De Dolle Boskeun

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

This is one of the few Belgian pale beers that is just so damn good that I have to give it a great rating. The head on this beer is bigger than any I have ever seen. The color is a hazy orange and the taste has to many subtle complexities that it is amazing. Just try this beer and find out for yourself how great it is.

Loved it. Reminded me slightly of J.W. Lees Harvest Ale because of the complexity and fruitiness. On tap at Chicago’s Map Room.

Pale, thick, and densely clouded peachy yellowed and lightly bronzed color with a large thickly placed white foam crown of crystalized melted marshmellow, mega lacing in sheets of thin styrofoam and strings with snow sparkling edges. Gorgeous snifter full of ale! Aroma is chalked full of sweet yet dulled citrusy fruits of lemon and banana with a nice grab of pleasing yeast spice thats a bit peppery with touches of leafy fresh hops, some sugared candies, bubblegummy things and even some cocoa arrives very late underneath once it warms. A wonderfully calm and fruity nose with a sensible warming complexity. Taste has a smooth calm fruity brigade up front lending a leveled and easy dulled lemon, candy sugar laced tropical citrus, melon juiced, banana fluffed trifold with mellow caramel, then it turns to yeast peppered things and candied sugars mixing, giving all sorts of little complexing give and takes. Finishes quite spicy with lingering left overs melding underneath of some of the malted caramel and tropical fruits. Intricately woven and well put together and crafted with care. I like the milder spicy tones, yet it has just enough zing and pep to keep it on edge and very interesting to undertake. Feel is nearly full with a fluffy texturing within most of its carbonation, a nice spicy twinge and mild hop flesh maintains in the finish and comes across pretty darn smooth and even creamy at times, front mostly there. Overall a fine, fine ale. One I'd drink again and again with no problem. A very nice drinker eh. T'was gone in no time no doubt. Very yummy!

If there were a rating for the label, this, like most De Dolle offerings, would score zero. In other respects, I humbly submit that this beer is close to perfection. It emerged from the bottle full of sound and fury, a stream of aggressive, over-enthusiastic bubbles. Half an hour later it had matured into a yeasty, vinous-scented temptress, promising a seductive taste of sweet-sour-bitterness. Acquire this glorious liquid, friends. Drink it.

Original rating in spring 2004 = 3.9: Cloudy golden body, bottle-conditioned with plenty of yeast particules. Superbly laced huge foamy head, rocky and leaving a trace on the glass at each sip. Aroma is mostly yeasty-sweet with light herbal hops noticeable in the shape of clover. There’s a good green apple character matching the honeyish malt and the yeast provides a mild farmhouse character. In mouth, the texture is silky and creamy. The taste is in line with the aroma, adding a balancing bitter finish, a bit like a Saison. This is overall an extremely well balanced beer with enough originality to be interesting throughout, but still eminently drinkable.

Necessary update: Never dying head atop the tropical juice colored hue. Let this one breathe my friends and get ready for the showdown. Enormous barleywine-ish honey nose. Highly floral noble hops (goldings?) bring on earthy and musty notes. Soft soft carbonation takes you aback, this is a stunningly easy 5 for the palate, expanding, intrusive mouthfeel. The De Dolle yeast procures more spice hints than you can count and they’re just intertwined one with another in a maze that strikes right through your ecstasy never points. This has it all, the rustic aspects of the best Ardennes yeasts, the punch of something truly special and unique, the sweetness of the best desserts, the round and velvety palate fit for kings and the underlying camouflaged alcohol. An incantation from another world and a superior brew, even from this brewer.

Incredible beer. The best of the De Dolle line I have tried so far. Still have the Stille Nacht which I will try tonight. This beer was very creamy and lacked any of the harsh kerosene smell described. This bottle was aged for awhile. Maybe that has something to do with it. Similar in structure to a Triple but with the kick of a cheawy, bready double. You will have to try to understand.

Beautiful beer. Deep gold color with heavy sediment. Thin but exquisitely tender lasting head, very sudsy and lacy. Very nutty, buttery flavor. Mellow. Ultra-smooth palate and finish.

Playing: Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scherezade

Pours a cloudy, murky orange color with lots of yeast particles floating around. The head is white and small but lingers before dissipating. It has a interesting aroma of fruits, honey, pepper, caramel, and hops. Full body with medium carbonation, the flavor is malty with tons of caramel, fruit, and hop notes. Finish is long with a caramel sweetness and slight bitterness. This is a very complex beer, full bodied and rich with many different flavors that dance across your tongue.