February is Locals Only Month:Sixpoint Dubbel Trubbel (4th Anniversary Ale)

Sixpoint is by far my favorite local brewery (not that there's much competition). This month they are celebrating their 4th Anniversary with a slew of events and the release of a limited edition chocolate dubbel. On Tuesday the 17th, they'll have 15+ different Sixpoint ales on tap at Barcade in Williamsburg. And on Mardi Gras (the 24th), there will be a Sixpoint beer dinner at Back Forty in the East Village (reservations required). All this on the heels of a supposed run-in with the FBI over their Hop Obama ale and rumors of massive expansion in '09. I hope they have enough time left in their schedule to make delicious beer.

Which brings me to Dubbel Trubbel. For this site, I try to stick to beverages that are packaged and available to the public (so that I'm not wasting my time describing beverages that you have no way of trying for yourself). This post is bending that rule a bit since this beer is not only a limited edition, but also only available at a few bars and a couple stores in New York. I got mine to-go at the Bowery Whole Foods. Dubbel Trubbel is a 9.6% ABV Belgian Dubbel featuring chocolate nibs from the Mast Brothers (of Williamsburg). Unfortunately, this brew seems a bit trubbled...

It pours a very dark brown with an almost neglible off-white head that dissipates very quickly. The aroma is sweet and malty and Belgian with a hint of banana. The flavor is malty and smooth, but has a strange aftertaste that's hard to place. Charred wood? Charcoal? Coffee? Leather? Copper? Asparagus?? The chocolate and hops are hardly detectable. But the alcohol is. This is a tough one to decipher. I guess Sixpoint can't win me over with every beer. But, I look forward to their next experiment.

Sixpoint Dubbel Trubbel
Is it delicious?: C+
Is it interesting?: C+
Drinkability: B-