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

Vipsanius

Texas

4.9/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2003 750ml bottle

Poured a dark reddish brown into a chalice with a slight light tan head. Doesn't have great lacing but that's about the only downfall to this great beer.

The smell and taste are very complex. Each time you bring the glass to your lips you can pick up on something new. I could pick up on hints of molasses, figs, plums, and fresh baked banana bread (others were spot on picking up on that). It's a 10% ABV beer and you can pick up on it but there are so many other flavors that it usually gets pushed to the wayside. Overall, a very, very drinkable beer.

Whenever I cook a good steak, this is the first beer I want to grab out of my cellar. I try to keep this stocked at all times.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2004 00:19:50 | More by Vipsanius

cro250klr

Pennsylvania

4.9/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I have a picture of myself and three other friends standing under a train depot sign in Belgium. The sign reads, 'Mechelen'. And to think that the first time I ever had this beer was, in Scranton, Pa., three months after coming home from Europe. Hopefully, I will tour Europe again this year. I have got to try this, if available, in it's home town. I had this on tap after the keg traveled 3500 miles and it was incredible. I can only imagine how good it must be in Belgium. This brew IS fit for a king! Complex, to say the least. Banana, brown sugar, vanilla, homemade bread, plum, sweet, and malty. A very light head sits on top of the lightly carbonated reddish/brown liquid and laces till the very end. As with most Belgian browns, I took my time and let it warm a bit. The taste and the aroma just explode. One sip yielding banana, the next, maybe some rum and so on, till the very end. The high abv isn't really hidden in this one but your taste buds and olfactory glands are working overtime, leaving little time to worry about alcohol. After two half liter chalices, I was ready to call myself king. Instead I called the bartender and had one more. I gave this a 4.5 on drinkability only because of it's sweet taste. (It's similar to a Kasteel Brune a far as sweetness.) That, not the 11% abv, only prevented me from having anymore than I did at one sitting. I went back a few days later only to learn that the Carolus had kicked. Since their tap stock is rotated I will have to wait some time before they have this on tap again. Maybe, until I get back to Europe. This one though, is worth the wait.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2005 00:32:42 | More by cro250klr

DogFood11

California

4.9/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This is simply one of the greatest beer I've ever consumed. I was looking through the coolers at Naja's in Redondo Beach and was deciding between a saison and a grand cru. Jason the owner suggested this is a perfect nightcapper BOY WAS HE RIGHT!!! Pour is so silky just like the mouthfeel it curls its way around every taste bud. some chocolaty/fruity aroma's. A full flavored boquet ready for gobbling. I just about fell of my bar stool after the first drink I was so impressed (or buzzed). Nutty up front with a malty/rich body that finishes sweet/Fruity with a slight bitter cleansing. I don't know how they could improve this beer as it is fit for an emperor. I will now go on a quest to get one of my local stores to order a case for me. I will beg, barter, bribe.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2005 17:04:42 | More by DogFood11

Pepeton

Mexico

4.9/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I bought a 3-bottle case of these beers for my next three birthdays. Never thought how bittersweet the circumstances would be.

Shared the bottle with my Dad, two weeks from the passing of my mother. My Dad isn't into craft beer, but I figured that I should celebrate my B-day and his fatherhood (I'm his first born), and have a little remembrance of my Mom, now that all the fuzz is gone.

As BAs database says: Outstanding.

Vintage 2005, so this bottle was almost one-year old.

Appearance: Dark copper with red hues, compact head that resembles to me the foam of a Turkish coffee, and a nice thick lacing.

Smell: Complex: Ripe plums, raisins, roasted malts, some hops and more.

Taste: My first impression is of a brew more prone to the malty side, with a peppery and spicy presence; but then the hops come into action. Excellent balance in a full bodied beer. Very well hided alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Fuzzy due to carbonation and mildly bitter, with alcohol hints (with an ABV of 11% I'm surprised I couldn't find it more easily).

Drinkability: Dangerous ale. It's really so mild you can't believe it's an 11% ABV, until you feel the alcohol warmth. Just hope I could try this one on tap.

¡Salud!

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2006 22:49:21 | More by Pepeton

BeerNemesis

New York

4.9/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Cuvée Van De Keizer Blauw | 750 ml. | 2009 vintage | 11% ABV

Brewer: Het Anker, Belgium
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale (BDSA)

Cuvée Van De Keizer Blauw is brewed on February 24th every year on the birthday of Charles V.

On the label:
"The unique brewing of the Cuvee Van de Keizer, with only extra fine Belgian hops and a higher alcohol level of 11%, guarantees this beer to age excellently over several years time with a complexity and intensity usually reserved for the finest of wines. Attesting to the inate mystery and intensity of a cellarable beer is this brew's beautiful ruby brown, almost henna color. With a light brown, velvety head and sweet, powerful notes of wood, yeast and plums, the Cuvée Van De Keizer surprises one's palate with subtle hints of caramel and even fresh green apples. Drinking a Cuvée Van De Keizer is a fully sonsory experience, so be certain to breathe in its fruity, almost delicate aroma that compliments a richly roasted malted, yet softly dense body. It's a truly sugary brew in every sense, erring on the natural fresh and refreshing side of sweetness."

Presentation:
The bottle features a stylized thick white line drawing of Charles V on a horse (presumably) with a couple five point stars in the background. A blue sash covers the diagonal of the bottle. Written on it in gold is the name of the brew. The neck features more gold writing that says "Jaargang 2009". The bottom of the bottle has "Gouden Carolus" also in gold lettering. It looks fittingly imperial.

Appearance:
Pours a beautiful deep burgundy into an Ommegang chalice. The off-white head barely rises above 0.5", and quickly recedes to a swampy, languid film.

Aroma:
Dried fruit: figs, plums, raisins and cherries. Sweet brown sugar and toffee. Big, bold, bready malts and a murmur of potent alcohol in the background closes out the whiff.

Taste:
The first sip sucked me into a dizzying whirlpool of sumptuous, tart dark fruits, chewy caramel, fresh bready malts, and a downpour of alcoholic heat at the finish. Estery flavors are prominent, while spices are largely left out of the picture. Drinking the Keizer is like biting into some succulent mythical fruit: tangy skin, sumptuous flesh dripping juicy flavor, and a hearty infusion of boisterous alcoholic aftertaste. Minutes after my last sip, I am left with a sweet syrupy texture mixed with some mild green apple tartness.

Mouthfeel:
Smooth and silky. Medium to heavy-bodied. Tingly carbonation is uniform throughout.

Harmony:
Everything about this drink is confident but tempered by a sort of regal refinement. The alcohol is bold and noticeable, and it's not so much masked as embraced. The dark fruits, sweet caramel and brown sugar coat the bready malts which feel like they've been soaked in alcohol. The sweetness and tasteful infusion of alcohol sets this BSDA apart from its peers. It probably won't appeal to everyone, but it is certainly a high quality but decidedly different take on the style.

Brewed on: Feb. 24, 2009 (bottled 14 months ago)

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2010 19:39:25 | More by BeerNemesis

jayhawk73

Maryland

4.9/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- Dark brown color w/ perfect one finger head, which sticks around a little bit. Decent carbonation and excellent lacing. 2011 vintage, served in my Gouden Carolus glass. While this beer isn't quite a black hole, you can't see through it at all. Very serious and tasty looking.

S- Smell is very complex. Lots of smells going on here. Malt, yeast, sweetness, spices, fruit, alcohol. Very well balanced, in spite of all the amazing aromas happening here. Gets markedly better the warmer it gets. Needs to be close to room temperature to get the full greatness of this beer- that really opens it up.

T- First off, I've had the 2007, 08, 09, and 2010 vintage, and 2011 is by FAR the best I've had. It's simply amazing. This particular 2011 ranks right up there w/ Rochefort 10 as one of the best Belgian beers I've ever had. Best beers, even. Only Westy 12 is possibly better among the beers I've enjoyed. There seems to just be something extra special about this one, and I'm going to have to go buy several more.... soon!

M- Mouthfeel is amazing. It's smooth, sweet, super luxurious feeling... Words cannot do it justice, you just have to experience it. Everything about this beer is balanced, including the feel. Perfect- I wouldn't change anything.

O- This vintage of Gouden Carolus Grand Cru of the Emperor is simply the best I've had. It's definitely one of the best beers I've ever had, and I will continue to look for this one everytime I go beer shopping. Highly recommended, especially if you like this style. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2011 00:35:45 | More by jayhawk73

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.88/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I hope this is the right spot for this review. My bottle says Grand Cru and is from 2003.

Appearance - dark, ruddy brown with red highlights. An inch of soapy light mocha bubbles rests on top, leaving thin, patchy lace behind. Dark, rich-looking.

Aroma - the nose is fantastic. Maple, banana, and butterscotch on top of the malts, a tingling of alcohol woven through it all.

Taste - a malt monster ale. Dark fermented fruit, honey, banana, maple syrup, chocolate, fruitcake. marshmallows, clove, allspice, what a range of tastes here!! Some hops show up around the swallow, but why bother? Slight bitter finish with very warm alcohol clarify and enhance the wonderful profile.

Mouthfeel - very alive with carbonation, medium body, lets the flavor stand on its own.

Drinkability - it's a beer dream come true. Worth keeping a few of these around for special occasions.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2006 16:19:05 | More by brewdlyhooked13

Dukeofearl

California

4.88/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Vintage 2003. 750 ml bottle purchased at LaBodega in Riverside, CA, for unknown amount. Tasted in August 2006.

I tried a 2005 of this a few months back, and fell in love. This is one great beer. This one seems a little sweeter, a little more alcohol burn, but still marvelous.

Beuatiful ruby highlights shown through the deep rich brown in my St Bernardus goblet, a creamy head foreshadowing a creamy mouthfeel as it settles to a beautiful cover. Head not as rich as the 2005.

The aroma is really good. Full aroma, caramel and brown sugar and dates and figs. Better than the 2005. Slight alcohol nose.

Flavor- brown sugar, dates, delicious black cherries, and a very nice mix of spices all dance together wonderfully. The alcohol content is well hidden, but present- a slight afterburn at the end of the swallow.

The flavor and rich, lucious mouthfeel just made this so drinkable- alcohol be damned! Wow, that's all I can say, Wow.

I wanted to taste the 2005 and 2003 side by side, but it wasn't to be. I don't care. This is an instant all-time favorite.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2006 01:24:44 | More by Dukeofearl

jim102864

Connecticut

4.88/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I just happened to read from a fellow BA about a package store in Manchester that was highly rated when I found this absolute gem of a Belgian. Somewhat suprising, given that overall beer selection was good but not as strong as my usual place. The appearance of this 2004 Belgian got me stoked up right off the bat. I'm a big strong brown fan, and this one did not disappoint. A beautiful molasses brown with a thick tan head as I poured it into my Duvel tulip glass. The lace graced the glass deep into the session. And the aroma ! Sweet, candied sugar with an alcohol accent. Dates, raisens and prunes rose from the glass and again presented themselves in the taste. The candied sugar was highly evident along with hints of cinnamon. Mind you, the aroma and flavor were balanced with sweet overtones, but the sweetness did not overwhelm either. A warm, alcohol presence with explosions of flavor with each sip. The mouthfeel was thick and chewy, precisely what makes for a wonderful strong brown belgian. This is a highly drinkable session brew that the Belgian fan will absoultely savor. It is also added to my personal favorites list.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2007 13:12:09 | More by jim102864

batlash

South Carolina

4.88/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I generally shy away from large bottles when trying something new, but took a chance on this (and found myself glad for doing so).

As soon as I popped the cork I caught the aroma of sweet, dark fruits and maybe even a hint of maple. A very rich air about this one. It pours a dark, reddish-brown with a modest head.

The taste is exactly what the aroma promises: lots of sweet malts and sugars with just enough hop presence to temper, but not obscure the sweetness. There's a slight hint of the 11% abv, but it's tantalizing, just enough to add warmth, but not overwhelm. The carbonation is just about right with just enough fizz to keep this from spilling over into barleywine territory. It's definitely rubs shoulders with the best Trappist and Trappist-style ales, but it reminds me in some ways of some of the English Harvest ales such as J.W. Lee's without the Port-like density.

This is an incredibly easy beer to drink (especially considering its strength) and a new favorite.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2007 21:38:50 | More by batlash

Squaretooth

Nebraska

4.88/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A - Enjoyed in a nice Westmalle goblet this pours with a thick tan had that quickly dissipates. Very little lacing. Color is a dark translucent plum. Reminiscent of a fine quadruple.

T - lovely malty goodness, complex fruity flavors throughout. Starts out with just a very slight bitter taste that finished quite sweet. Quite an amazing taste I must admit.

M - light sting that indicates that high alcohol content. Lightly coats the palate and back of throat. Quite pleasant.

D - At 10% ABV (stated on bottle) this will leave a nice warm feeling. You want to sip this to enjoy every bit of it. This ranks among the best

S - Wonderful dark fruity smell.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2008 15:16:04 | More by Squaretooth

ryrust5301

Louisiana

4.88/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 750 ml. corked and caged bottle into a St. Bernardus goblet.

Appearance - Dark brown in color with amber hues in the back giving it a little bit of a low light effect. Head is a wonderful thick dark white color that puffs up to the top of the glass. Heavy lacing hangs around the side of the glass for a little more brilliance.

Smell - An extremely thick, spicy, peppery, dark malt smell. Sweetness has wafts of honey, brown sugar, and dark fruits (raisins). Also a citrus can be detected maybe some banana?

Taste & Mouthfeel - Little bit of carbonation in the mouth, but is very heavy, creamy, and malt based. All the flavors meld well in this one. The sweetness is perfect! A dark fruit mixed with a port taste gives it a real heavy feel. Definitely has some banana and sweet caramel honey in there. Some more raisin and a touch of spiciness finish this bad ass mofo off.

Drinkability - I would kick another man in the nuts to drink one of these fresh! An example all other Belgian dark brewers should follow or bow down too. It's July and 100 degrees and this is incredible. I would destroy bottle after bottle of this during the holiday season.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2008 04:46:11 | More by ryrust5301

jminsc76

California

4.88/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

(While BA's title for this beer is under Gouden Carolus Carolus D'Or - Cuvée Van De Keizer, my review is for the aged version on tap at Lucky Baldwin's in Pasadena on 3/19/09)

This beer is listed as Gouden Carolus The Emperor 2002 Het Anker on Lucky Baldwin's menu. The color is a very dark brown with a vivid reddish/purplish tinge. Not much head from the pour, and agitation does little to bring it up, but it doesn't take long to figure out why. A strong smell of raisins, plums, figs, and other deep, fruity aromas; some molasses in there as well.

It's been aging since 2002, so don't expect the more beer-ey tones to be present, but my God, the flavors are incredibly sweet and powerful, yet smooth. No yeasty alcoholic taste, just pure fruity goodness. Retains all of its alcoholic properties, as my rapidly progressing inebriation can attest to. Very enjoyable, and not because it's less attainable. Get thee to Lucky Baldwin's for this aged version, the unaged, and what is presently three or four other Gouden Carolus beers. Nummy num.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2009 01:26:22 | More by jminsc76

sartoric

Italy

4.88/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Opened a 2009 bottle.
Poured in a Tulip for vintage wine it looked Dark brown color with minimal head.

Very complex aroma. You can smell caramel, chocolate, banana, licorice, raisin, vanilla. The aroma seems to change continuosly

Sweetness slightly prevale on the bitterness but it's well balanced. You can also feel a spicy flavour in the background.

Very nice full thick (not too much) body

Food pairing : Excellent served with the slowly roasted piglet's leg, cooked in apple juice and served with roasted apples (lightly frosted with honey).
Simply fabulous coupled with dark bitter chocolate (70% and a cru 100% cocoa) and an home made shortbread apple pie Recommended +++

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2010 23:36:30 | More by sartoric

josefnewsong

New York

4.88/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Deep ruby/burgundy brown, tan head with good lace, slightly bubbly/soapy, smells of cherries, plums, chocolate, alcohol, and yeast. Tastes amazing; a lot of banana, cherries, raisin, plum, a bit of alcohol and caramel. Very complex. Mouthfeel is perfect: on the fuller side of medium bodied, smooth and creamy with bubbly carbonation in the middle and a resinous finish...Just spectacular overall...Reminds me of Three Philosophers and Quad (weyerbacher) with a bit of Unibroue Terrible but is definitely it's own unique beer. Well-crafted, and will be an addition to the ever-expanding cellar.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 03:57:06 | More by josefnewsong

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.88/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2010 vintage bottle purchased for me a year ago by @epiclurk. Shared with @tobeerornottobe and @LaitueGonflable. So around 2 years of age on it.

Pours a deep ruby red tending to brown, with a hazy, bubbly and somewhat inconsistent head of off-white. Lacing is patchy but fine and streaking. Colour is amazing, weight in the body is very pleasant. Looks really great.

Nose is deep, complex and pungent, with big dark fruit characters carrying spicier, drier notes and even a hint of acidity. Everything is smoothed by a big, slightly estery vanilla character, and a big whack of rounded Belgian yeast. Fantastic stuff: another effortless example of Belgian superiority.

Taste is phenomenal. Smooth and sweet, with a balance that somehow keeps it from being too cloying. It has a bright, slightly dry, slightly coppery feeling on the edges that stops the sweetness from overwhelming the palate. There's spicy poached oranges coming through as well: it's like the suggestion of bright fragrance, that still gets covered with brown sugar and toffeed up into subjugation. Absolutely amazing stuff. Complex, but so, so well balanced.

Feel is incredibly smooth and perfectly weighted. It aids the palate in every respect.

Absolutely fantastic stuff. Clean, balanced but also masterfully complex and deep. The alcohol is so well hidden, and hidden in a light, airy way that only the Belgians do. It makes it supremely drinkable despite its hefty ABV. Oh yes, this is a phenomenally good beer: and so effortless. Absolutely amazing.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 06:52:42 | More by lacqueredmouse

sterstar1

Colorado

4.85/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is my new favorite beer. Picked up a dusty 2005 at a bottle shop in Littleton CO. I won't name the place because they were a-holes and I will never shop there again. Anyway, the beer - what a wonderful discovery. The color as it pours out into my Duvel glass glass is a lovely sight to behold, the smell is fantastic and really accounts for a good percentage of this beer's quality. The taste is truly amazing. Sweet, but not too sweet. Wonderfully balanced. Mind you, I am NOT a hop-head so anything too bitter will end up down the drain at my house. Anyway, this beer is SO good. If anyone knows where in Denver to find more, please let me know. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2007 03:30:59 | More by sterstar1

montageman

Michigan

4.85/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2000 Vintage. A special I have been saving for a special occasion - I turned in my masters essay today, so I thought I'd finally pop the cork. Speaking of which, the cork smelled like fine wine.

I poured into a chalice - dark reddish brown with a nice 1 finger white head that goes away quickly and leaves some concentrated lacing. There's also tons of sediment floating around, as you might expect. The smell is all kinds of wonderful - grapes, red apple, & honey - all of it melds together well and is totally inviting. The taste is like candy - there is a port like sweetness followed by an green apple like sourness and it finishes clean. There is no cloying sweetness - a wonderfully balanced taste. The slight carbonation offers more complexity and adds a slight chewiness. Man, this is easy drinking - quite simply a delicious treat. 7 years of aging was no problem for this brew. Highest recommendation.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2007 02:51:39 | More by montageman

dogger6253

Minnesota

4.85/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A deep, rustic brown with touches of amber and ruby. Huge head, huge bubbles, pillowy, mocha color - awesome retention. Nothing I do to it will make it fall. So beautiful. So very beautiful.

The aroma is mostly fruity with grapes, figs, dates coming through first. I also noticed almond and oak, cloves, corriander. Sort of smells of brown sugar too, molasses?

The taste is very woody with pine and oak both coming out. Grapes enter, figs as well. A bit of alcohol. A bit of corriander, some hops, brown sugar/molasses, caramel, vanilla, honey. There is a lot of complexity in the taste, layers and layers of flavor. Overall, sweet and very tasty.

Kind of heavy, but not too much so actually, lightly carbonated. Very smooth and silky. Huge taste for such a smooth beer. This was absolutely wonderful!

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2007 03:33:26 | More by dogger6253

Gehrig

Illinois

4.85/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I sauntered around Friar Tuck for a while and, when coming upon this gem from Gouden Carolus, knew it was probably well worth my attention. Goodness, was it ever. Jaargang 2008 pours a great, cloudy ruby-brown with three dense, durable fingers of slightly tan froth. Ample, decorative lacing and impressive durability make this a sight to behold. Full marks in the presentation.

For a good stretch, the nose had me torn between being very good and being too restrained. While it is too restrained, that in fairness comes in comparison with the sublime taste and some uncharacteristic patience from me. Much confronts the nose--berry, chocolate, spices--but all are a bit too subtle for such a big BSDA.

That this is so really emerges in the taste, a nearly perfect melange of flavors and creamy smooth texture. There's so much to ponder with this--chocolate, coffee, cherry, orange--sweet but also somewhat spicy with a bit of pepper and coriander. I can't say how impressed I am. A fantastic texture also does much to enhance the flavor for this beauty, creamy, smooth, but complex--a great BSDA. Truly great.

Gouden Carolus Jaargang 2008 is a great BSDA, one of the very best I've ever had without question and probably one of the top 2 or 3 on my personal list. This is not to be missed. Brilliant.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2008 04:23:09 | More by Gehrig

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.85/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

750 ml bottle poured into a Bruery tulip. 11% ABV, 2010 on the neck.

A - This one pours a muddy mahogany brown color but when held to the light it's surprisingly clear with ruby highlights. Tiny carbonation bubbles trickle up the sides of the glass to the poorly retained (thanks ABV) tan head. Some good arcs of lace from tilting the glass to smell it.

S - Just what I was looking for tonight, a heavily malted, strong, and complex beer. Toasted amber and caramel malts with dark candi sugar really boost the sweetness and alcohol. It actually doesn't come across solvent-rich though. Notes of wood and clay mingle with the strong Belgian yeast and it's esters. Loads of dark cherries and figs, raisins and molasses, and just a touch of cocoa and toffee. Terrific!

T - It's even better than I had anticipated! This is phenomenal! The alcohol is apparent right away and plays a nice role throughout the whole beer. Not too solventy though, it just emerges as a precautionary measure for how good this goes down. Bushels of fruit seem to be added although it's only from esters from the delicious Belgian yeast. Dark cherries, raisin, plum, fig, and even a touch of strawberry are featured among subtle wood, clay, and chocolate notes. Deliciously malty with tons of caramel and amber showcased and a semi-sweet lingering finish.

M - Exquisite balance of sweet maltiness. Never too much, but it's a malt-lover's dream. The warming alcohol plays nice and doesn't burn at all. Medium-full-bodied and very smooth with a velvety texture, this feels awesome going down.

D - I wish I could have split this and shared the experience with someone who would enjoy it as much as I am but, the fact is, I can get this beer any day of the week! How awesome! For the percent and flavor perfection, I can't think of a more drinkable beer in this style. Better yet, I can't think of a better beer in this style period!

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2010 01:35:36 | More by BeerFMAndy

Long813

Nova Scotia (Canada)

4.85/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

BBE: 2020
Vintage: 2010

A: Dark and murky brown body with two fingers of dark mocha head. Retention is decent and leaves some lacing.

S: Huge front of sweet candy, molasses, caramel, some spice. Wow. Gingerbread is what I'd call the wheat I smell and a collection of dark fruits.

T: Following the aroma, it's just as good if not better. Very creamy caramel with nice spices and gingerbread. The flavour is intense.

M: Thick bodied and medium carbonation. Thick oily texture leaving a great sticky feeling of caramel. Some alcohol comes through at the very end of a drink, but it's not that noticable.

D: I wish I had more of this, it's such a great brew. Besides it's appearance, it's perfect.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 06:07:52 | More by Long813

SoonerNY

New York

4.85/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750ml bottle from 2008

This was suggested to me by careful placement on the checkout counter. Like a kid staring at eye level candy I grabbed it and I'm so glad I did.

It pours a purple brown opaque color with excellent lacing and a 2 finger head that hung around for a while.

You definitely smell the spicy alcohol but the fruity plum-raisins shine through.

Although present, the alcohol isn't nearly as pronounced in the taste as it is in the smell. A superb balance makes this brew dangerously drinkable. Sweet and spicy plums are present with delicious Belgian candy and a gentle alcohol warming. I plan to grab a few to cellar for later if I have the patience.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 04:57:19 | More by SoonerNY

WynnO

Florida

4.85/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had this twice recently, both times from a sixth-barrel.

Let us proceed to the chase. The taste cuts you like a knife loaded with...only God knows. My palette cannot discern all the goodness in this beer. It is super complex; an in your face "HELLO". Malts? Yes, yet the accompanying flavors threw me for a loop. It's just FLAT OUT GOOD. You will sense a significant sweet factor on your first taste. Then it tapers off a bit, landing on a steady flow of "What the Hell is going on in my mouth?"

Its pour is a very dark brown milky brew. Smell is surprisingly weak but the mouthfeel is terrific---you can partake many pours without it ever having a disagreement with your tasting cavity.

Overall? LORD YES. If you pass this up count yourself a fool. Remember Het Anker for it is a world-class 19th Century Belgian jewel. And YES I did stay overnight there in 2012.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2012 04:42:19 | More by WynnO

Hefe

Maryland

4.83/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Edition 2004, poured from a corked and caged bottle into a Unibroue tulip.

Beautiful looking beer, Brownish/mahogany with little light showing through, tan coloured head that is dense and pillowy. The head eventually degrades to delicate lacing around the rim of the glass. An absolute smorgasbord of aromas are immediately detectable. Dark malt, plum, raisin, licorice, apricot. All of this rides a yeasty undercurrent. The flavors are layered and seem to come in waves. Toffee, prune, brown sugar, spice, dark rye bread, plum, yeast, milk chocolate, orange rind. Full bodied, with seemingly mild carbonation. Beutiful for sipping, though I would certainly pair this with some big cuts of beef, game, barbecue, and really strong cheeses. There was a slight cloying character that I took off points for, though I think If I let this age for a year or two it would have been 5's across the board. Stellar stuff!

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2005 10:39:14 | More by Hefe