De Dolle Arabier

Brewed by De Dolle Brouwers
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Diksmuide, Belgium

Is it the Arabic beer or the beer in Arabic?. Either way, from the mad brewers of Esen, anything is possible. This was a gem and against the recommendations of this brewer, saying fresh is best, I trialled an old sample. Poured into a chalice at around 10 °C. An enormous fluffy white head raced me to the top of the glass and lifted an ½" from the brim. It was steadfast, atop an opaque, orangey bronze body, and left the most meticulous lacing down the sides. Lovely to look at!!!. An unexpected aroma of mixed muesli cereal with hints of banana, guava and pineapple wafted from the glass; yeasty with a trailing hint of peppery spice. Quite grainy and dry in the mouth; full in body and reasonably smooth. Very light hint of toffee and vanilla upfront adding a degree of sweetness to the grainy and yeasty mid-palate, like wheat ears and rolled oats?. The finish was the highlight, long and unforgivingly smooth with lingering notes of burnt sugar, caramel and smoky, burnt grain that settles with a spice that was truly enticing. It went down with ease, so scarily quaffable I could down a dozen in a session and wonder the next day of where my pennies went. Lovely. One to try again. (33cL, age unknown, Int’l Beer Shop, W. Leederville)

Gigantic fluffy head atop a translucent golden pour. Aroma is a lightly intoxicating synthesis of lemonade and pear. Maintains a high level of fizz. Flavor subtly evokes a fruit medley and a hint of roasted cocoa with a mildly bitter finish.

Pours extremely murky with heavy sediment. Would guess apple cider if I didn’t know. Long-lasting large bubbles. Musty sweet with dried fruit elements. There’s definitely some smokiness to the brew that is interesting. Slight bitter finish.

Always a pleasure to sample a De Dolle because they seem incapable of making a mediocre beer. This poured a deep gold with a huge fluffy head that nearly overspilled the glass. When it sagged, it left great dollops of lace like the sea foam on a stormy beach. The aroma was as big as the head, raising thick, fruity alcoholic fumes: tangy grapefruit, summer flowers, that distincitve De Dolle yeast, souring white wine, bubblegum... Delicious. Smooth, rounded mouthfeel, well carbonated. Surprisingly smoky and oaky on the tongue initially - not at all what the aroma promised, and reminiscent of some Belgian Scotch ales. However, the smoke gives way to lots of juicy soft fruit before a tart, puckering finish and a peppery kick from the 7% abv. This is a very fine beer. In an ideal world, Belgium would be a small state somewhere in Australia and I’d move there. (33cl bottle, IBS Perth, bb 6/05)

Picked this cute bottle up at the IJzer Flemish Nationalist Musem in Diksmuide. Poured a hazy orange with a thicy white head. Nose is yeasty with some sweet citrus.Flavor is slightly acidic citrus with a dry hoppy finish. Good carbonation. A nice beer, but nothing special.

Fizzy carbonation, huge white rocky head. Orange color. Grapefruit, mustard seed, honey and some sweetness in the nose. Puckers on the tongue due it’s lively carbonation. Light apricot and grape taste - slightly peppery and medium hoppy finish. A beer that grows it’s taste.

Hazy, honey color. An usual beer. Quite hoppy but with some flavors taht I’m not used to. A very large and steady head. Won’t become a favorite in my house.

bottle. wow, that is some head! Pours a gigantic head that seems to last for a very long time. hazy orange with that aforementioned soapy white head. aroma is dusty pear, sweet caramel malt, and generous yeast. body is rich malt with chocolate in the middle and a moderate bitterness on the finish. yeasty all over with a touch of spice on the lips. warm alcohol is apparent as well. nice.