Dobbel Tripel

Dobbel Tripel. That sounds an awful lot like 'double triple'. Exciting times...

Once again I find myself in front of a bottle of beer which I'd usually not even have noticed. Forcing yourself to drink (well not exactly 'forcing', but...) everything on a list has its highs as well as lows. My first discovery was to be whether this beer was dark or light: was it 'dobbel' or 'tripel'? 

It was a dark offering, dark indeed. With a bubbling beige head it sat enticingly in the glass, waiting to be sampled. It had a really rich, fruity and deep scent; this beer clearly had lots to give. There was a definite edge of cinnamon and nutmeg spice ('woody', one might say if one was in the marketing department for Hugo Boss Fragrances) and it reminded me a little of the magnificent Westvleteren 12. We're not getting carried away but it's fair comparison.

Onto a sip, and what I would usually discover is that these strong beers often lull you into a sense that they're weaker than you'd think. The Oostendsebier has a fantastic warming sensation that you associate with nice boozy things. This beer was quite reminiscent of sherry in its taste, rich with fruit and spice. It always makes me laugh that sherry is so poo-pooed, generally speaking,  yet countless whiskies would be nothing without it and its flavours coming through anything always put a smile on your face. Perhaps we're all closet Nannas.

Once you've taken your heady sip there's more to come. The aftertaste is thick and pleasingly sweet without being cloying. If you like dark beers with malty, sweet flavours there's not a lot else you can ask for than a beer like this. Compared, say, to Kasteel Donker, it has a much better balance and is much more palatable and easier to drink. I may not be the most critical critic but there are times when the glass is empty and you have to ask yourself what more would you have wanted from the beer you've just finished. In this case, I'd have to say pretty much nothing, except perhaps a prettier bottle for it to sit in. Harsh, I know.

Keyte Oostendse Dobbel Tripel - 9.5

http://www.brouwerij-strubbe.be/start/bieren/en