De Dolle Arabier

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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Big white head, light amber body, lots of dark floaties. Slightly sour nose, with an underlying sweet fruitiness; some spice. Sour start, with a malty middle and a smooth finish. Hops do shine through to an extent, although this sample was at least as fruity as it was hoppy. As I work my way down the glass, it is getting yeastier and hoppier, still with a good sourness and malt. I like this one.

Huge and resilent creamy head. Pale amber color. Aroma is slightly hoppy, with citrus and fruity notes. Flavour is hoppy too with prevailing peppery, wooden tones in a slihgtly sour finish. Medium bodied.

apple aroma, giant head and in Ben’s words "some sketchy looking sediment" appley sour slight hops on the finish, alcoholy as it gets warmer, the wacky bird and the fact I got paid with this beer probably made it a ton better

UPDATED: OCT 20, 2011 The taste of this beer evolves very strongly over time on this beer. The young Arabier is overly bitter and almost undrinkable. I personally prefer the 9 months-1 year old Arabier without the yeast. When pouring it in the glass gives a bright yellow color with an enormous head pearly that stays for a long time. The taste of the beer itself has some fruityness with a dry-bitter aftertaste giving you the desire for more.

UPDATED: APR 12, 2004 Re-rate: Old bottle (not sure how old). Some port-notes in aroma. Quite sour flavour, dusty. Not really impressive, but could be past its peak. Original rate:Enormous head. Very dry. Didn´t like it.

UPDATED: DEC 10, 2009 2009-11-28, 3 years old, 8% ABV, 8-5-7-3-15=38
Of all De Dolle beers, this must be the most lively; it pours a bright golden color, one finger, under a cloud of foam. The malt aroma is spicey (coriander, mild cloves), with honey undertones, sweet; very interesting. The flavor is sweetish, malty, a bit spicy; the bitterness has been attenuated, and the alcohol increased. It’s a perfectly mature beer, even if it may have lost some hopping.

2003-05-10, 7% ABV, 8-5-9-5-17=44
Golden to amber color. Very nice aroma, with hop, old hops, wood. Great taste, complex, malty, perfectly balanced, with some fruitness, caramel.
I didn’t expect so much, De Dolle is great.

2002-08-10, 7-4-7-4-14=36
Pale amber colour, clean, creamy head. Classic aroma for these beers, of malt, candy sugar, hop, light wood cask. Dry, bitter and pretty sour; tart, astringent. The palate is as well dry, bitter, astringent, a good digestive.

Clear gold under a large creamy seething foamy head and sporadic lace. Sediment formed a curious layer of opaque beige between the head and the beer giving the beer a kind of cocktail appearance. Interesting honey, fruity nectar, tropical fruit, light hops, caramel and faint alcohol aroma. Medium body. Big fruity nectar sweet and yeasty start. Strong bitter and yeasty middle that doesn’t quite hold the warming alcohol. Sweeter bitter finish and mild bitter aftertaste.

Quite acidic and dry, lots of citrus flavour, and has a nice peppery spice, i quite enjoyed it, but the he yeast was a bit over the top in the odd sip.

A good beer. Honey, citrus... A unique beer.

Nothing like the picture of a bird drinking a beer. It was good, not outstanding, but very good. Flavor was original, and it was a good 8 percent.