Trader Joe's Brewing CompanySan Jose, California
APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Deep, dark brown; porterlike. Thick, rocky tan head, big bubbles.
AROMA: 3/4
Sweet, pruny nose. Sweetbread, molasses, some sour from the Belgian yeast. Minimal hop aroma.
TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Sugary, spicy. Dark Belgian candy. Syrupy alcohol tucked in there. Slight roast, caramel, very sweet.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Bitter finish, but could use more bittering hop. Some metallic aftertaste.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Falls out in the middle. Mildly carbonated (appropriately), very smooth.
OVERALL: 2/3: Very sweet—Belgian sugar. Too sweet, maybe? At 9%, this winter ale is a warmer; more of a Trappist ale, really. It's okay (our expectations were pretty high).
TOTAL: 14.75/20–I'll Try A Pint
NOTES:
Matt: For what it is (a Trappist-style dubbel, as near as we can tell), it's not bad. Would be nice to age it for a year and see what develops.
Ben: At first glance, I was ready to pass it up, then I saw it's contract-brewed by Unibroue*, and I had to buy it. Good Belgian Dubbel—a bit dark and maybe too sweet, but at $4.99 on clearance, this was a no-brainer.
*Oh, right—we forgot to mention this was contract-brewed by Unibroue. I know, right? Unibroue!
Aftertaste: 2/3: Bitter finish, but could use more bittering hop. Some metallic aftertaste.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Falls out in the middle. Mildly carbonated (appropriately), very smooth.
OVERALL: 2/3: Very sweet—Belgian sugar. Too sweet, maybe? At 9%, this winter ale is a warmer; more of a Trappist ale, really. It's okay (our expectations were pretty high).
TOTAL: 14.75/20–I'll Try A Pint
NOTES:
Matt: For what it is (a Trappist-style dubbel, as near as we can tell), it's not bad. Would be nice to age it for a year and see what develops.
Ben: At first glance, I was ready to pass it up, then I saw it's contract-brewed by Unibroue*, and I had to buy it. Good Belgian Dubbel—a bit dark and maybe too sweet, but at $4.99 on clearance, this was a no-brainer.
*Oh, right—we forgot to mention this was contract-brewed by Unibroue. I know, right? Unibroue!
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