Oerbier Special Reserva 2005 (Bottled 2006)
Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers

Dead flat bottle properly collared since 2006.

Pours clear mahogany with zero head or retention. Red fruits, wine, faint balsamic in the nose. Medium bodied with a slick, oily mouthfeel. Red apples, sherry, dried cherries on the palate. Finishes with plenty of play between sweet and tart.

 

2005 bottle into a Bruery tulip.

Appearance. Pours a dark brown with a finger of light khaki head.

Smell. Dark cherries and plums, sherry and leather, light molasses.

Taste. Dark sour cherry, light leather and funky old barrel, a touch of molasses. Not getting much in the way of alcohol but there is a very slight cardboard note.

Mouthfeel. Medium+ body, medium-low soft carbonation. Slightly warm in the throat.

Overall. Great stuff. I will have to try a fresher version. This one aged nicely but I'm guessing it's a bit over the hill.

 

 

 

 

Had this Gem at Monks Cafe in Philly. It cost a pretty penny but was worth ever goddamn penny.

Pour-dark brown with light foam head had great carbonation for being in a bottle for six years!

Smell-get a heavy burning alcohol smell mixed with raisins and dark fruits as well as some sugar.

Taste-definitely get a little bit of malts with sugar and some fruit. It has an overwhelming sour taste to it. I love the taste mixed with oak. Reminds me a Ron Jeffries concoction.

Mouthfeel-light and crisp definitely can feel the carbonation. Surprisingly no burn at all going down for 13% beer.

Overall-extremely well done definitely worth its hype. I will be so bold as to say its the best beer aged that long I have ever had.

 

 

 

Poured into a Nostradamus flute glass. Pours a dark orange mahogany amber. Half finger fine very light tan head with good retention and light lacing. Aroma of dark cherry, oak, brown sugar. Much less sour and fruity than the fresh one. Flavor is dark sour cherry, plum, with a moderate red wine note, likely from the oak, complex and well integrated. Dry, somewhat sour finish. Light carbonation and medium bodied. This is obviously well made, but not my favorite style. Tasted alongside a 2010 bottle. Glad I tried this well made oud bruin, but I'm not a sour beer fan.

 

A - pours brownish without much of a head on it

S - the nose is caramel and a little sour smelling. Nice complexity.

T - this is somewhat sour with caramel malts and toffee thrown into the mix. Ends with some vinous character and a little bit of sugary raisins. Nice combination of flavors, the aging has smoothed this out nicely.

M - medium bodied with some good carbonation still

D - solid flanders that has stood the test of time thus far. Recommended if you can track one of these down.

Rate from 2006 I believe.

2005 vintage. Brown ruby red highlights with persistant white lacing. Sour aroma of cherries, oak, grape must. Flavor is stunning: quick beginning with sour cherries, then an explosion of yeast, sour cherry, wine, balsamic vinegar. Amazingly round and chewy. Soft and fizzy, deep and haunting. A strange and mystical brew; enjoyed from an 11.2oz botle.

Part of a 2005-2009 vertical shared by Jeremy – thanks!

Pours a slightly hazy dark brownish-amber color with a half-finger tan head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of medium malts with large amounts of white and red grapes. Also present are slight hints of vinegar and slighter hints of smooth oak.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Moderately sweet medium malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by lightly tart grapes. Midway through the sip hints of brown sugar and light molasses come into play, quickly fading into a mildly bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is OK. It’s a bit on the thin side with active carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I had no problems finishing my glass and could have another.

Overall this beer is beginning to show its age. It’s a bit one-dimensional with large vinous qualities and the mouthfeel has begun to thin out a bit. If you’re sitting on one I’d recommend drinking it sooner rather than later. My least favorite along with the 2009.

Got to try 4oz of this bad boy. So impressed I had to review.

A - Poured a pretty nice ruby brown with a little head

S - I smelled mostly Belgium yeast. A bit of Nose is cherry, clove, brown sugar which took me by surprise.

T - Flavor is sour but with a sugar cherry and a alcohol tingle, but very little if any. I was surprised to find little ABV burn to speak of which left me in Awe.

M - Medium to heavy. I found myself sipping but enjoying,

D - No way would I find this in normal circumstances but very cool to try thus resulting in a 5 drinkability!

Appearance: Pour is a cloudy ruby-mahogany with a bit of orange

Smell: Old brown sugar, balsamic vinegar; aged red wine

Taste: Similar, balsamic vinegar and honey with some brown sugar, farmhouse cheese and red wine; tastes old.

Mouthfeel: most of the carbonation was gone

Drinkability: I wasn't to impressed by this one; outside of how well the 13% abv is hidden. I would not sit on these any longer.

De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva pours a cloudy, brown color with orange tints at the edges. It's topped by a full, light-brown head that fades to a continuous film, leaving moderate lace. The aroma is dominated by two characters, acidity and a boozy, aged maltiness. The acidity is the more dominant of the two caracters, but when combined with the aged out malts give the impression of sour fruit. All overtly sweet, malty aromas have been aged out. There are notes of orange peel, alcohol, and a slight woody aroma.

This beer greets the tongue with a strong, acidic sourness, which mellows, but never disappears. All malt sweetness is attenuated and aged out, leaving the malt flavors, but none of their sweetness. This results in a mildly boozy impression, which melds well with the earthy and woody notes in the finish. This Oud Bruin feels surprisingly light on the palate. The mild carbonation, and relatively light body really accentuate the dryness of this beer.

I was very happy with this beer. I was expecting an aged, malt heavy brew, but instead got a nicely acidic and dry beer. Fantastic. I'll definitely pick up some more of these vintages if I see them.

Bottle@home

A: Dark brown with a huge foam and lots of lacing.

S: Yeast, Wild apples, Citric notes, Port wine, Wood.

T: Wood, Fruit, Wild apples, Port wine, Belgian yeast.

M: A light malt base is overwhelmed by a distinct sourness with lots of flavours going around. Wow.

This reminds me Duchesee de Bourgogne only beefed up and better. Very good beer. Intense!