Dubbel Shot
Three Taverns Craft Brewery

750mL bottle acquired at the brewery release this past weekend. Served in a Three Taverns snifter.

Pours a murky, muddy brown with cherry highlights and two and a half fingers of ecrue froth. The head gradually settles to a fine film across the surface and a fluffy crown, leaving surprisingly little lace.

Smells of light coffee, raisin toast, cooked caramel and flaked oats.

Coffee and dark fruity Belgian yeast combine in the flavor to create a very different dubbel. Those dominant notes are enhanced by bread, semi burnt caramel, earthy dry oats, apple skins and just a hint of cocoa powder.

Pillowy medium full body with velvety carbonation. Aftertaste of coffee-drenched Belgian yeast with a side of slightly burnt oatmeal.

An interesting mashup from Three Taverns, Dubbel Shot is a fun and successful marriage of dubbel and breakfast stout. The rich body and pervasive coffee separate this from most in the style and make it a release that I've enjoyed hitting up when it comes around each year.

 

 

 

Poured from the tap into a snifter. The appearance is a pitch black color with a small tan head. The aroma is coffee and malt. The taste is bitter coffee and a smooth malt finish. An interesting beer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appearance: Deep red/brown, with ruby edges. Deep tan head, good lacing.

Aroma: Big coffee notes, sharp and reminiscent of savory spices. Little to know Belgian yeast character.

Flavor: Again very coffee forward, slightly balanced out with a yeast character similar to Westmalle Dubbel, which I always describe as "rusty". Little to no dark fruit malt or yeast character.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, low carbonation, no apparent alcohol.

Overall: I'm torn on this beer. I applaud the idea, but would have preferred a fruity coffee/ester profile, and it could use a bit more carbonation.

 

 

It's been years since I've written a review, but I thought this beer merited a qualitative assessment, and no one has offered one yet. So, let's get down to it.

32 oz. growler fill from Hop City in ATL, consumed on same day as purchase. Served in both a tulip and Teku. Temperature ranged from about 45-60 degrees across an hour.

Appearance - Pours a dark, yet clear ruby red. Thin, frothy beige head that dissipates quickly to a collar around the sides.

Aroma - Freshly ground, light roasted coffee expressing itself as fresh ground nutmeg, kola nut (cola), burnt sugar, and a hint of stone fruit. Beyond that, some candi sugar and faint dried cherry is discernible.

Taste - Sweet, with sight acidic, sour notes, all driven by the coffee. Not your stereotypical coffee flavor associated with coffee stouts. Rather, the fruity, sugary notes one associates with a freshly ground, very lightly roasted, French press coffee. Sugary, fruity notes associated with a Dubbel--almost caramel-like.

Mouthfeel - Slightly watery, and somewhat thinner than expected considering the addition of oatmeal to the beer. Still, on point for a Dubbel.

Overall - This a fantastic beer, in my opinion. While it really can't be considered model Dubbel, especially considering the lacking presence of yeast, it provides an excellent base for presenting coffee in a different way. People who appreciate drinking light-roasted, French pressed (or Chemex) coffee may truly appreciate this beer.