Devils Backbone Brewing Company Dark Abby
What the brewers say
“This Belgian beauty has a sultry flavor combination of brown sugar, plum, and spices in a dark burgundy hue. Abby has a deep, rich flavor and a strength that hides behind a light fruity finish.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Medium-strong ester profile with plums, cherries, and banana, and a touch of spiciness. Maybe a touch of floral hops as well. Malt is present with toasted-bread aromatics.”
Flavor: “Bubblegum and more bubblegum. There’s an enjoyable deep caramel character, and the fruit esters are pleasant—dried fruit with some tropical notes—but it’s hard to get past those bubblegum esters. This beer could use some additional bitterness or carbonation to balance. As it warms, the sweetness starts to go away and is replaced by more spicy notes.”
Overall: “A nice attempt with a lean toward the bubblegum side of the yeast ester spectrum. It could be a top scorer if it just had something else to provide a touch more balance: bitterness, carbonation, or even some alcohol. As it is, it’s very good, but the simple ester profile detracts from the great malt profile. Very sweet compared to the others.”
