Ground Rule Dubbel
Frankenmuth Brewery

 

Look: Hazy caramel with a thin, bubbly white head.

Smell: Dried fruit with a spicy and sour note, like a tart fruit cocktail.

Taste: Bitter fruit, hops, and malt.

Mouthfeel: Creamy yet slightly carbonated.

Overall: A very drinkable dubbel with a nice character.

 

22 ounce bottle into chalice; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours light hazy/cloudy deep ruby red/copper color with a 1 finger dense and fluffy light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings around the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big raisin, plum, fig, date, apple, pepper, clove, light banana, caramel, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, light chocolate/nuttiness, herbal, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast and dark/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big raisin, plum, fig, date, apple, pepper, clove, light banana, caramel, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, light chocolate/nuttiness, herbal, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate herbal bitterness and yeast spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of raisin, plum, fig, date, apple, pepper, clove, caramel, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, light chocolate/nuttiness, herbal, and yeast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast and dark/bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light dryness from bitter/spiciness as well. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, creamy/bready, and slightly sticky/chalky mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice Dubbel style. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast and dark/bready malt flavors; and very smooth and easy to drink for the ABV. A very enjoyable offering.