Westmalle Dubbel

Wouldn't this be a nice dubbel to brew? It's a beautiful deep brown that turns rubyish purple when held up to the light, with a gorgeous big head. The nose is a little yeasty, with some hints of passion fruit and a little banana. Some definite spiciness too. Maybe coriander? The palate has wonderful, rasiny, almost red-winey tinges that I think are generally associated with Special-B malt. The finish is dry and earthy--one of the only points in the beer where you might actually perceive hop character. Going through again, I'm also getting more chocolatey notes. One of the things I love about this beer is its nice attenuation. Sometimes if you just drink an assortment of Abbey doubles, they can run together--appley, fruity, malty, and just a little sweet. By contrast, Westmalle is really quite dry--not that it's without body--but it's ultimately one of the leaner, more tightly constructed dubbels. Here's to Brother Thomas.