De Dolle Stille Nacht

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

Hazy copper with a small off-white head. Notes of spices, fruit and flowers. Sweet with lots of fruit and malt taste. Full body with a sweet finish.

Bottled in ’96, how did I find this in a store? Murky brown caramel pour, with a tiny almond head that stays. Aroma is very sour with apple cider notes. Flavor is sour as shit, with a huge apple cider taste, brown sugar, and honey. Full body, with a dry aftertaste, and warming alcohol. Lots of sugary sweetness with more apple cider. Maybe at 11 years this is how it turns, I’d like to try it fresh.

’06 Vintage..Loudest pop I’ve ever heard from a cap or cork. Pours hazy copper with a foamy tan head. Light semi-sweet aroma of fruity esters, honey, light spice, and a touch of floral hops. Flavor is very hot upfront and all the way through the finish to the back of the throat. There are nice fruity notes buried under the alcohol, and some floral hops make a nice appearance towards the finish. Palate is full, dry, and alcoholic. I expected much more from this, but I guess I’ll have to try again in a few years. Alcohol is just too strong right now. Got pulled away before finishing this rating, and had to add when the yeast is poured this brew does mellow out a bit, and the fruitiness is a bit more forefront.

11.2 from sam’s chicago. the color is a very dense and cloudy orange/brown. the head begins to form very early in the pour. it raises high and fluffy white, and is long lasting. aroma is surprisingly light. all around very mild. a smidgen of alcohol, some esters and touch of wheat grain are all i can find. maybe a little floral hop. mmm...what it lacks in aroma it makes up for in flavor. very smooth, with a palate like white wine and a kick that would match. fruity with a rich malty sweet middle and a long vinous finish

Bottle picked up at Binny’s in Naperville, shared with Duane. Pours a hazy copper color. Spicy, fruity aroma and flavor. Very sweet as well. Alcohol is well hidden. Glad I picked this one up.

Date: November 18, 1998
Mode: Draft
Source: Taco Mac, Sandy Springs
Appearance: hazy amber
Aroma: sweet fruity aroma with a hint of floral hops
Flavor: rich cpmplex malt flavor, lots of sweetness, touch of bitterness

Date: January 12, 2004
Mode: bottle
Score: iii to iiii
Appearance: opaque orange, headless
Aroma: sweet fruity aroma
Flavor: big malty flavor, fruity, slightly alcoholic, richness lasts through the finish

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 3.8/5.0
Score: ***4

The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

Cloudy, unfiltered golden amber appearance. It practically glows in the glass when held to the light. Small white head that settles to a neatly groomed edge with a wispy film. No lacing at all. The aroma shows lightly caramelized sugar that intensifies significantly with each additional degree of warmth. I also picked up both light and dark fruits, including bananas, apricots, and figs. Some alcohol is detectable on the nose, though its not unpleasant. The flavor profile starts with candy sugar and caramel, evolving to include figs, mild spices, and faint traces of muscat. The palate is medium in substance, smooth and sweet. The finish leaves a long sugary fig flavor on the tongue. I really dig this beer!

Pours a cloudy golden color with a large white head and great retention. The head stuck around the entire tasting and would bubble up higher with a swirl. The lacing coating the trappist glass and left rings in it’s absence. The scent was malty with notes of dried fruits, nuts, barley and yeast. Excellent mouthfeel and feel on the palate. This is a tremendous strong ale, very complex, getting better as it warmed.