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The problem I have with Belgian beers is that they’re strong, and delicious.
For a city of not-quite 108 thousand people, Bend has a lot of breweries. More than 30, if you ask the folks who write for visitbend.com. Situated on the east side of the Cascade mountain range, Bend offers a great deal of outdoor recreation, most of the shopping (they don’t have an H-Mart, but they have almost everything else that counts), plenty of dining options, and, when it comes to craft beer, you’re spoiled for choice. They even have an actually good Belgian-style brewery.
[Editors note: We freely admit that this article is an unfair comparison. We’re actually very impressed with Monkless: their beers are fantastic and their old mill location is bananas. Also, this is a 100% subjective review. No objective testing methods were involved. That being said, we did detect some faults in Dubbel or Nothing.]
Monkless produces an impressive list of traditional Belgian ales, and they win awards for them. Fer’ instance, their dubbel (Dubbel or Nothing) won gold at the 2020 Great American Beer Fest (GABF) competition, and it boasts several other awards as well.
To see how well we think it stands up next to its brethren from the old world, we’re comparing Dubbel or Nothing (DON) with Rochefort 6, and Rochefort 8. Trappist monks have been brewing at Rochefort Abbey more or less since the late 16th century, with some interruptions due to things like wars, famines, and plagues, and the destruction of the abbey (but it’s been rebuilt).
Rochefort 6 is a Belgian strong or dubbel, while Rochefort 8 is a Belgian dark strong. My expectations for what a dubbel will taste like are based on a combination of drinking experience and the Beer Judge Certification Program 2015 style guidelines for a Belgian Dubbel.
Monkless Dubbel or Nothing versus Trappist Rochefort 6
Ben’s notes:
Temps of Dubbel or Nothing and Rochefort 6 are 45 and 46 degrees fahrenheit, respectively.
Both smell like special B malt and candi sugar. Dubbel or Nothing has a bit of a soapy hint in the nose, and Rochefort 6 does not. Rochefort 6 smells slightly wheated.
Tasting the Rochefort 6 first. Initial is a molasses flavor, spritzy. Bready on the back of the tongue.
Dubbel or Nothing second. More punchy on the first sip, less complex.
Second taste with Rochefort 6; hoppy spritz with a mineral character, lower level of sweetness than you typically get with an American expression of the style.
Dubbel or Nothing is maltier with a fuller body on the second sip, and has a drying character that you sometimes get from a lot of maillard compounds.
Despite the Rochefort 6 being 0.3% higher alcohol by volume (ABV), it tastes lighter. Dubbel or Nothing has a syrupy texture.
I honestly have a hard time declaring a clear winner. I prefer Rochefort 6 in the nose, and Dubbel or Nothing slightly in flavor. After an entire glass, I prefer Rochefort 6 due to the lighter, spritzy character. Upon warming, Rochefort 6 has a Belgian yeast character, although restrained, whereas Dubbel or Nothing has more malt and syrup character.
Faults: Dubbel or Nothing has an oxidative character in the nose, possibly owing to the cork and cage. This may be a contributor to the heavy, sweet character, although I’m not getting a sherry note from the beer, just some oxidation.
Meagan’s Notes:
Dubbel or Nothing is a deeper red-copper than Rochefort 6.
Candi syrup, maybe a tiny hint of dried fruit, and a touch of alcohol on the nose.
Medium-bodied, clear, not much head when poured into small snifter-shaped tasting glasses.
Malty, lightly sweet, not spiced, not hoppy. Effervescent on the tongue, really not much in the way of fruity notes.
Rochefort 6 is a bit lighter in color, with a mellow, malty nose and an almost herbal note in the first sip.
Dubbel or Nothing tastes more like I would expect a Belgian dubbel to taste, which is funny because Rochefort 6 is a very classic example mentioned in the BJCP guidelines for the style.
Rochefort 6 is more complex, drier, and develops an interesting nose as the glass warms.
Less candi syrup, more aged character.
Monkless Dubbel or Nothing versus Trappist Rochefort 8
Ben’s notes:
Rochefort 8 has a tall head that dies relatively quickly, and is 2% stronger than Dubbel or Nothing.
Rochefort 8 has a restrained nose with none of the wheaty character from Rochefort 6. There’s a hint of berry in the nose.
On the palate, Rochefort 8 is a powerhouse. Effervescent, hard to describe. Clean and mineral up front, big body and a malt-molasses-mineral finish. Dryer than Dubbel or Nothing, but very, very big. As it warms I get more nose; mint, hops, and a strong impression of the local water.
Meagan’s Notes:
Rochefort 8 is a darker copper red, similar to Dubbel or Nothing, but less clear.8 has a big flavor. Medium-heavy mouthfeel, and the nose is subtler than I expected. Strong malt backbone, with very little hop expression. Rather than adding obvious bitterness or floral notes, the hops seem to be balancing out the sweetness from the malt and candi sugar. The flavor is a bit more balanced than Dubbel or Nothing.
There’s also a water difference. Rochefort beers are brewed using spring water sourced from a well in the abbey.
Bend’s water supply comes from the local watershed (they don’t seem to pump from the river, but the Deschutes river runs through the city) and from groundwater.
Ben guesses the Rochefort water to be calcium-rich. Rochefort 8 is more minerally, and very dry, not sticky.
Wrapping up the tasting session
Though they’re both Belgian dubbel ales, Dubbel or Nothing and Rochefort 6 don’t feel like the same style. There’s a 2% ABV difference between them, but DON and R8 seem closer in flavor, aroma and mouthfeel.
Upon warming to 54.3°F, the Rochefort 6 and 8 opened up considerably in the nose. Dark stone fruit notes (plums or raisins), and barely any alcohol on the nose.
At around 57°F, the Dubbel or Nothing is also more interesting in the nose. There’s a hint of alcohol, and a hint of oxidation.
There may be a little sherry, which doesn’t personally offend me. There is possibly a grassy character in the hops.
R6 and R8 are more complex and multidimensional in their flavors [than dubbel or nothing]. Both are bottle re-fermented. Dubbel or Nothing is also bottle-conditioned.
It may be unfair, comparing a secular, American-brewed Belgian ale to some of the Trappist-brewed archetypes from Belgium. But it says a lot for Monkless that their dubbel holds its own pretty well, especially with the stronger Rochefort 8.
Drinking at the Monkless brasserie near the Old Mill district is a lot of fun; the bar is one of the few areas around where you can eat, drink, and not be assaulted by raucous TVs everywhere you look. The bar itself is a glorious edifice that’s highly reminiscent of a vaulted window, and the restrooms play choral music as you recycle your beer.
Even though Monkless may be a few points lower than Rochefort (or not; we did compare a corked bottle against capped bottles, which absolutely would introduce oxygen into the beer, a flaw that needs to be rectified), it’s still a 10/10. Bend has a ton of great breweries amongst phenomenal scenery. Check ’em out.
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