The term dubbel (also double) is a Belgian
Trappist beer
Trappist beer is brewed by Trappist monks. Thirteen Trappist monasteries—six in Belgium, two in the Netherlands, and one each in Austria, Italy, England, France, and Spain—currently produce beer, but the ''Authentic Trappist Product'' labe ...
naming convention. The origin of the dubbel was a strong version of a brown beer brewed in
Westmalle Abbey
Westmalle Abbey, otherwise the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle ( nl, Abdij van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van het Heilig Hart or the "Abbey of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart"), is a monastery of the Cistercians of Strict Observance in Westmalle in the Belgian p ...
in 1856, which is known to have been on sale to the public by June 1861.
[Jef van den Steen, ''Trappist - Het Bier en de Monniken'' , pages 33 & 41] In 1926, the recipe was changed, and it was sold as ''Dubbel Bruin''. Following World War Two, abbey beers became popular in Belgium and the name "dubbel" was used by several breweries for commercial purposes.
Westmalle's Dubbel was imitated by other breweries around the world, both Trappist and secular, leading to the emergence of a style. Dubbels are now understood to be a fairly strong (6–8%
alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as ABV, abv, or alc/vol) is a standard measure of how much alcohol (ethanol) is contained in a given volume of an alcoholic beverage (expressed as a volume percent). It is defined as the number of millilitres (mL) o ...
)
brown ale
Brown ale is a style of beer with a dark amber or brown colour. The term was first used by London brewers in the late 17th century to describe their products, such as mild ale, though the term has a rather different meaning today. 18th century br ...
, with understated bitterness, fairly heavy body, and a pronounced fruitiness and cereal character.
Chimay
Chimay (, wa, Chimai) is a city and Municipalities of Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Hainaut Province, province of Hainaut, Belgium. In 2006, Chimay had a population of 9,774. The area is 197.10 km2 which gives a populatio ...
Première (Red), Koningshoeven/
La Trappe Dubbel, and
Achel
Hamont-Achel (; li, Haëmet-Achel) is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. It was founded in 1977 by a fusion of the city Hamont and the village Achel. On January 1, 2020, Hamont-Achel had a total population of 14. ...
8 Bruin are notable examples from Trappist breweries.
Affligem and
Grimbergen
Grimbergen () is a municipality in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, 10 km north of the capital Brussels. It comprises the towns of Beigem, Grimbergen, Humbeek, and Strombeek-Bever. In 2017, it had a population of 37,030 and an are ...
are Belgian
abbey breweries that produce dubbels.
Notable examples from the US include
Ommegang's Dubbel and
New Belgium's Abbey Ale.
Abbey 1856 Dubbel is produced in
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
.
Flavour profile
Dubbels are characteristically known for being dark brown in colour with a strong flavour of
dark fruit including raisins, prunes, and dates. These flavours and colours are almost entirely resultant from the heavy addition of highly caramelized (or
kilned
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven, that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn objects made from clay int ...
)
beet sugar
A sugar beet is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose and which is grown commercially for sugar production. In plant breeding, it is known as the Altissima cultivar group of the common beet (''Beta vulgaris''). Together wit ...
, which ferments completely into
alcohol
Alcohol most commonly refers to:
* Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom
* Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks
Alcohol may also refer to:
Chemicals
* Ethanol, one of sev ...
, lightening the body of the finished beer and contributing to its dry finish. The caramelization of the beet sugar is also the major contributor of
maillard flavors including chocolatey, caramel, and nutty tones that give the dubbel its wide gamut of flavour complexity. Because of the special strains of
ale yeast used in their production, dubbels often carry a mild spice;
and
black pepper
Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in diame ...
are notable examples in traditional Belgian dubbels.
See also
*
Tripel
Tripel is a term used by brewers mainly in the Low Countries, some other European countries, and the U.S. to describe a strong pale ale, loosely in the style of '' Westmalle Tripel''. The origin of the term is unknown, though the main theory i ...
*
Quadrupel
A Quadrupel (Flemish for 'quadruple') is a type of beer, with an alcohol by volume of 9.1% to 14.2%.
There is little agreement on the status of Quadrupel as a beer style. Writer Tim Webb notes that similar beers are called '' Grand Cru'' in Be ...
*
Trappist beer
Trappist beer is brewed by Trappist monks. Thirteen Trappist monasteries—six in Belgium, two in the Netherlands, and one each in Austria, Italy, England, France, and Spain—currently produce beer, but the ''Authentic Trappist Product'' labe ...
*
Beer in Belgium
Beer in Belgium includes pale ales, lambics, Flemish red ales, sour brown ales, strong ales and stouts. In 2018, there were 304 active breweries in Belgium, including international companies, such as AB InBev, and traditional breweries inclu ...
References
External links
Belgium's Great BeersA history and guide to Trappist breweries in BelgiumAnother history and guide to Trappist breweries in BelgiumThe Belgian Beer BoardThe Belgian Beer Pub Map
Beer in Belgium
Beer styles
Dutch words and phrases
Trappist beer
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