Riegele ‘Dulcis 12’ Belgian Strong Ale

Rating:

“The harmonious taste of Dulcis 12 arises from the light sweetness of honey and a 12-month second fermentation process with Trappist yeast.”

Glassware: Half Stein.

Appearance: Kinda hazy golden amber pour with a wispy white overlay. The head disappears rather quickly and produces little lacing. Quite a fair bit of suspended sediment as well.

Aroma: It’s extremely sweet but as any good and well respected German brewery will do…they’ve balanced it impeccably. Rich notes of honey, lilac and boiled candy lift out of the glass. Following closely behind are distinctly yeasty notes of banana liqueur, clove and stewed apple/pear. Light caramel sweetness, overripe orange and black pepper add to and further fill out this impressive aroma.

Flavour: Oh wow! It’s like a lovechild between a Belgian Tripel and a Weizenbock. It’s jam-packed with spicy phenols and honey but then it’s layered with a tonne of other flavours like boiled candy, caramelised orchard fruits, honeysuckle, oriental spice and ripe orange citrus. The finish is pretty much an extension of the rest of the beer. With good length as well.

Mouthfeel: Unbelievably smooth for its size (11% ABV). Kinda sticky, chewy texture, perfectly carbed. Medium body.

Overall: A very interesting beer. Super sweet yet spicy and fruity. Belgian yet still somewhat German. All in all it’s a very respectable drop.