De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva

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

2006 courtesy of vyvvy. Brett? Not sure if souness is from brett or oak. Nice brew w/ a hint of soapy tang that detracts. Good.

330. ’06. Pours nearly black: cloudy dark brown with toffee-colored highlights when you hold it up to the light. Just hanging cumulus globs of grainy sediment knocking around in there at every stratum. Plenty of sheets and webs of sticky grayish moussy filmy lace. Thick creamy moussy head that falls to a good solid layer of light suds. Big sour nose--your stomach twitches just at the thought of the bugs even when the glass is at arm’s length. Vinegar, cherries, and moss on the nose. Medium, fizzy body that goes a bit watery. Sweet brown bread, strawberries, and a hint of semisweet chocolate on the mid-palate. Tart, acetic, acidulent vinegary finish. Quite puckery there at the end, almost champagne-like in a way. Interesting stuff.

Pours dark ruby with a finger of bubbly head. Aroma of cherry, port, raisin, some maple malts. Flavor is tart and tangy, with notes of cherry, grape and barnyard yeast. Finishes dry with little to no alcohol present. Very enjoyable brew.

From the bottle it pours a very hazy red with a 1 finger white head. Big aroma of cherry pits, cranberry and alcohol. It is really reminiscent of alcoholic cough syrup but i mean that in a good way. Flavor is malty and tart with dry woody notes and cherry and especially cranberry. Some hints of red grape esters. Alcohol comes through on the flavor but not as much as i would think for 13%. Finishes dry and tart and slightly astringent.

11.2 oz bottle that I stumbled upon at Wine on the 9. Pours a medium brown that is slightly opaque with a big frothy eggshell color head that leaves tons of lace on my Ommegang 10th Anniversary glass. Funky aroma with notes of..well funkiness, wood, sour cherries that has an underlying sweetness about it if thatmakes any sense. Solid body with average to light carbonation that in no way reveals the 13% alcohol hiding in this beast. Flavor has notes of cherries, oak, wine and smoke. Wow what a suprise and from such a shitty store. Gonna stop back and pick up some more of this potent little monster.

11.2 brewed in 06 and bottled in 07. consumed 11/07. a beautifully formed thick cake-frosting like head emerges on top of this ale. it has a lovely off-white color and it’s a shame that it doesn’t last longer. tawny, chestnut brown color. very hazy with more carbonation than expected. ripe aroma of cherry, oak, and vanilla beans. a touch of toasted coconut and chardonnay is also noted. thick dense lace is left behind as the cap shrinks. extremely tart, sour apple flavor jumps out in front. lots of oak and tannin. sour cherries and rustic wood characteristics. light smoke appears on the finish with no trace of the potent alcohol.

Garrafa, em Bruges (BEL), em novembro de 2007. Não constava no cardápio... Vi um cara tomar no balcão e pedi uma igual. Coloração vermelha, com creme bege mediano. Sugestão de vinho tinto, uva, cortiça e madeira. Bem balanceada! Não se sente (nem um pouco) os 13%. Suave. Agradável. Aroma e bouquet fantásticos, riquíssimos. Frutas. Floraaaaaaaaaaaal... Carbonatação média. Amarga e seca, mas sem exagero. Levemente salgada. Ímpar! Personalidade. Cerveja amarga-seca-vinho com estilo!

In a word - amazing. This was a beer I was expecting to be very good, but this just blew me away. Pours very dark brown with a crimson hue and a small tan head with some nice retention. The aroma has dark fruits overlaying a Flemish Sour aroma and lots of funk. there is some richness and effervescence as well with pepper spice, vanilla, red grapes, oak and vinous traits. There is some much going on here - just crazy complexity. Medium body with a sticky, yet not cloying, feel that is offset by effervescent carbonation. The flavor starts with sour red fruits, funky yeast, Flemish sour traits, dank musty maltiness, oak, sturdy citric notes, red wine and not much abv to be seen at this point. The finish has more vinous traits, peppery spice and tannic dryness. This is fantastic and excellent on every account. It is a world class beer that excels at every aspect. The alcohol is hidden on the taste. I would have guess this was a well hidden 8% beer instead of a massive 13%. However, the effects confirm it is in fact a 13% beer. A very dangerous beer in that regards. Monumental thumbs up for this work of art in the form of a beer.