De Dolle Stille Nacht Special Reserva 2005

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

A typical Belgian Strong Ale. A beautiful muddy red pour with a thin rocky cap that lingers. Caramel, dark fruit, and some spices dominate the aroma. The flavour is similar with hints of molasses in it. A great beer. Note: Taken from notes written in 2006

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Pours with a cloudy, orange-gold body topped by a thick, lasting, off-white head with lots of lacing left behind. It’s slightly sweet yet a touch sour with notes of lemon, a nice maltiness, a subtle bitterness and notes of yeast. Medium bodied, highly carbonated and warming.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Bottle courtesy of FoneFan: Poured a dirty beige yellow color ale with a huge foamy head with great retention and perfect lacing. Aroma of sweet malt with some liquor also noticeable from the barrel-aging. Taste is a mixture between some sweet malt with some notes of brandy or some other sweet liquor. Full body with limited filtration and loads of lees with great carbonation and no apparent alcohol which is quite a feat at 13%. While I thought it was an interesting beer I must admit I was a bit let down and was expecting more.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

NorCal tasting June '07 - Funny, but the way I see it I liked the regular verions of this beer better. Not by much though. Aroma was green apples, bourbon, caramel with a touch of wood. Appearance was a hazy dark amber color with barely any head. Taste was sweet (although less sweeter than the regular) with a light sourness, some vanilla, caramel, green apples and some toffee. It finishes really hot, and it was something that I didn't detect at first, but after multiple sips I really found it. Still, I enjoyed the regular Stille Nacht a bit better.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Hazy pale nutbrown colour, white small head. Aroma is yeast with strong citric and sour fruits. Flavour is sour fruits along with some spices, plum and mild honey. A bit alcohol is present also, but fits the whole well. Will do with aging.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Poured a cloudy amber color with good head and lacing. Aroma was much like bourbon vanilla and woody. Flavor was of light fruits lots of apples. Mouthfeel could have been a little more was a little thin.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Poured an amber murky color, small head, but really good lacing, good small head retention. The aroma was woody, oaky, vanilla, bourbon or some other liquor (vinous?). The flavor was apples, bananas, grapes, vanilla, oak, only light yeast, much less cloying than the regular stille nacht. Mouthfeel wasn't that cloying, somewhat thin for the style, pretty good stuff. I like it. Thanks to Robert of State Line for hooking me up here!

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

Poured a hazy amber color with a small, off white head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of brett, some banana, sour cherry, green apple, brown sugar, with some yeast, and bordeaux wood. Taste was sweet, with vanilla, caramel malts, vinous, light sourness, and yeast, and a pronounced alcohol backbone. Thanks Jon!