Duvel Tripel Hop Citra

 Duvel Tripel Hop Citra. Belgian IPA. 

9.5% ABV. Duvel-Moortgat.

Clear, bright golden color, small ivory head. (Unusual for a Duvel. Old bottle, maybe?)

In the nose: There it is, that unmistakable Duvel nose, spice and floral notes in full array, with emergent bouquet of citrus hops. 

In the mouth: crisp,,clean, and alive with the spark of Citra. Grassy hop texture on the palate, light bodied, bright citrusy flavors at play. Spice darts about the tongue. Quite refreshing and delicious. Only at the end does the higher ABV make itself known. Yum. 

I can’t help but wonder if a fresher sample might yield even more vital results.

Discover Citra, voted by our fans as the best hop variety for our special Duvel Tripel Hop. Citra enriches the already unique taste of Duvel with fresh notes of grapefruit and tropical fruit.

 

Duvel Tripel Hop--Mosaic

Duvel Tripel Hop, Special Edition Golden Ale, dry-hopped with Mosaic, 9.5% ABV. (this one was $18 for a 4-pack, versus $20 for a 750ml bottle previously.)

Hazy, golden hued. Beautiful. gorgeous. lace-leaving, ivory head of foam. Lovely looking.

Aroma: ah! Ahh! Ahh, ahhh, ahhhh, ahhhhh, ahhhhhh!!! Nothing but …wait, did I use up my adjectives? It's luminescent, is what it is. Zap-tastic, pretty much. Tropical fruit, some citrus, a glimmer of pine, lemon and pineapple, it's zestful, to be sure.

Taste: On the palate, it's pretty much Duvel Plus, if that helps you. Everything you expect from a well-conditioned bottle of Duvel with this extra addition of Mosaic, which is a most complex and rewarding hop.

Man, if you're in need of relief from a bad day, drink this, buddy. If you want extra succor, something to soothe you after some hardship, this is the key to the salve of your salvation. If you're a dyed-in-the-wool hop-head of course. You're not? Why are you reading this?

Most delicious, this. Tons of hop bitterness, but never too harsh.

From Hedwig Neven, Brewmaster: "For this edition, I have selected Mosaic. This new U.S. hop variety enhances the beer with a tangerine sweetness, hints of tropical fruit and an interesting blueberry flavor."

Here's the thing. Mosaic does have that "blueberry" thing, but I never pick it up until I read something else. Oh, yeah, blueberry, I get it, now.



...........

Here are notes from December, 2010, of an earlier version, dry-hopped with Amarillo:


Duvel Triple Hop. Special Edition Ale. 750 ml bottle. Complete with lushly illustrated booklet. Saaz, Styrian Goldings, plus Amarillo, the newish tropical-fruity American hop. $20 bottle. I don't usually drop that much on a single beer. But, this is Duvel. And, well, I've heard good things. Brewed on May 18, 2010.

In a Duvel goblet, of course. Bright golden coloration, fierce, incessant carbonation, bubbles rising valiantly to the top, with a typically enormous, bone white, lacy, and lovely head.

Aroma spills out at first pour, and distracted me while describing the appearance. This addition of Amarillo to the usual combo of Saaz and Styrian Golding hops was ingenious. Floral, fragrant, aplomb with many associations found in these hops, the citrus, the spice, the distinctive pungent "cat pee" , well, that one peeks out, but is smothered by the pleasanter feelings. And underneath the pretty floral and fruity emanations, comes the bitterness. Beautiful bitterness.

Taste: Light is the body, and high is the bitter hop flavor. A great cornucopia of hoppy goodness. Fruit, spice, and bitter-tangy. Some pineapple pops up, with a twist of lime, trickle of pepper. Smooth down the throat, and over the palate, with the pleasing hop flavor riding along. Each sip is quenching and bracing, with bitterness. You get the sizzle of the Saaz, the classic feel of the Belgian-y Styrian Golding, the funky twisted nature of the thing, with the tropical fruity American Amarillo bringing that pineapple, mango, banana. Wonderfully hoppy. And, as it ages, it gets better an

This = yum.  Unfortunately, it won't be returned to, due to the price. Amazing, for what it is. And I love it. Mmmm, mmm, mmm...

Duvel Belgian Golden Ale

I was quite confused recently when I checked this blog for something and found no entry for Duvel, the classic Belgian golden ale. There were 3 beers listed under the tag "Duvel", meaning the brewery, Duvel-Moortgat (maybe I should change that to be more clear?), there was the Ommegang collaboration Duvel Rustica, one of the Maredsous brews, the 8, I think (and why only the one? I am so behind!), and the Singel, or draft version. How, after nearly 3 years, haven't I included one of my all-time favorites I know I've had it at home, the bottlecaps in my collection tell me so.

On closer inspection, the Duvel Single entry includes notes on the bottle, for comparison. But I feel like making a single entry for the bottle version, as well, and here is where I will post what was probably my first posted review on BeerAdvocate.com, over 11 years ago, in November of 2002. I gave it all 5 stars, which I never do anymore, but I stick with it. The picture is the bottle I had last night, in the latest glass I've acquired in their artist series.


Huge, billowing lacey, white-as-the -driven-snow head that must be properly poured into it's own glass, or the closest equivalent. You know, I've seen people gulp Duvel out of the bottle, and I didn't have my gun on me? Their loss!

This is a golden beauty whose aroma has to savored and worshipped. Spicey, fragrant, floral, angelic. Pours clear and golden like a lager or a pils, but, buddy, it ain't!

Letting the yeast in with the pour gives an extra amber/ orange haze: go ahead, drink the yeast, it's good for you! Flavor floods the tongue, Saaz hops jitterbug along the taste buds, and the finish will not quit the mouth. Overwhelmingly pleasant! Head settles some, but remains as a 1/2" ring.

 Excellent with the Thai ginger & curry noodles I'm having. The flavor, the spark, the spice, it all lingers on and on.

 Is there any greater delight? Do five stars mean anything at all if they are not applied to a brew so fine and lovely?

Ommegang Duvel Rustica

Duvel Rustica. Belgian-style Golden Ale. Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY. 8.5% ABV.

Highly hazed orange-ish, tangerine-y appearance, beneath a magnificent flowering of pure white foam up above.

Aroma: ah! Angelic. (despite the devilish name). Citrus, spice, and straw, all played with delicacy, and a side order of funkitude. right here at first sniff, we get it, a golden ale, the classic Duvel, blended with a rough and ready farmhouse saison. Great idea, and so far, so good.

Taste: It's light, medium-ish bodied, but fully flavored. Plenty of fresh, lively fruit sensations, orange, lemon, lime, a twist of grapefruit, with a dash of pepper, cardamom, coriander, then mingled with characteristic Belgian yeast. There's always something alive in the mouth, a lovely mix of authentic Belgian flavors and a clean finish, a lively palate, and a zesty hop profile we expect from a Belgian strong golden ale.
 It's an interesting contrast especially when you imagine crossing an authentic saison, with it's earthy, yes, rustic nature, with the crisp, zesty and effervescent strong golden style which Duvel represents and exemplifies. They are two very different styles, with two distinctive appeals. Why muddy them up, why mix them and mash them and cross them like so. Well, why not? One side of the equation has to give a little in order for it to work, so you have to go in wishing for compromise as a success. And I think it works very well.

Excellent balance in this, what sweetness there is is undercut with hops, and yeast character plus malt flavor makes for a uniquely delicious taste. End slightly bitter and dry on the palate.

Let's see if the label will tell us anything. "Duvel Rustica is our American farmhouse interpretation of Duvel Golden Ale, renowned worldwide as the finest Belgian Golden Ale. Like Duvel, our ale begins with a perfect balance of fine malts and noble hops, then undergoes fermentation with Ommegang's proprietary yeast.
Duvel Rustica is a richly flavorful and aromatic brew, with the depth and complexity of the finest Belgian ales. Enjoy the alluring flavors and aroma, fine carbonation, full body, hazy rustic golden hue, fluffy white head, and dry, warming finish."

I like this quite a lot. It might be one of my favorite new beers of 2012. I'd love to have this around for every day drinking, but that's asking too much, I know. Maybe I can do a 50/50 mix of Duvel and hennepin, how about that?

Maredsous 8 (dubbel)

This one brings me back. Nine years to be exact. Was it that long ago that I first heard of this beer, and it became one of the two first Belgian ales I ever tapped? Indeed it was. So here's the story:

Two things happened. One: I discovered that kegs of Delirium Tremens were available. They never showed up on the distributor's sheets (I'd been selling it in bottles for almost 2 years by then), and I accidentally saw an inventory sheet I wasn't supposed to see. I'm still baffled by this sales strategy. You have a product that only certain customers get (I had no idea that Bryant Lake Bowl had already been tapping it), yet others would love to have access to, and it remains unknown to them. Bogus, as we said in the 90's. At that point, the Belgian ales I'd been serving had been Duvel, D.T., some fruit lambics, and maybe Unibroue (Canadian, but Belgian style), and I never dreamed I'd be able to move it on tap at this Ethiopian restaurant/bar/nightclub whose bar I was running. Other restaurants and some bars in town had been doing some Belgian stuff on draft, not many, and not much, but I just didn't think it was something I could do here. Made the decision, ordered the kegs.
But then, a rep from another distributor gave me their keg list, and this is before they became an American craft beer powerhouse, and their lineup was mostly imports. One name was new to me, and the rep could only tell me that it was Belgian. A little online research showed that this was a dubbel from the makers of Duvel. Sounds good. They didn't have bottles yet, so there was no way for me to get a sample, but I decided to take a chance, even though I had already decided on the D.T. Could I do 2 Belgians at the same time? Was that possible? And there wasn't another tap line open. Or, was there?
There was. I'd run out of Budweiser. There was an order for another keg, but I called and cancelled it. I would keep another macro lager on, and that would satisfy those people. Would there be any outcry at all if I dropped Budweiser? There wasn't.  I took great personal pleasure in replacing it with a Belgian abbey dubbel no one ( around here) had ever heard of, from (what was once) a small, family owned brewing company.

I kept Maredsous 8 on tap for about a year and a half, stopping only when other, better, rarer and more interesting beers from Belgium became available. (Abbey des Rocs, was the first.) And, while I haven't returned to Maredsous on tap too often, it's only because the choices keep coming. Dropped D.T. as a regular line, too, long ago, because that would be boring. Beer geeks want the new, I should know, I'm one of them. That's the problem, of wanting to support certain brands, while still welcoming in others. Topic for another day, I suppose.

But, there's the story of how I took the step in serving Belgian beer on tap at an Ethiopian restaurant, nine whole years ago, and haven't looked back since. Maybe once or twice in all that time I've been without an actual Belgian beer on tap, but not for long, maybe a week or two. And as long as I'm doing it, that's what I'm doing. Stay tuned for Belg-a-Rama #10, coming soon!

So, after having a bottle the other day, I share with you my notes from November, 2002, of Maredsous 8, or Bruin, or Brown, whatever they call it these days.

Color :a beautiful, burnished red. Head: frothy, bubbly, tan. 

Aroma:spices and dark fruits: cherries, grapes (M. Jackson would employ the adjective "vinous") 

What else?Alcohol. A "mere" 8%, but not hiding any bit of it! Reminiscent of a lighter bodied barleywine, or port wine.
 Soft and sensual mouthfeel, medium body, a very happy finish.
 Perfect balance: if anything stands out, it's the strength and the sweet, plummy flavor. 

I'd only heard of this a month ago, and just today put it on tap in my bar, replacing Budweiser! It's my first taste, and it's up at the top of my list already!

Serving type: on-tap

Reviewed on: 11-20-2002 15:21:11

Duvel Single

It's time for another Belg-a-Rama, isn't it? Especially since it's also St. Arnoldus Day, the Belgian holiday that Artisanal Imports is promoting nationwide. I'm throwing a little party for it, today, and folding it into another Belg-a-Rama. Today only, I'm adding another 6 Belgians on tap, making a total Belgian tap takeover. Why not?

Of this line-up, there are two I've never had before. This is the first.

Duvel Single. Here's what the brewery says about it:

"Duvel Single is a 6.8% ABV draught variant of Belgium’s best selling specialty ale Duvel 8.5% ABV.  The Single Fermentation refers to the fact that it undergoes just one fermentation process.  This gives it a gentle hoppiness, a mild aroma, and a subtle, fruity bite.  Brewery Staff at Duvel Moortgat have enjoyed Duvel Single Fermentation 6.8% for decades."

Here's what I'm saying:

clear, golden, huge, majestic head, much puffery, lovely to look at, delightful to know.

Angelic aromatics, utterly gorgeous. Lightly spicy, lightly fruity…just beautiful.

Taste: the same hops, the same fruit, the same effervescence, the same spark on the tongue is here, without some of the alcohol, and without certain of the complexities. Would be great to try side by side with a bottle of regular Duvel. Well, why don't I?

Great idea, here goes…

Duvel bottle…mmm, ahhh…, Wow! A blast of citrus fruit, mild spice, and intense carbonation and effervescence. Champagne-like spritziness. A joy in the mouth, dazzling, and delicious, and begging the mouth for more. This reminds me of why I love Duvel and why everyone else should. Damn, this is great stuff!

The draft version? Softer, milder, easier down the ol' gullet…lacking in several flavor areas, as well. But, if that's the best they can do to replicate it in a keg, well, they're doing okay. Not great, just okay.

What can I say? wish them the best of luck with this, but it in no way replicates the true joys of Duvel in the bottle. It is no substitute at all, and if they fear that this will hurt sales of Duvel in bottles at on-premise accounts, they need not worry.
There's simply no comparison.
But, perhaps there's a niche market for those looking for lighter, simpler experience. I'm not going to be in that camp.