Spécial De Ryck - Brouwerij De Ryck

Jason

Massachusetts

3.08/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

11.6oz brown bottle with freshness date.

A: Shiny copper color, decent lacing.

S: Slightly musty and buttery, vague fruit and spice with some rustic graininess.

T&M: Nice snap from the crispness, thin maltiness that expresses a very dry grainy tone. Some fruit and spice, all subtle for the most part. Hint of chalky yeast in the middle, finishes very dry.

O: The more I sip this beer the more I think "table beer" though for it to be that I would assume the abv would be lower. Not a very memorable brew but still pretty easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 02:02:59 | More by Jason

InspectorBob

New Jersey

3/5  rDev 0%

05-23-2013 20:44:11 | More by InspectorBob

Ciocanelu

Romania

2.75/5  rDev -8.3%

04-20-2013 12:51:42 | More by Ciocanelu

Elbrownbag

Netherlands

2/5  rDev -33.3%

04-13-2013 19:03:31 | More by Elbrownbag

kristenspaintings

California

4.19/5  rDev +39.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This beer is an excellent example of an ale from Belgium. If you wanted to highlight what you should be looking for, this is it. The head is typical of a beer in Flanders, as is the taste, aroma, color and quality.

Simple put this beer is a very good choice.

The only unfortunate circumstance with this beer is the price. As of the date of writing this (4-3-13), a 11.16fl. oz bottle costs almost 4USD. Due to the European high taxation laws, I bet this beer costs more here than the same product in its native Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 23:29:59 | More by kristenspaintings

IRONRakkasan

California

3.5/5  rDev +16.7%

11-20-2012 07:43:43 | More by IRONRakkasan

AdamP

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +16.7%

10-05-2012 00:37:10 | More by AdamP

GRG1313

California

3/5  rDev 0%

10-01-2012 00:46:24 | More by GRG1313

Jose9e

Netherlands

2.75/5  rDev -8.3%

07-30-2012 14:04:27 | More by Jose9e

rekel

Netherlands

3.5/5  rDev +16.7%

07-05-2012 20:11:15 | More by rekel

SalMineo

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev 0%

06-05-2012 02:11:00 | More by SalMineo

JohnK17

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +16.7%

03-28-2012 16:14:08 | More by JohnK17

halfP1NT

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +31%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a murky, dark honey color with a decent sized, fizzy of head that quickly recedes. Fizzy carbonation.

First aromas are yeast, bread and Belgian spice. Slight caramel sweetness.

First taste impressions are light fruit, sweet caramel and Belgian spices. Distinct Belgian yeast aroma and estery flavors that become more prominent as the beer warms. Hops not really present. Sweetness lingers after each sip.

Medium bodied, low to medium carbonation. The sweetness becomes slightly cloying but overall an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 02:57:18 | More by halfP1NT

BeerArchivist

California

3/5  rDev 0%

11-20-2011 16:57:09 | More by BeerArchivist

Brabander

Netherlands

2.15/5  rDev -28.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2.5

This was a beer for the gutter and i am not a person who pours his beers in the gutter. I bought tis beer last week in Belgium and i wished i didn't.

OPening the bottle it started with a gusher which cost me a third of the contents. The beer is darkyellow with no carbonation and the head disappears fast.

Smell of vomit with sourness. After a few sips we trew this one in the sink. Not worthy.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 16:15:30 | More by Brabander

4000qtrap

Missouri

2.28/5  rDev -24%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Source/Serving: 11.2oz bottle

S: Cinnamon apple sauce. Peppery soap perfume.

T: Semi-sweet apple/pear fruits up front. Fairly sharp acidity and intense carbonation blunts the flavors. Not much hop flavor or grain flavor. Middle is continued fruits along with an iron/metallic twang and earthy phenols that are not terribly enjoyable. Thin body. Finish dries out sharply with a peppery bite and continued metallic unpleasantness.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 22:48:22 | More by 4000qtrap

Halcyondays

California

2.88/5  rDev -4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

33 cL bottle,

A: Pours a nice burnt orange with a fizzy white head, limited retention, no lace.

S: Spiced orange, cardamom, gingerbread.

T: Lemon zest with a lot of bluestone and minerals. Light notes of orange, thin somewhat acidic flavour.

M: Quite thin, spritzy fizzy carbonation dies quickly. Structure is off.

O: Not terrible, but there are tons of better BPAs, this one is just average at best.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 01:54:45 | More by Halcyondays

impending

California

2.63/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

33cl into a tulip. Pours a dull dirty orange, minor dense head subsided fairly quick, large bubbled carbonation.

Mild yeasty fruity aroma.

Nearly devoid of flavor, not worth of trying to describe.

In the realm of pale ales they all tend to be staggeringly unexceptional . . . and this is no exception.
cheers
jd

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 22:51:23 | More by impending

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.38/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle from State Line, best by August 2012. The front label indicates the ABV is 5.5%, the blurb on the back label mentions 5%

Pouring a clear copper with a dense, off-white head with excellent retention that leaves a little lacing, this is a fairly attractive beer. The nose is surprisingly decent given the scores here. Yes, there's a little bit of Splenda-like sweetness, but there's a delicate spice character, mildly peppery and clove-like, with a bit of green hop character as well. It's hard to describe, as there isn't much going on here.

The palate opens with a blend of honey, bread and spices. What dominates, though, is the flavor of bread, rich and grainy with a mild nutty and toffee character. Light in body, this highly carbonated beer is drying on the finish with a slightly watery character. A little spicy and a little hoppy, there's a mild bitterness that lingers. This is neither offensive nor particularly exciting, and for the price, I'd rather drink a Duvel.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 22:15:28 | More by DefenCorps

largadeer

California

3.5/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Brownish-copper body topped by an off-white cap. Retention of said cap is fairly good.

Smell: Crusty whole grain bread. Some plum-like fruitiness from the yeast. A little coriander and sulfur. Not terribly aromatic, the toasted malt scent is most prevalent.

Taste & mouthfeel: Like the nose, there's a ton of freshly baked whole grain bread flavor going on here. Grainy, toasty, somewhat yeasty. It's thin, mild, extremely easy to drink but not particularly characterful. The finish is mild and dry, barely exhibiting any bitterness. There's a slight sulfuric quality buried beneath the malt, and a little spiciness. A decent beer, but I feel it would benefit from a more characterful yeast strain. Then again, as a quaffing beer it's rather nice. Sort of reminds me of an English dark mild ale, only with a Belgian yeast strain.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2011 04:04:36 | More by largadeer

lionchow

California

2.45/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Aroma is slightly metallic and cheesy. Pours quite foamy and effervescent, which increases the not too pleasing aroma.

Flavor is bland. Slight bread, malt, caramel. There is a vague bright yeast note. No bitterness at all.

Overall a fairly bland beer, over carbonated, and what flavors and aroma there were, were not particularly pleasant.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2011 18:47:21 | More by lionchow

DaveHS

California

2.5/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1.5

A-Pours light amber with almost no head, just a thin ring of soapy, bubbly head.

S-Ugh. Smells like stomach acid. Or like vomit after you've drank a carton of orange juice.

T/M-Not much happening here, except for the light bready notes mid-palate. Tastes like bready malts/carbonated water. Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

D-Nope.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2011 00:33:03 | More by DaveHS

benfons

Belgium

2.63/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A: Hazy sunset colour, small but stable head.

S: hops, coriander, malts, there is also something earthy, and some citrus

T: there is something off about his one, there are some hops and malts and a hint of citrus, but there is something unpleasant there that's quite noticeable

M/D: not the right kind of carbonation: too thin; light body ABV is fine

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2011 15:41:14 | More by benfons

rawthar

Pennsylvania

1.48/5  rDev -50.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

One of the only random bottles I picked up in Belgium aside from Christmas brews, I was immediately attracted to the label art, even if the last reviewer didn't like it. Bottle immediately spewed foam after opening, since I stupidly cracked the bottle open less than 24 hours after landing back in the states.

A- Nice thick fluffy white head, a lot of lively carbonation throughout the hazy burnt sunset body.

S- Sharp sour funky bread yeast is intense. Anyone who ever described a saison or a wild ale as smelling like a barn house floor would find that this one takes the cake in the funk category. Like sweat from a horse's taint or even a ripe gorgonzola. I'm not sure whether I find this very good or repugnant.

T- Man, I really wanted to like this...Is this infected, skunked, or just nasty? This is like when you have some nasty chunk of cheese that you forgot about.

M- I just cant go through with continuing to review this.

D- Drain pour.

Damn, this is such a let down, and really has me worried about the condition of all the other beers I brought back from the Bier Tempel. Apologies to De Ryck if this is simply a bad bottle, I'm not sure when/if I'll ever have a chance to try this again, but I would certainly be willing to give it another chance.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2010 02:07:54 | More by rawthar

jeranbrews

New York

2.68/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A - The bottle comes with a nice inviting picture of a castle drawn lovingly by a sixth grader. The bottle is that mixture of green and brown glass.
This beer is super fizzy. Carbonation with some to spare, handle gently before serving. After pour the color was golden wheat with copper tones and had a milky cloudiness along with a reasonable amount of yeast sediment at the bottom of the bottle.

S - The initial smells were malty, yeasty, and complex. I noticed coffee and sweet cake smells in there too. There was a mild hop aroma too. The pleasant malty smells died down after a few min and left the bitter hoppy smell of an IPA

T - Initial taste was sour and yeasty. No detectable malt. The aftertaste was just as strong. Like lemon rinds and used hop leaves. The balance of the beer is waaay off.

M - Little body, some continued burping, but you can't notice the mouth feel at all because of the overly dominate sour aftertaste.

D - The Sourness takes away any possibility of drinking more than 2 bottles of this in one day. This is another variation of the Belgian pale ale that leaves me wondering what the real nature of this style is. Despite the immense overly-sour aftertaste I'd still like to give this beer one more try on-tap.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2009 23:46:35 | More by jeranbrews