Rio Reserva - De Struise Brouwers

DavoleBomb

Ohio

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

Poured into a goblet. This was not cheap, but I guess four years in a barrel will do that to a beer.

4.0 A: Moderately hazed light amber color. Not quite a "blonde" quad. One and a half fingers of creamy beige head. Retention is about what you'd expect from a beer this big and a short, incomplete ring of lacing is left.

4.5 S: The nose mainly consists of an interesting interplay between the two barrels used. The wine barrel offers a big sherry fruitiness with mixed berries (raspberry foremost), cherries, and sweet vinous grape. The bourbon barrel contributes a lot of vanilla, earth, melon fruitiness, and a touch of leather. The base beer rounds this out with caramel, plum, figs, and dates. Peppery spiciness. Overall, this is incredibly fruity with all the aromas smoothened out and integrated well. No hints of booze. Lots of complexity here. Well done.

4.0 T: The taste is more of the mishmash of flavors that I was expecting to discover in the nose. Huge fruitiness again doesn't quite get along with the bourbon, but they aren't at odds as much as they could be. Absolutely tons of raspberry, strawberry, vinous grape, and cherry sherry notes. Fig, date, plum, prune, melon underneath. There's even some tobacco and raisin in there as well. Earthy bourbon with leather, vanilla, and some peat. Pepper and a bit of clove from the yeast. Caramel, toffee, a light booze, and a sugary sweetness. Superbly complex, but not everything gets along with each other. Still, quite tasty.

4.0 M: Medium body. Good spritzy carbonation. Good creaminess, but a bit chewier and stickier than I prefer. Smooth enough though.

3.5 D: Very interesting beer that is worth a try. I doubt I'd buy another bottle if I had the chance though, but I'm glad I got this one. The bourbon is a bit at odds with the fruity notes, but at least it's a unique experience.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 22:31:28 | More by DavoleBomb

Sparky44

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1%

06-15-2013 01:27:49 | More by Sparky44

Jeckel

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -16.9%

06-15-2013 00:18:23 | More by Jeckel

drummermattie02

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%

06-11-2013 22:43:49 | More by drummermattie02

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +1%

06-08-2013 15:10:04 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

mrfrancis

Kentucky

4.39/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: On-tap at The Beer Trappe on my most recent visit, this beer poured a gorgeous, dark golden amber with a thin, creamy whitish head that stuck around for some time, eventually settling to leave a modest amount of lace on the sides of the glass.

S: Aromas of white wine, cider apples, maple syrup, grass, caramel, straw, spiced pears, pepper, raisins, figs, dates, and alcohol hit the nose hard. This ale smells very robust and complex. I like it.

T: Notes of maple syrup, caramel, and brown sugar are balanced by flavors of grass, straw, herbs, oak, raisins, figs, dates, sour cherry, ripe plum, pepper, spiced pear, and cider apple. The finish is long, intense, and mellowing with a combination of orchard fruit, oak, and caramel underscored by a swell of alcohol.

M: Medium-to-full in body, dry, and surprisingly gentle in the mouth. Carbonation is firm, but neither spritzy nor prickly. Alcohol is present, but is gentle, only really expressing itself on the nose and finish. Surprisingly easy to drink for such a robust ale.

O: This is easily one of the best beers I've tried this year, and is perhaps one of the best quadrupels I've ever had. The flavors are gorgeously balanced and the alcohol is not so overpowering that it is difficult to drink. The guys at De Struise have really created something marvelous here. Highly recommended to fans of Belgian ales and strong ales in general.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2013 14:36:55 | More by mrfrancis

jtladner

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

06-06-2013 01:54:33 | More by jtladner

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

06-04-2013 19:00:44 | More by Rochefort10nh

Nolen12

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +1%

06-02-2013 15:55:01 | More by Nolen12

barczar

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy medium brown with modest light tan head that lingers as a solid layer of foam.

Raisin, plum, belgian yeast and dark candi sugar are countered by a hint of vinous character to form the aroma. The wine character softens, and caramel and floral notes emerge, along with light phenols.

Decidedly sweet, mapley, initially, the wine character, slightly musty, hits early to counter, segueing into a fairly grassy and toasted bready malt backbone that finishes surprisingly dry. Vanilla and woody notes surface as it warms.

Body is fairly full, smooth, with low carbonation and significant alcohol heat.

Interesting mix of sweet, sharp, savory, and bitter. A little hot, but fairly complex. Somewhat sweet, overall.

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2013 22:24:56 | More by barczar

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.28/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Rio Reserva 2008 on tap at When Pigs Fly. $11 for a 10.5 oz pour. Worth it? I thought so.

In a snifter the beer was the color of maple syrup, with a small tan head that disappeared quickly. A pretty beer.

Boozy aroma. Some vanilla. Fruit.

Bourbon and berries. Oak. A little orange peel. Very flavorful.

A big, boozy heavy hitter. Go slowly with this.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2013 11:00:58 | More by lordofthewiens

campfirebrew

New York

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%

05-25-2013 04:44:09 | More by campfirebrew

TallSaint

New York

4/5  rDev -5%

05-25-2013 01:57:02 | More by TallSaint

ystazi

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-23-2013 21:01:07 | More by ystazi

h0ppster

District of Columbia

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

05-14-2013 16:45:01 | More by h0ppster

jeroen78

Belgium

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-13-2013 14:07:58 | More by jeroen78

ajzy

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-12-2013 21:48:09 | More by ajzy

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

05-11-2013 22:15:50 | More by Rhettroactive

SStein

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-07-2013 07:28:50 | More by SStein

BartMcStout

Belgium

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-01-2013 20:24:01 | More by BartMcStout

sweemzander

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1%

04-28-2013 21:12:19 | More by sweemzander

samEBC

Belgium

4/5  rDev -5%

04-27-2013 20:34:45 | More by samEBC

bsuedekum

Missouri

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%

04-26-2013 20:51:26 | More by bsuedekum

kscaldef

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -16.9%

04-22-2013 05:39:43 | More by kscaldef

bpfrush

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%

04-10-2013 02:06:15 | More by bpfrush