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

sjccmd

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Vintage 2007

Pours dark brown with ruby highlights. Small light tan head that fades quickly but leaves a nice lacing around the glass. Slightly sparkly.

The aroma begins with rich dark fruit. Sweet rum cake, brown sugar, molasses, dates, spicy yeast, rounded off with warming alcohol. As it warms the alcohol makes a bigger appearance.

The taste is very sweet up front. Raisins, dates, brown sugar. Finishes with a slightly roasted character and more raisins as well as warming alcohol. Lots of fruits going on along with cinnamon and clove.

The mouthfeel is nice and full. A decent amount of carbonation, not heavy nor fizzy. Coats the mouth.

Overall an excellent beer. I've had several vintages aged at various lengths. My favorite has been 2006, but aged for four years, the 2007 is also quite delectable.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 00:10:23 | More by sjccmd

Ricelikesbeer

Colorado

4.29/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

An old seasonal classic, I really need to set some of these beauties aside for aging and side by sides.

A: murky brown, slightly purple or ruby in certain lights or lack thereof; slight head and not overly carbonated

S: burnt malts, cherries, plums, malt malt malt, candy syrup, prunes, some slight melanoidins, estery dark fruit, and raspberries.

T: more dark fruit, and slightly tart (especially when paired with food.) Some heavy caramel sweetness, but not in a cloying way. the dark fruit melds well with the sweetness, and the flavor is dry enough to not overwhelm despite the large nature of the beer. Complex and you can find nuances as the beer warms or ages.

M: thick but not chewy, It remains deceptively light despite the residual sugar and the lower carbonation.

O: I'm amazed that such a monster can be so well balanced, and the obvious lack of hops presence (whatsoever) can still lend to a dry, balanced beer. The beer is tilted toward the malt, caramel, and dark fruit flavors of a classic quad/strong dark ale, but this one remains a classic in my eyes, and the expected gummy/ sugary flavors of the Corolus yeast are tamed by the candy sugars and residual sugar of the malt monster. I will continue to buy these each year for the rest of my life.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2013 02:24:11 | More by Ricelikesbeer

tadmuchowski

District of Columbia

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

06-18-2013 23:41:10 | More by tadmuchowski

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