De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva

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

33cl bottle courtesy of Markwise. Pours a cloudy honey-caramel-yellow color with a thin tan head. Clearly visible particulates floating about. Aroma of ripe fruit, notes of merlot, oak, faint molasses. Taste is initially tart with hints of apple, pear, cheese (maybe smoked gouda?), and malty notes. Slightly bitter finish that is reminiscent of a sour flemmish ale. Very interesting and complex ale.

[Bottle] shared at the Heritage Inaugural Tasting. Poured a cloudy caramel color with a small head. Aroma is raisins, tart brett, and oak. Very sour, acetic vinegar flavor. Quite interesting. Alcohol is not terribly subtle, but doesn’t detract.

Bottle. Vintage 2005. Pours reddish brown with a dense off white head. Smells a little infected.. Aromas of vinegar, wood and berry fruit. Flavour is sour with notes of berries and vinegar tartness.

5-4-3-2-9 = 2,3

Bottle. Vintage 2008. Pours deep brown coloured with a very small off white head. Stinging sour aroma with notes of cherries, balsamic vinegar, wet wood, caramel, dark fruit and ammonia/salmiak. Tart flavour with notes of rubber, dried fruit, tannins, caramel and zest. Great stuff.

9-3-8-3-17 = 4

Bottle. Had the 2002 version in 2007 this is really something special something incomperably incredible in comparison. A great vinous woodiness and sour funk. Sweet and sour with the etoh in the background. Some apple and a big warming thats well settled. AWESOME beer!!

Bottle 2006 courtesy of winter 07 secret santa. Good fruit nose along with some mild sour some wooden barrel aromas. Deep red body with thin head. Sour mild spice notes were most prvelant but some sweet caramel sweetener to blanance it out. Rather smooth brew on the palate. Alcohol well hidden good brew.

’06 Bottle Courtesy ucusty, pours deep mahogany with a thin tan head. The nose is full with dried summer fruits, caramel, sour cherries and red wine. The flavor is similar, but more sugars and tart fruit influence, and less port like wine, which was good as far as I’m concerned. A woodsy, nutty finish, followed by considerable ABV heat. This reminds me of a strong Sour, especially when "drawn" in rather than poured into the mouth. The additional air gives a more mellow, nutty experience.

2005 Vintage Bottle, courtesy of pantanap. Thanks Kan, you rock man. Dark brown pour with transparent red edges. An initial beige microbubble head builds, then settles to elegant lacing for the remainder of the glass. Very nice aromatics going on; the Bordeaux barrels add a sweet vinous touch to this beer. Aroma is of tart raspberry and light acetic / vinegar tones above the oak wood, which is much restrained. Raisin fruitcake, plum and clove character of regular Oerbier are still there, but with a puckering dry red wine addition. Very good, but I think I like the two equally as much. Still very carbonated for having 3 years on it. No noticeable signs of oxidation, this could be bomb at 5 or 6 years.

An incredible beer. Dark, ruby red in appearance. Slightly tart, and carbonated with hints of oak in the background. This is a dleicious Belgian Flanders Red.