Speciaal Brouwsel 20
Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers

Speciaal Brouwsel 20Speciaal Brouwsel 20
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers
 
Belgium
Style:
Flanders Red Ale
ABV:
8%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.06 | pDev: 14.04%
Reviews:
32
Ratings:
53
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 01, 2020
Added:
Oct 08, 2002
Wants:
  32
Gots:
  1
20th anniversary beer originally released in 2000, and imported into the US in 2001.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by GCBrewingCo:
Photo of GCBrewingCo
Reviewed by GCBrewingCo from North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
The beer poured in the chalice crystal clear deep amber with an almost yellow head that rose tall and fell slowly to coat the chalice.

The aroma was deep caramel and significant sourness. Deep complexity of aroma with barnyard and sweet fermented grain aromas chiming in. Slight cork aroma.

The flavor was apple with complex and significant tart and sour complexity. Deeply fruity with caramel and tart and other interesting flavors. No alcohol presence to note, but with less carbonation the complexity would be near perfect. Slight cork flavor was present.

The finish was dry with slight tart and sour flavors lasting into aftertaste. The body was medium light and seemed even light due to the carbonation.

750 ml bottle. Very complex and interesting as most De Dolle beers tend to be.
Aug 22, 2004
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.66 by blisscent from Rhode Island

Nov 01, 2020
Photo of Fux
Reviewed by Fux from France

4.28/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Side by side with Speciaal Brouwsel 1-malig verjaardag, Stille Nacht Reserva 2000 and 2010 at the Tasting to Sink all Sea Shepherds.
A: Pours dark copper/brown with a nice white head. Carbonation is strong, the bottle actually gushed when I opened it.
S: Smells dried fruits and spices upfront. Then dark fruits, caramel and fudge. Oxydation is noticeable, with a scent of dust and old basement, but this is not really disturbing.
T: Taste mainly follows the nose with oxydation flavors along with candied fruits and Christmas spices. Sourness is on a low level but it is lingering.
M: Medium bodied, warming alcohol, strong carbonation.
O: This beer is still very good despite a noticeable oxydation which does not hide the flavor profile. Though not as good as SNR 2000 or the 1-malig verjaardagsbier, it highlights everything I love about old de Dolle stuff.
Oct 15, 2016
Photo of stakem
Reviewed by stakem from Pennsylvania

3.46/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Ive held on to this long enough, opened recently with a couple of friends. 750ml bottle, the cork comes out cleanly and in tact. The brew appears clear and copper in color with a tan to khaki colored cap that fades fairly quick.

This smells of musty basement, mushrooms, woody fall foliage and something along the lines of vegetative decay. Not gonna lie, this smells like it is far beyond its better days.

The taste is sweet and malty with suggestions of caramel, apple cider and cherry skin/pits mingled with mild oxidation (much less than expected considering the nose.) A bit of mineral aftertaste is left lingering on the tongue.

This is medium in body with modest carbonation. The nose is in a bad place but taste was surprisingly better than expected. For a flanders ale that is 16 years old, it displayed plenty of expected character and was a pleasure to experience.
Jul 19, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by Hohnbaum from Kansas

Feb 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.79 by jaydoc from Kansas

Feb 08, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by halo3one from Georgia

Jan 02, 2016
 
Rated: 4.07 by CTJman from Connecticut

Jun 21, 2015
 
Rated: 4.3 by Mbrown44 from Delaware

Dec 22, 2014
Photo of BucketBoy
Rated by BucketBoy from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thank you for sharing this, Eric! Still drinking nicely.
Dec 20, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Dec 04, 2014
Photo of Alieniloquium
Reviewed by Alieniloquium from Florida

3.58/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
750 mL bottle poured into a snifter.

Appearance - Deep hazy and murky orange. Medium off white head.

Smell - Oxidized. Caramel. Apple fruitiness. Slight acidity.

Taste - Lightly tart. Apple fruitiness. Turns into cherry. Caramel. Oxidized sherry and some cardboard. Sweet and sour finish.

Mouthfeel - Medium low carbonation. Medium body.

Overall - Has just about every flavor a beer can have besides hops.
Sep 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by dtmets84 from New York

Jan 22, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by jbuddle from New York

Jan 16, 2013
Photo of SpeedwayJim
Reviewed by SpeedwayJim from New York

4.15/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Thanks to Mike for this one. Flown out all the way from Chicago! 4oz. pour into a Lost Abbey teku. Reviewed from notes 1/12/13.

Pours a thin, fluffy white head with good retention. Stringy, spotty lace with good stick. Beer is a slightly clear light pink brown. Real pretty.

Nose is fresh cut grass, mild vinegar, and a subtle, red fruit tartness. Pretty mellow and vinegary notes are kept at a minimum here which I like.

Opens sweet and tart cherry. Wet wood, peat, mild vinegar, cobwebs. More red fruit in the middle and finish which smooths out nicely right towards the end. Real creamy and soft. Exactly the right balance for me.

Light to medium bodied with light to medium carbonation. Some oxidation is apparent here. Mellow, spritzy in the mouth and tingly and aggressive going down. Messy finish with a quick, lightly lingering aftertaste. Solid.

This beer has really aged wonderfully. The overwhelming vinegar tartness that usually puts me off from this style is not present here. Instead, the sour is well integrated and even creamy at times. One worth going after if you're really into this style.
Jan 13, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by spycow from Illinois

Jan 12, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by t0rin0 from California

Sep 02, 2012
 
Rated: 2.5 by SpdKilz from Illinois

Aug 25, 2012
 
Rated: 3.25 by imperialking from Illinois

Jul 03, 2012
Photo of Sean9689
Reviewed by Sean9689 from Illinois

2.43/5  rDev -40.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
Bottle shared by Paul at our Chicago Burbs Random Tasting.

A - Pours a rusty reddish/brown color, white head, thin collar.

S - Vinegar, leaking batteries, rust, light tartness, oak. This beer is just way gone at this point. It's hard enough to sniff to take notes and there's no enjoyment here for me.

T - Worse then the nose...ugh. Vinegar note is huge, rust, super-metallic, old rotten wood, musty, everything is just muddled. Oxidization & cardboard. There's about 10% of a Flanders Ale here, the rest is just a mess and long gone.

M - Light body, very light carbonation, dry finish.

O - I couldn't finish my pour...this was bad. I know the conditions of storage for this bottle, so it's not that at all. Use extreme caution when thinking about getting this beer to open, as I would never have it again even if someone gave me one. Bleh.
Jun 27, 2012
Speciaal Brouwsel 20 from Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 53 ratings