De Dolle Oeral

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

Bottle @ Delirium Cafe 27/05/06. Pale honey colour with good size head, not really bitter, but just a little harsh, at first spice, alcohol nose and light body. Still I quite liked this.

Bottle from Bier Temple in Brussels. Rummaged around for all the beers I’d never heard of - lucky find. Light honey in colour, hazy, with glorious white fluffy head (particularly attractive in the Oerbier glass). Strong aroma of lime with orange and honey hints. Is this some kind of liquified pie? Tastes of lime juice as well. Mildly bitter, but eventually mellows out to a very long hoppy, citrus finish. Creamy texture, medium body. Should make a note that it has evolved significantly since I first opened the bottle twenty minutes ago. This rate requires a second go. Good stuff!

Hazy yellow color with a large, long lasting head. Notes of yeast, malt and fruit. Medium body with a biiter finish.

(33 cl bottle marked 2003, at The Rover in Gothenburg) Shady yellow color with a huge white head. Typical Belgian scent, though it also has a bit flowery spicy herbal note to it. Bitter taste, very surprising considering the smell. Medium mouth feel. High bitterness.

(Kavijaks edition). Hazy yellow colour with a large white head. Malty and yeasty aroma with some fruit and a faint spicy note. Malty, quite citric flavor with fruity and yeasty notes. Light dry and spicy finish.

I noticed the cap was labeled JUN05, and assumed my sole specimen was bottled on that date as I had purchased it only a few months ago from De Bierkoning in Amsterdam. When I found out it was the drink by date, I decided I had better give it a taste right away. My pour was a bit overzealous and resulted in an immense fuzzy white head that condenses to a fluffy layer on top and reveals the apple juice body beneath. Yeast, and a cider-like sourness emerge along with aromas of Champagne, white grapes, coriander, pepper, cloves and a touch of smoked ham. A rather bucolic aroma that progresses to the tongue with the addition of light grains (wheat) and a dry bitter finish that blends hops, coffee and chalky notes. The surprising smoky flavor becomes increasingly conspicuous as the beer warms and adds a definite touch of originality to this brew. The initially prominent carbonation recedes rapidly to yield a smooth creamy texture. Another success for De Dolle.

Bottle. Bitingly triple-coriander aroma that hints at sweetness that is not to be found in the beer. This golden beer, with a tufty, excessive white foam head, is all mustardy coriander. It tastes as if there is no sugar, and maybe a small amount of one or two complementary spices. It’s all dry, almost to the point of being salty, a little bit sour, a littl ebit of a not too pleasant hop, a little bready. Wanted to find something to like here, but it comes across as a below average tripel style ale. Not up to par for the brewery.

Deep orange coloured beer, with a big fluffy white head. Not much of an aroma, just a bit fruity. The taste is dry bitterness with a long bitter aftertaste. (Bottle 33cl)