Beer of the Week

De Dolle Brouwers, BE – Dulle Teve, 10 per cent

BASED in Esen, De Dolle Brouwers are one of the more elusive and less well-known Belgian breweries whose products intermittently hit our shelves.

It doesn't help that supplies are limited, deliveries months apart, and often only include one type of beer, but it's always a pleasure to have them on hand.

De Dolle are something of an outlier; perhaps most famous for their Oerbier – a delightful sour brown ale. Ask someone to list some Belgian breweries, and there's a good chance they might not mention these guys.

However, every now and then we manage to get our grubby mitts on something from them that might suit a wider audience, rather than the rather niche funky sour ale, and Dulle Teve is one such beer.

Pouring a dusty amber, this 10 per cent tripel generates a billowing white head of loose, large bubbles that dissipates quickly. The aroma is typified by lemon sherbet and orange zest, with an edge of sharp raspberry purée and a dash of peppery esters.

Initial impressions are reminiscent of a banana split – sweet, chewy banana with a scattering of chopped cashews, held together by a rich toffee sauce.

Recommended by Michael Bates, Trembling Madness, Stonegate, York

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