Eingetrübte goldene Farbe mit weißer Schaumkrone. Malziger, fruchtiger Geruch. Geschmacklich malzig, fruchtig mit Trockenfrüchten und Karamell. Hohe Süße mit leichter Bitterkeit, voller Körper mit spürbarer Kohlensäure.

Much love! I didn't know what to expect with a 13% Oerbier, but this is nearly perfect.

Best by Dec 2023

This is to date the most recent barrel aged (‘Reserva’) edition of Stille Nacht, Dolle Brouwers’ legendary Christmas ale, and the first one to my knowledge to appear in 33 cl bottles instead of 75 cl ones… Aged for two years on barrels which once held red wine. Open, off-white, tiny-bubbled, thin head on an initially clear warm peach blonde robe with lovely orange glow, turning hazy and more brownish-tinged with sediment. Rich bouquet of peaches soaked in brandy, sweat, wet oak wood, overripe pineapple, fermenting apple juice, marmalade, hints of ripe persimmon, acacia honey, chicken stock, vanilla, piccalilli, tawny port and stewed cherry tomatoes. Sweet, fruity onset, estery with lots of pineapple, apricot, persimmon and peach, even ripe Doyenné pear, white grape and lychee; mild sourish undertone, only accentuating the fruitiness. Carbonation remains soft (though not flat), the mouthfeel is full, rounded and vinous, with lovely biscuity, lightly caramelly and brioche-bready, soft malts. Lots of this fruitiness, amplified by the grapeyness that remained in the barrels, is carried onwards to a rich, colourful, vibrant and long finish, in which gentle tannic woodiness and oaky vanillin accentuate the overall complexity; warming port- and somewhat brandy-like alcohol ensues, while all these colourful fruits continue unabatedly. A truly excellent and classy sipper, after – in my view – a few (somewhat) lesser editions with even an acetic bottle here and there, the original glory of the older Stille Nacht Reserva vintages seems to have been rediscovered. Doubtlessly develops even more complexity with age, too. Absolutely delish – I am mouthwatering even by thinking of it again.

Officially the third Reserva version of Dulle Teve, Dolle’s tripel, to date, in very limited quantities as only one single 225 l barrel was used (equalling 300 bottles of 75 cl, crown-capped); this barrel was delivered by a friend of the brewery and previously contained Trousseau wine from the Jura region in eastern France. Bottle from the brewery. Off-white, large-bubbled yet stable, moussey head, slowly thinning and lacing in shreds, misty orangey-glowing peach blonde robe with steady visible sparkling, a treat to the eye; turns into a cloudy orange-veiled beige in the end. Rich and stunning nose of ripe red apple (especially in the end), peach yoghurt, ripe nectarine, oak wood, rosé wine, fresh orange and marmalade, cantaloupe, ripe persimmon, purple gooseberries, cream, red wine, orange water, sweat, biscuit, fresh cranberry juice, damp tree leaves, aged game. Brightly fruity, even juicy onset, lots of red apple, ripe nectarine, orange and melon, even red grape; softly sour gooseberry effects too, a bit lactic and yoghurty further on but remaining very radiantly fruity and supple. Lots of grapey effects too, over a firm but elegantly smooth caramelly, bready and biscuity malt structure, carrying the fruitiness further to a rich finish in which herbal elements (fresh thyme, cinnamon even) appear as well, spicing up the continuing melon, persimmon and grape fruitiness. Hop bitterness remains delicately floral but has its function partially replaced by woody tannins, accentuating the vinous character of this beer. Sour-sweet fruitiness lingers in a most brilliant, balanced way. What a treat – this is truly unique, but also utterly tasty, like only the best of Dolle’s Stille Nacht Reserva editions; the orange fruit and more ‘animalistic’ accents (the first very strong and dominant, the latter very subtle and background) must come from the Trousseau or are at least heavily amplified by it. In any case this new and very limited Dolle beer is the best proof I ever came across that ageing the old Belgian tripel style on wine barrels holds enormous potential. Get them while you can.

Deliberately soured version of DDB’s classic tripel Dulle Teve, created as a one-off experiment in one single keg only, sold as long as stocks last in the brewery bar and referring to Valentine’s Day taking place tomorrow (but given the extremely low production volume, I would not even be surprised if it is already sold out by then…). Snow white, bit irregular, breaking but generally edge-retaining, shred-lacing head, clear apricot blonde robe with orangey glow and quiet sparkling. Aroma of ripe nectarine, white dessert wine, fruit yoghurt, tangelo, soggy white bread, cantaloupe, hints of prosecco, apricot, young mugwort, damp earth. Brightly fruity onset, juicy and lively even if no actual fruit was used – bursting with impressions of ripe nectarine, pear, melon and white grape, with a touch of orange underneath; smooth mouthfeel, feeling lighter than it is, with minerally and somewhat stingy carbonation effects and a supple bready and lightly biscuity malt core, all gently and elegantly soured, a mellow tartness only accentuating the grape, orange and melon fruitiness in this beer. Ends with ongoing fruitiness mitigated only lightly by a delicate floral hop bitterness and warming, calvados-like alcohol – remaining equally bright and radiant as in the beginning. Gracious, easily drinkable (even dangerously so at this strength), with a ‘friendly’ fruit-yoghurty sourness to it which has indeed lifted up the already juicy character of a fresh Dulle Teve. This experiment really deserves to be continued – and more broadly exposed!