel is worth noting. This beer has a definite ruby color with an almost pale white head. The aroma is much more phenolic than other Trappist ales, but still sweet. Mouth feel is very lightly carbonated and oily to almost dry. A more astringent alcohol tinge lends to the mouth feel. The sweet caramel flavor plays against fruity esters of apricot. Westmalle Dubbel finishes with a bitter, earthy, somewhat herby aftertaste. The flavor profile is unique. It’s not as sweet as other dubbels can be, but still very complex.

Grimbergen Abbey Ale

N.V. Brouwerijen Alken-Maes Brasseries S.A

Waarloos, Antwerp, Belgium

They Say

“Dark burgundy, full-bodied brew sweetened with malts and dark candy sugar. A sweet toffee taste, hints of raisins, with a warm, brandy-like finish.”

 

 

I Say

Okay, you’ll have to excuse me while I prattle on about my absolute favorite beer. This beer is the reason I am writing about Belgian dubbels this issue. Grimbergen’s description of the beer, while fairly accurate, doesn’t begin to do it justice. And while I’ve enjoyed the beer for some time, this is the first time I’ve actually sat back and analyzed it. Grimbergen is not a Trappist ale, but an Abbey ale. The monks originally responsible for this recipe were Norbertine from Belgium. Today the Alken-Maas Brewery, most well known for brands like Heineken and Fosters, brews the beer commercially. Grimbergen Dubbel pours out ruby red with a tight head of barely off-white bubbles. The beer is moderately carbonated and gives off a rich aroma of plums or prunes. The carbonation in this beer is most definitely part of the flavor profile, as the bubbles add life to the otherwise sweet flavor. Esters of dried cherries also balance the beer and add another layer of complexity. Another flavor I often detect in this beer is of chocolate covered raisins. The warm, brandy-like finish they describe is true; evidence of a higher alcohol content and the complex esters that linger. If you’ve never tried one, you know I’d recommend that you do.

Brother Theloneous Belgian Style Abbey Ale

North Coast Brewing Co.

Fort Bragg, CA

They Say

“Like a Belgian ‘Dark Strong Ale’, the beer is rich and robust with an ABV of 9.3%. The package is a 750 ml bottle with a traditional cork and wire finish or 12oz 4 packs and features a label picturing the jazz
master himself.”

 

I Say

When looking for a domestic Belgian Dubbel, how can you pass up one called “Brother Theloneous?” I picked it up figuring it would just be a gimmicky, overpriced, poser beer … something to contrast to the masterful, true Abbey ales. Not so at all. The Brother pours out ruby red with a thick off-white head. The sweet but tart cherry aroma is wonderful. I detected a hint of alcohol as well. The mouth is smooth and creamy, and the taste is a balance of sweet chocolate and tart plum. Surprisingly, I am a very big fan of this beer. In fact, it’s almost a mirror image of Grimbergen. I would recommend this to anyone.