#005 Ascension Ale 2.0 (Belgian Dubbel)
Brewed: 12-06-06
Bottled: 12-18-06
Poured into a Belgian goblet, it's a ruddy maroon with a thin ring of bubbles that disappeared immediately.
Sweet, malty, and very fruity nose.
Taste in line with the aroma. Sweet and malty, very little bitterness, no hop character. There is a yeasty component which isn't unpleasant, and a tiny hint of sourness woven throughout, as with the others.
With relatively light carbonation, this is a bit syrupy. Still, it doesn't linger in a sticky way, and is pretty clean for an old Belgian.
I'm digging it quite a bit. It has improved with age, but some of the original issues are still present. I remember this fermented at a pretty high temp, around 76ºF, so the esters are fairly dominant. I named this one Ascension Ale 2.0 because it was the recipe I originally intended to make, but goofed up, with my first brew.
Still, I can't complain too much, as I'm now four for five on old school beers still tasting good after all these years.