De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva

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

Bottle 2006 courtesy of winter 07 secret santa. Good fruit nose along with some mild sour some wooden barrel aromas. Deep red body with thin head. Sour mild spice notes were most prvelant but some sweet caramel sweetener to blanance it out. Rather smooth brew on the palate. Alcohol well hidden good brew.

’06 Bottle Courtesy ucusty, pours deep mahogany with a thin tan head. The nose is full with dried summer fruits, caramel, sour cherries and red wine. The flavor is similar, but more sugars and tart fruit influence, and less port like wine, which was good as far as I’m concerned. A woodsy, nutty finish, followed by considerable ABV heat. This reminds me of a strong Sour, especially when "drawn" in rather than poured into the mouth. The additional air gives a more mellow, nutty experience.

2005 Vintage Bottle, courtesy of pantanap. Thanks Kan, you rock man. Dark brown pour with transparent red edges. An initial beige microbubble head builds, then settles to elegant lacing for the remainder of the glass. Very nice aromatics going on; the Bordeaux barrels add a sweet vinous touch to this beer. Aroma is of tart raspberry and light acetic / vinegar tones above the oak wood, which is much restrained. Raisin fruitcake, plum and clove character of regular Oerbier are still there, but with a puckering dry red wine addition. Very good, but I think I like the two equally as much. Still very carbonated for having 3 years on it. No noticeable signs of oxidation, this could be bomb at 5 or 6 years.

An incredible beer. Dark, ruby red in appearance. Slightly tart, and carbonated with hints of oak in the background. This is a dleicious Belgian Flanders Red.

2006 vintage, bottled June 2007 and consumed June 2008. Pours a gorgeous looking, clear, burgundy colored body. A frothy, cream-colored head settles slowly to a thin blanket that lingers. Semi-sticky flares and patches of lacing gradually dry out, holding fast to the glass walls. The aroma is nothing short of world class. The vinous scent shows notes of sour cherries, pinot noir, semi-sweet blackberries, funky oak, and a dry, bretty overtone. Flavors include juicy, sweet-tart cherries, soft red wine aged in old, funky oak barrels, vanilla, and brett. Finishes semi-dry and tannic. Medium-plus bodied and moderate to softly carbonated, it even drinks almost like a red wine. Reminds me of a blend of 2005 Bon Chien with regular Oerbier. What a fantastic creation. Definitely a bit young now, I will be aging as much of this as possible, as I can only see it getting better for years to come.

Bottle: pours a dark brownish-red with frothy white head, aroma of sour cherries and malt, taste is fairly sour but not overpowering, has a clean finish with just a hint of lingering sourness on the tongue. I’m a fan.

yeasty tan head with large bubbles. Hazy amber color. Aromas of strawberries, sour cherries, swwet malt, spice. A punch of sourness, sour stone fruits, complexities from the wine barrels mix with the beer flavors. A dry sour finish. A nice belgium.

Glass: Tulip Purchased at: Circle Liquors, Pennington, NJ Price: $6.99 Size:11.2 fl oz ABV: 13% Estimated Calories: 210 C RateBeer Rating: 99 Aroma 8 out of 10 Intensity: Strong Balance: Sharp Impression: Nice Malt Flavor: Grapes Cherries Hops Flavor:Resin Other:Fruit Notes: Very much like a red wine. Not a fan. Appearance 3 out of 5 Color: Black Clarity: Cloudy Head Retention: Poor Notes: Nothing special to look at. Flavor 8 out of 10 Intensity: Strong Balance: Bitter Impression: Off Malt Flavor: grapes Hops Flavor: HerbalResin Other: cherries Notes: For one of the best beers in New Jersey, I’m sorely disappointed. Again, this thing sprayed all over, tastes not so great, and costs $7 for a 11.2 fl oz container. Palate 3 out of 5 Mouthfeel Sensation: Drying Warming Body: Full Carbonation: Faint Finish Length: Long Intensity: Strong Balance: Bitter Notes: Not a bad finish, but getting there is hard to do. Alcohol not hidden well at all. General Impression: 10 out of 20 Craftmanship: Interesting, but not to my taste. Freshness: Stale Personal Taste: Disliked Notes: I wished so much that this had been better. It took 20 minutes to open due to the overcarbonation and potential yeast problem, then 5 minutes for cleanup, then drinking it was a bit of a chore, like drinking wine. Lots of better ways to spend $7.