“The term dubbel is rooted in a Belgian Trappist beer naming convention which can be traced back to 1856. This brown ale has been aged in Aquavit barrels to produce a complex beer.”
Glassware: Goblet.
Appearance: Muddy chestnut brown with a ring of loosely held bubble around the rim. Some soapy lace left behind as we go.
Aroma: Rich, sweet and chock-full of chewy caramels, toffee, Christmas cake, spice, carob, prunes, oregano and burnt oranges – the latter surely being products of the Aquavit barrels. It’s lovely how the aromas tie together though. Superb.
Flavour: Getting more yeasty notes…estery fruits i.e banana, pear and earthy clove-like spice. Loads of caramel and toffee sweetness, dark fruits and fennel set up for a nice and warming finish. Not overly boozy though, still showing plenty of spice and dark fruit on the back palate.
Mouthfeel: Smooth as silk, chewy almost port-like texture. Full in body with low co2. The 11% AbV is incredibly well masked.
Overall: There’s only a small handful of Aussie brewers who’ve been able to pull off a brilliant Trappist ale. Hawkers have now placed themselves among them. This is a cracking Dubbel, kudos Hawkers!