Canaster Winterscotch Ale - KleinBrouwerij De Glazen Toren

Metalmonk

North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bought very recently (Bestway in Greensboro, NC) but this was bottled on Dec. 3, 2007, so it has a little over 4 years of age on it. Comes in a neat paper wrapper, which sort of sold me, but really I was just looking to try a Belgian that was new to me. (btw, this bottle says 9.5% Alc/Vol.)

Pours a crackling dirty-white/light-tan head. Starts huge each pour, dies quickly each pour. And I'm pouring a little at a time as this is one of those that, while not a gusher, sees the foam rising in the bottle like a thing possessed. Color is an opaque, milk chocolaty dark brown.

Aroma is potent, and reminds me of how blown away I used to get when I was discovering Belgians years ago. Candied dark fruits (raisin, date); super-earthy yeast (but not funky); mineral hints; holiday/pie/sweet spices. And so ridiculously Belgian.

I wonder if the beer has lost something over the years? I "get" the basic taste profile, but it all seems a bit washed out, or pale, or distant somehow. Just traces of everything the big aroma promises (the dark fruit; the yeast; the mineral; the spiciness). Not overly sweet, and really pretty balanced all around, except for the too-dominant mineral taste. It's even good, just seems to lack that pizzazz of a truly great Belgian Strong Dark Ale.

Same with the feel, which is bubbly with spritz, but generally feels a little on the thin side. It's nothing terribly detrimental, although something a little rounder and slightly thicker would have probably helped the taste.

It's really the nose that impresses me most on this, and though the taste is fine, the fact that it doesn't quite follow through with the energy and liveliness of the aroma makes it less memorable in the end. Glad to have tried it.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 22:47:56 | More by Metalmonk

mrfrancis

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

06-18-2013 14:13:02 | More by mrfrancis

samEBC

Belgium

4/5  rDev +3.1%

04-28-2013 07:19:54 | More by samEBC

yankeepride

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

This may be the LOUDEST beer I've ever poured. It came out super-fizzy, but not like champagne. It had that clingy-bubbly behavior like when root beer gets poured over ice cream. It was crackling and popping in the glass for a while, but eventually settled down into that typical deep caramel I expected to see. Smell is by far the worst of my senses, but I could smell almost nothing at all off of this one. Really enjoyed the flavor, with just enough sweetness without an overbearing texture to go perfectly with our venison-and-onions dinner.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 00:54:18 | More by yankeepride

schopenhauerale

British Columbia (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

03-31-2013 03:56:54 | More by schopenhauerale

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.74/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Petrus glass on 12/30/12

The appearance is a cloudy brown with caramel highlights. The head is fizzy and rises quickly to three fingers before deflating leaving lace in the shape of flames flicking up the side of the glass.

The aroma is welcoming. Notes of grassy and slightly herbal hops, biscuit dust, pastry crust and apple pie drizzled in caramel. Hints of grapes and figs.

This doesn't taste like I was expecting. The hops are strong and have a spicy, herbal presence. Malts aren't hurting, what with bread, caramel and toasted sugars and all, but overall this is drier than I would have expected. Hints of pepper. The hops exhibit more grassiness after a while. Faint fruit notions.

The feel is on the high side of medium (though at times it seems watery); the body is a little slick and sugary but not overly so. Carbonation is high but settles to a moderate level. The finish is spiced and dry.

All in all, Canaster took me by surprise; I reckon that was easy to do since I had no particular expectations. This is probably worth a shot if you like semi-sweet, spicy/herbal things. I didn't let it chill in the fridge very long, which was a good idea.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 05:43:14 | More by Ryan011235

Thorpe429

Illinois

4/5  rDev +3.1%

02-04-2013 15:29:48 | More by Thorpe429

Radome

Spain

3.96/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Served from a 750 ml bottle bought in Brussels.

A - The beer was attractively packaged in wrapping paper, but when I unwrapped it, I was dismayed to see that the beer had leaked a bit from below the cap. The leak was dried and obviously old. There was still a good carbonation when it was opened, so maybe the beer's ok. I had stored it in my cellar on its side since buying it, so there should not have been any environmental problems to cause the leak. The beer is an opaque, murky, deep brown. The head is off-white, very fluffy and thick.

S - The aroma is all about malt. Toasty biscuits, graham crackers, molasses, prunes and figs. But there is also a crisp earthy hop aroma in the finish that adds complexity. There is a metallic smell that I'm not sure should be there, maybe a result of the cap leak. No obvious notes from Belgian yeast.

T - The malt dominates again, with bready, Munich malt flavor, prunes/raisins/figs and brown sugar or molasses notes. Like the aroma, there is a hit of earthy hops late in the palate that breaks the sweetness and adds complexity. A hint of alcohol in the background. No noticeable yeast characteristics. This beer does have a taste profile similar to a Scotch ale, rather than a typical Belgian Dark Strong Ale.

M - Thick, creamy body. Tingly carbonation. A hint of alcohol burn. Medium hops bitterness.

O - This is an enjoyable strong Scotch-type ale. I was worried I had a ruined bottle when I saw the "leakage", but it turned out well. I would be interested to see if an undamaged bottle would be even better. I marked down the appearance score because of the cap problems, but otherwise I scored this one pretty highly.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 22:05:50 | More by Radome

BrewasaurusREX

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

12-23-2012 21:41:08 | More by BrewasaurusREX

CookstLiquor

British Columbia (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml bottle. This oddly named Belgian beer pours a deep reddish brown with a tannish head. The nose on this all about huge fruit flavours--banana, straberries, apples. It's pretty amazing. Good carbonation leads to a nice earthy, chocolatey brown sugar taste with a slight bite of hops on the finish. It's a little boozy, but a nice winter warmer.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 18:46:38 | More by CookstLiquor

t0rin0

California

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

10-17-2012 03:18:30 | More by t0rin0

JAHMUR

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

10-13-2012 18:21:26 | More by JAHMUR

beerpadawan

California

4/5  rDev +3.1%

08-27-2012 18:38:24 | More by beerpadawan

nickfl

Florida

4/5  rDev +3.1%

05-22-2012 23:37:36 | More by nickfl

kylehay2004

Florida

3.88/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: half finger head on a clear amber and red body with excellent lacing.

S: a little tart dark fruit and some caramel malts.

T: yeasty with musty dark fruit with mostly strawberry and blueberry predominating. Some caramel malts.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: not quite full enough but very flavorful and well balanced.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2012 03:19:59 | More by kylehay2004

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.35/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a super effervescent auburn with 3+ fingers of tan head. Good lacing & average head retentions, really murks up towards the end

S: Sour notes, not much else, some green apple peels show as the yeast is mixed in from the bottom of the bottle

T: Brown bread, caramel & a touch of phenols up front. Faint woody hop notes as this warms, slight sourness, cherries, brown sugar & dryness. Finishes dry with sour Bourbon/Peaty Scotch notes, cherries & faint figgyness & green apple peel

MF: Thinnish with over carbonation. Starts to thicken up as this warms, carbonation drops way off too

An alright Belgian dark, I was hoping for more

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 02:28:00 | More by russpowell

Vylo

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +16%

03-30-2012 23:11:25 | More by Vylo

Doppelbockulus

Florida

4.38/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very hazy brown color. There is a lot of yeast present which made opening the bottle very interesting. I only opened the cap enough to hear the fizz and poured the whole beer that way to avert a foam over, and there was still a ton of foam.

Aroma includes syrupy pancakes and fruit. The character suggests a lot of grape and grain, though I am pretty sure there were no grapes used in the brewing of this beer. There is even a little melon in the smell.

I find the flavor very pleasing. The flavor has a caramel sweetness combined with a touch of tart and very mild spice character.

Mouthfeel is surprisingly flat, but when pouring a beer through a cap to avoid a disaster much of the carbonation will go away. This isn't a bad thing though. The beer has a little tingle left and is very soothing and smooth.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 01:18:04 | More by Doppelbockulus

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.78/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Nice paper wrapped caged and corked bottle poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a very dark red amber, nearly black. Carbonation caused a massive gusher out of the bottle. Filled glass with foam, then was able to pour a decent half glass. Massive medium light brown head leaving foam and lacing. Very spicy almost mineral-like aroma, with faint dark malt and dark fruit. Flavor follows; caramel malt, dark fruit and lots of spicing, dominated by very high carbonation. The flavor is suprisingly mild and finishes abruptly with a mineral water component, probably because of the active carbonation. Body if light to medium. I have to wonder if a bottle without the overactive carbonation would be deeper in flavor. I have to knock off points for that. The main flavors are pleasant, the finish not as satisfying. An acceptable strong dark that I would try again hoping for a less active one.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 04:20:29 | More by LiquidAmber

Beertracker

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev +3.1%

01-27-2012 16:23:58 | More by Beertracker

clayrock81

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a brownish body with offwhite head and lace patches all over. Usual aroma - floral, citric hopiness w/ predominant orange/dark fruit aromas mixing with a solid yeast/wheat twang and touches of spice/sweetness. A somewhat maligned beer but if it's winterale to warm you up then it did it's job; a medium-bodied, albeit slightly syrupy, beer with a good fluffiness/mouthfeel from yeast as well as minor caramel and candi sugar sweetness. Also, good fruit flavors ranging from sweet fruit to citrus and a very minimal hop bite. The spices are strong, real strong, and the unique part of this beer. I enjoyed this beer, but if it were possible I'd give it a 3.75 for taste; it's just a cut below the rest (the price doesn't help, either).

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 21:51:32 | More by clayrock81

johnnybelgians

New York

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

01-23-2012 00:28:27 | More by johnnybelgians

MeisterSmudge

Indiana

4/5  rDev +3.1%

01-16-2012 11:15:30 | More by MeisterSmudge

Stoutsman

Kansas

2/5  rDev -48.5%

01-14-2012 22:04:51 | More by Stoutsman

bonbini26

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +3.1%

01-12-2012 17:45:38 | More by bonbini26