I’m always excited to try new beers from breweries I admire. Sometimes they’re new to the world; sometimes they’re just new to me. This beer falls into the later category. Vicaris Generaal is another great beer from the Dilewyns family and Brouwerij Dilewyns.
Dilewyns Vicaris Gereraal is the brewery’s dark offering. While some might call it a Dubbel. The brewery refers to it as a Dark Triple. And really, this may be the more accurate way to describe this beer. It has the same ABV as the brewery’s Tripel. Additionally, the recipe is largely the same except for the addition of two extra malt varieties to add color and the more dark and roasty flavors.
Appearance: Murky brown, light brown head, good retention.
Aroma: Chocolate, coffee, clove, anise, toffee, cocoa.
Taste: Anise, clove, burnt toast, chocolate.
Overall Impression: For a beer that’s a stronger Belgian dark ale, it’s reasonably balanced with only a hint of sweetness. The base triple is already very dry and the dark malt selection adds some nice additional roast malt bitterness to the flavor profile. That coupled with generous bittering hops keeps this beer balanced and drinkable with a mouthfeel that’s slightly sticky and quite rich. Dilewyns is famous for its Vicaris Tripel and its unique Tripel-Gueuze, yet this beer is on par with these fantastic beers and should certainly be part of the discussion when you’re talking about this great newer brewery.
Availability: In limited quantities, this beer and brewery are still gaining national distribution. Imported by Total Beverage Solutions.
8.5% ABV
