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Westmalle Dubbel

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Dark, red-brown and crowned by a thick cream-coloured head that leaves lace on the glass. Caramel and malt meet fruity esters reminiscent of ripe banana; the mouthfeel is soft and the finish long and dry. At 7 % and refermented in the bottle, it takes its name from the doubled ingredients of the monks' lighter original beer – a recipe refined into today's Dubbel in 1926.

ABV
7.0%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter30 IBU
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
dark22
PaceTwo or Three
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
fruitycaramelbanana
fruity
caramel
banana
malty
spicy
bready
Aroma
The nose opens with ripe banana esters and caramel malt, creating a fruity yet sweet aromatic foundation.
also:yeasty
not found:hoppy,roasted,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Westmalle Dubbel

◎ Appearance

Deep red-brown hue with excellent clarity and a dense, cream-coloured head that persists and leaves delicate lace on the glass. The carbonation is moderate and well-integrated, supporting the foam structure throughout the pour.

deep red-brownthick cream headlacing retentionclear

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with ripe banana esters and caramel malt, creating a fruity yet sweet aromatic foundation. Subtle yeast-derived spice and bread notes add complexity beneath the primary fruit and grain character.

ripe bananacaramel maltfruity estersspiced yeast

◐ Taste

The palate presents a soft, creamy entry dominated by caramel and fruity ester character, with banana notes flowing into the mid-palate. Moderate bitterness (30 IBU) provides balance without asserting dominance, while a gentle spiced warmth and bready undertone round out the flavour profile.

smooth caramelbanana-forwardbalanced bitternesscreamy body

◑ Finish

The finish is notably long and dry, with residual malt sweetness fading into a clean, slightly warming aftertaste. The dryness persists without becoming austere, leaving a pleasant fruity memory.

long dry finishwarming aftertaste
85
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
86
Appearance
85
Finish
84
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 Westmalle Dubbel

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Westmalle Tripel
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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 fruity, caramel, dry character as Westmalle Dubbel will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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