Dubbel

What is Dubbel?

Dubbel is a strong brown Belgian ale first brewed by the Trappist monastery Westmalle. 

The name "dubbel" (meaning double) comes from the fact that it was a stronger beer than was usually brewed by the monastery. Some sources indicate that twice the usual amount of malt was used for its production.

The beer obtains its dark brown colour from caramelized sugar added to the wort during boiling. Dubbel’s taste is rich and complex, featuring hints of dried herbs and fruits in addition to the sweetness of malt. Spicy notes such as coriander and black pepper are also present.

Typically, dubbels are matured and undergo secondary fermentation when bottled, allowing them to age well (even for as long as 5-10 years).

Origin Story

Something similar to dubbel was likely brewed centuries ago as dark beer was the norm throughout Europe before the 19th century.

However, the modern dubbel style was essentially invented by the Trappist brewery Westmalle in 1926. Before then, Westmalle had produced a brown ale alongside the monks’ table beer; though, apparently, the beer was not reliably good. In 1926, brewer Henrik Verlinden came to Westmalle and worked with the monastery to improve the beer, leading to the emergence of the stronger russet-brown dubbel bruin.

After World War II, monastery beers became popular in Belgium, and the term "dubbel" began to be used by several commercial breweries as well. 

Some brewers use the term bruin instead of dubbel (e.g. Leffe and Chimay), while others combine the two and call their beer dubbel bruin.