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

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

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

beerceller99

Louisiana

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

75 cl. bottle from 2003. Has a ruby brown hue with an off white head. Massive fruity aroma of raisons, plums, pudding bread, and dark caramels. The flavor profile runs the spectrum, from malty caramel, vanilla extracts, to raisons, dates, and Hawaiian sweet bread. All this wrapped in a smooth, medium body. Finishes with a warming alcohol mellowness.

This brew is carbonated cognac; Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2004 17:10:12 | More by beerceller99

TastyTaste

Minnesota

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

Appearance: Very nice dark brown body, hazy, with visible carbonation. Head raises up about 1/2" fades slow, leaving a thin creamy layer on top of the beer.

Smell: Strong and sweet, grape-fruitiness, slightly woody.

Taste: Rich and fruity, malt is big, very big, with brown sugar. Fantastic and complex, toffee and cream, spicy and bold.

Drinkability: Excellent a smooth sipper that is very tasty on the way down. I bet this one would age excellently, and mellow even more than it already is. Fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2006 00:51:32 | More by TastyTaste

StoutPiper

Illinois

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

I can't say this is my favorite beer, because (depending on what mood I'm in) I could feel a good Imperial stout is the best, and another day i crave a good hoppy IPA. But, if you want a belgian ale, this is the best beer I have ever had the pleasure of tasting.

I've only had it once, and i can't find it again, i got it somewhere in NJ, but it was an amazing experience. The beer poured a dark brown, with a respectable head, and lacing you would expect from a perfect belgian ale. the smell fits the beer, strong, spicy, nutty, cinnamon-y, it was a true experience.

The taste followed suit. It was borderline quadrupel, because it was such a bold taste, but i got everything from cherries to almonds out of it, the taste varying from sip to sip.

If i could find this beer again, i would buy several cases and drink it almost exclusively. Again, i cannot emphasize enough how much i enjoyed this beer. Worth a try or seven!

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2007 06:17:18 | More by StoutPiper

dstc

Florida

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

Pours very dark with ruby highlights. Big foamy head that fell to nothing with little to no lace.

Smells very sweet and malty. Yummy.

Big sweet malts, raisins, plums and brandy come to mind. Nice alcohol finish. Just perfect.

Full and smooth in the mouth with a nice alcohol bite.

My favorite at the moment, almost the perfect beer. Hell, maybe it is the perfect beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2008 13:47:20 | More by dstc

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

FreshHawk

Illinois

4.95/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A - Very dark plum color with some dark ruby hues on the edge. Fairly large, creamy, sticky, toasted marshmallow colored head. Decent retention and a beautiful layer of creamy, sticky lace.

S - Plenty of dark fruit consisting of plum, raisin, and date. Nice sweetness as well with molasses, dark candi sugar, licorice/anise, and a touch of bubblegum. Well spiced with clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of coriander. Hints of rum/brandy soaked fruit as well. Some dark malt and a touch of breadiness make the base. Pretty complex aroma.

T - Good mix of dark fruit, spice, and sweet bread flavors throughout the sip. Similar to the nose. Starts with a strong dark, spiced fruit at first. Mid sip has a strong licorice and bubble gum flavor come out. The dark fruit then comes on strong at the end with a bit more of a rum/brandy flavor to it. The sweet bready flavor is a nice persistent undertone throughout the sip.

M - Medium, maybe slightly toward full, body. Has a lush, creamy, persistent kind of feel to it though. Good amount of carbonation.

D - Well balanced and complex beer with a great mix of flavors that had me wanting to drink more. I could see it potentially being a little too sweet/cloying, but I like sweeter beers on occasion and I think it works for the style.

Notes: Vintage 2009. Great beer that is very complex and has a lot of bold, big flavors. Inclusion of licorice and bubblegum flavor is interesting for the style. I really liked the beer, like I said before, some may think it is a bit too sweet, but it makes a great dessert or night caper (although I could see me drinking this other times too!).

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2010 06:25:34 | More by FreshHawk

Brushkanna

New Jersey

4.95/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I am drinking desert. This is as far away from a traditional beer as I have had. I’m a novice when it comes to Belgian dark strong ales. The Grand Cru of the Emperor pours with a short creamy head, there are great strong flavors of sweet dark raisins, caramel, brown sugar & hints of fine chocolate.

My wife who likes darker sweeter beers said, "this is the best beer ever". Some have said that the high ABV was noticeable and a negative but I did not get that feeling. It has 11% ABV but it fits well, reminds me of a fine desert wine.

We really enjoyed this beer I will be looking for it again as a great holiday treat.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 00:20:33 | More by Brushkanna

RoyalT

Ohio

4.97/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance - Dark, reddish-brown in color with a gorgeous head. This one looks serious.

Smell - This is grand cru heaven. The malt base is covered in sweet toffee, caramel, and orange flavors that are big as Mt. Rainier. The brown sugar sweetness is almost palatable on the nose.

Taste - This is perfection. The deep, sweet flavors of brown sugar, orange, liquid toffee, and caramel meld together in an incredible blend. The slightly toasted malt flavors are there as well, but this is all about that sticky, sweet taste of sugary perfections that is the Belgian Grand Cru. There's also just a hint of alcohol notes to warn of the typically high 10.0 ABV.

The chewy nature of this flavor is complimented by hearty plums, some tobacco, thick, rich apricots, and maybe even some apples. This is sugar at its best.

Mouthfeel - The slight carbonation, in accordance with the style, is complimented by the amazing buttery smoothness of the sugary ingredients.

Drinkability - If you have a sweet tooth and love fine Belgian ales, this is the one for you. God forbid you should be a Grand Cru fan - you HAVE to try this ale.

Comments - The label reads, "Gouden Carolus," over the top and, "Carolus D'or," on the bottom. There's a blue banner with gold writing that looks to be labeled diagonally across the bottle, although it is clearly part of the manufactured label, that reads, "Grand Cru of the Emperor." This is indeed fit for royalty.

Update - I popped a vintage 2000 in 2004. The aroma is even deeper than when it was fresh, but the flavors were washed out a bit. The musty, dirty, cellared flavors though were a delight. Four years is probably too old for this guy; maybe two or three max. It has been my experience that Grand Crus are usually good fresh and almost always peak at a year or two in the cellar.

Update - I had a 2005 at the end of the 2005 year. I'm convinced that this brew should not be cellared.

Fresh this is absolutely incredible! It's really one of the best beers that I've ever had. It represents exactly to me what I think of when hearing the term "grand cru". It's thick yet super sweet. It is incredibly complex. It melts in your mouth. It makes you feel like a king.

Update - I had a 2010 in 2010 just to test my theory that Grand Crus are really just cellared BSDAs and I think I proved my point. This is smooth, well-aged, with even some musty characters, and is incredibly drinkable after just a few months in the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2003 02:56:19 | More by RoyalT

Pingotas

Florida

4.97/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Deep, rich obscure hues with some reluctance to head up heavily. Long lacing. Roasted brown sugars dominate the subtle aroma.

The assault of vine fruits and very ripe bananas are immediate on the tongue; however, each taste brings added overtones of flavors as complex as citron, cardamom, rum...to name a few.

Absolutely delicious, particularly since I tend to favor this degree of sweetness - it provides a velvety, almost syrupy smoothness that carries delicately over the fine carbonation.

I would accept purgatory for this one, a truly masterful preparation and clearly one of the best brews I have ever tasted!

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2005 21:27:52 | More by Pingotas

ypsifly

Michigan

4.97/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Corked and caged 750 from the '05 vintage, poured into a chalice.

Deep brown with a light tan head that stays at two fingers for a while before it leaves thick foam inside the glass.

Spicy yeast, clove, coriander, lemon zest, toffee, figs, powdered sugar, leather and licorice. Just a touch of peppery alcohol underneath. Lots going on here....outstanding!

Figs, plums, licorice, holiday spices, earth, cloves, cookie dough, brown sugar, and a finish that starts out sweet but fades into slightly bitter with a dry aftertaste. Slight pepper at the end as well, but this is the closest flavor to alcohol that registers....WOW!!! This one earns a five, no doubt. So much going on here. The mouthfeel is full and velvety. Really glides over my tongue and seeks out every nook and cranny in my mouth without being chewy or leaving any syrup. 10% abv or not, I could drink this all night, but I would force myself to sip and savor.

I have a new favorite belgian. Do your soul a favor and get a bottle of this ASAFP!!!!

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2005 04:37:12 | More by ypsifly

phisig137

Virginia

4.97/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is quite possibly the best beer I have ever consumed. Absolutly perfect in every way as far as I'm concerned. I had a couple bottles last year (2004), and I think that the 2005 is slightly better. I bought one bottle this year the first time I saw it, and it was so good that I went back the next day and purchased a whole case! (It comes in a really sweet wooden crate too)

Mouthfeel is exceptional, with flavors of dark dried fruits, caramel, and a slight hint of mocha. This beer hides it's alcohol exceptionally well, but still will warm you from the insides out. The aroma is dominated by sweet caramel, with hints or raisons and dates shining through. Head dissapates relatively quickly, but a fair amount of lacing remains. While most belgians (doubles, triples, any really) should be served mostly warm, I enjoy chilling this one, and letting it develop as it warms.

When I bought the twelve bottle case, I removed the heavy duty staples from the lid, and opened it to make sure that everything looked OK on the inside. I then used nails to re-seal the case, and don't plan on opening it for at LEAST 3 years. The info sheet I found inside the case lists the shelf life of this beer in a cellar as "10+ years". After tasting it, I plan to buy a full case every year, and to start a vertical tasting every year with some good friends.

Honestly though.... this beer is pure nirvana. I find it to be similar in flavor and character to Rochfort 12, but for some reason, I give the edge to the Cuvee Van De Keizer. Simply the best beer in the world. Unmatched in every category as far as I'm concerned!

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2005 02:56:15 | More by phisig137

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Brewed in 2008. Ten and a half ounce pour, served in a tulip. $8 and worth every penny. I've seen cases of 750's for $115 and the purchase is a looming consideration.

A: BEAUTIFUL! Dark, cloudy garnet body. Small tan head fizzes out quickly. No lacing. I can look past the small head and lack of lacing since I'm not sure these qualities ever stood a chance really. Besides, the richness and depth of the body alone more than make up for it. This beer wants to be still. A vigorous swirl will bring about a small head but, within seconds, it will be gone again.

S & T: Incredible complexity, somehow intense but extremely delicate at the same time. Malt forward. Toasty. Aroma is of molasses and dark, overly ripe alcohol soaked fruits: Raisins, prunes, plums & dates. Brown sugar plus caramel mixed with a moderate amount of earthy spiciness which showcases the clove. Harmonious blend of ALL flavors. At 11%, it's no surprise and not to a fault, that a warm yet soft alcohol flavor/aroma comes through a bit. Perfect.

M: Smooth, velvety, plush. Admirable alcoholic warmth and mouth coating sweetness is perfectly balanced by the champagne-esque effervescence. Semi cloying, creating an incredibly long lasting flavor duration.

D: Each sip is better than the last. This brew is single-handedly responsible for my recent pursuit of BSDA's. Unfortunately for me, nothing has even come close to stacking up to this. As I'm sure my score will reflect, this is my all time favorite beer.

Note: I've had the bottled version from 2009 as well which was not nearly as impressive. This brew improves SIGNIFICANTLY with age. Draft might be important as well.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2010 15:30:22 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

dougnboston

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +16%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I've been following this beer for a few years. It's very consistant year-to-year and just wonderful.

They brew it just once a year, on February 24th and invite the public to help ... just show up at 8 AM with a cup of coffee and they'll put you to work! Very cool.

If you enjoy a stong, flavorful, dark beer ... this will take you all the way there.

Enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2004 02:47:24 | More by dougnboston

gimmehead

Illinois

5/5  rDev +16%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Note: 2003 vintage consumed 6/15/05

A rich, burgundy brown hued brew with a soft, sticky beige head that lasts forever and lovingly coats the glass. Smell is very sweet; candy sugar and buttery malts, cotton candy springs to mind. I just couldn't get enough of the aroma, I stuck my face in the chalice and breathed deeply for the better part of half an hour. It has a beautiful estery, vinous quality which fades to rich sweetness and hints of lush dark fruits. Amazing. If it tastes like it smells I'm afraid I'll weep. Nothing for it but to part lips and pour... sweet mercy, it does! Holding back sobs of joy I enjoy the soft vinous character, the ripe apples and cherries. The buttery malts and candy sugar are toned down a bit compared to the nose but still very flavorful. The finish is very winey and has a perfect alcohol warmth. The mouthfeel is perfect as well, thick and substantial with some soft carbonation tickle. Just right.

I have never reviewed a beer as a perfect 5 before, and I do so with some trepidation. How can a beer be perfect? Can it not be improved upon? Questions that I don't take lightly. The only answer I can come up with is that this is simply the best beer I've ever had. Every aspect was perfect in my mind: sweetness, fruityness well blended alcohol, etc. This is the standard to which I'll hold all Quads and Belgian Strong Darks to. The bar is set.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2005 01:23:29 | More by gimmehead

BeerNutta

Australia

5/5  rDev +16%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2005 Vintage

A = Poured into chalice with a deep dark brown colour and thin foam head.

S = Sweet rich smell of prunes and blackcurrant with a hint of alcohol.

T = Big malt flavour. You can also taste prunes and sultanas. Slight bitter finish. So so slight. Delicious.

M = Medium bodied with a warming alcohol finish that leaves you warm and satisfied. Amazing

D = Very VERY drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2007 12:26:32 | More by BeerNutta

reignsong

Maine

5/5  rDev +16%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I love this beer!

The aroma, as described by others, has malty and spicy undertones. I drink this very slowly, and enjoyed sniffing it between sips. It's the Gingerbread House of beers in scent.

The flavor is that nice molasses and malt, but the yeast/alcohol smacks it into shape to keep the palate clean upon every sip. The predominant flavor is a mild butterscotch with the base of a good stout. Very smooth and filling, like a big juicy burger.

I had one bad bottle (which was still better than most), but it was stored sideways for a few weeks before opening, and I'm sure that was the problem. I've had several bottles, and they've keep very well. In fact I have one 2007 that I don't plan on opening for a long time.

Dark beer loathers, and pilsner quaffers need not apply! This is exactly the antithesis of lighter beers, in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2008 23:18:52 | More by reignsong