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Mescan Special Reserve

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Special Reserve is a dark, full-bodied beer in the manner of a Belgian dubbel, with 8.6% alcohol. Caramel dominates the aroma, and the palate adds malt and dried fruit. The finish is dry, with a moderate bitterness to balance it. Barley, wheat and candi sugar go into the brew, and the beer is given a long maturation.

ABV
8.6%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
amber14
PaceSipper
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
caramelmaltydark fruit
caramel
malty
dark fruit
wheat
fruity
spicy
Aroma
Caramel dominates the nose, presenting a sweet, toffee-like character with undertones of baked bread.
also:bready
not found:hoppy,roasted,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Mescan Special Reserve

◎ Appearance

Deep mahogany brown with a warm, translucent clarity. A dense, tan head forms readily and clings to the glass with fine, persistent lacing. Carbonation is moderate, with a steady stream of fine bubbles rising through the body.

deep mahoganydense headpersistent lacing

◌ Aroma

Caramel dominates the nose, presenting a sweet, toffee-like character with undertones of baked bread. Dried stone fruits emerge in the background—plum and raisin—layered with a subtle malt sweetness. No aggressive hop aroma; the profile remains warm and inviting.

caramel, toffeedried fruitbaked bread notes

◐ Taste

The palate opens with rich malt sweetness and a prominent caramel foundation. Mid-palate builds complexity with dried fruit—particularly raisin and prune—balanced against the malt body. A moderate, clean bitterness emerges in the mid-palate and carries through, preventing cloying sweetness and providing structural balance.

rich malt sweetnessdried raisin and prunemoderate bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish turns dry with a lingering, balanced bitterness that fades gradually. A subtle warmth from the alcohol remains without becoming harsh or intrusive.

dry finishwarming alcohol
80
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
82
Appearance
80
Finish
76
Serve at 10–12°C

Serve at 10–12°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Goblet

The wide mouth and heavy base promote head formation and channel rich aromatics toward the nose. Traditional for Belgian strong ales.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Mescan Special Reserve

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About Dubbel

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Dubbel?

Dubbel is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Dubbel

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same caramel, dry, full-bodied character as Mescan Special Reserve will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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