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

King_KongDCO93

Minnesota

4.93/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Having a 2003 bottle oh my goodness the cork was aching to get out. At bottling was was at 10% ABV

A: Dark Belgian brow color that you can't see through but now the

Smell: aroma is AMAZING!!! Fruity and floral more complex than traditional Belgian beers

Taste: incredibly smooth for how old this beer is. Nice notes of caramel, toasted malts, and fruit. Really got a lot of dark fruits flavors mixed in with mild bitterness complex of a pungent Belgian quad.

Mouthfeel: wet

Overall: all around great Belgian beer. Verdict A+

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 19:31:10 | More by King_KongDCO93

WeedKing4

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wow I wish I picked up more then one bottle of this. Pours a dark reddish brown with good head. Tastes on the sweet side, with dark fruits and brown sugar coming through. Incredibly easy to drink for being 11% alcohol. I was really suprised by that, no burn what so ever. This is one of the better belgian strong dark ales I have had in awhile. Delicious stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 03:22:39 | More by WeedKing4

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

To celebrate the birthday of Richard the Fifth. 2012 release.

Dark ruby pour, sight brown hue. Two finger creamy light tan head with loads of lacing.

Dark stone fruits, brown sugar, candied sugar, vanilla with a slight wine quality.

Brown sugar, slight coffee, toast, candy sugar and super stone fruits. This has a red wine quality and finishes very sweet, almost too sweet.

Medium body, decent carbonation, sticky on the lips.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 21:38:22 | More by korguy123

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.88/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1.5 Litre bottle: 2011 version. Shared at home with the wife, daughter and son-in-law during a random tasting night on 23 Nov 2012.

Every had Dandelion and Burdock? This reminded me of that old staple from my youth: more body and less fizz than the old pop bottles but still very simular in smell, taste and look.

Demerara sugar and raisins also came to mind in this fairly sweet yet very drinkable brew. The alcohol is detectable but it adds to the enjoyment rather than hindering as some weaker/watery beers often suffer with because their flavours are not strong enough: these flavours certainly are hefty enough to take the alcohol and help it to enhance the brew.

I had the lions share of the bottle and knew I'd had enough when I stopped drinking and started making my notes: just about readable!

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 16:04:23 | More by BlackHaddock

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Brown with ruby highlights, cap of off white head, lots of lace here as well. Smell is full of dark bread and fruit, plum, raisin, bruised banana, lots of sweet caramels and dark sugars, some yeasty notes in here as well. Taste is full of dark bread and brown sugars, dark fruits, plum, raisin, dark berry and jam like, a bit of yeast, fairly sweet darker sugars, just a small hint of alcohol. Light-med carbonation, full bodied with a creamy smooth feel. Solid stuff here, alcohol goes largely undetected, good stuff that will get better with age, perhaps a bit too sweet to tackle a full bottle alone again though.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 14:58:27 | More by peensteen

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

750mL bottle from the LCBO, for about 8 bucks. I've liked pretty much everything I've had from Het Anker, so I have high expectations for this one.

Poured into a Chimay goblet. Dark chestnut brown, with a bit of ruby highlights. Half inch of foam, good lacing patches, nice retention.

Nose is tart and fruity, with banana, grape, plum, blackberry jam, Belgian yeast and spices.

Really enjoyable dark ale with lots going on. Very fruity, with a mixed back of darker fruits (grape, raisin, fig, blackberry, currant), a bit of banana, light on the yeasty funk, good sweetness, but with a tart puckery finish. Very port-like.

A bit syrupy, carbonation is low, but I've been digging lower carbonated brews recently, so this works for me.

Very nice strong ale, will certainly get again. Lots of complexity, good flavours. Nice evening sipper.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 04:12:05 | More by JohnnyBarman

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

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml Bottle from the Ottawa LCBO for 8$

Appearance - Dark brownish copper colour with an above average size fizzy and frothy beige head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some good lacing. The head lasted for 5-6 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, dark fruits, caramel, banana

Taste & Mouth - There is a slightly above average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, banana, and some caramel. There is also a lot of ripe dark fruit flavour and a bit of leather and a hint of chocolate/vanilla. It ends with a dark fruit and banana aftertaste with a bit of a lingering spiciness.

Overall - Quite the beer.. the scent is pretty basic for a belgian dark, but the flavour is very complex. I can pick up on the booze a bit but this is a 2012 so some age would help with that I'm sure. Every beer from this brewer is a winner in my books.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 01:30:53 | More by spinrsx

Dope

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

No exact date listed, just says 2010 on the neck of the bottle. So at least 2 years old.

A: Pours a very dark reddish-amber. Big dense tan head. Fades at a moderate pace, nice island of foam remains behind. Tufts of lacing left behind as well.

S: Strong dark fruits. Raisin and cherry are heaviest for sure. Rich caramel in there as well. Very sweet in general.

T: Tons of rich dark fruit up front. Again, raisin and cherry are strongest. Some grape in there too perhaps? Touch of cocoa. There is a strong sweet presence in the middle and in the finish that I can't quite place. Almost tastes like molasses, honey and wine mixed together. Sickly sweet and cloying. Some breadiness in there too.

M: Heavy, heavy, heavy. Very sweet.

O: Very unique BSDA. I have a hard time deciding if I like it or not. Loaded with fruits but has a certain odd tart wine-like aspect that I'm not a fan of. Very complex, yes. But tasty and enjoyable? Not so sure about that one.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 05:53:40 | More by Dope

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.15/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

This was the 2012 vintage that I got a glass of at a tasting. I've seen this on the shelves plenty and never bothered to pick one up, good thing. Dark brown almost black color. Smell is sickly sweet fruits and belgian yeast. Flavor is more of the same, a heavy melange of spices, fruits, sugary sweetness, just overwhelming. This was not bad it was just too much.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 01:03:09 | More by ArrogantB

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

writerLJBerg

Oregon

4.3/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2011 bottle consumed 9-8. Split 4 ways. Reviewed from notes.

A: Thick brown with a fluffy lasting head. Sticks to the glass.

N: Malty raisins. Lots of estery yeast. Cloves. Plume and caramel/toffee. Candi sugar.

T: Belgian yeast, raisin, bananas. Plums and raisins. Noticeable alcohol, but as is the case with most BDSAs, it melds well with the flavor profile. Lots of the sweet sugar flavors, caramel and toffee.

M: Very smooth with a light, airy overall feel.

O: It is so incredibly difficult to match what the Belgians do so easily with their big beers. In an era when sub 300 bottle counts are king and the readily available is oft avoided, this is a reminder to pick up these traditional beers off the shelf more often.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 22:09:57 | More by writerLJBerg

jera1350

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Vintage 2009.

Deep copper brown color. Dense head of lively foam with terrific retention.

Exquisite nose that is highly complex. Cake, shortbread cookies, dark fruits, dates, fig, pudding.

Very wine like in flavor. Port wine, huge sweetness, red grape juice, fig, wine alcohol, blackberry brandy and simple syrup. Deep complexity.

Awesome feel of velvety smooth fullness.

A beer like a fine port wine. Lots of sweetness and complexity. Wonderful brew for sipping.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 04:26:43 | More by jera1350

Philousa

California

4.73/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Imbibed at Good Karma on 8/15/2012. Reviewed from notes.

Pours an opaque reddish brown that reminds me of cedar. A wispy tan head doesn't quite cover the surface and clings to the edge of the Gouden Carolus chalice (gotta love the proper glassware). Lots of berries - cherries, black berries, pit fruit - in the nose to start. Some alcohol/wood presence as well. Dark berry flavors are evident up front with some mild wood characteristics. Some hard alcohol tendencies and flavors follow - bourbon comes to mind. Candied sugar makes its presence known, but it doesn't dominate and blends in with the other flavors well. Feel is super dry and viscosity is low, almost water like.

This is one of my favorites. The fruit aroma is so strong and the malt presence in taste is so different. A very complex sipping beer that hides its alcohol well.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2012 05:24:20 | More by Philousa

crazyfraser

4.23/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is a 1Pint 9.4oz bottle.

Appearance is dark brown with a slight mahogany tones, very beautiful. With almost an Oatmeal like head as far as color goes.

Smell .. kinda caramely, toffee, a little boozy smell

Taste smooth and strong, boozy but not to boozy. very malty,
caramel, coffee

Mouthfeel bubbly boozy,

Overall A very good brew, will drink again

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 22:13:31 | More by crazyfraser

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

75 cl

Pours a deep ruddy brown, cloudy, with a brownish yellow head at an inch. Slow dissipation.

Smells of apples, butter, caramel, figs, cloves, cinnamon and a hint of yeast ester and hop.

Tastes of oak, apples, caramel, molasses, cloves, red grapes and hints of something like rum.

Full, syrupy body with light tingles of carbonation on the roof of the mouth. Some booze warmth going down.

This beer is monstrous and rich, very heavy, and definitely a sipper. It's almost overwhelmingly rich and flavorful and borders on being just a tad too much. It's very sweet and will not appeal to fans of dryer, more tart, or hoppier beers because of this. However, it is quite good for what it is and I am going to thoroughly enjoy this experience. However, there are a number of other Belgian ales in this class that I think balance their flavors a little better.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 22:27:05 | More by Cylinsier

Immortale25

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a Dogfish signature snifter. Back label says 11/07/11.

A- Pours a medium brown color with a full inch of light tan head that retains a good while before dropping down to an 1/8 head and bubbly surface foam. Soft, sticky lacing.

S- Sweet and very rich with jabs of alcohol fume coming through here and there. Notes of pecan and hazelnut.

A- Oh boy. Incredibly balanced flavors of yeast, sweet malt and alcohol. Notes of Belgian candy sugar, light butter and nuts. The sweet-to-booze ratio is nearly spot-on with the booze just barely inching ahead. Taking sip after sip to unlock the mystery only leads to a warming sensation in the stomach that's totally welcome.

M- Slick and smooth with some alcohol bite and a perfect amount of snap from the medium carbonation.

O- Now I see why this has such high acclaim. Sure, it's a bit hot but it's a perfect wintertime brew...too bad it's August but that's why I'm definitely cellaring one of these bad boys!

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 02:15:20 | More by Immortale25

GruberMeister

1.83/5  rDev -57.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

I tried this beer based on the amazing ratings. It tastes like wine. I don't recommend this beer if you are a fan of IPAs, ales, or beer. It tastes like wine. Pick up a St Sebastians golden Belgian ale instead. I would have trouble picking this over even budweiser to be honest.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 08:33:56 | More by GruberMeister

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours dark brown with an off white head. Splashy lace that lasts.

Dark fruit; boozy bread (really good bread notes), some yeast, sweet malt, boozy cherry.

Nice brew. Boozy malt up front, but not overly chemical in flavor. Some brown sugar, dark fruit, sweet bready bite, some cocoa powder, a little bitterness. Dries out a touch in the end with more sweet than bitter.

Full bodied, carbonation is right.

Great beer. A brew that will sneak up on you at 11%. Easy to drink

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 23:06:16 | More by OtherShoe2

LiquidAmber

Washington

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

Review from 2/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a dark mahogany brown with ruby highlights. Nice off-white one finger head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of dark and caramel malt, dark and dried fruit, slight cherry and a hint of Belgian spicing. Flavor is intense dark and dried fruits, caramel malt and delicious light tartness with fruits dominating middle and finish with slight hops in the finish. A bit on the sweet side, but the complex flavor carries this ale through. Medium to heavy bodied with some creaminess. A very nice dark Belgian.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 18:16:23 | More by LiquidAmber

BlurryVisi0n

New York

4.65/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a flute glass. Vintage 2010 bottle served 08/07/2012.

Appearance: Very very dark brown, almost amber. It is not purely opaque with a off white maybe orange-white head that rose to 1/3", looks good believe me.

Smell: Rich berries borderline wine that's how deep it is.

Taste: Ridiculously complex, it is definitely not for every drinker but most will appreciate a quality brew like this. Lightly bitter with a honey sweet taste.

Mouth: Incredibly sticking taste, I mean seriously it is a notch "sweet" but so sweet that you will love it.

Overall: This beer is a gem, I honestly couldn't push it any more. You want to talk about a quality brew this is it. I absolutely cannot complain, well maybe only one I want more! Salud

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 05:42:08 | More by BlurryVisi0n

kojevergas

California

3.85/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2007 vintage! 1 pint 9.4 fl oz brown glass bottle with hood and wire cap over a cork served into a Uinta brewing pilsner glass (it was all that was available) in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are very high given the brewery and style. I'm hoping it beats Chimay Blue.

Served after a rest period from the refrigerator. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a 1.5 finger khaki colour head of nice cream, good thickness, and excellent retention for the high ABV. Colour is a very dark yet vibrant and evocative brown. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Nontransparent. Opaque.

Sm: Magnificent dark malts, biscuit malt, clean malts, dark malts, biscuity yeast, fantastic caramelization, cream, plum, and heavy wine notes (mostly red, with even a tannin-like character). Surprisingly acidic. A delightfully fruity, rather subtle aroma. Really quite remarkable. I can't wait to try it.

T: Great cream throughout, with plum, wine grape, and other indistinct fruit notes. The gentle malt backbone lends it body but doesn't intrude on the flavour. Hops are floral if present; no bitterness comes through at all. Nor does any alcohol, which is quite a feat at this ABV. Some nectar on the back end. It's nicely yeasty, which I think helps complement those fruit notes. Some raisin here and there. It's not as winey as suggested by the aroma but still maintains that distinct character, especially on the climax. Tinges of caramelization help keep it interesting. It's full of surprises, and boasts an impressive depth of flavour as well as an interesting complexity. Quite subtle. It's brought off quite well; I adore it. A touch too acidic.

Mf: Just enough cream. Smooth and wet, aiding the drinkability. Supports the flavours without intruding upon them. Good (though fairly high) thickness. It can feel a bit viscous at times, but overall it's quite alright. It could use a touch more coarseness, but I'm nitpicking. Carbonation is near perfect; it drinks well now - even after five years.

Dr: I think the age likely did it well. Maybe one more year and it'd peak. Very drinkable for its incredibly well concealed ABV. I'd definitely get this again. Worth picking up some bottles for the cellar as well. A fantastic beer in the style, giving even Chimay Blue a run for its money in my book. Indeed, I think I prefer this one. And it isn't even priced all that highly for its quality. This is something of an overlooked treasure. I'd definitely recommend it to friends. One thing that does bother me is the proliferation of grapey notes, which can tip the balance of the flavour off at times.

B+

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 06:18:17 | More by kojevergas

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

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

4.68/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

For Belgian Independance Day Week.

Body is more brown than black, but its dark for sure. The light produces a few translucent brown hues. Initial white head fades into big bubbles and a ring around the glass.

Booze laden smell. Lots of prunes and sweet dark cherries. Thick booze smell still dominates. Slightly sweet, kind of like sweet cherry syrup.

Not overly complex, but exactly what you want from a Belgian Dark. The booze is all but gone. Yeast comes out straight away, blitzkrieging away. It fades, and you get the underlying sweet dark fruits that are just great. Then comes this insanely smooth sweet monster. It finishes out just so smooth. Just sweet enough to be great, but not overly sweet. Notes of black cherries, plums, and sweet, sweet blackberries. Finishes light and slightly sweet.

Yeast is perfect here. Only enough of it to make a Belgian ale, but adds a nice presence. Low carbonation also helps the drinkability.

Feels light (way too light for 11%). Slick from the dark fruits, but still enough body to make it great.

What a gem and a lucky find on my part. Now I have to try to find a better BSDA (which is going to be tough).

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 19:35:53 | More by VncentLIFE

TenHornsProud

Colorado

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

Pours a dark, murky purple/black/brown with a small tan head that lingers.

Smells of sweet, bready malt, plum, some fig, and dark, burnt sugar character.

Taste is sweet plum, cherry up front that goes into a more bready yeast character before ending on a sweet, dark fruit note with a big note of alcohol.

Full body with nice carbonation. A bit too boozy at a young age.

Fantastic, non-hyped beer that I can't wait to age.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 00:33:19 | More by TenHornsProud