Dirty Horse - De Struise Brouwers

cosmicevan

New York

4.3/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

big thanks goes out to GrumpyOldTroll, jbuddle, Sean9689, SpeedwayJim, AgentZero, dtmets84 for sharing in the greatest day of beer that i have ever been a part of. huge thanks to mike for providing this bit of unobtainium.

notes from 1/12/2013

90/10 blend consumed from a de struise tulip glass.

poured a murky maroon almost brown with a thin foamy head that hung out for a bit. smelled rahter musty and fruity at the same time. apples and old berries...tastes pretty great. tart fruit with must. like overripe berries with must and age. tart. really nice lambic, but this is no don quijote. the mustiness is fairly heavy all around this beer. it is very good for a beer that has some 30 year old beer blended in there and it is extremely drinkable and had some really nice fairly bright fruity flavoring as well.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 06:03:23 | More by cosmicevan

Seaba

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +9.6%

02-28-2013 19:08:18 | More by Seaba

jbuddle

New York

4.25/5  rDev -6.8%

01-14-2013 04:32:46 | More by jbuddle

GrumpyOldTroll

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

01-14-2013 02:48:58 | More by GrumpyOldTroll

zach60614

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -6.8%

01-13-2013 00:44:13 | More by zach60614

ChrisPro

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +4.2%

01-08-2013 23:29:52 | More by ChrisPro

coryking

Missouri

4/5  rDev -12.3%

01-08-2013 22:30:38 | More by coryking

mchen

Washington

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

12-16-2012 00:01:32 | More by mchen

Romulux

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

11-11-2012 19:58:24 | More by Romulux

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.08/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from notes, sample from an auction bottle opened at Ebeneezer's summer 2010, thanks for the opportunity Chris!
Pours a lightly hazed light red color with a smallish pink and white head that dissipates quickly. Smells of cherry pie, leather, funk, a bit of lemon and raspberry with a hint of acetic. The flavor is tart with a nice fruity edge to it. Lemons cherries and raspberries meld nicely with a hint of vinegar some leather, oak, and funk. Medium body with a light level of carbonation and a tart puckering mouthfeel. Very nice kriek, it seems to have held up very nicely.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 21:25:51 | More by johnnnniee

Samichlaus82

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cherry pie like aroma; cherry, vanilla, caramel, slight funk, apple and grape. Lots going on in the nose. The flavor is mirrored by the aroma; sweet cherry and fruit notes with some overarching funk to it. Not as funky or sour as I would have expected. Balanced. Overall, am I impressed by this? Yes and no. Yes in terms of how this has held up and the overall experience of getting to drink this. No in the fact that if this was a "new" beer I would have been a little let down. Some carbonation would have been nice. Medium mouthfeel. I find myself saying that I could drink this all day.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 09:37:29 | More by Samichlaus82

SubpoenaDeuces

California

4.75/5  rDev +4.2%

10-20-2012 18:29:28 | More by SubpoenaDeuces

t0rin0

California

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

09-18-2012 23:37:00 | More by t0rin0

camil1mj

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1983 unblended from a vial filled from a growler from Ebenezer's. Shared by Romulux. Never thought a single drop of this beer would pass over my tongue, but the little bit that did was amazing and left me wanting more.

A - Dirty reddish-orange with no head. This may be due to the small amount we had access to.

S - Vinegar and cherries.

T - The cherries are still there and taste great with a wonderful lemony/acidic finish. Not as much funk as described by others.

M - Nice dry mouthfeel.

O - The little bit I had lives up to the hype. Left me wanting more. So great. Big thanks to Romulux for sharing this rare treat.

Serving type: growler

09-10-2012 14:04:20 | More by camil1mj

tarheels86

California

4.25/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

1983 Unblended on Tap pouring at Copenhagen Beer Celebration like boss. Beautiful hazy purple pour with pink foam. Impressive webby lacing. Nose is sharper raspberry. Taste is seedy raspberry, grapefruit peel, big lactic acid, citric acid, zippy all the way. Quenching palate. No acetic. No sweet cherry. Could even be framboise. Excellent. Rich cherries come in and out and provide some amazing complexity- sweet and sour playoff. Amazing. Couldn’t believe this was on tap for hundreds of people. Manna from the gods! 5/12/2012 8/5/8/5/16=4.2

750mL Auction bottle 20/250 courtesy of Urbain. This was of course the beer I looked forward to the most during our sour epic. But this was very disappointing. It pours a beautiful dark pink with a small, white/light pink head. Aroma is stellar: it is probably the best kriek/sour nose I have ever encountered: it is full of cherry pie, wet oak, soft leather, tannic acid, horsey Brett. Very soft nose and refined. Taste is a little bit sweet, slightly medicinal, full of sweet cherries, sour raspberries, and light vinegar/acetic acid. But overall is light-bodied, a bit thin, and not too acidic/tart. 6/8/2010 10/4/7/3/14=3.8

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2012 19:30:54 | More by tarheels86

CypherEnigma

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

09-04-2012 06:19:41 | More by CypherEnigma

birchstick

Missouri

4.08/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Wow. Big thanks to bsuedekum for getting this and sharing!

100% 1983 version

A - pours rustic reddish orange without a head

S - tons of tarts cherries intermingle with a layer of funk; lemony citric lambic is in the mix, along with a little bit of musty blanket and a touch of BO

T - starts off with a boat load of cherries as to be expected. I am surprised just how well the cherries have held up given the age of this beer. The cherries yield to a little bit of sour lambic notes. Ends with a blanket of funk and oddly enough a little bit of grain malt.

M - medium smooth decent carbonation

D - can't believe I had a chance to try this one! Held up fantastically over the years. It's sour, but not Cantillon sour, and the cherries still shine. Thanks again for saving some Blake!

Serving type: growler

09-01-2012 14:15:40 | More by birchstick

Chico1985

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Woahh, 1983 unblended Dirty Horse, wuddup? Thank you Ebenezer's. Poured from a keg to a sampling glass.

Pours maroon, no head, some flecks. A small white ring is formed with some agitation. Fine considering the age.

Nice scent, big cherries and lemon juice.

Taste brings on pretty intense cherry+lemon sourness, some musty basement funk but it's mostly fruity. Some red grapes/red wine presence there as well. Quite fruity+bright considering the age, impressive.

Good mouthfeel, surprisingly lively and drinkable for the age+ABV.

Happy to finally bite the bullet and try this - though it's not quite world-changing, it's very good and you'd probably never guess it was nearly 30 years old.

Serving type: on-tap

08-31-2012 16:51:32 | More by Chico1985

Dudeabide

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +4.2%

08-31-2012 03:13:07 | More by Dudeabide

bsuedekum

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

08-31-2012 00:45:38 | More by bsuedekum

ColdPoncho

Ohio

4.48/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1983, Unblended. like a boss

A - A moderately cloudy garnet body with no head (surprise, surprise).

S - Tart cherries, light vinegar, black pepper, barnyard, gym socks, woody notes. It's a good array of things.

T - An almost spicy tart cherry flavor is up front, with a strong wood presence throughout. There's a touch of salinity, an acetone-like dryness and heat (esp. on the finish).

M - Dry and smooth.

O - I mean...this is a 30-year old lambic, poured from a keg, into a glass, then into a 1.5 ounce vial, and then into another glass at a rather hefty price tag. It's really good, and quite complex (but I haven't though this much about other beers in a while, so it's complexity might not be out of the ordinary). I like it, I'd drink it again.

Serving type: growler

08-29-2012 22:58:07 | More by ColdPoncho

Mark000

Kentucky

4.7/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1983 Unblended Version

Not a bad looking brownish red and definitely hazy. Basically no head except for a tiny ring around edge that is now gone. The musty aroma is there, but the cherry still comes through pretty strong with some barrel. Flavor is slightly sour at first, followed by the cherry and then I get the vinous flavors coming through. It is hanging around between sips and very enjoyable. The feel is pretty thin, but I think it's fitting. Overall very enjoyable. I am very grateful to have been able to try this legend.

Serving type: on-tap

08-29-2012 01:40:02 | More by Mark000

mistakebythelake

Ohio

4.8/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

1983 Unblended version.

Finally able to ride this Dirty Horse. Pours a hazy reddish/brownish color into the Cantillon sherry tasting glass. Little to no head on the pour. A nice cherry, musty, and leathery aroma wafted from my glass that I greatly enjoyed. The taste combined some sour cherries, with a slight lactic souring. Red jammy and dark fruit also present in the taste. Mouthfeel was medium to thin, very smooth and I was surprised at how the carbonation held up. Very drinkable and I was glad I tried this gem. Would like to see how the blended bottle versions are tasting right now for some comparison.

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2012 00:58:24 | More by mistakebythelake

seeswo

Ohio

4.48/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

100% 1983
Pours a slightly clouded reddish color with little head. The nose is slightly musty with sour cherries and a big of barrel. Smell is really nice. The taste shockingly still has a solid presence of cherries. Vinous and slightly sour/funky. Very nice flavor. Age has treated this one well. The mouthfeel is light and low carb. Drinks very easy. Overall, this is a very good one to have tried. The effort at this point might be a little much to justify, but it is a really good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2012 17:16:05 | More by seeswo

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

100% Unblended 1983 keg, finally ponied up and got some this year at Ebenezers.

In small plastic sample cup. Great ruby red with some stuff floating around but not too murky. No head or lace at all.

Aroma has some musty hints like my tent after being in the basement for many months. Big cherries that are nice and sour but seem fresh somehow. Some oak and fruit peels.

Very fruity and vinous. Shows no age to me here besides a hint of cellar must. Oak, cherries, wine, grapes and some acetic as well.

Thinned out most likely from age with low carbs from the keg. Tartness builds nicely to a very good level of acidity combined with the vinegar aspect.

Not overly funky at all but it certainly shows up with some barnyard horse funk. Outstanding and impressive fruit flavors for its age.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2012 14:37:17 | More by cbutova