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

jwc215

New Jersey

4.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Cage-corked bottle - Bottled on February 24, 2007 - Poured into glass chalice:

Pours deep brown with ruby highlights. A creamy tan head tops it off. It slowly descends and stays around. Awesome head retention for abv level. Some rings of frothy lacing stick to the glass.

The smell is of dark fruits - raisins and plums with dark cherries peeking through. Vanilla and chocolate intermingle. Spicy, earthy notes add to deep complexity.

The taste is of dark fruits that take turns coming through with dark cherries - super-complex fruitiness. Vanilla and vinuous notes weave in and out. Peppery spiciness fades in at out making this at times sweetish, at times spicy. Chocolatish maltiness becomes caramelish and toffeeish as it progresses. The flavors are incredibly layered, and converge so nicely. It is almost like reading a book. The f./lavors are delicate and complex, yet bold and lingering...Amazing - a work of art.

The feel is full and lush. Carbonation level is perfect. Long finish that is at once sweetish and spicy dryish.

Wow - what a treat. So smooth for abv level. The alcohol integrates itself so well that it is deceiving - very drinkable for abv level.
And the beer gods rejoice...

Thanks to Wasatch for the recommendation! One of the best beers I've had to date...

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2008 14:54:29 | More by jwc215

manleyphoto

Virginia

4.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I tend to be pretty conservative with my money, I prefer to call it frugal but most of my friends call it cheap. As a result, when I see a beer listed as $7.00 for 12 ounces, I need to do some serious weighing of the cost benefit ratio.
One taste, however, and you know where your money went. This beer is cram-packed with flavor. The wispy sweet aroma of cloves and raisins preview the crazy complex taste of the beer. The flavor is filled with dark fruit, and a hint of caramel apple with a pleasant warming alcohol that really makes this a cool weather treat.
Don't let the fancy name throw you. Carolus D'or Cuvee Van de Keizer is simply the Belgian way of saying, good beer of the emperor. More specifically it's a birthday beer commemorating one of Belgium's greatest sons, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V's birthday on February 24th 1500 A.D. in Ghent, Belgium. The beer is brewed once a year in limited quantities and intended for aging.
Admittedly, this beer is not cheap but in this case the kingly price tag does reflect the quality of the product inside. Almost always listed as one of the best beers in the world, I have to imagine that the Grand Cru of the Emperor would please the palette of Charles V and meet his holy roman hopes.

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2008 18:03:08 | More by manleyphoto

hops4me

Virginia

4.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This was a 2006 bottle. I loved this beer. Deep deep red to brown. Frothy off white head. Smells of peach, plum, raisins. Tastes alot the same except it finishes with a nice vanallia oakiness. I was suprised at how little to no alcohol heat there was. I would buy again if found. Great beer to have after a big meal or sitting around a fire in the winter.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2008 13:50:45 | More by hops4me

Edmund

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Found this beer in Whole Foods, of all places. I figured: it's brewed on the birthday of the most powerful man in the 16th century so it must be good.

Turns out I was right.

Appearance: Clear mahogany. Significant, even head that diminishes steadily.

Smell: Caramel and fruit and a little bit of maple syrup sweetness.

Taste: Malty, strong taste of raspberries and figs, with more of the maple coming through. A bit like a fine port!

Mouthfeel: Smooth, and a little syrupy. Carbonation is a little sharp, but in a good way.

Drinkability: After a big bottle I feel ready for another one. Not a session beer, but definitely something to sit and enjoy on a rainy day.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2008 00:31:27 | More by Edmund

robbyc1

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This bottle labled 2007, deep garnet clear color, nice head with lace left. Very inviting.

The nose has sweet malt, deep, deep nose of plums, cherries, and a bit of alcohol, very nice.

This may be the perfect Belgian stong dark ale, intriguing deep malt taste, beyond plums and a bit of oak, tastes include a sign of port, chocolate, yeast esters, yes that deep, very good, super!

Perfect fizzy mouthfeel, so it doesn't get to sweet on the tongue, just right.

Despite the abv, very drinkable, after dinner for sure with figs, chocolate, pie, whatever, love this beer.

As these are made in Feb, this one 2007, it has aged nice for almost 1 1/2 years, great.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2008 00:23:43 | More by robbyc1

roopy40

Rhode Island

4.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Dark ruby color when light hits it, but more dark brown in color. Soapy looking head that didn't stick around for very long, but left some sweet lacing on the glass.

S - Sweet, candy smell. Like cherry sweet tarts or something similar. Sweet bread, candied raisins.

T - Just as sweet as the smell. Cherry sweet tarts again. Alcohol is present, but not accounted for. Bready, spicy, delicious.

M - Full bodied, well carbonated, loses some of that when it warms. Very well balanced and a wonderful mouthfeel overall.

D - Very drinkable. Almost scary as it's 11%. Beware the sweetness and just keep in mind that it packs a punch.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2009 19:17:42 | More by roopy40

WhatsNewinBooze

Colorado

4.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Every year on the 24th of February Gouden Carolus brews the Cuvee de Keizer Blauw, or "Grand Cru of the Emperor" to celebrate the birthday of Charles V. The Cuvee de Keizer is brewed uniquely with only fine Belgium hops and with it being 11% ALC/VOL. this beer will age extremely well over the next several years with a complexity and intensity usually reserved for only the finest wines. This beer pours with a deep caramel color and golden tan head with aromas plums, raisins and wood leaping out of the glass. The palate starts of with sweet caramel that soon gives way to fruity flavors of figs and plums with a slight tart quality. The finish is long and mouth filling as the Belgium hops flex their muscles making it both sweet and bitter at the same time. It is still a little young so if you can keep your hands off of it the 2008 Cuvee de Keizer will only continue to develop over the next couple of years. What a treat!

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2009 20:33:46 | More by WhatsNewinBooze

Bisho

Australia

4.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

This Christmas/Quad/BSDA brew knocked my socks off (and the missus too!) We were not expecting this complex beer to be challenging the famous Rochefort 10 for the mantle but it sure came close.

Poured from a 750ml bottle into two tulips. It has a deep ruby red appearance and leaves a little lacing but not too much in the way of carbonation.
The smell was of sweet burnt caramel and toffee.
The taste was just as gorgeous as the sweet smell. It is big and slightly chewy but never cloying and has a nice dry spice on the finish. Impeccably balanced throughout and the high ABV is hidden pretty well too.
This helped us to turn two of these things into a session :)
I have 6 more of these 2009 Vintage stored away and plan on pulling one out each year to see how it evolves.
You must get yourself a few of these if like me, you love this type of complex brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 11:06:15 | More by Bisho

ColdPoncho

Ohio

4.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2008 Vintage

This cork is a real pain in the butt. Had to take a corkscrew to it.

A - Pours a dark murky brown/red with a big tan head that settles slowly. Only very faint hints of light come through the thinnest parts of the glass.

S - Strong dark fruits, a bit of booze, chocolate caramel, belgian spice. I said to myself: "man, this smells really fuckin good." A beautifully balanced nose with all great components.

T - Dark fruits and toffee, chocolate, all lightly sweetened. A touch of heat from alcohol and the spicy belgian flavors. This is exquisite. Touch of tartness in the back. These Belgians really know what theyre doing.

M - Who cares, really? A beer that tastes like this can feel like anything and it would be still pretty perfect. This mouthfeel is very nice, big-bodied, somewhat smooth, and lively with carbonation. Not ideal, but pretty good.

O - This is a really beautifully-crafted beer. It tastes fantastic, looks and smells quite good...A really great beer. I am going back and buying the store out of these bottles. Would love to see this one age a bit more.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2011 21:15:11 | More by ColdPoncho

warrenout330

Ohio

4.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml caged and corked bottle

A- pours a deep mahogany color brown... Ruby highligths to the light... off white head... dissolves to a thin cap over the beer ... moderate to minimal lacing

S- dark candies sugars, caramelized raisins and figs.... sweet bready malts... muskat grapes for overly sweetness

T- we'll pronounced dark sugars, burnt caramelized raisins.. dried figs, earthy suagry malt...

M- sweet sugary candy.... thick oily body... decent carbonation for a sugary beer

O- damn good... up there with the trappiest quads

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 03:36:47 | More by warrenout330

Shovelbum

Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Pours a two finger off-white head that has the creamy appearance of frothed milk. The body is a dark garnet color that is almost impervious to light except at the edges. The head slowly recedes leaving ever-so-delicate bands of lace down the glass. Aromas of sweet vinous fruit mingle with earthy aromas. A bit of alcohol peeks through in the aroma as well. The flavor is, well, awesome. A light smooth creamy mouthfeel belies the underlying complexities of flavor. A decent amount of Beligian candi sweetness combines with dark berries, plums, cherries, earth, mild caramel, a touch of oak and a very subtle hop bitterness balancing things out in the background. Medium bodied with low to moderate carbonation. Incredibly smooth mouthfeel.

Happy birthday to Charles the Fifth (I’m four days early) and praise be to the Anker brewery of Mechelen! This bunch knows what they are doing. Too bad this masterpiece is only brewed once a year. Trying to pick apart the complexity of this ale nearly overloaded my neural circuitry, yet it is so smooth and well balanced that I can just as easily sit back and sip this to my hearts delight. Fine, I’ll do just that.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2006 23:12:35 | More by Shovelbum

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Wow! Pours a mahogany brown but settles in the glass a blurry black with a dark cherry glow. Immense capping of orangey tinted ivory foam thats very smooth, thick, and fluffy. Sits without moving as it barely reduces itself to take on a thicker, cake batter appearance as the fluffyness dissolves into the foam. Lacing coats the glass in thick moth-holed sheeting all the while that cap hardly diminishes.

Aroma is of old, soggy, sugared banana bread thats dark, deep, and dull with slight plum, raisin, fig, and molasses soaking within the deepness. Quite deceptive on the nose as it seems to build while it sits and gets fairly deep and complexly so in that deepness. Nice little noting of spicy orange zest, cinnamon, and cardamom is evident as well.

Oh, my what incredible soaking smoothness and softness this stuff creates as it floats across the palate with amazing ease. Mild, dull flavors of dark fruit bread sink in with raisin, plum, dry fig, molasses, and soft citrusy orange notes that tender up a warming sense of spicyness with cardamom, cooked sugar, and raisin skins making for a lengthy finish. Middle has a creamy center of caramel, banana, and dark sugary sweetness. Its ever changing in its profile, sometimes more warming and spicy, other times, super tender and malty with dark dull sugary stuff. Wonderful play on the palate and on the mind.

Feel is perfect. Soft, supple, giving, full, smooth, warming, sweet, a little bit spicy, and a whole lot of yum! Amazingly soft texture of sugared bread thats soaked in dark fruityness. There's even a slight hoppy, vitamin coated, citrus bittering that comes across within certain sips thats very intriguing.

The smoothness is incredible; top notch. The warmth will catch ya every time, nearly every sip in fact, which slows it down for enormously fine, big, sippage. Damn fine stuff!

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2006 23:37:08 | More by tavernjef

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2004 bottle: aged 3+ loving years in my cellar.

A - Ruby brown with a full tan head...laced nicely throughout

S - Whoa! Big wiff of Bourbon, Prune and leather. Very aromatic

T - Holy Cow...this is some beer. Deep rich dark fruit notes with undertones of bourbon...absolutely delicious.

M - Big, deep and rich. An absolute carnival in the mouth.

D - For an 11% beer I could carry around a snifter of this all day! Truly fantastic. I made sure to go out and purchase another bottle to let sit for a few years....will see if that one comes out as good..I hope so!

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2007 07:18:00 | More by Deuane

asabreed

New York

4.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Corked and Caged bottle into a Duvel pint glass. This is my goodbye to Carytown Wine and Beer in Richmond, which is now closed. I got this in the final week they were doing liquidation, in the back, in a cooler. It was a great place, and will be sorely missed.

Appearance: A deep dark amber, and since this glass had been in the cabinet and needed a wash, I gave it one. And the head seemed to billow nicely but then died down immediately. I used mainly hot water, but there's probably a lot that got in here. The taste and smell haven't undergone huge changes, but I imagine that's the reason for what presented itself. Still, the color's amazing, and there's still some nice lacing going on to boot.

Smell: Huge presence of candied raisins, vanilla, and ripe cherries, apples, banana cream, wood bark and earth, biscuit and dough yeast, with a slight hop citrus presence. So much going on here, with more each pour, swirl, and degree of warmth.

Taste: The presence of candied raisins again comes through the most, with a rich fruit backbone of tart cherries, ripe berries, minimal citrus twang, rich apples, and lemon grass. Along with some visceral earth, slight barnyard, and tree bark, mild bread crust and dough. The finish is wonderfully long, with a burst of alcohol, followed by mild tartness, rich strawberry, and citrus rind, backed by yeast and candi sugar. Just incredible.

Mouthfeel: This is a very rich brew, and that means carbonation levels are fairly minimal, which in this case means great things. More so and the flavors would be hidden. Some might find it cloying, but I think it's where it needs to be, extremely coating and heavy, and taken in small sips and enjoyed over a period of time that works perfectly.

Drinkability: A brew that I imagine could certainly be cellared for a long, long time. It was around $8 for the bottle, which is good considering how long it took me to drink it by myself, as this is certainly a sipper. The Gouden Carolus Trippel is one of my favorites, and this ranks up there with it. Huge complexity, tons of flavors, and continually changes and grows as it gets warmer. I have another bottle cellaring, and I hope I can wait at least a few years until it gets cracked open. A fantastic brew overall -- pick it up if you can.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2008 04:57:52 | More by asabreed

thekanna

Maryland

4.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Beautiful mahogany hue that looks like rich apple cider; espresso and milk foam-like head that settles to a thin white froth.

Smell: Where to begin? Pervading maple-syrupy sweetness gives way to toffee, cloves, molasses, and faint phenols.

Taste: Mildly tart inception with hints of dark coffee. A chocolate brownie-like middle which is almost chewy; I get a similar mouthfeel from eating good caramels. Slight spice at the end that is reminiscent of cloves, cinnamon, and peppercorns. The alcohol finally rears its head near the end.

Notes: This is definitely a sipping beer; very wine-like. Good for complimenting desserts made with dark chocolate or dark chocolate itself.

UPDATE: Had a 2006 Vintage bottle of this; found at The Beer Depot in Ann Arbor, MI. This bottle was similar to the vintage above but with even greater pungency in smell and taste. Especially in taste, the "chewiness" of the middle completely shines through with a Belgian truffle/ maple syrupy-flavor. Absolutely gorgeous. However, this needed to be taken in even smaller quantities to fully appreciate the aroma and the complexity of every meaningful sip.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2008 02:12:29 | More by thekanna

AmberMan22

Minnesota

4.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

popped open a 750ml of this with my dad last night. Man I forgot how much I missed Belgian beers.
Poured into the tulip glasses we got over in Europe.

Pours a very cloudy plum color with ruby highlights at the edge. One finger of micro-bubbled head adorns the top, fairly good retention thanks to the glass. Not much lacing sticks though.

Smell is a magical wonderland of sweetness. Sugar, plums, tons of malt, and other candied fruit steps forward.

Taste really is fantastic. The amount of malt put into this definitely took me by surprise on my first sip. Even better however, in addition to the perfect mixing of the fruity and sugary flavors, is how hoppy bitterness manages to balance it all out in the end.

Mouthfeel: non-intrusive levels of carbonation, good medium heft to it.

At 11%, you likely won't be drinking much of this beer, but you sure as heck will savor and enjoy it. Positively great BSDA.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2010 15:45:49 | More by AmberMan22

TrippnFiasco

Kansas

4.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Looks almost like a light-colored red wine (not so light as to be rose though). No head or lacing. Maroon color.

S: Smells fairly sweet, mostly of apples with a hint of caramel. The most prominent smell being a slightly cidery apple aroma.

T: Tastes of green apples/cider. Very mild tartness that enhances, rather than inhibits, the flavor. Caramel taste on the back of the palate after swallow. Sweetness is perfectly balanced with flavor.

M: Very smooth, medium-bodied. Refreshing.

D: Very drinkable Abbey Ale, one of these large bottles is great to split with one other, or have alone if you feel like getting a good buzz while enjoying a refreshing sweet beer

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2010 17:27:47 | More by TrippnFiasco

StephenRich

Ontario (Canada)

4.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I've never been disappointed by anything bearing the name Gouden Carolus. Actually, more accurately, I have always been severely impressed by everything bearing the name Gouden Carolus. Their latest beer to grace Ontario was the Ambrio, which came here for the Spring Release and was really spectacular. Then when I think about the Classic, and the Hopsinjoor I get goosebumps.

This past weekend, for my 25th birthday, one of my best friends brought me a bottle of the Gouden Carolus Cuvee Van De Keizer Blauw, which is essentially their dark vintage ale. It is brewed on February the 24th every year to commemorate the birthday of Charles the Fifth. Het Anker calls it an "exclusive adaptation of the traditional Gouden Carolus Classic"; my knees just buckled from under me.

I was fortunate enough to enjoy this beer on my quarter century mark, in Grand Bend, at my buds cottage on the patio, by the lake, under the sun, with my good friends, and also with a nice fine cigar. It don't get much better than this!

The Cuvee comes in two sizes, the classic 750ml corked bottle, and a striking 1.5L rounded magnum (which I WILL get my hands on). It is listed by Het Aker as a Special Dark Beer, and to me strongly resembles a Belgian Quadrupel. It is 11% abv, brewed with only Belgian Hops and Het Ankers unique ale yeast, and is also lagered for two weeks. They do suggest that this beer could be cellared for 10 years or more, and I strongly agree. However I only see this as a possibility if I has a good case or so to spare.

Immediately I was infatuated with this beer. The bottle design is classic and just screamed amazement right at me. The simplistic design implied to me something very very special. Then, without surprise, as I poured this deep dark and luscious beer, huge aromatic and ripe malt and fruit flavors erupted directly at me. The Cuvee pours gently with a smooth flow into the glass, but quickly develops live and a lightly dense one and a half inch off white, creamy and pillowy head.

The Cuvee itself is a deep amber red with golden browns, orange highlights, and a maroon and purple depth to it. It is lightly opaque, but relatively transparent with bubbles floating generously throughout it. The nose is rich and deep with huge and round aromas of dried fruits, plums, raisins, dark malts, caramel, butterscotch, cherries, figs, bitter chocolate, bread, light leather and herbal spice. It is very full powered and anxious to get out of the glass. Aromas constantly waft into the air bringing sweet malty and spice notes to my nose.

I was very excited for this beer, obviously, so I opened up and let in a good wave of beer to fully engulf my palate - and engulf it did! The Carolus flows in strong with rich sweet fruity malts, a complexity of roast and caramel malts, wide flavors of raisins, dark cherries, almonds and plums. It is warming and luscious and packed with so much flavor that every time you sip some you will get new and exciting flavors and aromas.

Easily, more soft and chewy malts make their way into your cheeks with banana, dates, figs, dark berries, sugary dough, plum cake and dark chocolate. It is big with much sweetness, but bitter chocolate and roasts help balance and clean up the beer. Light hops bring spice and slight bitter to the beer, but it is very clean and slight without really affecting the beer's overall powerful character.

It really pours across your entire mouth bringing flavors everywhere it goes with a uniquely Belgian smoothness. Spices like black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger show up on your tongue aided by natural carbonation and a slight yeast and earth aroma. This beer is packed with juicy and lively flavors; I just can't get enough of it. The finish is warm and soft lingering gently and enticing me to come enjoy more. Which I will!

With the Gouden Carolus Cuvee I also enjoyed the Alec Bradley Vice Press 6T2, a massive 6.5 inch box pressed cigar with a meaty 62 ring gauge. I had been saving this cigar since the summer of 2009 for exactly this purpose, and not a better beer could have been paired with it. I love the box pressed shape and overall stance of this cigar - it had a very soft and easy draw bringing with it loads of elegant and filing smoke without being heavy or extreme. It was lightly sweet with a soft woody and leather note, and overall extremely aromatic. The malty sweet flavors in the Cuvee along with its slightly tart carbonation were a perfect quencher for this cigar, and they complimented each other beautifully.

This was a very significant beer for me, I have already started contemplating it as the best beer I have had in 2010, and among the best I have ever had. I would easily recommend this as a game changing beer, but its exclusivity and high cost makes it more of a treat for celebrations.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2010 02:39:27 | More by StephenRich

jds1469

Indiana

4.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Fantastic beer. I thought the guy telling me about this at the store was just trying to push off some random beer. NOPE.

A - Extremely dark copper color, good amount of head right after being poured into my sniffer. There was a good amount of lacing down the inside of the glass.

S - Smells like a good dark hard cider to start with. Then the raisin, hops, sugars, and other fruits come out.

T - Tastes just like it smells. A little alcohol finish to to the taste but its just enough to balance out the sweetness.

M - A little thin on the feeling and flat.

D - Almost perfect. The flatness keeps it from getting a 5 on this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2011 23:46:51 | More by jds1469

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

kegerator

Maryland

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

750ml bottle. All black with a black ribbon that states "Grand Cru of the Emperor" bottled in 2004 and 10% abv.
Pours a deep brown with a nice 1 inch head that sticks around and leaves good lacing. Aroma was faint at best but got stronger as it warmed. Aromas of plums and raisins with some wine like esters and slight alcohol in the background.
Taste was all malt, caramel, sweet, raisiny with hints of dried fruits. It was full bodied yet smooth and danced on the tongue slightly leaving a nice alcohol warmth in the stomach. Very nice beer indeed.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2005 14:43:26 | More by kegerator

Beerzebub

District of Columbia

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

2006 bottle, alc. 10% vol. Served 61 degrees F.

Erupted everywhere upon opening. Very attractive ruby red, thick beige head. Big sheets of lace speckled with tiny holes like Havarti.

Smells of agave, fig, toffee, bread dough, black tea, musty earth, cocoa, nuts, cedar, some delicate solvent, and spice - clove, cardamom, cinnamon. Notes that I can't pin down. Elusive, exotic and good.

Tastes sweeter than it smells. Sweet caramel, roasted agave, figs, white grapes, cookie dough. Deeper notes of chocolate cake, cedar, and spice linger in a long drying finish. No discernible hops, yet totally balanced. Utterly delicious.

Smooth, decadent mouthfeel. Ridiculously drinkable.

Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2007 07:55:37 | More by Beerzebub

yinzer

Pennsylvania

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

Bottle, Vintage 2000, $9 somewhere in MD in 2006

appearance: deep mahogany, some particles in suspension, small head

smell: brown sugar, sweet malt

taste: pure liquid pleasure, cherries, brown sugar (but not as sweet as fresh), slight oxidized finish.

mouthfeel: a bit dusty on the finish, still full for it's age

drinkability: wish I had more of this year

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2007 02:21:59 | More by yinzer

Wasatch

Utah

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

2006 Vintage
750ml
Caged/Corked

Poured into a chalice a brown/mahongy color, very nice carbonation (POP upon opening), nice creamy off-white head, nice creamy sticky lacing and small islands abound. The nose is malty, yeasty, lots of dark fruits, and caramel. The taste is absolutly delicious, sweet, malty, slight yeast tones, figs, raisins, plums, caramel. Nice little chewiness, smooth as hell, alcohol is hidden pretty well, nice warming effect. Full body, complex brew. Very drinkable, AWESOME brew, highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2008 19:59:59 | More by Wasatch

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

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

A beautiful reddish-brown appearance with a perfect head. Fabulous Brussel's Lace forms as I contemplatively sip on one of my favorite beers in the world.

A wonderful fresh made caramel smell wafts from the glass. Notes of raisin and plum combined with dark chocolate to counter the slightly boozy nose.

Taste is otherworldly. The caramel smell is delivered in the taste as is sultana raisins, creme-brulle, crushed grapes and slight notes of port.

Mouthfeel is tremendous. A well-balanced weight that is perfect for this big, bold brew.

This is the perfect night cap beer. Sweet with a perfectly balanced vinous quality. Alcohol is definitely present but adds to the complexity.

The Emperor can reign over me anytime. A perfect substitute for a late bottled vintage port.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2008 22:07:18 | More by Rochefort10nh