-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Stille Nacht Special Reserva 2005
Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers
- From:
- Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers
- Belgium
- Style:
- Belgian Dark Strong Ale
- ABV:
- 12%
- Score:
- 91
- Avg:
- 4.1 | pDev: 14.39%
- Reviews:
- 56
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Dec 25, 2022
- Added:
- Jan 26, 2006
- Wants:
- 52
- Gots:
- 15
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by brewandbbq from New Hampshire
4.05/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.05/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
375ml bottle.
Pours clear copper with a short-lived head of white. Minimal retention or lacing. Green apple, white wine, cloves, hint of raisins in the nose. Medium bodied with a slickish, tacky mouthfeel. Clove-studded candied apple with boozy, vineous malt on the palate. Finishes complex and winey.
Dec 25, 2022Pours clear copper with a short-lived head of white. Minimal retention or lacing. Green apple, white wine, cloves, hint of raisins in the nose. Medium bodied with a slickish, tacky mouthfeel. Clove-studded candied apple with boozy, vineous malt on the palate. Finishes complex and winey.
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
4.19/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Cellared bottle for years. Still has a huge boozy bite! Wow, thought that might fade more with so many years of aging. The booze is sweeter, like cognac or brandy, goes well with the golden raisin malts, pineapple, biscuit, and complex yeasts. Smell is more full and rich than taste. Really warm and sneaky bright for the style. Enjoyable sipper
Sep 20, 2018Reviewed by mothman from Minnesota
3.48/5 rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.48/5 rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Bottle from Kulminator
Off white head. Clear copper color.
This is a very interesting beer. Honey, grapes, white wine, basement and dust flavors, wet oak, raisins, figs, brown sugar. Some sourness. Green apple skins. Very odd in general. Some caramel and bready malt flavors. Strong. Whiskey shows as it warms. Kind of tough to drink. Was not overly impressed with this one. Maybe past its prime.
Jul 15, 2017Off white head. Clear copper color.
This is a very interesting beer. Honey, grapes, white wine, basement and dust flavors, wet oak, raisins, figs, brown sugar. Some sourness. Green apple skins. Very odd in general. Some caramel and bready malt flavors. Strong. Whiskey shows as it warms. Kind of tough to drink. Was not overly impressed with this one. Maybe past its prime.
Reviewed by amano_h from Oregon
4.4/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.4/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottle poured into a De Dolle Balloon at Cafe Kulminator.
I'm not quite sure what was done to Stille Nacht to turn it into the Special Reserva and under what conditions the aging took place, but I'm pretty sure 99 out of 100 people that take a whiff of the beer in front of me right now will describe it first and foremost as "fresh baked bread." Slight hints of balsamic sourness follow, along with hints of fermented grape (cognac?). There's also hints of honey, wet wood, caramel and even more toast toward the end; hinting what kind of barrel / yeast might be in play within the brew.
Honey on toasted bread served on slate of varnished oak is probably the best way I can describe what I'm tasting right now. I'm picking up a hint of dark grapes on the tongue that wasn't as prevalent before on the nose; the caramel and candi sugar that is overwhelming in the regular Stille Nacht also manifest themselves as a kind after thought in the Reserva. Slight biscuit and toffee comprise the final afterthoughts on the palate. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Medium-light bodied, gentle, flat soda-like carbonation. The creaminess that the regular Stille Nacht sports is lost with this one, but I guess that's what 11 years of aging does to a complex BSDA like Stille Nacht. The sweetness and the spice that usually accompanies Stille Nacht has definitely simmered down to a point where you probably couldn't classify this as a "Christmas Beer" anymore.
Oct 17, 2016I'm not quite sure what was done to Stille Nacht to turn it into the Special Reserva and under what conditions the aging took place, but I'm pretty sure 99 out of 100 people that take a whiff of the beer in front of me right now will describe it first and foremost as "fresh baked bread." Slight hints of balsamic sourness follow, along with hints of fermented grape (cognac?). There's also hints of honey, wet wood, caramel and even more toast toward the end; hinting what kind of barrel / yeast might be in play within the brew.
Honey on toasted bread served on slate of varnished oak is probably the best way I can describe what I'm tasting right now. I'm picking up a hint of dark grapes on the tongue that wasn't as prevalent before on the nose; the caramel and candi sugar that is overwhelming in the regular Stille Nacht also manifest themselves as a kind after thought in the Reserva. Slight biscuit and toffee comprise the final afterthoughts on the palate. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Medium-light bodied, gentle, flat soda-like carbonation. The creaminess that the regular Stille Nacht sports is lost with this one, but I guess that's what 11 years of aging does to a complex BSDA like Stille Nacht. The sweetness and the spice that usually accompanies Stille Nacht has definitely simmered down to a point where you probably couldn't classify this as a "Christmas Beer" anymore.
Reviewed by BMMillsy from Florida
3.69/5 rDev -10%
3.69/5 rDev -10%
Stille Nacht Special Reserva 2005 - Bottle from Kulminator in Antwerp. Deep orange golden pour with small white head ring. Aroma of huge booze, wood, musty basement, cognac, phenols. Flavor is woody, musty, some fruits, drinks like an after dinner cognac or brandy. Pretty boozy but also very smooth on the tongue with delicate carbonation and a strangely light mouthfeel. Tastes like grandma's basement. Seriously this was a bit weird, and a bit like sipping on a super smooth aged scotch like lagavulin. But I have to say that overall this was a pretty huge disappointment. Maybe it was a bad bottle. Bound to happen when stored for 9+ years.
Sep 02, 2014Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)
3.9/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.9/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Enjoyed bottle at Torst. The secret to its preservation is the honey, and that was big in the taste. Orange and golden bodied. Not boozy but its a big beer. With the honey is cloves, champagne yeast, other spice and a hint of vin tannin. Smooth, A little bitterness in the finish. Not as interesting or different as marketed and pricey, still a nice one.
Apr 14, 2013
Stille Nacht Special Reserva 2005 from Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers
Beer rating:
91 out of
100 with
85 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!