Tag Archives: de dolle

De Dolle Stille Nacht Reserva 2021

Brewery: De Dolle Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 12%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Other Notes: 2021 vintage

Brewer Description: As far as I could work out for the 2021, Stille Nacht aged for 2 years in barrels that once held red wine.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.13

Intro: A 330ml bottle, 2021 vintage, bottled in June 2023. Poured into whatever glass I could find at the hotel.
Appearance: A hazy golden dark orange colour, with a thin white head that dissipated quickly, while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Boozy, brandy soaked pineapple, apple juice, orange zest, oak, vanilla, with a brandy finish.
Taste: Sweet, orange, marmalade, pineapple, apricot, vinous, oak, vanilla, brandy.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipper with an especially wonderful aroma and strong barrel character.

De Dolle Stille Nacht Reserva 2019 Barrique 10

Brewery: De Dolle Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 12%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Other Notes: 2019 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Stille Nacht aged in oak barrels for 3 years. Refermented in the bottle.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.28
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 750ml bottle, brewed in 2019, bottled in 2023, poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden orange colour with a big two finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a thin cap, while leaving fluffy lacing.
Aroma: Oak, barrel, vanilla, fruit cake, lemon zest, lime, candied orange, white wine grapes, damp wood, with a touch of funk.
Taste: Very lightly sour and tart, oak, vanilla, lemon zest, lime, candied orange, damp wood, and light funk.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipper with strong barrel character and good complexities in both aroma and flavour.

De Dolle Stille Nacht Reserva 2010

Brewery: De Dolle Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 12%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Other Notes: 2010 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Stille Nacht aged in Bordeaux wooden barrels for 25 months.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.27
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, produced in 2010, poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A very nice clear orange copper colour with a one finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Fruit cake and blackcurrant oxidation, with sweet caramel, toasted oak, and candied citrus zest.
Taste: Sweet fruity, dried red berries, lightly red wine vinous, candi sugar, candied dried orange slices, honey, caramel, oak.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Despite the oxidation, this was an enjoyable sipper with nice balanced complexities within the flavour.

De Dolle Stille Nacht

Brewery: De Dolle Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 12%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Other Notes: Christmas beer

Brewer Description: (from website) With Stille Nacht, available in Esen at De Dolle Brouwers, we offer a quality Christmas beer that you will enjoy, we are sure of it. Only Poperinge bubble hop is used. White candy mites provide the extra density.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.75
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 330ml bottle, bottled in October 2019. Poured into a De Struise tulip glass.
Appearance: A hazy orange colour with a big three finger white head that had good retention and nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, candi sugar, honey, boozy, candied orange peel, Belgian spices, with slight notes of apple and banana.
Taste: Light to moderate sweetness, boozy, candi sugar, fig, apple, orange peel, pear, peppery spice, with notes of clove and banana.
Mouthfeel: Boozy, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: It’s a sipper, but the combination of sweet and boozy, although not too extreme here, is still not my favourite.

De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva 2015

Brewery: De Dolle Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 13%
Style: Belgian Flanders Oud Bruin

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Aged in oak barrels, refermented in bottle.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.1
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 330ml bottle, brewed in 2015 and bottled in April 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A dark brownish red colour with a two finger tanned head that had pretty good retention and left some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tart, sour, cherry, vinous, red wine, vinegar and oak with hints of almond/marzipan at times.
Taste: Sweet and sour, tart, vinous, red wine, cherry, fig, vinegar and oak.
Mouthfeel: Dry, medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Nice complexity, aroma and taste. Quite surprised that it’s supposed to be 13% ABV as you certainly don’t feel it while drinking.