 kepano (239), Meudon, France
May 31, 2008
It’s always a pleasure to taste something from De Dolle, their Arabier is no exception as it pours a slightly hazy but bright gold. The fluffy white head is a work of architecture in itself. Sudsy on top, a moat of fine bubbles sinks around the edges of the glass, producing what looks to be a medieval tower barricaded with thick lacing. Fragrant despite this large head, the nose particularly emphasizes noble hops. An almost cheesy hop component is present and pleasant, accompanied of sweet grains and honey. Herbal aspects are also apparent, denoting thyme and tarragon. This is a light and summery aroma, but don’t think it simple, it’s another Daedalian brew from De Dolle. Hints of banana, pineapple, soap and apple pull you in all different directions. The flavor evolves wildly on the palate starting surprisingly sweet with creamy white honey and a fine tingling of carbonation. Quickly it moves to ample grains and light fruity flavors of peach and hoppy grapefruit, it’s astoundingly balanced. The dry peppery finish leads to an almost smoky and cheesy aftertaste, when finally, coffee appears several seconds after the swallow. Harmonious, drinkable, excellent. I could analyze this one all day, instead I’ll simply urge you to try it for yourself. (03/06/07)
Savvy1982 (111), Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Jul 2, 2009 Bottle. Pours a pale, hazy dirty amber, with a thick, pillowy, sticky white head with gorgeous lacing. Nose is tons of fruit, tropical fruit, bananas, citrus, pears, apples. Bubblegum, hops, belgian yeast. Palate is surprisngly dry and assertive, thanks to an apparently quite aggressive hop schedule. Palate starts quite sweet and bubblegummy, then gets steamrolled over by hoppy bitterness. the bitterness slowly fades to allow the fruit, primarily candied applepears and bananas, to show through again. Very neat, very tasty, quite surprising.
dnlsartin (55), Lakeland, Florida, USA
Jul 1, 2009 33cl over two years old. Dirty orange topped by creamy froth. Musty, citrus aroma. Lemon, brown sugar, cinnamon, black pepper. Sweet, hoppy, and gentle. Bold taste in a smooth, weightless mouthfeel.
vtafro (212), , New Jersey, USA
Jun 27, 2009 Bottle. Golden pour with lots of head, probably due to a cold mug. Aroma and flavors of mostly malt driven scents/flavors, hops are over powered almost unrecognizable. Another great beer.
Allen (1036), Wölflinswil, Switzerland
Jun 27, 2009 Bottled 33cl from crackedkettle.com. It pours a murky copper beer with a huge head. Wonderful hop profile. Citrus fruits, cloves, yeast, vanilla, coriander and a lot of hops in both aroma and taste. Peppery. Good bitterness. Very pleasant palate. Dry hoppy finish. Excellent.
KyotoLefty (868), Kyoto, Japan
Jun 24, 2009 Deep golden color with an enormous, wacky head and tons of floaties. Aroa dominated by green apples: fruity, dry, sour, and refreshing, with honey, some caramel, and darker fruit as it opened up. Fruity, clean, golden malt flavor with tons of green apples, strong hop bitterness, and a slight biscuity richness. As it warmed, some caramel, honey, chocolate, and dark fruits. Excellent, refreshing beer with a good balance between sour, sweet, and bitter. A truly fabulous summer concoction!
Beerlando (1999), Orlando, Florida, USA
Jun 24, 2009 Pours a hazy, dark, brazen-golden color with an absolutely massive, overflowing head of off-white froth. The foam lasts for ages, and leaves sticky clumps of lacing all over the glass. The nose is quite interesting and complex. Notes of smoked golden apple hit up front, with lots of blonde candy sugar, golden raisin, and lightly soured fig coming through. Vanilla, cinnamon, and peppery spice lend depth, while aged floral and grassy hops offer rounding bitterness. Bready yeast finishes out the aroma. The flavor follows suit, with a surprisingly potent, smoky, charred oak component. The various fermented fruits lend a slightly sour twang, while the candy and the spicy hops battle one another for position. Orchard fruit and pepper linger on the finish, along with that delicious smoke. Smooth and substantial on the tongue, there’s an innate dryness that works well to disburse the complex brew throughout the mouth. It’s a damn fine brew, and a further testament to the De Dolle house flair. To drink this with some stellar cheese would be pure heaven.
Nightfall (443), Athens, Greece
Jun 14, 2009 33cl Bottle. Hazy orange with a HUGE white and very lasting head. Dry and easy drinking. Citric and malty with niche bitterness.
robinvboyer (1265), Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, Canada
Jun 9, 2009 loads of fruit in the aroma. Citrus, figs, apples, pears, even some pineapple. Flavor was sweet, but a touch sour, with some nice fruity esters in the finish. More ripe fruit, such as apples, and pears come through, and they mix well with the bready maltiness. Great beer.
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