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Hi,
Last Sunday, my wife Katrien and myself, visited the Dole Brouwers brew tavern again for optimal beery enjoyment.
And .... what a beery enjoyment we got !!
Here's a small report....
Left : Oerbier - Right: Stille Nacht 2011
First, starting with the fresh brewed Stille Nacht 2011, tasted along their flagship, called Oerbier.
Both were available from tap at that moment.
I was surprised to notice that the Oerbier is significant less roasty flavoured today. Before, this beer was more kinda Stout alike.
But see, these days, the Oerbier has become much more mellow, and amazingly more lactic too.
Indeed, the lacticity has become much more accentuated, and gives thte beer a more Oud Bruin (Rodenbach) feeling.
A great brew this is, and yet still evolving into different flavours. I wonder how this beer will taste next year, and that's really the fun about De Dolle Brouwers.
Yet, their quality is always top-notch.
Tasting the new Stille Nacht 2011 immediatly told me that this beer is not the same as last year.
Less harsh, and less lactic. The outcome is a sweeter beer with more honey-ish, malty softness, less dry, i.e. much more rest sugars left.
That's what I really like about their X-mas beer. Still, it would be utterly pleasant if ALL lacticity would be removed.
X-mas beers really do not need yohurt lactic sourness. It's winter time, and malty sweet heavy alcoholic beers should do the winter warming job.
That's my personal view ofcourse, and also my 2 cents.
At the next vintage tasting, that will be held at the 5th. Bruges' Beer Fest, I will open one of those very rare "non-lactic" Stille Nachts.
For details about this vintage: See article An Extraordinary Vintage 1999 Stille Nacht Tasting
A vintage from 1999. Around that period, Stille Nacht was lactic free! Ageing has made it a miracle.
As known, miracles do happen, and this beer will be tasted amongst us BBB-members next February here in Bruges.
You will immediatly know what I meant to say.
It's always a pleasure to visit the brew tavern at De Dolle Brouwers brewery.
The cosy tavern is decorated with great paintings from brewmaster Kris Herteleer.
Suddenly I noticed a new sign on the wall.
A very old commercial from defunct Bruges' brewery Brouwerij Aigle Belgica. (B.A.B)
"EN TOCH IS.. B.A.B. HET FIJNSTE VAN ALLE BIEREN! (AND YET ... B.A.B. IS THE FINEST OF ALL BEERS).
Stille Nacht 2011 - Truely a masterpiece, and one of Belgium's most dense beers! (27°Pl).
A real X-mas treat!
Suddenly !!!!! BIG SURPRISE !!!
Brewmaster Kris Herteleer showed up with some treasures.
Oerbier Special Réserva 2010 ! Wow !
The dark beer was poured into a Cognac shaped tasting glass. The perfect glass to savour this heavenly wood-aged nectar.
Brewed in 2010, and matured for a big one year inside French Bordeaux re-fill wine casks.
As usual, exported again by American importer B.United, which distributed the beer throughout whole USA.
13 vol% strong, which makes it one of Belgium's strongest beers.
The crowncork clearly says: Oerbier Reserva AD 2010
It's interesting to show you a time-line about all De Dolle Reservas made till 2008.
A picture I took in December 2008 at the Dolle brewtavern.
The time-line is made by Kris himself, and was exposed on the wall that period.
It clearly shows when all Reservas were made till that period.
The date that is mentioned on the Reserva labels is always the production or brewing date.
This means that Oerbier Special Reserva 2010 is brewed in 2010, but released in 2011. (one year of wood ageing)
Stille Nacht Special Reserva 2005 for instance is brewed in 2005, but was relleased 18 months later, due to wood ageing.
The same for Stille Nacht Reserva 2000, i.e. produced in 2000, and released 18 months later.
Normally, the Oerbier Reserva range is aged for approx. one year.
The news that this beer would be released soon was written here inside article
A Premature Stille Nacht Reserva 2011 Tasting @ De Dolle Brouwers
Today, readily available.
Nosing and savouring gives immediate woody accents. The Bordeaux barrels have done their job to make the beer woody, tannin rich, and winy.
The lacticity is much more present here. Funky flavoured, with some wild-yeasty accents, similar to the finest Oud Gueuze.
Quite amazing how this Oerbier has evolved into such a complex beauty.
Also, remarkably warming alcoholic, and this really asks for slow and intense savouring.
Nosing also gives flowery estery components, especially just after uncapping the bottle.
But nosing does never give satisfaction. The more you nose, the more flavors develope and do escape that glass. A constant evolution till the glass is empty.
That's what I call "first-degree" beery enjoyment.
And ... iIf you thought that this was the end of the treat, well, then you're wrong.
The apotheose of the afternoon: A taste of the nearly ready Stille Nacht Reserva.
Matured for a full two years on Bordeaux barrels.
This means that this new release will be called Stille Nacht Special Reserva 2009. Indeed, brewed in 2009, and matured for 24 months to be released very soon.
The objective is to bottle into big 75cl volumes, similar to the ever first Stille Nacht Reserva 2000.
Note that ithis is only the third release.
Needless to say how stunned I was when I tasted this beer for the second time !
Second time??? Yes indeed!
I already got a teaser taste last year, remember!
See article: A Premature Stille Nacht Reserva 2009 Tasting @ De Dolle Brouwers
As you can clearly see, the carbonation has disappeared completely.
Last year, some foam was noticed. Today, the beer has become completely flat.
This makes the beer - when tasting - having that remarkable Cognac appearance.
A beer to savour like the finest Cognacs, but IMHO this liquid is so much more delicious and complex.
The Bordeaux woody flavours, the rich amount of alcohol (certainly a 13 vol% beer this is), the flowery estery perfumes, the amber color, and density, makes this beer a most Cognac alike wonder of nature.
I can only express my felicitations towards brewmaster Kris Herteleer for - once again - achieving such a masterpiece of brewing craftsmanship.
TOP this is !
And now it's only waiting for the bottled 75cl version ....
www.dedollebrouwers.be
Cheers,
Filip
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