De Dolle Arabier

This beer was pleasant and certainly unique, but had a rather strong grainy-cereal note to it that I didn’t especially care for. On the other hand, it did have a peach-apricot fruitiness that I liked quite a bit. Sort of a mixed bag for me. This beer was a cloudy tan color with a medium amount of off-white head. There was some sediment at the end of the bottle, but its appearance and quantity were nothing to get worked up about. Aroma was a malty, yeasty (thought I got some Brett-funk), and a bit fruity. Flavor was predominantly malt with kind of a lot of cerealness and a finish that was either peach or apricot. Mouthfeel was pretty viscous for what was a fairly light-drinking beer. Not bad, and quite a bit different than other Belgian beers I’ve had in recent memory, but not really lip-smacking delicious either. Still, I’d recommend based on the uniqueness alone. I had a bottle of this at the Palm Tavern in Milwaukee.

Aarhus Bottled Nice colour and head Balanced bitterness and nice spicy notes

(33cl bottle) Cloudy, orange coloured effervescent hue with a huge, slightly off-white foamy head. Yeasty, sweet and slightly sourish lemon-zesty, apricot-fruity nose with strong coriander-spice. Bitter and slightly sweet flavour, medium to full bodied with a lively carbonated mouthfeel. Dry, malt-accented taste with complex fruity flavours (lemon, grape fruits, apricots), herbal hops and coriander; dry, moderately bitter, slightly fruity and herbal hoppy finish with some tartness coming through. Tasty and hoppy Belgian (24.03.08).

Bottled. Opened with a bang, a really cloudy gold with lots of head. Fruity, very nice tasting tripel.

Bottle, shared with Dana for Easter lunch. Nice sour mash-malt aroma, with some Brett and light fruitiness. Yeasty, light fruity hoppiness with lemon peel and horseblanket. Hazy (with dregs) dark orange-amber with rocky-foamy lacing, lasting egg-white head. Medium bodied with high carbonation, very foamy when opening. Starts rather dry, with a nice bitter bite and a bit of yeasty Brett character. Mild sweetness but really a nice dry, Oravl-like (sort of) ale, dry hopped character and mild alcoholic warming. Nice beer.

[Enjoyed 3.18.08] Be careful when opening...(even when chilled): Cloudy golden/straw with a lively huge frothy head that sticks around. Very fruity fragrant aroma with notes of citrus, fresh cut pineapple, lots of mango and some yeast. Little too lively in the mouthful. Excellent flavor, perfectly accentuated malt and yeast. Like a meatier/nuttier version of Orval. Slightly cheesy finish. Very delicate, like many Trappist brews. Very very long bitter, yeasty funky aftertaste. Reminds me of Westvleteren Blonde but drier. This stuff is fantastic. 8.5.9.4.17 [Rerate - 4.17.09 ] Pours a murky orange with a huge billowing white sudsy head 4.5. Sweet fruity aroma, citrus, oranges and cream, yeasty. Sweet yeasty first taste, decent amount of citrus, candi sugar, some pineapple, decently bitter, lots of hops, slightly cheesy. Long yeasty bitter and candi sugar sweet aftertaste. Some noticeable alcohol. Really a great beer. Medium bodied, great fluffy carbonation 4.5. 8.4.8.4.17

Dark gold with small yeasties, monster rocky white head (great lacing). Nose held complex notes of funked lemon meringue and musty peppered bread crumbs. Fruity peppery yeast-like flavors round to a soft hoppy finish. Medium bodied, lively carbonation, bittersweet finish. Underrated in my opinion. Great stuff…

33 cl bottle from Monument in Concord, CA. Orange golden color with champagne bubbles and a frothy white head. Aromas of spice and light stone fruit. Flavor of yeast and floral hop. Amazingly bitter. Alternates with lightly sweet breadiness. Finishes neither dry nor bitter. It’s like every sip is up with bitter and then down with a light spicy sweetness. Very light background of earthy funk. After most flavor drains away, there is something like noble hop. Maybe each sip starts with a hint of cola. I don’t know that it’s complex, but it seems quite variable. The mouthfeel is quite lightly bubbly with near medium body. What a drink. Puts the ale into ale.