Black Abbey "The Special" Dubbel Ale

This has a rooster on the front. That was the thing that distracted me. When I showed it to my brother-in-law, he stumbled at the pronunciation of the word "dubbel," as he was used to the more American spelling, and he didn't want it to be confused with a Double IPA, which is often referred to with the same word spelled differently. Honestly, this is the kind of confusion you would think we could avoid in simple names of beers.

I chose the generic glass, as I knew this was going to be dark, and it is. I should probably have opted for a tulip glass or chalice, as I am want to do for Belgian ales, but I didn't think long enough about it. Instead, I talked myself out of my usual IPA glass, and it would not have been fitting in that glass. Either way, the head vanishes quickly, and a ring around the sides doesn't have any lacing that it needs to support. The aroma is Belgian yeast, but there's more to it - more nuts and more alcohol.

First sip is sweet and filled with dark fruits on the front end, and the meat of the fruits really hits toward the back with raisins asserting themselves as the beer turns slightly dry. The alcohol is sitting at 7.4%, so I notice it, but it's collected enough not to barge in and start throwing its weight around the place. These ales are notoriously good for sipping, and I could likely do it all night, but The Way is to gulp.

Tip-in is plums and raisins with almost no carbonation accompaniment. The middle finally starts sending carbonation across the tongue, but the yeast seems a bit off as it turns a bit tart. The finish is dryer than the rest, but the yeast still seems off as the carbonation gives one quick dazzle before leaving us with dark and dry fruits for the trail off.

Bottom Line: I love Belgian yeast, but there are better examples of its use.

2.75/5