REVIEW #25: Steenbrugge Dubbel Bruin (Palm Breweries)

Pours a dark ruby red with a cream coloured, short-lived but easily resurrected head (just swirl!) which leaves plentiful lacing on the glass. Raisin, plum pudding and something reminiscent of a dank musty cellar (quite pleasant!) in the aroma. Delicious dark malt notes, with cinnamon and clove spiciness. A bittersweet finish; sugar can be plainly detected at the front of the tongue and bitter hop at the back. The alcohol is there too and helps to firm up the mouthfeel. A decent,  balanced, drinkable and very likeable Abbey dubbel, if not spectacular.

Palm Breweries have took over many famous names of the Belgian Brewing world and to their credit (correct me if I'm wrong), have mostly kept the original breweries running. For example Frank Boon sold his enterprise to Palm and his original brewery is still in operation in the town of Lembeek (Flemish Brabant). Granted, Palm couldn't very well move production far due to a reliance on wild yeasts endemic to the area. They also took over Rodenbach, producer of renowned Flemish Reds, and have kept that operation in the town of Roeselare in West Flanders where it began (again you could argue the reliance on local wild yeasts). The Brugge & Steenbrugge ranges are, true to their name, still brewed in Bruges. Palm also have their own brewery based in Steenhuffel (Flemish Brabant), where beers such as the Palm range and Steendonck are created. Being dark beers, I personally prefer dubbels to the lighter, paler and stronger tripels, as you might have guessed. Being a beer of an ancient, religious heritage, it suffices to say that the recipe is a closely guarded secret. Steenbrugge gained its abbey credentials in 2003 when the prior of St. Peters Abbey sanctioned the the beer to be produced to honour Saint Arnoldus, the patron saint of Belgian hop-pickers and beer producers... Here's to Arnie! (I'll be back, for another... -_-)

• MALTS: ?

• HOPS: ?
• IBU: ?
• ABV: 6.5%
• BOTTLE-CONDITIONED and brewed with spices

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