Good evening all. It seems like my project is moving forward again after a temporary hiatus, so if you couple that with the recent release of the new BrewDog IPA is Dead series- apologies to any non-shareholders or shareholders who have somehow found out about this through me first- things are definitely looking up! This evening's beer review consists of two beers from Brouwerij De Dolle, located in Esen, Belgium- Arabier, a Belgian Strong Pale Ale, and Oerbier, a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. Based on their general similarities I've decided to review them both in the same post, starting with Arabier after the pic....
Arabier (8.0% ABV) pours a dark gold colour with a lively white head that settles to a patchy covering over the surface of the beer. The aroma is very spicy and phenolic, with cloves, malt, aroma hops (citrus fruits), sweetness (almost reminiscent of candy sugar) and some background funk. The taste is just as spicy and phenolic, with malt, citrus fruits, watermelon, some tartness and a sweet finish. The spice lingers in the finish long after drinking, and works well with the slight sweetness. The mouthfeel is quite thick and the beer is well carbonated. Overall, this is a fantastic Belgian Strong Pale Ale with plenty of characteristic Belgian spice, perfectly balanced by fruity flavours and sweetness- highly recommended! Let's continue the Belgian theme with Oerbier....
Oerbier (9.0% ABV) pours a dark red colour with a short lived off-white head that dissipates to nothing in the glass. The aroma is quite heavy on the dark fruits (blackcurrants, raisins), with some phenols, a candy sugar sweetness and an alcoholic/boozy quality. The phenols are more subdued that I was expecting, but it's still spicy enough to permeate through the heavy fruit aromas. The taste is composed of candy sugar, dark fruits, spice, phenols and marzipan, with a tartness/funky flavour in the finish and a dry, fruity aftertaste. The mouthfeel is light/airy with relatively low levels of carbonation. Overall, this is a solid and quite complex Belgian Strong Dark Ale, with plenty of dark fruit and spicy yeast flavours juxtaposed against an unusual yet endearing funkiness. Definitely recommended, although my favourite of the two has to be Arabier. Great stuff, I'll be looking out for more beers from De Dolle in the future.
Until next time....
No comments:
Post a Comment