Ordum Doble Malta

"Double Malt" is not much of a descriptor for a beer, but names don't have to be classifications. This is another of the "almost Belgian" beers that plague Spain. The Spanish sweet tooth strikes again, in the form of a mostly flat beer with a one-dimensional (sugar) flavor profile. Honestly, I expected more from Ordum, and I may have to revisit this in the future. No matter how you slice it, this is absolutely not an American-style Amber Ale. That's for sure. See Tasting Notes below for why.

Style Guidelines

Color: Deep Amber (11 SRM)
- Standard: Amber to reddish-brown (5-12(10-24 EBC) SRM)
Clarity: No haze, clear
- Standard: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Sugary malt flavors, very sweet
- Standard: Medium-high to high maltiness with low to medium caramel character
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low
- Standard: Low to medium-low, exhibiting a wide range of attributes
Perceived Bitterness: Medium-low (23 IBUs)
- Standard: Medium to medium-high (20-35 IBUs)
Fermentation Characteristics: No fruity esters, no diacetyl
- Standard: Fruity esters, if present, are low. Diacetyl is usually absent in these beers but may be present at very low levels.
Body: Medium
- Standard: Medium to medium-high

Tasting Notes

Sweet, malty, bordering on Belgian
low head retention
Massively high ABV for the style
Way undershoots the bitterness for the style
Almost no discernible hops

For Fans Of

Sweet Belgian beers, not Amber Ales