De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva

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

2007 Bottle - Thanks ygtbsm94! I saw trouble as soon as I popped this, we got a gusher...Pours (after foaming fucken everywhere) a ruddy dk amber with a small ring of tan...aroma is just beautiful, tart, vinous fruit, barrel tannin, lemon and dirt, with just a hint of spice...flavour is similar, puckery tartness, heavily phenolic, a bit of vanilla, cherry and little if any alcohol burn...the barrel presence is just amazingly complimentary to the brew...a slight bit of footy funk on the end, but that is just an outstanding beverage...

2007 bottle at De Dolle poured by Kris himself. Dark reddish-brown color with a nice off-white head. Aroma is vinous and somewhat tart with lots of other dark fruits, also barrel notes and vinegar present. The flavor is complex with dark fruits, red wine, port, chocolate, and wood. Dry finish with a fairly full body. Really great beer - brought 2 more bottles home with me from Belgium.

330 mL (2007 version) into Orval trappist. Aroma is very sour (I can’t believe this doesn’t count as a sour ale): lots of sour cherries, raspberries, strawberries with merlot, oak. Appearance is perfect: cloudy, deep mahogany with a one finger, creamy, tan head that leaves big sticky lacework. Taste is similar to a Flemish red upfront with very sour light fruits and powerful, citric tartness but with a creamy, milk chocolate background along with sourdough malt. Long, sour finish. 13% is completely hidden. This is excellent.

big thanks to captaincougar for this one. pours mahogany with a tan head. aroma of wood, tangy fruits, slight touch of alcohol on the finnish. dry finish. slight tartness of sour grapes. sticky mouthfeel. pretty well balanced. overall, really enjoyed this one. some nice subtle aromas. woody character, very smooth, with some pleasant tartness to round it out. nice beer.

330 ml bottle, vintage 2007, kindly shared by Ole R. ABV is 13%. Deeep red colour, low tan head. Vinous aroma, notes of claret, red wine vinegar and barnyard. The flavour is (more or less) "typical Flemish Red", notes of red wine vinegar, some lemony notes, astringent finish. Moderate hops. The high ABV is extremely well hidden, I might have guessed that the beer was half as strong as it actually is.

Brewed in 2004 & Bottled in 2005 ~ Rating #1700

7/10/2009: De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva 2004 has an amazing sweet-sour cherry aroma. It also exhibits pear, brown sugar, sourdough, and apples. This beer is brown and color with ruby hues and is nearly opaque. It retains a creamy off-white head throughout. Wow, the flavor is almost as good as the aroma, but not as sweet. The front showcases caramel-covered green apples and sour cherry while the middle presents itself as slightly more dry with a crisp sourness that makes the think of crabapples or maybe unsweeted cranberries. There is also some caramel sweetness and just a tinge of oxidation sneaking in right at the very end of the finish. The alcohol content is completely invisible. As it warms, cedar and just a hint of almond becomes evident. This beer has a medium body, but enough carbonation to keep in feeling light on the palate and also aids in helping the aroma and flavor explode. I really like the play of sweet, tart, sour, and dry in this beer. The cherry and cedar characteristics are quite prominent and pair nicely. This is truly an excellent beer!

330ML bottle (13% ALC/VOL) from Party Town in Florence, Kentucky. Rating #656 for this beer.

Bottle 2007. Pours very deep red with a thich tan head which cakes to the glass. Smells like sourdough bread with sour cherries and candy sugar. Flavor is rich, like a lambic and a dark belgian strong mixed together, heavy cherry yeast, brown sugar, and alcohol, packs quite a bite. Syrup like palate, leaves a sticky film behind, alcohol present. Very good, very unique.

From Ølbutikken, Copenhagen, DK. Bottled, 300609. Brown with beige head. Aroma of dried fruit and malt. Flavor is alcohol, sourness and fruit.