De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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UPDATED: OCT 29, 2008 4-year-old 2004 bottle:
Lots of juicy cherries burst in the nose, but are shrunk by wooden dryness and dusty yeast in the flavor profile. A pleasant tartness is created, one which lasts till the very end. There is not much complexity here, but a lot of fun flavors reign and alcohol is never bothersome. I compared this to a fresh Cuvée de Tomme, and I guess it didn’t help the Oerbier at all. A fun sour sipper, but it doesn’t taste as special as its billing. I have to say though that this batch seems to have survived a lot better than the 2002 I had previously had. 3.5/5

Young 2002 bottle:
A sleepy berry cream impregnated by a salient red wine acidity...Citric dust settles on the hefty oak barrels...Although the alcohol is masterfully hidden, the barrel seems to have taken away too much of the malt that would have married these flavors with succulence...A drop of vinegar is transported by the heavy carbonation and leaves the tastebuds lingering in expectation of more...A great Flemish Sour experience whose result is still far from that of the past year’s Stille Nacht Reserva in class, aim, balance and overall togetherness and complexity...A little aging will perhaps help this one...Have to rerate in a year!...3.8/5

5-year-old, 2002 bottle<
I waited longer than a year...but was quite disappointed in my experiment...Cherries and their sweetness plummeted into a dry finish...Most of the tartness had disappeared, as most of the complexity...Oh well, this particular vintage didn’t hold up too well, I guess...3.2/5

Poured from a 11.2 oz bottle into a tulip. This is an aggressively carbonated beer. A large, off-white sea foam froth forms over a caramel amber beer. The nose is tart, with nice cherry notes. There is some oak, vanilla, and vinegar in the back. The flavor mostly follows the nose. It is simple, but nice. Tart cherries, The mouthfeel is really fizzy and bubbly. Even without a full body, it held the 13% ABV really nicely. It was tart and slightly acetic, but not incredibly sour. This is a nice Flemish sour.

Birra miracolosa, vero e proprio elisir. Praticamente perfetta. 5 è anche poco.

Vintage 08. Brown with a tan head. Aroma is caramel, redwine, balsamic vinegar and dried red berries. Flavour is caramel, balsamic vinegar, alcohol and dried red berries.

Vintage ’08. Pours a clear and ruby beer with a weak offwhite head. The aroma is malt, sweetness, fruit, dried fruit, balsamic and alcohol. The flavor follows the nose. The palate is dry with sweetness and alcoholwarmth. Overall a really good beer.

Medium body and intense aroma. Intensely sour finish but not altogether unpleasant. Might taste a bit of sour cherries in this. I’m not typically a fan of sour beers, but this one is undeniably well done.

Bottle brought to Qbrick by KyotoLefty. Thanks! Very sharp sherry or port wine aromas with lots of dark fruit. Sourish flavors of overipe cherries, prunes, raisins. Good carbonation (for its age). Thin body. Long sour aftertaste, gentle and sustained. Just the tiniest touch of oxidation, which actually adds to the flavor experience. Exceptional stuff!

2005 bottle. Nose of big dried fruits, wine or port, a bit of soy sauce. Very fruity flavor, grapes and cherries, some nice sour tang but in control, oak. Very low oxidation and still well carbonated—in fact, in simply wonderful condition. Great body. A fabulous beer that lived up to high expectations.

2007 bottle. Pours tawny brown with a trace of off-white head which quickly dissipates. Aroma is caramel and cookie malt, sour fruit, grassy hops, and oak barrels. Flavor is balanced malt, hops, and sour fruit esters; dry finish. Medium body, carbonation, and warmth.

This is one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth. It’s been awhile but I had quite a few 2006 vintages. Around 13% alcohol and very hard to detect even the slightest warmth. Beautiful sour notes and complex flavors make this big beer hard to sip.

Bottle, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010 vintages. Murky brown pour. Fruity, dark and dried (cherry, plum, raisin), vanilla, wood. Active body, sweet and sour.