Customer Reviews

Very Similar to NBB Abbey Ale ... Review by Larry

Rating

... and that's a good thing. Before there was Fat Tire, New Belgium Brewery was known for its Abbey Ale, a Trappist style beer. My Dubbel has been bottle conditioning for over three months now and if it were promoted as an Abbey Ale clone, most people would find it pretty dang close. A very nice example of a Belgian Trappist-style ale; being able to say I made it myself is just icing on the cake. (Posted on 5/14/13)

Another winner from Northern Brewer! Review by phil

Rating

Gorgeous color, full of that delicious banana/spice flavor, very smooth, a real pleasure to drink! Next time I brew this one, I'm adding about a pound of finely chopped pecans. I would highly recommend this kit to everyone. (Posted on 4/25/13)

Belgian Delight Review by LPQ

Rating

I’m writing this a bit prematurely as the bottles haven’t even carbonated, but I have high expectations for this ale. I drank a half glass at bottling and even flat it was quite enjoyable. Full bodied and balanced, the beer is a beautiful russet color with hints of dried fruit and rum; a real Old World flavor. This is a very pleasing, hearty beer I can’t wait to break out for friends.

Followed the directions to the letter using the Wyeast 1214 Belgian Abbey provided. Cooled in an ice bath and then into the fermenter. Fermentation was rapid; 3 days of rapid bubbling and then nothing. Racked over to secondary for a month prior to bottling this past weekend. I bottled in the rather large 1 liter EZ Cap bottles … makes it look like a special occasion ale when you break one of those behemoth bottles out.

I have many local homebrew stores available where I live, but nothing can compare with NB’s feedback system. Where else can you get dozens of reviews to help with your purchasing decisions? This kit is a winner! I’m considering making this same kit, but bumping the alcohol content a bit and barrel aging it as a Barley Wine. Of course, I could just buy the NB Barley Wine kit which also gets glowing reviews.
(Posted on 3/5/13)

Best brew I've made! Review by Bill

Rating

I bottled this in November and tried one after 3 weeks and found it to be syrupy and way too sweet. It's been two months now and I just opened another one- WOW! It's not only the best brew I've made, it's one of the best I've ever tasted! I highly recommend it. (Posted on 1/27/13)

Excellent Dubbel Review by Jeffro the Pagan

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Although I typically like the darker style dubbels, this is excellent overall. I will substitute the D-90 for my next batch. (Posted on 12/21/12)

Best brew yet Review by Patrick

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Drank the last bottle this month a year after brewing. About four months in the bottles the brew mellowed into a stunning brew. This is a must. (Posted on 11/11/12)

Holiday Sleighwrecker Review by Valley Rat

Rating

This beer is a wonderful representation of a Belgian Trappist ale. I've brewed it several times, most recently for the Holiday 2012 season, only this time adding Mulling Spices with 15 minutes left in the boil. Wow! What unique combination of spices and Belgian Goodness! (Posted on 11/10/12)

Great Dubbel Review by Samuel

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Tastes as good as any dubbel I've ever tasted. It can sneak up on you if you're not careful though; this brew has some punch behind it. (Posted on 9/27/12)

Great! Review by psuLions

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Really enjoy this brew as it ages. Gonna brew again for sure. I Let it rest in secondary for a month. Smooth alcohol finish and raisin taste upfront. IT'S GOT A KICK!!! (Posted on 8/13/12)

Just Do It! Review by av8er79

Rating

I am very impressed with how this turned out. Glad I will no longer be purchasing a 16.99 4 pack of St. Bernardus Prior 8. Follow the recipe and you will not be disappointed! (Posted on 6/28/12)

Excellent Review by Peter

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The Dubbel is just as promised: an excellent copy of a Belgian dubbel. I measured the abv at 7.2%, but it seems even higher when I drink it. (Posted on 5/2/12)

Excellent Review by JBrew

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This Belgian is full of complex taste with a clean crisp dry finish. Definitely a favorite of mine as well as my friends. Its hard to share this one! (Posted on 4/27/12)

Great Taste and Aroma Review by Ronald

Rating

I have brewed this several times(5) and this one always stands out. It has a great aroma when drinking almost a plum raisin smell. Taste is very mellow and little to no hop after taste. WHat a nice ale should taste like. I have had friends over from Germany and they loved it. When I have other friends over everyone really likes this beer. THe long wait in secondary fermentation pays off. I will always have this on hand. (Posted on 4/20/12)

One of my favorites so far... Review by Nick

Rating

I made this and now, my fiance just can't get enough of it. I had it in primary for 2 weeks, then secondary for another 2 weeks then kegged. I had some carmelization during the boil but it still turned out pretty tasty. Great fruity nose with a hint of vanilla. I will definitely brew this again with a couple of changes. Next time, I'll make a starter instead of just pitching since it's a high OG beer and maybe do a full boil. (Posted on 3/29/12)

Excellent Dubbel Review by Ryan T.

Rating

I will echo most of the other reviews: easy to brew & tastes fantastic. This was in primary for 2 weeks, secondary for 4 weeks, and has been bottled for a little over 2 months. It improves with age and I will be entering it into a homebrew competition this fall. Definitely a worthwhile brew! (Posted on 2/4/12)

quite good- Review by dig4neids

Rating

Okay, so this was my "Second batch" ever. I like to try new things and push the limits of flavor with a beer. So after it was done in the primary, I racked into my secondary carboy which had fresh apples and oranges waiting on the bottom of it. I left the beer in there until it was ready. I never had any foreign bacteria grow/nor any off flavors (due to alc. strength already present in the beer)- So the apples and oranges definitely seemed like they'd pair with the regular ammoniated heavy alc. taste that belgians are known for. Maybe the citrus would even mellow out the flavors so it could be a beer that anyone could enjoy. Upon tasting the first bottle it's been a very young and refreshing brew. Almost thirst quenching which I think would be hard for a belgian to accomplish since they're regularly very strong on the palette. All and all now a month later and the beer is opening up more. The citrus and fruity textures are quite evident and it makes for an extremely light and drinkable Belgian Dubbel. The only minor problem I had with this beer is that it wasn't nearly as dark deep red as it should have been after bottle conditioning. My batch came out to be an orange/light red color. But never the less, an absolutely scrumptious beer! (Posted on 1/4/12)

Great Dubbel Review by Doug

Rating

3 weeks in the primary followed by 2 weeks bottled. This beer is as good as any Dubbel or Trappist you can buy...and for a fraction of the price. This kit is everything everyone has described previously... (Posted on 12/28/11)

Stellar Dubbel Review by KaiMadigan

Rating

I used WLP500 Trappist Ale Yeast instead of the wyeast. This is one of the best dubbels I have had. Tons of dark fruit flavors that reveal something different with each sip and a very slight alcohol on the back end that mellows very nicely after a while. I highly recommend this kit. Make sure you get the carbonation right though it is a heavy beer.
(Posted on 11/30/11)

great beer Review by Brad

Rating

I have worked on fine-tuning my brewing process this last year after a couple of bad batches. Adding a yeast starter has helped tremendously, and this may be the best batch I have made in years. After only one week in the bottle, it is complex, and warm, with all of those flavor notes that the recipe promises. I only gave it 4 stars, because I am still giving it room to improve. Well worth the effort. (Posted on 11/14/11)

Ever evolving Complexed Ale with a soul Review by The Novice

Rating

I must admit this was my first try at home brewing, so even though this was not a novice level beer recipe, I jumped in with both feet on this beer, and hoped for the best. The kit was well laid out and the directions were very clear. Of course being a novice, I did not follow the directions perfectly. First, I added a half cup of pure cane sugar to the recipe, and another when it was time to prime. Second, I fermented at a higher than recommended temperature (80 degrees). Finally, I bottled a week early.
Despite my obvious contempt for convention, this beer turned out fantastic. The Wyeast 1214 were very energetic. They burned threw most of the glucose in three days flat. I moved the beer to the secondary after only one week. After three weeks in , the gravity was stable, so I bottled. My OG was 1.072 and the FG 1.01. ABV 8.14%. After two weeks in the bottle, what poured into my goblet was nothing short of a miracle. This beer is rich, reddish, slightly cloudy, caramel colored with a highly carbonated beige head which lasted about 60 seconds.
The flavors were wonderful. There was alcohol right up front, and the slightest hint of banana, biscuits (the home made kind), and spice. The most surprising aspect of this beer was how it evolved over time. After four weeks in the bottle, the beer developed a visual clarity I had not hoped for. The many flavors which were easily identified earlier were now much more balanced which masked more of the alcohol. Bottom line, I am a convert. This has been a great experience for me. I will make this beer and many others for years to come.
Kind Regards
The Novice
(Posted on 9/20/11)

An excellent and complex beer to add to the regular rotation schedule Review by Will

Rating

I had hopes for this beer, and those hopes were exceeded! The brew was one of three that I decided to make in a marathon brewing session. I also brewed the Inkeeper and the Wit. My first choice after the typical day at the office is the dubbel.

The taste is complex, with a malty aftertaste and is so incredibly smooth. So incredibly smooth. The flavor is all over my tongue.

I intend to make this a brew that goes into rotation in the kegerator on a regular basis. (Posted on 9/16/11)

I Reviewed this on 6/25, but now it's 5 stars Review by David

Rating

I'm really sorry, but I thought waiting five months to write my comment was long enough to let this one sit to get the best experience--I was (gladly) wrong. The flavor profile has changed to the point that my wife could not believe that this was the same beer that we tried a month and a half ago.
It's still quite clean and crisp on the finish, but now their is a richer, slightly spicy, malty finish; hard for me to describe, but quite enjoyable. It seems quite complex, yet much lighter than the 7.6% that mine finished at.
I went from thinking that I wouldn't do this one again to thinking it definitely is in the running for the fall. (Posted on 8/13/11)

Taste great! Review by Aaron

Rating

Last beer I bottled before switching kegs so they have been sitting around for 7 months now. I refrigerated a few and wow! This beer has so many complex flavors it is amazing. I love how every sip you can tast a few more. Great beer! (Posted on 7/17/11)

Very Solid Belgian Review by David

Rating

From my experience of Belgian Dubbels, this is pretty right on. The only reason for the four stars is because I was hoping for something a little more like Ommegang Abbey Ale.
When mine was in the primary, I did as Zainasheff recommends and start the fermentation off lower, and as the gravity drops start raising the temperature. As he states, this is to get proper attenuation. It seems as though it worked, because mine has a very crisp, clean finish. Unfortunately, I was still hoping for a little more sweetness on the end (Ommegang style).
Overall, the beer is still good, but not as good as some of the other brews from NB (for me). (Posted on 6/25/11)

Very nice beer Review by AdamU

Rating

I have recently been enjoying the many flavors that Belgian beers can offer. After brewing many types of beers, I decided to take the plunge and try a Belgian. To be honest I have loved every beer that I have made, but really didn't think I could pull this one off. I have been pleasantly surprised. This kit has more flavor than all of the commercial beers that I have been trying...which have been a few. I highly recommend this beer and for those who have had the pleasure of trying mine, they would agree.

I do recommend giving the beer time to age. It ages very well. (Posted on 6/10/11)

Complex, yet smooth Review by dereksh

Rating

This was my third home brew. The other reviews are correct: the complex blend of flavors mellows and reveals delicious subtleties with age. It's hard to wait, but it's worth it. (Posted on 4/11/11)

A titillating palatte teaser Review by Joe

Rating

A wide variety of fruitiness, and aromas indeed. Each time you drink one is an opportunity to discover new subtleties within this deep and enticing brew. Well worth the 2 month wait. I would not, however, recommend this recipe as a first brew (as I did). Try an Inkeeper or another brew that you can enjoy sooner. The wait was almost more than I could stand, so I put my time to good use by emptying bottles of Sam Adams for future brews as I waited for the yeast to complete the creation I had begun. In the end, however, the wait is forgotten, and the only the silky texture of this sweet nectar remains. (Posted on 4/9/11)

By far my favorite NB kit Review by CT brewer

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I've done at least 12 NB kits over the years, and this one ranks as my favorite. I foolishly did not use a yeast starter, and I got worried when the Wyeast pack didn't swell up a lot. But the belgian yeast is a total beast and was bubbling along in under 12 hours. Next time, I will use a starter rather than take a chance, but I got lucky this time.The spicy/fruity/boozy aroma is perfect. A little malty sweetness that I love. Tastes good young, but ages amazingly well. I think this kit is better than any store bought belgian dubbel that I've tried. Like NB says, this beer pairs well with almost any food. Try it some night you're having a gourmet meal and you won't be disappointed. (Posted on 3/1/11)

Clovey and creamy like a fine cigar Review by Johnnyboy

Rating

Yum, this beer is like none you can buy in stores. It has the bite, the spice, and the smoothe after-taste one craves in a specialty beer. This is a belgian beer that I will always have on hand. (Posted on 2/2/11)

Unbelieveable beer! Review by Richdub

Rating

This is the first Trappist style beer that I have brewed. I am absolutely blown away. I'll be keeping this one all to myself. This will definately be a regular on the brew schedule. Can't wait to brew the All-grain version. Thanks NB! (Posted on 1/29/11)

Good and strong. Review by Rettoc87

Rating

Brewed this along with patiersbier. Used the Belgian Abbey yeast for both. Brewed the patiersbier first and after bottling, the Dubbel....same yeast. The Dubbel aged in secondary for about 3 months and then kegged (3 mini kegs). Tapped first after a week. Excellent & strong. I would concur with Ommegang'ish.

Friend tried it and concurred with very good.

May try again in summer so ready for next fall. Might save one mini-keg 'til spring to see how it ages. (Posted on 1/3/11)

Staple Review by Kostnerd

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This is a staple in our household. Go and purchase yourself a trappist ale. If you like it, order this kit. I should note that this is not a session beer :) (Posted on 7/19/10)

The Wife's Happy Review by Lastmanstan

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I have to say this is a first-rate recipe. I'm just about to order it for the third time and that certainly won't be the last. Ran out of priming tabs last time so went with some brown sugar instead, which added a subtle but tasty hint of molasses. Recently I've been on a Schneider & Sons Aventinus kick, and while this is different, if you like the one you're sure to enjoy the other (which makes the wife happy as one is $4 a pint, while the other is about $1). (Posted on 6/25/10)

Hard to be patient. Review by D2

Rating

My second brew ever. Followed the kit leaving it in the secondary for a month before bottling. Used 3/4 cup of corn sugar to bottle. This one's taking it's time carbonating and hasn't developed a strong head yet (bottled 6 weeks ago). The flavor is so good that I don't mind testing a half-flat bottle every week or so. I have even converted non-beer drinkers with this one. (Posted on 4/30/10)

Tasty Review by Legin

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An excellent kit. Not too strong, but the taste is superb. Final result was a very smooth and flavorful beer. Definitely has that nutmeg note (as mentioned in earlier post.) (Posted on 4/28/10)

Excellent Brew Review by Todd

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I did not stray from the bought ingredients. Racked it over after a week and half and let it ferment for another 3 months. I bottled it using 3/4 cups of corn syrup (out of priming sugar). It is absolutely excellent. Love it and would totally recommend this one. (Posted on 4/19/10)