Gouden Carolus Noël / Christmas - Brouwerij Het Anker

dragonWhale

New York

2.28/5  rDev -42.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

The most intriguing thing on tap at Washington Commons in BKny. Well, the 2nd most, but that wasn't on tap anymore.

Brown and murky. Mysterious and dangerous. Smell of spices, malt and anise.
I sip, anise. I gulp, anise. Everything I taste, anise. Bullshit, anise. Unbalanced, overspiced, kinda gross. This will be my last affair with this beer. I'm actually exceptionally puzzled that this was deemed a worthy affair by these brewers whom I consider to have mastered the art of not deluding me into thinking their beer is good. Unfortunately, this will make me think twice of ordering any of their beers in the future.

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2011 11:14:46 | More by dragonWhale

Minkybut

Virginia

2.25/5  rDev -43.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

I poured this gross beer into my tumbler at 50 degrees. It was a nice mahoganny color with a pretty tan head that was teaming with tiny fine bubbles and looking great. Then I smelled, whew, sour apples or vineger. Then I tasted and again sour yuk to me. Some like the sour brews but since tis is my review I say YUK ! I will not buy again/

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2007 18:00:15 | More by Minkybut

bkilpatr

Oregon

2.15/5  rDev -46%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured from a 330 ml bottle into a Chimay glass. 11/23/08.

Pours a deep brown color with hints of ruby around the edges. About a finger of light tan head that slowly dropped to a thin layer. Aroma is very yeasty and fruity with toffee, cherry, caramel, sweet malt, and a heavy dose of alcohol.

Taste starts with a bunch of sweet malt and darker fruits. Lots of cherry and toffee and a sweet biscuit taste. Plenty of peppery spice. There's a bit of fusel alcohol taste as well.

Feel is medium-full bodied with ample carbonation. There's a bunch of warming from the alcohol. Drinkability is not that great. Between the alcohol taste and the heat, it's not that easy to drink.

Overall, kind of a mess. Too much alcohol in the taste and feel makes for an unpleasant experience. A lower alcohol content could have made for a much better beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2008 03:14:05 | More by bkilpatr

largadeer

California

2.1/5  rDev -47.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Draft at The Trappist. Dark amber-brown with fair clarity and a sticky off-white head. Smells strongly medicinal; herbal with black licorice, cough syrup, menthol, caramelized malt and solvent. Palate is similar, huge kick of anise and mint, strong on the herbal/medicinal flavors. Alcohol is less noticeable on the tongue. Finishes with semi-sweet dark candi sugar and an herbal astringency that reminds me of bitters. Not particularly enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2011 04:01:09 | More by largadeer

teromous

Virginia

1.95/5  rDev -51%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Dated 23/09/09 on bottle. 1PT 9.4FL.oz in a corked bottle.

A: Pours a medium brown color into what becomes a very dark brown and nearly black glassful. It has a substantial cola-tan head. The lacing consists of very large bubbles and the head stands up pretty well.

S: It smells sweet and slightly fruity (prune-like), with some of the malt coming through. It has a hint of licorice smell. I can smell the alcohol, and there is a hint of metal. The scent isn't all that pleasant because the alcohol and metallic scents mask most of the complexity.

T: It has a strong flavor to it, almost like a barleywine. It tastes a little off compared to similar style beers...it could just be the age or a difference in brewing methods. It's authentically Belgian but it doesn't taste quite right. It's a little sour and I can taste the hops but it's not bitter. I don't get any "Belgian Yeast" character at all. It's very roasty.

M: The mouthful is a little raw. It bites back with an unpleasantness which makes it hard to drink. On a positive note it is a large bold beer that says "I'm here".

D: I can't drink more than a bottle of it. It has a very high alcohol content, and when drinking it you can taste it. The roasted flavor amplifies the alcohol flavor somehow and just makes it hard to stomach. It's not blended together well. I would not drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 19:47:04 | More by teromous

IronCitySteve

Pennsylvania

1.83/5  rDev -54%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Had on tap at Fatheads Pittsburgh.

A: Pours a dark brown color that does not let in any light. Provides a thick foam head with nice retention and some nice lacing.

S: Alcohol, dark fruit, sugared candy and lots of anise.

T: A lot of alcohol up front with some dark fruit. Has a cough syrup type taste with too much alcohol dominating. As this warms, the malt character comes out a tad more, but the alcohol still dominates.

M: Leaves a biting alcohol taste on the palate.

D: Not really a brew for me, high on alcohol taste.

Serving type: on-tap

12-24-2010 14:22:41 | More by IronCitySteve

Trizzle

United Kingdom (England)

1.65/5  rDev -58.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Pours lively - a shaken coke, and like a shaken coke it's big sparse head fades in seconds. Body is a not unpleasant red brown but hazy even at room temp.

Aroma is big and there is plenty going on.. Candy sugar, acetone, cherrys, stale port, orange rind, alcohol and some Belgian yeast. A motley and jarring combination.

Taste? Fuck. Well, nail polish remover and cherry sherbet dominate. Cheap white rum, more stale port , some cola and toffee syrup' Very cloying. I know I've mentioned white rum but the alcohol is actually reasonably well hidden. (behind cherry sherbet and acetone)

Medium light in the malt, low carbonation.

Obviously not my sort of drop and very undrinkable for mine.

This was supposed to be my after work Friday treat. I'm tipping it and switching to my Bunnahabhain single cask. So there.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2010 21:54:03 | More by Trizzle