Cuvée Van De Keizer Blauw (Blue) - Brouwerij Het Anker

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

4.4/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

11.2 oz bottle (2011 vintage) into a Duvel tulip.

A: Pours a hazy dark brown color. The head is a one finger light cream color with nice texturing around the edge of the glass. Retention isn't that good, unfortunately, but lacing is attractive but sparse.

S: There's a strong aromatic bouquet of raspberries and chocolate, with underlying notes of cream, crisp pears, toffee, brown sugar, honey, and lavender. I really love inhaling this beer, there's so much here to take in and enjoy.

T: Sweetness explodes on the tongue right from the get go - chocolate and malted milk balls dominate the palate initially. It sounds like this will be hella sweet. Luckily, this features the hallmark of most great BSDAs, that being impressive balance to help tie together the great flavors. Some earthy, flowery hops will try to nudge into the flavor profile midway through, while the finish is (balanced) alcohol, honey and tart dark fruits. The complexity is something you can really chew through and analyze while remaining a delicate, subtle suggestion.

M: As a nitpick, this beer sits a bit too heavily on the palate. Otherwise, it's a silky smooth beer that's clean as a sheet, but with a great residual aftertaste. A little boozy, but nowhere near harsh on the palate. Not quite as carbonated as it seems initially - but maybe that's because I let it rest for about 15 minutes.

O: Wonderfully crafted yet immensely enjoyable. Right up there in the same conversation as Rochefort 10 and St. Bernardus 12 in my mind.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 03:19:49 | More by ThisWangsChung

Knuckles_Nuclear

Missouri

3.25/5  rDev -24.6%

06-15-2013 22:08:04 | More by Knuckles_Nuclear

Lare453

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -13%

06-14-2013 12:38:11 | More by Lare453

Thomas_Picton

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -13%

06-13-2013 22:45:58 | More by Thomas_Picton

Mcvs1507

Indiana

4/5  rDev -7.2%

06-12-2013 00:39:32 | More by Mcvs1507

JammyV

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

06-11-2013 01:55:18 | More by JammyV

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.91/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bottle opened on 6.4.13
2012 Vintage

A - Pours a very dark ruby-black with a foamy dark tan head with good retention.

S - Spices, Belgium yeast, cola-like.

T - Tart, spicy, earthy. Belgian - plum colas.

D - Good carbonation with a mediumb body.

O - A touch of tartness adds a twist to the Belgian spices and earthiness.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 05:14:59 | More by HuskyinPDX

jburchett

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +16%

06-08-2013 03:33:43 | More by jburchett

ripweblo

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -18.8%

06-07-2013 20:16:25 | More by ripweblo

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.21/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Appearance. Pours a clear, deep amber-brown with a finger of off-white, maybe light khaki head.

Smell. Spicy belgian yeast, demerara sugar and tobacco, caramel, and some raisins and candied cherries.

Taste. Raisins and brown sugar, belgian yeast, tobacco, cloves, and caramel. Very nice.

Mouthfeel. Fuller body, medium carbonation, just a bit sticky.

Overall. Much better than I expected it to be. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2013 02:48:41 | More by Rutager

dctriman

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -18.8%

06-05-2013 22:17:32 | More by dctriman

djtomain

Florida

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

06-04-2013 23:20:57 | More by djtomain

ADTaber

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

06-04-2013 22:29:12 | More by ADTaber

GimmeGumballHead

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

06-03-2013 16:37:02 | More by GimmeGumballHead

jkane101

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

05-30-2013 00:19:14 | More by jkane101

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

05-29-2013 03:12:19 | More by Sludgeman

Waveoff

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +10.2%

05-28-2013 03:19:58 | More by Waveoff

themind

New Jersey

3.64/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Ok this is a well crafted beer. Has a slight kinda sour aspect to it and had a broad flavor profile. I really cant narrow it down, almost slightly sweet. Has very good carbonation and the taste is good. It's very different, then again I just drank an Everett which was Legendary. All in all this is a good beer and worth drinking.

Bottom Line: Well made beer!

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2013 00:26:53 | More by themind

JJWIGHT

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -13%

05-25-2013 13:03:50 | More by JJWIGHT

Blindpigbiz

California

4.69/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

VAN DE KEIZER BLEAUW '09; consumed in 2011

PLEASE AGE THIS BEER FOR A TWO YEAR MINIMUM

Smell: neutral

Taste: barley-wine, dark-ripened plums, cognac, black licorice, maraschino cherries, candied sugar and warm scotch

Pair this beer with smoked goose, a rare filet minion, a truffle wagyu burger with blue cheese, or a funnel cake with Madagascar vanilla bean ice cream with a dark-fruit syrup

This beer is fantastic! Normally for beer, or any kind of liquor, one has to search for flavor and have an immensely discerning palette in order to extract all of the flavors; not this time. This beer aged is probably the BEST DARK BEER EVER MADE, or at least that I've tried. This beer brazenly smacks you in the face and tells you what it tastes like; it's like hunting in a forest with no trees and large game animals at a stand still; the flavors are immensely dominant.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 09:55:32 | More by Blindpigbiz

Molson2000

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

05-24-2013 23:46:27 | More by Molson2000

hannydawg

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

05-23-2013 14:04:02 | More by hannydawg

aflies

Arizona

4/5  rDev -7.2%

05-22-2013 16:53:35 | More by aflies

Noyt

Quebec (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -13%

05-21-2013 03:28:18 | More by Noyt

Kmat10

Alberta (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

05-20-2013 04:56:22 | More by Kmat10