I tried their Oerbier a few months back and really enjoyed it, so I’m eager to see if this one is as tasty as well.
From the website, dedollebrouwers.be, we find this description of the Dulle Teve.
Dulle Teve means Mad Bitch, but the US government does not like the name, so we said TRIPEL. Is is an all malt brew with white candy in the kettle and refermented. Alc 10 %. Is not meant for aging.
Unfortunately, I have no idea how fresh this beer is, but no matter, I’m going to drink it anyway.
This brew comes in an 11.2 oz. bottle and has an ABV of 10.0%.
The Dulle Teve poured a hazy, murky caramel/brown color with an off white head that was well sized from a super gentle pour. It was kind of soapy and fizzy, but soft and fluffy. The retention time was ok and it left some decent lacing behind for the first little bit. I did notice quite a lot of sediment floating around in the liquid as I held it toward the light however.
The nose on the Dulle Teve presented a wonderful Belgian yeast fragrance. It was very vibrant and pronounced. Additional hints of lemon citrus, caramel apple and coriander. It seemed rather earthy too with a kind of musty and dank (in a good way) hop profile. Added notes of doughy biscuit with only the slightest bit of funk. Overall, well balanced and pleasant.
The taste let loose a powerful flavor of earth, doughy biscuit and yeast. “Browned” apples, lemon citrus and maybe even some soft pear took care of the fruity aspects. Coriander and some spice of pepper held true while a light caramel sweetness and woody undertones played a supporting role. A good amount of bitterness was to be had as well. At 10% ABV, the alcohol was easily noticed and it seemed to dominate the flavor towards the end. It was still rather savory though.
The mouthfeel was medium to darn near full bodied with good carbonation. It was chewy and extremely dry coinciding with a slight bite and roughness. A sting of warmth was felt and tons flavors were left behind after the sip.
This is another very good beer by De Dolle. There was a lot going on here. It was quite strong and forceful though, which made it a tad hard to drink. The alcohol is readily available and I was reserved to taking small sips for the entire drink. It’s definitely worth a try however, because that Belgian yeast aroma and flavor make up for any lack or shortcomings. I would definitely like to try it again that’s for sure. With that being said, if you guys happen to see the De Dolle Dulle Teve (Mad Bitch) at your bottle shop…. pick it up and give it a go. Be sure to let me know what you think about it too.
Thanks for the support everyone and thanks for checking in on another review.
Until next time. Cheers.
Score: 4.15 out of 5
Grade: A-