With the weather turning colder it's time to start looking at the roastier side of beer. Today we are tasting three Abbey style Dubbels, two from Belgian and one from California. The Abbey Dubbel, literally meaning double, was originally brewed in the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle in 1856. The abbey had brewed a light, sweet wheat beer since 1836 but the new beer was considerably stronger because they had "doubled" the grain bill. The formula became stronger again by 1926. Stop on in and get a taste of Belgiums world famous beer.
Maredsous 8: Creamy foaming dark-coloured beer with a well-balance flavour of malt and hops.
Grimbergen Dubbel: Double has undergone two fermentations, which gives this ale a chocolatey, toffee taste with a warming brandy-like finish.
North Coast Brother Thelonious: With the developing interest in Belgian abbey ales and the monasteries that brew them, it’s time to remind the world that here in the U.S., we have a Monk of our own. Jazz icon Thelonious Monk is the inspiration for North Coast Brewing’s new Belgian-style abbey ale called, appropriately enough, Brother Thelonious. The beer is being released in conjunction with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz (www.monkinstitute.org), and the brewery will make a contribution to the Institute for every case sold to support jazz education. Like a Belgian “Dark Strong Ale”, the beer is rich and robust with an ABV of 9%. The package is a 750 ml bottle with a traditional cork and wire finish and features a label picturing the jazz master himself.
