“Beer is sacred at Bright brewery. Our Fainters Dubbel honours Belgium’s Trappist monks, who first created and savoured these rich and complex ales. Even the deep copper colour is reminiscent of Abbey stained glass. To develop the rich malt-driven aromas and complex palate accentuated with raisin and spicy clove, it is essential that we remain celibate throughout the brewing process. Monks aside, the remote high peaks of the Fainters beyond Bright inspired both the naming of this beer and our brewer, who regularly pilots his paraglider above these majestic ranges.”
This is our first entry for this Victorian brewery. We’ve had our eye on them for a while so we thought it was high time we gave them a go. Served in a snifter glass. The gorgeous mahogany pour can only manage to arouse half a finger of beige foam before it peels off and settles to a fine halo around the circumference of the glass. As expected lacing is scarce. Not all is scarce though, as our first few whiffs uncover a decadent, malty nose with scents of toffee fudge, chocolate, clove, banana, brown sugar, csramelised pear and raisins. A certain liqueur-ish complexity lends a kind of Muscaty/Porty astringency to it as well. Very nice. In the mouth its creamy texture is sharpened by a subtle alcohol burn (8.5% ABV) Co2 levels are low and the body is medium-full. Upfront a burst of sweet and luscious malts offer flavours of toffee, raisin, chocolate, banana and port. Behind it all is a firm warmth from the ABV. Although there are no variations in flavour the intensity of it all crescendo’s through the mid and rounds off to a robust malt finish with good duration. This is an honest and malleable representation of this incredibly complex style of brewing. We’re already looking forward to the next addition from this brewery.