Archive for the 'Petrus' category
Petrus Dubbel Bruin Ale
I had a really, really hard time finding a dubbel ale at my local beer store today. I like this whole session idea that we beer bloggers are doing these days, and so I obviously wanted to support the cause. However, I never realized just how much (too much?) I drink until I pull into a beer store and can’t find a single dubbel that I haven’t already had. Furthermore, I wasn’t sure what I had already reviewed of those I have tried, so I really needed to find something brand new to me to ensure that it was a new addition to SevenPack. So anyway, I finally spotted this little beauty hiding in a corner of the shelf, partially covered in dust. I blew off the dust, saw the word ‘dubbel’ proudly imprinted on the label – score! I looked a little further on the label and saw the inscription, “The Key to Heaven”. Whoah! It felt like a scene out of the Da Vinci Code – like maybe this is more than just the dubbel I need – maybe, in fact, my years of beer drinking would finally lead to true transcendence – it does, after all say it’s ‘the key to heaven’.
Needless to say, I’m excited about this brew. And, if after this review you don’t catch me online for a while, it’s because I’ve found the key to the pearly gates on this cold April night. But, before I go, I must review…
This beer pours a dark and cloudy brown color with a dense caramel head and a surprising effervescence that keeps the brew a-bubblin’ long after it is poured. The aroma of the brew is redolent of dark cherry and sour grape – it is pungent and slightly biting, almost akin to what you get from a Flemish wild ale. In the mouth, this is one of the ‘wilder’ dubbels I’ve ever tasted. There is a noticeable tartness in the beer from the front of the mouth to the back. Riding this tasmanian-tart-coaster through the mouth are flavors of dark fruit and some anise. There is also a bit of breadiness in the background, but this is only subtly present. This really is like a mix of a more standard dubbel and a flemish wild ale and it makes this beer taste much bigger than it really is. It comes in a small bottle, it only clocks in at a relatively small 6.5% abv, but it tastes like a monster. Furthermore, for a brown, this is surprisingly refreshing due to the sourness on the tongue. Overall, I would say that this is a great score, and a beer I’d love to have again. Whether or not it’s the key to heaven we have yet to see – I’m not sure at what point during the glass I figure that out, but I hope it’s soon. Regardless, if you can find one of these little jewels in your beer store, I recommend you try it out…
