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Westmalle
 scrapes in
 decent
 good
 excellent
 sublime
Westmalle, Dubbel Trappist Ale (Belgium) 
This beer pours very dark, a chocolaty brown/ruby colour with a foamy, thick head. The nose is immediately fruity and spicy, with a honey and malt background and quite a bright, herb and pear note. On the palate it is surprisingly crisp and fruity rather than overtly malty and dark. There's a cherry and red berry quality, and a medium- to full-bodied texture, with quite a nice hoppy, bittersweet grip. There is a chocolate and dark, roasted element and a touch of sour cherry. What a nicely balanced beer. 7.0% ABV, 33cl, �1.50, Asda, Luvians, Peckhams, Safeway, quite widely available. |  |
Westmalle, Tripel Trappist Ale (Belgium)
At a whopping 9.5% ABV, Westmalle's Tripel takes no prisoners. It pours an innocuous, fairly hazy gold, with a high-rise white head that leaves a distinct lacing. On the nose it is fabulously complex, with cloves and ginger spices in abundance, a big core of overripe melon fruit and hints of both sour apple and fruit-cake richness. On the palate it is full and fantastically tangy: again it is extremely complex, with all sorts of luscious, toffeed flavours vying with crisp fruit, sour notes and estery banana and confectionery. There's such a warmth of spice and alcohol too of course, in a totally hedonistic, even slightly overwhelming beer. But make no mistake: absolutely brilliant stuff. 9.5% ABV, 33cl, �2.29, Beersofeurope, Euro-beer, Peckhams, Pitfield Beer Shop, Beerritz. |  |
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