De Dolle Stille Nacht Special Reserva 2005

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

33cl Bottle. Very unique nose filled with a combination of sub-tropical fruit flesh, spice character and plenty of really syrupy rich vinous character. Unique and a bit musty. It just has that really good aged malt character, blended in with some smooth yeast. Heavenly honey drips through with sweet blasts of caramel, maple syrup and almonds. A really warm inviting decadent aroma. Pours a brillianty hazed golden-orange with a soft rim of white and plenty of carbonation. On the tongue, quickly to carbonation. Then a fury of fighting flavors. Alcohol is rather forward, at 13%, I’m not surprised. But there’s great white fig, tawny port, and sweet candy nose. This beer has an interesting reaction with my body. It starts explosively, foaming on the palate and spreading throughout. It then offers a little flavor and then heat, right up into the nose, with maybe a touch of acetone. Finally, a rather brash and distasteful old hop character. I’m not so sure about this one as it warms and works into my palate. The alcohol is always hot, there’s always a nip of acetone in my sinuses and the old hop dust is strong and unbalancing. Lots of spice, yeast and golden raisins, but it comes a little muddled. Hmm. Not flowering as much as I’d like. I’m going to let this breathe for a little while. Still about the same, except the 13% is kicking in and I’m a little more numb to this beer’s brash edges. Thanks Jeremy!

Bottle. Pours a noisy and lively golden coloured brew with a nice white head, which leaves nice lacings on my glass as it slowly turns into a small white film. The beer is silent now.. Aromas are raisins, nuts, caramel, spice and yeast. The flavour is very fruity with notes of oranges, spicy pepper, calvados, caramel and is ended by a dry woody finish.

Thanks to Todd for sharing this bottle at the Carolina Crew tasting last month! Cloudy yellow pour. Woody, funky, yeasty, fruity, spicy flavor and aroma. Very complex and the 13% abv was well hidden.

Poured from the bottle from Kulminator Antwerp. Orange yellow hazy color with thick white head. Thick and rich in your mouth. Fruity sweetness with some alcohol up front. Complex lingering flavor. Very nice.

Dark straw colored pour hints of brown or red as well w/ a huge frothy white aroma and thick lacing. Amazing aroma. Delicous. Aroma is very fruity some sweet whisky or cherry style hint in the aroma touches of wood.. lots of fruit and the great spicy yeast that I can’t even describe. Hints of light grapes crushed and sweetened with green apple skins. Palate is full well coated and lightly creamy. Amazingly sweet taste soooo fruity. Whatever they did age this in adds some light sweetness and a hint of dry wood in the finish and some yum. Lots of green apple skins in the taste sweet caramels very yeasty. Very very good stuff. Something in the finish isn’t quite perfect..

At Kulminator: Clear deep reddish amber with lasting head. Strong malty aroma with caramel, spices and alcohol in nose. Flavour is sweet with dry finish.

Bottle shared by Todd at Carolina Crew gathering. Deep golden slightly cloudy pour. Fizzy head. Woody and oaky with lots of vanilla notes. Also apples, other fruits, and of course that De Dolle wild yeast. Somewhat sticky on the palate. Hides the alcohol better than the regular Stille Nacht. A huge beer. RE-RATE: more toffee and calvados and maybe even Cointreau on second tasting. Much more enjoyable. Nice ashy finish.

Carolina Crew tasting! Bottle courtesy of Todd! Thanks! Hazy blond pour with fluffy off white head. Apples, yeast and white grapes on the nose. Sweet malts, fruits, yeast, and caramel. Alcohol extremely well masked