Monday 11 October 2010

Belgian Rare Beer Series - TASTING NOTES - Stille Nacht


De Dolle have mad me happy in so many ways. When travelling to the chocolate and beer laden flatlands I've had the pleasure of tasting practically all of this superb brewer's flock. Back in days of old I had the pleasure of tasting the De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva 2004. A fantastically rich, subtle and a cheeky 13% of sharp cherry drinkability.

This may be a reasonably short little tasting note but that does not simplify or belittle the rich dried fruit, alcohol laden booze fest that is Stille Nacht.

Pouring with a lighten hue than the atypical strong dark this little brew embodies a dark, rich almost syrupy tangerine body with a little touch of yeasty haze.

The nose is rich as expected. Lots and lots of silky alcohol laden estery sugars and a cacophony of dried fruit and ripe banana. Slightly smoky, lots of rich yeast and a little slight touch of buttery diacetyl on the finish.

As expected the body is rich and sticky. Taste is sweet, syrupy and superbly dry and rich. An oodle of the expected spicy fruit, dates as well as a healthy serving of home made bread and butter pudding.

Delicious as is the case with every other De Dolle brew. A little lighter and perhaps heading towards a rich Belgian barleywine over a dark ale, but drinkable for the strength and ultimately worth more than a little sip.

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