De Dolle Stille Nacht Special Reserva 2005

Formerly brewed at De Dolle Brouwers
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Diksmuide, Belgium

11.6 oz bottle. This one poured an orangey/amber color that reminded me of tea with honey. Smallish white head with lots of visible floaties from the bottle conditioning. Aroma was super sweet with notes of sgaur, tropical fruit, bananas, bubble gum, raisins, and some vinous aromas too. Palate is slightly watery with lots of alcohol warming in the back of my throat, reminded me of rum, but at 13% what else should you expect. Flavor was fruit, mostly pinapple and banana with a little green apple, some yeast, sugar, and a very slight woodiness. This was a damn fine beer and I should go buy some more to cellar befroe they are all gone.

Rating 735. Thanks to Beermouth! (old trade) Open "crackle/pop gave a very little noize - Oooh, im scared now! Is it still intact ?- it should be! Pours hazy yellow/orange with fine white head. Strong sweet vinous & yeasty aroma with some spices within. Very smooth filling & warm mouthfeel - with a thousand impressions. Caramel, sugar, alcohol -spices - nutmeg! Vinous notes - rum like. This is so Damm complex!! Medium carbonation - very pleasant! Perfect lacings! Alcohol well kept. The warmth is incredibly pleasant! The only negative thing right now is that I got no one to share this with! Sorry "Cab" and sorry Lucie - but this must be like heaven!

Thanks Alan! The beer pours to a hazy glassy orange-yellow gold body with a thin foamy white head. The aroma is really intense. Full of yeast, delicate, balanced, bananas, caramel, earthy yeasts, nice wine. Very hard to describe how blended and complex it is. Nice light white Bordeaux with bananas, caramel, yeasts. Very complex and very good! Rich, full, velvety palate.

(Bottle) Pours a cloudy golden body with a medium white head. Aroma of butterscotch, Indian curry spices, cherries, and pineapple. Flavor is dominated by alcohol, some sourness, and spicy yeast. Quite a disappointment when compared to other Special Reservas from De Dolle.

Murky orange with a thin white head. Spicy aroma. Sweet and oily with a strong alcohol finish. Very good Belgian strong.

Body-hazy yellow/orange with a very thick ring of bubbles and a medium film of bubbles. Nose-butterscotch, apple, very spicy, tannic, watered down citrus juice. Taste-HOT!, honey, brown sugar, rubbing alcohol, nutmeg, light caramel, light maple, mildly peaty, watered down bourbon, wood, coriander, very lightly bready. Reminds me of a sour dough starter. Just too much burning raw alcohol flavor here.

IF only I had the self discipline to hold onto this beer, let it fully mature and perfect itself, but no, I called and I caved. The alcohol is very present, but the flavors still rise above for a delicious beverage. Big apple and pear flavors mix with a dry oaky buttery rum palate. High carbonation woops the palate into shape. The bottle gave a big ol psssst, but I was suprised that the head on the beer wasn’t as strong, small bubbles that fall quickly over a orange/gold body. Light sour notes show here and there, but the big sweet malts prevent that sour bite. Great beer now, but will only improve in the next year or two.

Pours deep amber into a tulip after exploding out of the bottle. Crisp, white micro head with excellent retention. Sharp, oak-aged sour apple and alcohol aromas. Wow. Smooth caramel and honey upfront and then a shock of sour fruits and warming alcohol. Like warmed, rum-spiked apple pie without needing to heat. Tasted on a warm night...would be incredible for Xmas. I’m going to pick me up another bottle.