Ter Dolen Double Dark
Brouwerij Ter Dolen N.V.

 

The name "Double Dark" is printed in English on the beer label, but the mark "xx" does resemble the old practice of recording a beer's strength on the barrel. At 6.6%abv., coming in 330ml brown bottle, BB 11/2006(??!!) - I purchased it from the "Belgian Shop", a Belgium-based specialist beer shop, last August (2008) and it had already expired by almost 2 years. I guess they are confident enough in this beer to store it for such a long time; let's see... served chilled in Westmalle's broad-rimmed goblet.

A: pours a murky dark russet-brown colour, coming with a strong-hissing sound and a fluffy dark beige head dissipating to oblivion in less than 20 seconds, while the carbonation remains low and constant.
S: rich brown-sugary and estery notes are inseparable (like sweet boiled kidney beans), quite typical for a Belgian dark ale; random touches of dark fruits (dates) and lightly roasted malts (a bit like Munich malts) play the secondary fiddle, leaving a floating touch of alc. lurking in the background. Nothing to write home about, but decent enough and integrated overall.
T: gosh, a rather sharply-fizzy swallow of sweet herb liquor takes the lead, quickly followed by a very mixed and pleasant fruity flavour consisting of dark prunes, raisins, black cherries, Chinese "Chuanbei"-syrup and other leafy herbs, and a mild spicy touch possibly from the hops... Mainly "estery" is the flavour profile, but dark malts with a black sugary touch offers a very decent support throughout the drink. Rather clean in the finish, neither sticky nor thin.
M&D: high level of fizziness ambushes my taste-buds in the very first sip, but after leaving it for a short while, the texture softens a lot and the fizziness becomes rather refreshing and pleasant. Overall, this medium-bodied dark ale is attractive due to the estery flavour and a rather clean palate. I wonder what it might have tasted like if it hadn't expired, coz the beer as it is now shows absolutely no sign of retirement to me! Enjoyable.

A dark brown beer with a very creamy head that leaves bog lacing on the glass.

Smell is roasted with chocolatemalt notes and light coffee. Some mild sweet notes that fit the style. Yeast is light peppery and has some 'abbey'-like smells.

Taste is roasted with a nice lace mouthfeel. The roasted notes are mild, but still showcase a good strong dark flavor that is remiscent for a Belgian dark ale. Alcohol is barely tasted. Body is medium. The yeast is peppery and has some general spicy notes. Complexity is not high, but for sure this beer is greatly balanced.

Part of a 46kg shipment of beer I got from Belgium. I love the internet. Very dark reddish brown with a frothy, quickly dissipating tan head. The smell is dark fruits and spices. Very intense & very interesting. The taste is sweet and malty, with plums, oranges, cinnamon, and an oak-y not ethat really sets the whole thing off. Very nice, if not as complex as some of its breatheren. The mouthfeel is very carbonated but with a silkiness that just feels great. The drinkability is good, very good. Definitely a sipping beer but one I think I'll sip the rest of, thanks.