pumpkinheart (63), Aurora, Illinois, USA
Apr 13, 2008
Bottle into L’Abbaye du Val-Dieu Trappist glass. This cellared bottle was from Sept. 2002.
A geyser upon opening. Pours a customary for the style cloudy yet rich orange-brown with a rocky, dusty tan head. Slight thick lacing as glass empties. The aroma was sweet and spicy. Very pleasant and a nice start. Initial flavors are punchy: some sweet with the cherries mentioned by some, plus a definite high note of sour. Not precisely sour, but quite an unexpected taste for the style. Overall, a thin sweetness spars with the sours and tarts and brett, etc. mentioned by others. I have a feeling this has aged with some authority and attitude. I’d be eager to try it fresh, so to speak. This was a challenging drink. Not because it wasn’t interesting, but because so much conflict of flavor and off the rails for the style action was taking place.
 radiomgb (1711), Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Jul 22, 2008 Amber-brown in colour with a long lasting creamy off-white coloured head, good lacing. The aroma was lightly sour with some sweet caramel, fruits - apples and peaches. The flavour is sweet although sharp and acidic, some peaches, floral with some caramel. Lightly sour mouthfeel, medium body, high carbonation. Finishes again with some sourness, filling due to the high carbonation.
This is starting to fade although I have no idea how old this bottle was, the acitidy was starting to become a factor.
330ml bottle obtained in a trade with Beerlando, thanks Bryan.
Opened on February 21, 2008
No date.
nearbeer (1091), Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Jul 22, 2008 33 cl, notched "at least maintainable to" June, 2004! Nearly opaque brown-black with a large creamy head that lasts and frosts the glass well. Great nose of earthy spices, dates, musty plums, caramel, brown sugar-molasses, and slight chocolate. Flavors are similar with added notes of funk, roasted nuts, cocoa, raspberry, wood and more spices for great balance. Cured tobacco in the finish. Smooth, medium-heavy body is a little sticky but in a nice dessert-beer way, and finishes slightly dry with a little alcohol warming. Maybe everyone should rate a 6-8 year old bottle of this stuff.
Blom (588), Odense, Denmark
Jul 21, 2008 On tap at the brewery. Hazy brown. Sour aroma with malty notes of nuts and yeast. The flavours are spicy, a bit sour with walnuts being the dominant expression.
Borresteijn (105), Amstelveen, Netherlands
Jul 20, 2008 Bottle: Dark brown, bit murky appearance, big off white head. Aroma of IJ yeast funkiness, brown sugar, roasted malts, spices. Taste is brown sugar sweetness, spices, some sourness. Nice creamy mouthfeel. On tap @ IJ brouwerij: A bit sweeter, and a bit more sourness in the aftertaste.
Very nice dubbel.
EithCubes (1756), Indiana, USA
Jul 19, 2008 Bottle. Plummy, brown sugar aroma with a dark yeast component. Lots of malt and some red berry. Dark brown body with a rubied edge and a tanned, creamy lacing head. Dry, slightly sour taste, again with the brown malt and dark caramel and yeast, a tad slimy with hints of toast and nuttiness, lesser chocolate and muddled fruit. Plums and raisins. Some funky worked leather. Light cherry. Angular woody herbal notes remind of a winter seasonal. Faint tea leaves and spice. Medium body with a dry, earthy finish. A very stylish, interesting brew, the acidic and wild overtones lead it in a whole new direction.
Judging by the other ratings here, seems to benefit from aging; I’d seen this bottle sitting on the shelf for a full year before buying it (and the label says it was best by Feb 06, a full 30 months ago). Have to assume now that this has brett in it - what a serendipitous buy!
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