Donkere 8° Duivel 1883
Brouwerij Boon

Donkere 8° Duivel 1883Donkere 8° Duivel 1883
Beer Geek Stats
From:
Brouwerij Boon
 
Belgium
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV:
8%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
3.88 | pDev: 9.28%
Reviews:
8
Ratings:
8
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 16, 2016
Added:
Jun 15, 2004
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Ratings by GreenCard:
Photo of GreenCard
Reviewed by GreenCard from Maryland

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: dark brown, good clarity, medium layer of tannish head with good lacing

Aroma: dark caramelly malts, a touch of clove, bread, herbally hops, a tad medicinal

Flavor: tasty level of malt sweetness cut by a touch of bitterness from both hops and dark malts, pineapple fruitiness, spicy, yeasty tang, finishes dryish with an aftertaste of dark cassonade

Mouthfeel: medium body, blooming carbonation like club soda, nice alcohol warmth

Overall Impression: Fantastic hearty bruin made by Boon, believe it or not. Well-rounded flavor and aroma. The alcohol warms but doesn't burn. Lots of burps from the big carbonation, though. This is Duivelsbier's swarthy, big brother!
Jun 15, 2004
More User Ratings:
Photo of josanguapo
Reviewed by josanguapo from Spain

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From elcervecero. In Teku glass. Watching True Detective 2x02. Dark fruits, like in a quad but with a lower body. Very enjoyable. Alcohol well hidden and doesnt affect much. 2 months after BB date.

Seems a duplicate of "Duivels Bier"
Mar 16, 2016
Photo of BlackHaddock
Reviewed by BlackHaddock from England

3.45/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Dumpy 33cl brown bottle (bottle conditioned), best before early May 2012, poured into a Westmalle chalice mid Oct 2011.

No sediment left the bottle so I had a bright, clear reddy brown bodied beer with a thinning white head before me.

Semi sour red fruit smells, but nothing too strong.

The taste has an alcohol front with those sour red fruits mixed with some sweeter molasses taking centre stage once the alcohol feel subsides.

The body is a bit thin for an 8% ABV brew, the beer has character but just lacks that extra quality to put it above others within this style.
Oct 18, 2011
Photo of wl0307
Reviewed by wl0307 from England

3.15/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
The scratched/blurred expiry date is printed as something like 07/0_/08, served lightly-chilled in Westmalle's broad-rimmed goblet. This is my second time trying this beer, since bumping into it five years ago in Belgium, and the beer label "Donker 1883 Duivels Bier 8°" now is slightly different from the one shown above.

A: pours a cloudy dark russet brown hue with a thin layer of fluffy foam and pretty light carbonation.
S: very understated on the nose, showing mostly brown-sugary malts, boiled Chinese red beans, and a lightly sour tinge of raisin-like fruitiness. A swirl gives rise to chocolates, licorice-root-like herbal scent, and meaty yeastiness.
T: flat-textured sour-sweet (raisiny) stone-fruits and brown malts in the foretaste are followed by a slowly expanding herbal-ly bitterness with unidentifiable spicy hints and coke to boot, finished with faint hints of lightly smoked prunes, cold coffee, and lightly chewy palate of bitterness as well as lingering sourness as a result of residual sugary bits and yeast sediments.
M&D: maybe this beer having expired when being consumed doesn't put it in the most positive light, as the carbonation comes a bit dull and the body falls thin in the end of every sip. Also suffered is the flavour structure, being somewhat simplistic and not quite "evolving" as most quality (Belgian dark) ale should demonstrate. I guess the nearly non-existence of alcohol gives this bottle at least something to enjoy, but only just. I need to try it again when it's much younger.
Jan 05, 2009
Photo of bhb
Reviewed by bhb from Australia

4.15/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Grabbed a bottle of this in Bruges, having never seen it before. I'm drinking it as I type this review.

Poured into a Grimbergen glass, it runs a deep dark brown, with a lovely 1cm head on top, eventually settling to a mouthwatering layer on top. Lacing is surprisingly good. Held up to the light, it's a fairly clear beer and the yeast settles towards the bottom in big chunks.

Smell is of lovely roasted malt, with plenty of sweetness in it but faint floral aromas blended throughout.

The flavour is of sweet malt, a little sweet fruit too, with some hoppyness teetering on the top, but it's definitely the malt that wins here. I also detect a slight leathery yeastiness to it. Molasses comes to mind as well. It almost has a porter flavour to it. Overall though a yummy brew.

In the mouth, it's got good carbonation, complimenting the flavours quite well. This is such a smooth beer though! I've got to be careful not to down it too fast, and I do want to let it last.

Overall a damn fine beer, but a shame that it's difficult to find, even here next door in Holland.
Feb 17, 2006
Photo of paterlodie
Reviewed by paterlodie from Belgium

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
BB 01-08-2007. Good presentation with lasting yellowish head leaving laces and a dark brown almost black beer. Good nose also having lots of good malt with carramel and chocolate, some funky yeastsmell together with some oak it makes it extra enjoyable. Yes this is something else and taste also shows, just good enjoyment from all malt and yeast taste. Sournote, dry taste, candy and good caramel make it together with good carbonisation into a fine mouthfeel also and ohhh so easy drinkable.
Oct 03, 2005
Photo of dougnboston
Reviewed by dougnboston from Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
My first, found in Brugge and transported home to Massachusetts through Japan ... so it's is a very well travelled beer! Brought with it the proper glass, so tasting was as intended. Gotta love that!

The beer poured properly, great solid head that held through drinking. While dark, the taste delighted on the triple side of Belgium beers, totally unexpected. Was expecting a malter taste, but as indicated in a previous post, it's a lighter taste (not light, just lighter).

Wonderful aroma fitting with the taste. Actually could pick up on what was to come while pouring. This is not a shy beer.

A terrific Belgium beer. Would welcome a drink of it again.
May 24, 2005
Photo of TheLongBeachBum
Reviewed by TheLongBeachBum from California

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Presentation: Sampled at the Triangel Brasserie & Restaurant in Halle (see BeerFly) on Easter Monday 28th April, 2005. Arrived in a stubby “Duvelian” brown glass bottle with a black paper label which in turn has a yellow superman shaped upside down triangle which has the words “Donkere Duivel Foncé-Dark 8° “ on it. Listed as a Bottle-Conditioned brew with a strength of 8%. Served in the appropriate Brewery Glassware, a wide mouthed Chalice which has the word ‘Duivel’ on it.

Bit of a mystery brew this one, for a start it is brewed by the lambic brewer Boon, not exactly known for its Strong Dark Ales. It appears from the limited information available that this was a beer once brewed by Vanderlinden of Halle (which closed sometime in 1997) and which formed the basis for this modern facsimile. However, it is also stated that the latest ‘version’ from Boon is now based on one from another local Halle brewer called Pêtre brewery, also defunct. Either way this is a resurrected Halle libation of sorts now brewed by Brouwerij F. Boon, only available in Halle as a “local brew” at a handful of outlets. Whether this is a development of the weaker 5% ‘Duivelsbeer’ [the old Vanderlinden brew] or a newer version of it, is hard to tell.

Appearance: Lovely dark brown body which when poured carefully provided a lucid chestnut body that looked great when held to the light. Finished the pour with a very smooth, ½” thick, creamy yet uniform looking light tan head. Fine carbonation which was lively on the swirl and gregarious.

Nose: Nutty start, sweet in aromas with lot of caramel and toffee, light spicy middle, wholegrain brown bread with a herbal finish.

Taste: I am not a lover of sweet brews, and this starts sweet, malty-sweet, but it is not off-putting at all, nicely balanced by the herbal spicy feel from what I assume is the hops an yeast. Damn tasty stuff.

Mouthfeel: Bold body that retains a lively carbonation throughout. Definitive feel, the malty-sweetness is balanced nicely by the herbal spicy feel and prevents a cloying feel. The fulcrum here is perfect.

Drinkability: Has a warming feel after the swallow, so this is not one to be rushed, but it really is way too easy to sink this one, with resulting “Brune burps” if it is imbibed as such.

Overall: Wow!!! Is this really made by Boon!?!? To be honest the detour from style for Boon and the fact that this is in essence a contract brew of sorts I expected a rather bland offering. Far from it!! What a lovely surprise this one turned out to be. I thought this was a damn tasty Brune. If you get to Halle be sure to seek this one out!
May 10, 2005
Donkere 8° Duivel 1883 from Brouwerij Boon
Beer rating: 3.88 out of 5 with 8 ratings