De Dolle Arabier

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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Aroma: slightly herbal/hoppy with bubblegum. Appearance: cloudy orange/brown with a huge head that leaves good lacing. Flavour: intial hop, hint of smoke, fruity with some spiritousness. Palate: medium mouthfeel with lingering bitterness.

Well, I’m pretty much sick of seeing this in my fridge and waiting for the "right time" to open it. I depart for Belgium in less than two weeks and it’s time to let go of the veil of "sacredness" on a few of these bottles around the house.

Pours a pale blonde, bordering on golden with that big fluffy classic De Dolle head that can’t help but leave lacing on the glass. Gracious.

The aroma is nice, not as crazy or intense as I expected, but really very enjoyable. The dominant aromas are floral notes and limestone. Mild citrus and alcohol are nice as well.

The beer is certainly delicious enough but also noticeably alcoholic, almost to a fault.... almost. The beer has nice floral notes, mild earthy hops, & plenty of spice. The lemon pudding, some orange rind, some pepper. It’s all pretty nicely interwoven. The beer has some nice husky malt and really enjoyable tartness. I can’t tell if I’m more or less impressed with the fact that this is pretty much identical to some crazy 10% abv beer I made a couple years ago.

One thing is for sure, I’ll buy it again... and it’s not just because of that inviting parrot on the label. I reckon a fresh bottle in Belgium is in line fo-sho.

Colore giallo opaco con un cappello di schiuma chiaro molto persistente. Odore forte, penetrante, fruttato e molto piacevole. Si sentono lievi note di agrumi già all’olfatto. In bocca si sente tutto l’amaro dei luppoli e un retrogusto lievemente acido. Nel complesso davvero particolare.

Bottle from york beer shop pours clear pale amber with sweet pineapple and lemon aroma and fluffy white head. slightly peppery bitterness, sweet malt and fruity hop finish. lovely.

Golden colour with a big white head. Floral yeasty and a bit bitter. Nice beer.

33 cl bottle @ Näsinpuisto, bottled 11/2010
Aroma is fruity with grassy hops, some belgian yeast and pine needles. Flavour has rather grassy Belgian hops and citrus. Bitter finish. Slightly too sweet, although the crisp grassy notes are really nice here.

Geel van kleur met enorm veel kraag. Bitter aroma, citrusfruit. Smaakt bitter, geen zoet te bekennen. Gistig en citroenig. Bittere nasmaak. Medium body. Niet zo mijn smaak.

Aroma fruttato da classica birra belga. Appena assaporata, butta sulla lingua una punta di dolce subito pulita da un gusto di limone e un amaro luppolato corrobante, che ci accompagnerà per il resto del sorso. Indubbiamente un gran bel bere.

Riktigt god. rDoftar friskt och syrligt. Smak av malt, örter, frukt som citron, citrus, aprikos och belgisk jäst.

pour is a transparent color with PBS of tight fluffy head. The nose is very nice, lots of spicy yeast, great earthy leather note, underlying caramel and sticky malt. Flavores are the same, bright lemon and golden apricots in back. Well integrated, dry, light body, soft carb. Great beer!

(Bottle from Brdr. D; Bottled in August 2011) Pours a clear golden with frothy, white head that takes a few minutes to settle in. Decent lace and retention. Initial aroma is yeasty with some tart notes. As the head grows this subsides. With most of the head gone, the aroma is farmhouse style biere de garde-like yeast. I couldn’t detect many hops in there, which I find odd considering the dry-hopping. On the palate you feel the oily texture of the brew followed by the prickly impression of the lively carbonation as well as the smooth astringency from the alcohol. The body is medium, which I find a bit surprising considering the ABV. Finally the hops make their presence known in the finish, which is dry and moderately bitter and lasts for a while. Tastewise I do not pick up any residual sweetness. There is a clear sour note followed by medium bitterness. I have not delved much into the Belgian strong ale-style but what I’ve seen so far suggests a yeast and alcohol-focus that goes against my preference for low alcohol "dogma" creativity with hops playing the leading roles.