De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva

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

Bottle from South Bay Drugs: The aroma is sour and tangy and resembles a lambic or kriek. Appearance was murky and a dark brown color with a little red transparency. It did create a thick layer of fluffy foam but glad it went down in a couple of minutes. The flavor is extremely tart and sour with a touch of sweetness; however, I have reason to believe this is because of an old bottle, but there are still some minor signs of what used to be of this ale. Such flavors to be found are traces of cigar tobacco, plum, dried apple, and a medicine like syrup taste. To bad I wasn’t able to taste the wood barrel since it has been drowned out by the taste of dead yeast and a huge loss of CO2.

Poured reddish brown with a light tan head. Moderatley carbonated almost like a soda when poured directly into itself. Nose is oak, sour cherry, vanilla, and whiskey. Taste is similar with a red wine tinge, and added Belgian yeast, as well as a dry finish (much like red wine). A delicious beer, must cellar another. Thanks De Dolle!

Bottle. Pours rusty brown. Great pungent nose, sour oak & cherries. Smoked caskwood, great acidity. Drinkable, drinkable, drinkable. Very good beer.

2008 vintage; 330 ml bottle; clear reddish brown with thin light tan head settling to a creamy film; dark fruits, vanilla, whiskey, oak and very sweet on the nose; warm and fuzzy oaky sour notes; wow, sticky, sweet and strong; very oaky and dry; maybe a tad too much for me at first, but grows on me as it warms; lovely creamy texture with lots of spice, yeast, red wine, sugary fruits; would be interested in checking out an aged vintage

2008 bottle from Cracked Kettle. Dark cherry body with foamy head. Sour, cherry nose. Tasty, fruity taste that gets very sour quick. I really wish I could get my EUR 10 back as I really don’t like this at all. A drain pour, to be sure.

( 330ml 2007 vintage bottle thanks to BA ballewblake) Pours nice dark caramel color, but lacks any carbonation, head, or lacing whatsoever. Smells vinegar, fruity, and sour. Taste is non-acidic balsamic vinegar, absolutely no hint of 13% alcohol, but the palette is very undercarbonated. Probably due to the alcohol content.

Geez, I was really dissapointed here. this was the 2007. Poured a dark mahogonay color, little head that left quickly. The aroma was interesting. The oak barrel aging definately gave in a winey note. Also smell of cherries as others noted. Taste is sour cheeries and again the oak notes similar to a oak aged wine. The sourness is just a little to over the top for my taste. But if you like sour beer then this might be for you!

2006 330 ml bottle. Pours evenly with a small head. Dark mahogany color. Very effervescent nose-wow for a 4 year old beer. Sour, cherries, Taste is extremely sour and tart, with cherries on top. A bit of a woody background. Nice full body, with flavor lasting all the way down the gullet. Excellent.