Troegs Brewing Jovial
In preparing this review for Troegs Jovial, I came to realize that I haven’t nearly given this brewery as much love on the site as it deserves. The lack of reviews for this company is not an indication of my thoughts regarding their products. Hell, there’s a six pack of their Perpetual IPA in the ridge right now and their Flying Mouflon is an annual favorite. For some reason, I just haven’t taken notes on more than a few of their beers. Hopefully this tasty Belgian-style dubbel will change that going forward.
Jovial weighs in at 7% ABV and carries just about all the flavors you want for the style: dark fruits, plenty of yeast and a decent richness. The beer isn’t as refined or as sweet as I particularly like my dubbels, but it does have a welcome earthiness that sets it apart. This is a beer that needed a bit of time to warm in the glass before it really started to open up and present more depth.
Appearance
Rusty copper in color, Jovial sits with a fairly large stack of rocky, beige foam.
Aroma
Yeast, raisin, bread, soft caramel and distant spices combine for a welcoming aroma with an earthy character.
Taste
The earthy quality of the aroma is magnified here. I like a bit of sweetness in my dubbels and there’s really not much presented with Jovial as plenty of bread, yeast and dark fruits wash over the tongue. A drying finish lingers with hints of tobacco and cocoa. After the beer has had a chance to warm in the glass, more distinct fruits arrive as raisin, fig and prune notes.
Overall
Jovial is a pretty decent brew. I personally prefer a bit more sweetness and richness in the style, but I do particularly enjoy the earthy character it presents. The beer goes down easy and, after it’s warmed a bit, presents a more rounded flavor and fruitiness. I’ll definitely pick this one up again in the future.
Rating: 3.5/5
