New Limburg Dubbel

My third brush with a brew from the New Limburg Brewing Company out of Nixon, Ontario was their Dubbel. At 7.4%, this Belgian-style ale doesn't mince words. A 500mL bottle of the stuff is a pretty formidable undertaking.

The beer proved to be a muddy brown and rusty red combo. It was cloudy and poured with a very thick cream head. To my nose, I got notes of copper, rich malt, yeast, and booze. The flavour was a bit less punchy than many other dubbels on the market, be they Belgian or Belgian-style. It was still largely dynamic, though; a fine combination of flavours, ranging from strong yeast and malt notes to subtler tastes of spice, dried fruit, and a dram of bitterness.

New Limburg's take on the Belgian Dubbel was fairly enjoyable, though I confess I found it a bit less complex than some of its fellows that I've thrown back. Unlike some of the classic abbey beers, each sip didn't birth new revelations, nor was it as pungently yeasty as others in the same style. Great strength, beautiful rich colour, and durable head all lent this ale some credibility, though, and to its great credit, it wasn't too sweet. The folks doing their brewing in Nixon clearly have a real appreciation for Belgian ales and an aptitude for brewing.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.