De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva

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

Sampled this before a De Dolle Extra Export Stout with mitchgt. From my notes: Dark murky brown pour with a thin tan head and frothy lacing. Big clean smells of cherry and raisins. Tastes - green apples, cherry, berries, tart. Totally seems to cover the alcohol taste-wise, but is warm deep down. Tingly carbonation on the front of the mouth and then tart towards the back. Is salty and sour at once - clean, crisp and complex. A theme park ride of a brew. Great stuff.

Cloudy light brown pour with orange tints, small white head. Aroma holds lots of vinous notes, plum, raisin, nectarine, spice, and some interesting tartness, perhaps cherry or sour raspberry. Flavor is very nice; similar fruity sweetness to the aroma presides, with a great tartness that seems to build and peak in the middle of the flavor, then quickly decrescendo to a smoother and sweeter finish, with more nectar notes and some alcohol presence. Palate is really nice, particularly with the juxtaposition of sweet and sour; mouthfeel is quite multi-faceted on the whole. Really unique and tasty stuff.

Reddish brown pour with a thin white head. Aroma is quite vinous and nectar oriented. A noticeable spice and booze rounds out with a slight fruity tartness. Flavor is reminiscent of a Flemish brown- lots of fruity sweetness with some tart funkiness and brett nectar. Alcohol character is prevalent and suitably noticeable. Lots of tartness finishing off with booze, a further sour character, and sticky dark fruit sugars. Palate is medium to full with warming booze and pillowy effervescence. Quite unique and enjoyable.

Bottle. Ap: Redbrown color. Long lasting creamy off white head. Ar: Slightly sour aroma. Yeasty. Some spices. Fla: Tartness of red berries: strawberries, cherries, sour apples. Sweet raisin. Clove. Pal: Oily and smooth. Well balanced. Ov: Refreshing, easy to drink and extremely complex beer.

Nice looking brown beer, slight hazy with red higlights. aroma is malty, Porto or fortified wine like with a fine slight tart fruityness about it. Taste is rich, malty with hints of cherries and refreshingly sour aftertaste. The balans is outstanding, a rich complex beer.

330 ml bottle courtesy of an extra from Beerlando a while back. 2007 Edition. Pours a deep dark murky brownish red, some amber glowing edges, a nice beige head, decent, dies to a smaller layer, a little lacing, pretty well carbonated. Aromas are a bit boozy, red wine tannins, sweet and sour cherry combination, grapes, oaky vanilla and wet wood are lighter. Fruity, yet decent wine feel, dry. Initial is a bit tart on the tounge, as sour and sweet cherries, red wine tannins, rich fruitiness, decent bitterness, decent alcohol warmth permeate. A decent maltiness comes through, but the beer stays tart and cherry fruity, leaving a decent tartness on the palate, with some sweet caramel and fruity feel to the back end. Oak comes in moreso in the body, light prickliness and wet wood, some decent red wine tannin character, bitter and tart, very interesting. An enjoyable beer, and much different than I expected. Cheers! 13% is a surprising ABV tag.. certainly it is stronger, but I would not imagine that strength on taste.

Bottle at Jydske Øldage 2009. Frothy white fair mostly deminishing head. Amber colour. moderate malty and hoppy aroma. Very alcoholic flavor. Moderate bitter and not very fruity. Average finish. Oily palate.

Bottled 33cl. Vintage 2008. It pours a murky ruby beer. Sour aroma of pear an cherry. Complex. The alcohol is very well hidden. Acidic. Dryish alcoholic finish which is reminiscent of cherry. Very good.