Ordum Doble Malta
From Eating Asturias, the Encyclopedia of Asturian Gastronomy
"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
