Cuvee Angelique - KleinBrouwerij De Glazen Toren

clayrock81

Virginia

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a light brownish body w/ massive head that dies slow and leaves a lace ring. Typical yeast smell I associate w/ Belgians but also a mild sweet malt smell as well as nuttiness (thanks to yeast) and a touch of tart fruit. Real smooth and creamy, a lighter body for a dubbel than I am used to. The fruit flavos like sour apple or pear and a touch of orange/citric are somewhat muted behind sugary sweet caramel and even some syrupy sticky sweetness. The yeast and carbonation make it easy to drink and crips/lively on the backend, and it is pretty well-balanced. I enjoyed this dubbel but found the flavor profile more maltythan balanced and while a damn good sipper just not my favorite.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2011 16:22:54 | More by clayrock81

thepeter

United Kingdom (England)

4.4/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Hazy Light Amber in color, short head that went away yo film fairly quickly.

S - Got some grape, dark fruit, some musty funk, and booze

T - So much going on with this beer. Lots of competing flavors. Not as sweet as I expected but certaily a brown sugar toffee element, I also got some wood adn what I would have called a Bretty flavor. Nice hop bite in the middle and a smooth dry bready finish that left little aftertaste and was just really great.

M/D - Medium to light bodied beautiful dry finish which made this extremely drinkable.

A very complex and wonderful Dubbel
I should add that this bee was about 2 years old.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 18:19:04 | More by thepeter

NittanyBeerFan

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at TJ's. Poured into a deep and thin tulip glass.

A mostly-clear body that is a coppery and garnet combination in color. The head is about 1-finger deep. The body glows in the light. Lacing is minimal, pretty much non-existent.

The aroma is more complex and inspiring than was the appearance. The bouquet is deep and complex. Dark fruity esters of figs, dates, and raisins. There is also dry cocoa powder that comes through with caramel malt, and it culminates is a tart cherry finish. The taste is similar, with a bit more emphasis on the tart characteristics of the cherries. There are also toffee flavors that interject themselves into the middle of the palate.

The consistency is medium with an appropriate medium level of carbonation. As a result, the feel is good, overall. There's something about this dubbel that keeps me from getting overly excited about it. It could just be that I have been spoiled my the trappist renditions of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2011 01:13:04 | More by NittanyBeerFan

augustgarage

California

4.15/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Been looking for this for quite almost a year, happy to finally run across a couple bottles. The last of the "regular" De Glazen Toren offerings, I'm excited to finally try this.

Bottled on February 23rd, 2010. Poured from a capped 750mL bottle into my Trappist Westvleteren goblet.

A careful pour fills the chalice half-full of rocky active foam none the less. When the beige head settles down a bit, you can observe the glossy liquid, coppery and not quite clear with ochre highlights. Massive lacing takes the form of three dimensional figures dancing and fighting one another aginst the sides of the glass surrounding a may-pole like mound of merengue.

Brown sugar, English biscuits or graham crackers, vague maple, in the nose, followed by bready yeast notes and a light yet complex hoppiness. Spiced fig spread is suggested with the esters as well.

Mildly tart palate entry - like berries submerged in sourdough/buckwheat starter. Phenolics come out in force with the next sip - the yeast and malt working together to hint at black pepper, coriander, clove, and more. "Old attic" and aspirin notes are in there as well. Very low grassy bitterness fades into jammy alcohol notes (more currant than raisin though) and a dry-ish yet still quite malty finish with a touch of leather. Unique and flavorful.

Medium-bodied, quite effervescent, soft mouthfeel. Lightly warming.

Delicate but delicious - superbly crafted (like all their ales), yet distinct from other examples of the style. Well worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2011 03:41:51 | More by augustgarage

Brent

Kentucky

4.22/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Packed with dark fruit (raisin, fig, prune, date) and dark sugar (brown sugar, raw cane sugar, molasses, sorghum) - quite a bit of complexity, almost a cacophony. Some alcohol pepper bite at the finish. I'm giving a good drinkability score, but still a beer best enjoyed in small quantities.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2010 13:55:19 | More by Brent

KickbacksSteve

Florida

4.88/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at Kickbacks Gastropub in Jax. Poured into a small snifter. Huge, frothy off-white head leaving sticky and soapy lacing. Aroma is dominated by sweet raisins, molasses and brown sugar. Taste features malt sweetness, dates, raisins....and....something is missing...oh yeah...alcohol! 8.3% ABV and it is perfectly masked. Delicious, easy to drink, smooth in every way and hard to find a flaw.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2010 07:55:22 | More by KickbacksSteve

jrallen34

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -26.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On tap at the Map Room into a tulip...Pours a medium iced tea brown with red highlihgts. A light tan head with ok retention but great lacing. A very creamy head...The aroma ia light faint hint of dark fruits and inverted sugar, some spices as well, with a hoppy finish...The taste is super weird for the expectation of getting a dubbel, this is certaily not a traditional interpretation. It has a little dark fruits and figs, but its spciy and to me lightly sour.

This is a new take on a dubbel which if you want to explore give it a try. If you want a traditionalesque trappist dubbel stay far away from this.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2010 13:19:41 | More by jrallen34

FreshHawk

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Burnt orange brown/amber color with a huge, thick, creamy, sticky off-white head. Extremely thick with a meringue or marshmallow fluff like texture. Excellent retention with a thick creamy lacing left.

S - Well spiced with a good amount fruity esters and a strong orange presence. Caramel malt is strong along with some candi sugar and very minimal yeast aroma.

T - Sweet candi sugar and caramel and spiced bready malt base. Strong orange citrus presence as well along with a mix of golden and dark fruit. Much more golden fruit than other Dubbels I have had, and generally on the side of lighter flavors for the style. Also more pale/lighter malt flavors with graininess and breadiness, and not as much dark malt kind of flavor. Just faint hints of hop bitterness.

M - Medium body with a lot of carbonation. Zesty feel, but once it settles it is quite smooth and has a lasting stickiness to it.

D - Very drinkable. Alcohol is well hidden and the flavors are well balanced. Not overly strong and the flavor has a bit of a subtlety to it.

Notes: Bottled 12, Sep. 2009. A very enjoyable beer that isn't as dark as other Dubbels, but it still fits the style. Well spiced and a good amount of fruit (particularly orange, apple, pear, and raisin) and a nice bready malt with plenty of caramel/toffee. Easy to drink and enjoyable; definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2010 20:53:41 | More by FreshHawk

JamnesCameron

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 750 ml bottle into a St. Feuillien goblet.

A - poured with a big fluffy white head that spills over the rim of the glass. Beer has an orangey cloudy glow.

S - Aromas of sweet malt, toffee, and figs

T - First sip is of toffee, figs and a slight alcohol burn. The burn becomes more pronounced as the beer warms in the glass.

M - Mouthfeel is medium, mouth coating, but not cloying. Becomes dry toward the end of the sip.

D - Drinkability is dangerous at 8% and it sneaks up on you toward the end of the first glassful.

Very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2010 00:38:36 | More by JamnesCameron

ToasterChef

Maine

4.1/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from my notes. Served in a goblet as part of the Lion's Pride Belgian Beer Festival. This dubbel has a light brown/dark orange hue with a think skim of off-white bubbles. There is a bit of a coat that clings to the walls of the glass as I swirl the beer around. There is a bit of Belgian yeast in the aroma, but mostly I smell sweet and sour apples. I like it a lot. The flavor is crisp and slightly sour. I can taste green apples. I think I could also taste some caramel malts. It also had a slight nuttiness. The body was of medium intensity and there was a good amount of sharp carbonation that played on my tongue. It left a slight coat, but nothing too big. I found it to be pretty drinkable. There was a tartness to the aftertaste that may be a limiting factor as one approaches the end of a bottle. This would be an excellent beer to split with a friend, especially if you were both fans of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2010 13:25:48 | More by ToasterChef

sjccmd

Minnesota

4.53/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on February 4th 2008, the wrapping says that it is best before 2 years after the bottling date...so I just missed it...

Pours light brown/ruby red. Decent sized, slightly fizzy, off white/light tan head that fades quickly. Lacing slides down the glass.

The smell is pretty amazing. Sweet, rich spice cake. Candied dark fruits. Brown sugar, cinnamon, figs, dates, raisins, and maple syrup.

The taste begins sweet like the smell but is countered with dry and spicy flavors. Cardamon, ginger, and cinnamon with a good amount of roasty flavors. The alcohol is subtle but has a nice spicy warmth.

It has a medium body with pretty low carbonation, but it's dry enough that it doesn't feel lagging.

Complex fruit and spice flavors, with a good amount of sweetness might inhibit the drinkability, but the finish is surprisingly dry which makes it quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2010 17:49:01 | More by sjccmd

ATPete

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml paper wrapped bottle

Pours a warm honey/golden yellow color with a cinnamon brown head that leaves some sticking. That classic De Glazen Toren yeast note first greats the nose a nutty malt aroma rises up as well. Very highly carbonated, explosive in the mouth without becoming a nuisance. Great malt structure, caramelized brown sugar comes to mind although i dont think they brew with candi sugars although i could be mistaken. Full to medium in body with a dry finish. A unique representation of the style from a brewery that is quickly becoming one of my favorite Belgian houses.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2010 22:54:36 | More by ATPete

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Inflatablechair brought this over a long while back.... reviewed from notes... Thanks Sam!

Pretty big gusher.. foamy pour produced a hazy brown brew with a 3 finger head.

Nose is big raisin and caramel.. quite a bit of fruity esters remind me of bananas and dried cherries.

Flavor mirrors the nose with a nice spike of cloves... lesser caramel.. minerally .. body is fairly big and carbonation is even bigger.

Thanks Sam... I need to take better notes.

3.5/4/4.5/3.5/3.5

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2010 08:03:24 | More by JohnGalt1

peabody

Kentucky

4.15/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours out kinda murky after all the fizz left. Man be careful opening this baby up.
Lots of suds and great big bubbles with lacing and creamy heaping mounds.
Smell is coriander and bread pudding and fig and plum. Very spicy.
Taste is a little dirty but sweet enough for the bitterness. Could have more in the flavor catagory.
Mouthfeel is not at all sticky and the bitterness leaves a spicy aftertaste.Great aftertaste here. Wonderful
Drinkability is only OK but if this were offered in keg form I would love it.
All in all not a bad dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2009 23:42:51 | More by peabody

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Murky brown with a few fingers of bubbly tan head that stays for a bit before it settling to a thin later of foam.

S - Caramel, dark fruits, whole wheat crackers, spice with some yeasty notes.

T - Toasted wheat bread, toffee and caramel, dark fruits of raisins, plums and figs. Some spicy and yeasty flavors. A little leather and funk as it warms.

M - On the light side of medium with bubbly carbonation and a dry finish.

D - Easily drinkable, complex and smooth for the 8%+ abv.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2009 02:02:06 | More by brewcrew76

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appears a hazy, murky brown with a light tan head that quickly fades into a mild cap.
Smell is of raisins, prunes, figs, grapes, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, mushrooms, and yeasty bread.
Taste is of aromas with a standout earthiness and fruity raisin bread. Just a mild smack of bitter hops comes through.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, sticky, sweet, with fruit, and vanilla lingering. Mild citrus along the palate too.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2009 01:26:16 | More by weeare138

Travlr

District of Columbia

4.33/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Medium dark cloudy chestnut color with a brisk coca-cola type head that rises rapidly and falls quickly, but then sticks around. Aroma of toffee, raisins and scotch with lots of malt apparent. Tstes at first like butterscotch candy without too much sweetness, then develops an edge os pepper and spice, finally finishing with a lightly hopped bitterness. Very nice example of the style, more spiced than most.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2009 00:25:23 | More by Travlr

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark hazy chestnut brown color with a huge frothy three finger frothy, pillowy tan head. Good retention, slowly fading to a lasting cap that leaves chunks of soapy lacing in it's path.

Spicy roasted malt aroma with hints of peppery zest, chocolate, caramel, coffee and toffee. Dark fruit notes, mostly plum and dark berries.

Roasted malt flavor with hints of dark chocolate, cherry, plum, raisin and fig. Slightly carbonated up front with a creamy body, sweet estery dark fruit and a sweet yet bitter dry finish. Alcohol is extremely well masked and the ABV is almost undetectable. Dangerously drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2009 03:53:31 | More by corby112

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml wrappered bottle, big thanks to grub for sharing this one.

Pours a hazy dark brownish orange, huge and thick off white head forms, massive and climbs up the glass, tons of lacing sticks, great retention, looks pretty good.

Smell is nice, sweet and spicy, heral, candi sugar, very fruity, raisins, grapes, alcohol, lightly funky, earth and leather, bread, floral, very interesting.

Taste is similar, sweet up front, iron, caramel, bread, spices, very herbal, funky, some brown and candi sugar, yeast, grapes and raisin, pretty neat.

Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with medium to high carbonation, feels pretty full, nice body to it. Pretty drinkable and interesting dubbel, I liked it. Thanks Russ!

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2009 16:50:11 | More by Viggo

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a deep hazy amber color ale with huge foamy head with perfect retention and good lacing. Aroma of caramelized malt with candi sugar and some fruity ester. Taste is also dominated by some fruity ester which are well mixed with Belgian caramel malt and light residue of candi sugar. Body is quiet full with perfect carbonation and no signs of the alcohol. Not overly complex but well done nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2009 02:20:05 | More by Phyl21ca

grub

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

got this one in a recent trade with rgtravers. thanks ryan!

750ml bottle. bottled feb 14 2008.

bottle opens with a good pop. pours hazy dark orange with a thick fluffy tan head. the bulk of the head falls quickly, leaving chunky lace behind, but maintains a a steady layer on top of the beer.

aroma is good. at first it seemed a touch funky, but it has now faded to a more typical dubbel character. light alcohol. caramel and dark fruit. light belgian spice. bit of lemon. whole wheat bread. cracker. bit of malt vinegar. horse blanket and old leather.

taste is good. light alcohol. leather and horse blanket. dark fruit - date, raisin, plum. caramel. bit of belgian spice. medium-low bitterness level. whole wheat bread. bit of biscuit. grain. definitely seems like there's some brett in there drying it out and giving it the light funky character.

mouthfeel is good. medium-light body with a nice light funky dry finish. medium-high carbonation level.

drinkability is good. nice balance, hiding its alcohol pretty well. light on the palate from the bit of funk. not your typical dubbel, but good stuff!

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2009 23:11:59 | More by grub

drabmuh

Maryland

3.68/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beer served on draft at a local beer in D.C. Served in a tulip glass. It is an attractive beer. Amber / brown / red, white head, sweet and sour smell (almost flanders). Lacing on the glass (not that I care) head falls away quickly as the beer is consumed. Flavor is boring, nothing really to report. A little sour, not much sweet, no bitterness, no alcohol. Overall drinkability is high and mouthfeel is good. The flavors are not complex but it is a good tasting / feeling beer. I can see why this is rated so high.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2009 04:39:45 | More by drabmuh

mwilbur

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 750 mL bottle into snifter. The paper wrapper says it was brewed and bottled on 14 Feb 2008.
A: Large amount of carbonation causes this to rush out of the bottle upon opening (and before actually pouring...yikes!). Luckily I had my glass at the ready. Pours a cloudy blood orange with large 2-3 inch off white billowy head that finally settles after several minutes with good retention.
S: Nice citrus and floral notes, candi sugar, and faint belgian spice and alcohol.
T: Mild and sweet citrus hops, candi sugar, belgian spice...follows aroma fairly closely. It's good, but I wish there was a bit more here...taste is a bit thin.
M: Medium body and effervescent (the carbonation does finally calm down after opening and pouring). Pleasant feel.
D: Not your typical dubbel, that's for sure. I like it, but if you're looking for a more traditional take look elsewhere. This is sweeter, lighter, and more citrusy. A good summer brew in fact. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2009 04:11:21 | More by mwilbur

bluemoonswoon

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Had a minor emergency with this beer, exploded all over the place, never seen so much come out of the bottle before it got into the glass.

The color is something else, a nice burn umber, a deep brown cherry with amber and toasty brown chestnut, this is sort of getting out of hand but this beer really does have a nice glow to it and some very impressive head retention and fluffiness to say the least.

Aroma is really fascinating, incredibly fruity, like I've had lambics that were less fruity than this beer is. Sour cherries, vanilla, oak, raspberries, sweet toasted bread. Nothing dominates, everything is in perfect harmony but nothing feels pulled back or reined in, the aroma, every bit of it, hits you with its entire weight, it doesn't beg for your attention its daring your not to stare (with your nose, i'm sorry that's sort of a bad use of imagery). Fucking good!

Oak, toasty bread, insanely toasty, nutty finish, fruity but not so much as the aroma would indicate, little bit of a horsey tartness coupled with a dry finish, very dry. Mouthfeel is off the charts, full bodies, crisp and dances on the tongue.

This is a wonderful beer apart from the explosion at the beginning, complex, powerful and distinguished a class act all the way.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2009 04:13:13 | More by bluemoonswoon

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.43/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Glowing blood orange that is polished gem-like when the goblet is backlit with sunshine. Abundant carbonation has produced three full fingers of pastel gold foam following a gentle pour. The head doesn't have a great deal of character, but it develops some rockiness during the descent. A lack of stickiness hurts a little.

The aroma is impressive. Since the styles are somewhat similar, it isn't surprising that this dubbel also smells like a BSDA. The yeast esters are especially spicy, to go along with the usual notes of medium-dark fruit and caramel. This might be the best of the KleinBrouwerij De Glazen Toren brews yet.

The flavor is all kinds of impressive as well. It has only taken one mouthful to tell me that Cuvee Angelique is one of the most flavorful, most complex dubbels that I've had in quite some time. Good thing I still have about 720 ml to go. Once the carbonation settles a bit, my other sock doesn't have a chance in hell.

Time and warming deliver even more boldness, more spiciness and more depth of flavor than initially thought. The lineup includes toasted brown bread, English toffee, ripe figs, bitter black tea leaves and a massive amount of clove and black pepper spiciness. This offering is (or was... it might no longer be brewed) released every year in honor of Mother's Day, but it's definitely a manly brew. No offense intended to the fairer sex.

The borderline excessive carbonation calms down before too long, though it never does impart the creamy voluminousness that I expect from all world-class Belgian beer. Still, it isn't far off. Maybe I just need to slow down even more and give the bubbles time to dissipate.

Neither Ondineke Oilsjtersen Tripel nor Canaster Winterscotch Ale (although both are fine beers) prepared me for the magnificence that is Cuvee Angelique. This is one of the best versions of this style that I've ever had, so I'm not surprised to see that it has gotten a good bit of love on this site. Bottom line: delightfully delicious and dangerously drinkable dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2009 21:31:49 | More by BuckeyeNation