Duvel 750ML

Duvel 750ML is a Belgian Strong Pale Ale brewed by Duvel Moortgat at 8.5% ABV in a 750ml bottle. Scoring a 97 on Ratebeer and a 96/100 from Craft Beer & Brewing, this golden ale has long stood as a benchmark for the Belgian Strong Pale Ale style — distinguished by an exceptionally thorough 90-day conditioning process that few Belgian top-fermented beers receive.

Quick Facts: ABV: 8.5%  |  Origin: Antwerp Province, Belgium  |  Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale  |  Brewery: Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat (est. 1871)

Production & Heritage

Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat was founded in 1871 in Breendonk, Antwerp Province, Belgium. The Duvel recipe relies on a Pilsner malt base supplemented with liquid dextrose (corn sugar), hopped with Saaz and Styrian Goldings varieties, and fermented using a proprietary Scottish yeast strain selected in the 1920s. What truly separates Duvel from its peers is the 90-day journey from mash-in to sale: after primary fermentation, the beer undergoes a second fermentation over two weeks in warm cellars, followed by six weeks of cold conditioning. This extended process yields an extremely high carbonation level of 8.5 grams per liter of CO₂ — roughly 4.3 volumes — giving the beer its signature effervescent pour and towering white head.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with bright citrus — lemon zest leaning toward grapefruit — layered with green apple, ripe banana esters, and a floral hop character. A lively yeast undertone keeps the bouquet animated and complex.

Taste: On entry, crisp Pilsner malt provides a bready foundation that quickly gives way to fruity esters — apple and pear — at mid-palate. Strong hop bitterness and subtle peppery spice emerge as the beer warms, while the alcohol integrates seamlessly, making the 8.5% ABV deceptively easy to overlook. The extremely high carbonation keeps each sip brisk and lively.

Finish: The finish is notably dry, with a silky smooth mouthfeel that lingers with residual hop bitterness and a faint peppery warmth. A clean, slightly bitter close invites another sip without any cloying sweetness.

How to Drink Duvel

Duvel is best served chilled between 40–46°F (4–8°C) in its signature tulip glass, which channels the aromatics and maintains the dense head. Pour slowly at an angle to manage the vigorous carbonation, then straighten the glass to build the foam. Beyond drinking it straight, Duvel also works in several beer-forward cocktails: a Belgian Shandy pairs Duvel with fresh lemonade, where the beer's own citrus notes harmonize naturally; a Belgian 75 substitutes Duvel for champagne in a French 75 template, leveraging its effervescence and dry finish; and a Snakebite — equal parts Duvel and dry cider — amplifies the apple and pear esters already present in the beer.

Best For

• Introducing a craft beer drinker to the Belgian Strong Pale Ale style
• Pairing with a multi-course dinner party featuring rich, savory dishes
• Gifting to a beer enthusiast who appreciates traditional Belgian brewing
• Celebrating milestones with a bottle-conditioned ale that rewards slow, attentive drinking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Duvel taste like? Duvel delivers a crisp, bready Pilsner malt base accented by citrus, green apple, and banana esters, with notable hop bitterness and a dry, silky finish. Despite its 8.5% ABV, the high carbonation and clean fermentation profile keep it remarkably drinkable.

How does Duvel compare to La Fin du Monde? Both are top-fermented Belgian-style strong ales in a similar ABV range — Duvel at 8.5% and Unibroue's La Fin du Monde at 9% — but Duvel tends toward a drier, more hop-forward character with higher carbonation, while La Fin du Monde leans spicier with more pronounced coriander and yeast-driven complexity.

Is Duvel good for sipping neat? Duvel is at its best sipped slowly from a tulip glass, where the effervescence, layered aromas, and concealed strength unfold gradually over the course of a pour.

Where is Duvel made? Duvel is brewed at Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat in Breendonk, located in Antwerp Province, Belgium. The brewery has operated from the same site since its founding in 1871.

What foods pair well with Duvel? Moules-frites (mussels and fries) complement Duvel's briny hop bitterness; aged Gruyère or Comté cheeses match its malt depth; spicy Thai green curry is tempered by the beer's carbonation and dry finish; grilled white fish benefits from the citrus and hop notes; and charcuterie boards with cured meats echo the subtle peppery warmth in the finish.

What sizes does Duvel come in? Duvel is widely available in 330ml bottles and the larger 750ml format reviewed here, with limited-availability draft options varying by market.

Is Duvel worth the price? Duvel positions as a premium Belgian ale, and its 90-day conditioning process, proprietary yeast strain, and consistently high critical scores — including a 97 from Ratebeer and 96/100 from Craft Beer & Brewing — place it firmly among the best values in the Belgian Strong Pale Ale category.

Why Duvel?

The 90-day conditioning cycle that every bottle undergoes is genuinely rare among top-fermented Belgian ales; most comparable beers spend a fraction of that time in cellars. That investment in time produces an extraordinarily high carbonation — 4.3 volumes of CO₂ — that defines the drinking experience as much as the flavor itself. Combined with a yeast strain that traces back nearly a century and a deceptively simple grain bill of Pilsner malt and dextrose, Duvel achieves a complexity that has earned it critical scores consistently above 94 across major rating platforms. It remains the reference point against which Belgian Strong Pale Ales are measured.