Accidentally Aged DeMolen Dubbel Rocks!

Going through the cellar again today (one day I'm going to get this finished!) and tasting miscellaneous bottles I'm finding.

I just opened a 2009 Donder & Bliksem from De Molen. The bottles says it's a "Hand-crafted Double Dutch Ale." 8.2% abv, 28.8 EBU with Premiant and Saaz hops. I had this bottle in a box of stouts and in going thru the box realized that it didn't belong there. Brought it into the house and decided since it was a dubbel and about 4 years old I'd simply open it, conclude it was "gone" and dump it.

WRONG! While I have been touting drinking beer fresh, I've always said that there are exceptions and surprises. Well, this was apparently one of the exceptions and it certainly was a surprise.

This double likely didn't taste anything like it did 4 years ago but it is really great. It smells like a malty double. It drinks like a semi-sour with sweet tones of apricot, cooked bananas, dried pears and some malt tones, but with a lovely sour undertone and finish.

I'm sure this is an accident but I really hope I find another bottle hiding in my cellar. A most pleasant surprise.