Kasteel Donker - Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.

keithmurray

Louisiana

4.23/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2 oz bottle poured into a chalice

appearance - dark mahogany color with thin lacing of khaki head

smell - red wine, purple grapes, malt, brown sugar, cinnamon

taste - plums, raisins, red wine, malt, brown sugar

mouthfeel - medium bodied, ample carbonation,rich, sweet upfront and in the finish, slight detection of alcohol - warming but not overwhelming

overall - this is a really good Quad,on the sweeter side, but if you see it, be sure to try it

Price Point - $4.79/11.2 oz bottle

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 00:16:16 | More by keithmurray

DARIVA

Netherlands

3.65/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A beautiful and sweet dark beer with a slightly smaller head.
This beer drinks very easy way and has a slight carbonation, which I personally might be a bit more.
The taste of caramel is very present.
Furthermore, an above average beer but not really special.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 16:19:13 | More by DARIVA

jsp2

Virginia

5/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

750 ml corked bottle poured into a tulip glass.

Beautiful deep reddish brown hue topped with thin foam.

Aroma of freshly baked sweet fruity pastries, with raisin, orange, and apple.

A very complex and earthy, fruity flavor with huge sweetness. Sweet, intense, complex, and delicious. It is sweet and the hop level is low, but the earthiness really balances out the sweetness.

Carbonation is low to moderate and keeps the brew lively and light, a great sipper.

Among the best tasting substances to ever come from a bottle, a perfect quad.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 01:00:38 | More by jsp2

karait95

Mexico

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: A very dark color can be seen, when against light some reddish hues are clearly detected, head is brown but not too big with medium dissipation and no many traces are left behind.

S: Malty aroma, toasted barley smell with clear alcohol, fruits may also be present.

T: Flavor is pretty intense, a full malt and robust body flavor with some toasted ingredients and a strong alcohol flavor.

M: Complex sensations that starts neutral with some sweetness that rapidly changes into bittersweetness and then bitterness at the end not too hard on the mouth but present and also the alcohol sensation hits almost at the same time.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 02:16:29 | More by karait95

Everydayoff

Thailand

4.03/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

330ml bottle poured into an Orval goblet.

A:
Mysterious dark ruddy brown with likely clear texture, thin beige foam forms on top and quickly collapses into some patches of bubble, almost no lacing.

S:
Smell of good malty, dark fruits, caramel, brown sugar, a bit tea leaves, chocolate, coffee, dough and some phenolic spiciness.

T:
Mellowing fruitiness and sweetness, phenol and spice are inserted as leverage. In its sweet and fruity note, there are varieties of flavor wandering together; plums, raisins, sugar, caramel malt. Subtle hop bitterness fades in at the end also with a long tail of tangy sweetness and fruit.

M:
Full-bodied, a bit syrupy, good and lively carbonation enwraps a palate then scattering and yields silky smooth mouthfeel.

O:
Alcohol is well concealed, don’t feel it much in both aroma and flavor, indeed a worthy pick.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 17:21:03 | More by Everydayoff

magine

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a goblet.

Pours a lively, bubbly dark brown near black with some ruby edging. Lots of bubbles cascading to the top of the glass. Wispy constant carbonated and moving thin island sits atop the brew. Crazy, the ever moving island of bubbles is constantly moving - looks insane. After emptying the full bottle the head now is more present and is nice and creamy and thicker atop the brew. Nice patchy lacing left behind. Good looking brew.

Brew smells of dark fruits, estery Belgian yeasts and sugars, figs, cherries, plums and booze all represented. Good nose.

Brew is very balanced; great carbonation and spice up front, then a smooth creamy middle and drying end. With each sip you crave the next. Sweet flavors; dark fruits, yeasts and mellow maltiness. Barely there booze. Wow this is a tremendous quad.

Wow - tremendous treat here. If you are even remotely interested in Belgian ales you must pick this up if you see it.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 01:43:26 | More by magine

BelgiumBill

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served up in a tulip glass. Dark brown nearly black with some garnet highlights when held to the light. A quick beige head that was a bit sticky throughout.

The nose was a sweet malty bready with some dark fruit.

The flavors were dominated by sweet ripened dark fruits such as fig and raisin and banana nut bread. really good! Sometimes I don't care for these overly sweet dark fruit flavor profiles but this one was spot on perfect.

It was smooth and slick in the mouth with well balanced carbonation and only a slight presence of alcohol .

Overall, best quad I've tried yet. Complete package.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 00:16:29 | More by BelgiumBill

JerseyKirk

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Ruby red to deep rich brown. Small khaki head that clears quickly since this is a high octane beer. Excellent lacing and alcohol legs that coat the glass.

S: Molasses, toffee, burnt sugar, caramel, bread, biscuit, sweetness and subtle dark fruit.

T: Caramel sweetness, sugar, molasses, burnt notes, tobacco, almost sherry like and slight belgian phenolics.

M: Rich and velvety. Coats the mouth and tongue with a slick layer. Thick, chewy with an almost taffy feel. Huge alcohol hit but not burning or warming. Just in flavor. Sherry like.

O: An excellent sipper. Can't take more than a baby sip because it's so complex and sweet. It's not something you could have a lot of (high alcohol) and incredibly unique flavor experience. Good stuff. However, I would only want one once a year. Waay to rich to be an all the time beer on hand.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 23:13:18 | More by JerseyKirk

bigdeuce

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I am no fan, generally speaking, of quads. This quad is a bit sweet, but somehow stays in balance and is not overwhelming. Nice looking beer. The belgian yeast comes through with a smooth, light tasting nuttiness, that moves toward the cherry/plum taste. Very drinkable, not much alcohol detected. Lightly delicate with nice lacing out of the tulip. Extremely nice beer, better than I remembered it when I had it around 6 years ago.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 03:01:41 | More by bigdeuce

Douberd

Netherlands

4.35/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Great colour, deep brown-red with some bubbles visible when hold against the light. One finger beige head that quickly disappeared.
Caramel aroma. Bitter-sweet taste, it was leaving me with a taste of bubblegum after each sip. The high ABV is not at all noticeable, good. Carbonation is balanced. Medium thick on palate.

A truly great beer!

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 23:38:34 | More by Douberd

hogrider

Florida

4.4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured in a goblet to facilitate taste and smell; it developed a nice half inch head dissipating slowly. I sniffed it for the first time getting a strong scent of caramel and detected a subtle hoppy background; I tasted this brew and my palate detected flavors of caramel, toffee and fruity complex flavors like guava, this brew is sweet…I like the after taste and honestly I want to drink more. ..and remember folks to support your local brewery DRINK BEER. HOG

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 23:56:52 | More by hogrider

afoltz2

Kentucky

4.6/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer rates well for me because of the experience that went along with it, which was "Beer School," one Sunday afternoon at the Beer Trappe in Lexington, Ky. I say that not because it reminds me of a good experience, but part of Beer School is learning about the beers you sample, how they are crafted, what distinct flavors, smells, and feels should be, and you get to compare samples from the same class of beer side by side.

I went to Beer School with my cousin Tony, another beer lover, whose taste differs from mine. I prefer stouts and lagers, he prefers witbiers and hefeweizens. We agreed that both the Kasteel Donker had the best flavor and feel among the six that were sampled that day, all of which were bock beers. I brought home several of the ones I liked to increase my sample size, and reconfirmed that the Kasteel was best in class.

For having a high ABV, this brew does not have a strong alcohol taste to it. It was surprisingly smooth, and the roasted malt flavor was strong but not overpowering beginning and end of taste. I drank from the bottle, like a heathen, so I cannot comment on the pour or the color, sadly, and I will drink from proper glassware next time I try one so I can update my review.

In short, if you like bock-style beers, this is definintely one to try and enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 17:55:26 | More by afoltz2

ujsplace

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a chalice.

Pours a deep, dark near-black colored brew that has a once finger thick off white, almost tan colored head that quickly fades. Has some nice lacing.

Smells of candied malts, yeasts, dark fruits - raisins, figs, over-ripened cherries and plums; a faint spiciness and a hint of dark chocolate.

Tastes of big, sweet candied malts up front, dark fruits and spicey yeast - leaves a nice cherry aftertaste with generous alcohol warmth that makes it's presence known, but is done deftly. This brew almost has a burgundy-like quality.

Thick and creamy.

This is my kind of brew - especially for this time of year where it is currently 32 degrees outside. This definitely will warm you up a bit. A nice steady drinking brew - not one to be sessioned, but rather enjoyed with a chill in the air.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 01:15:36 | More by ujsplace

Mar02x

Netherlands

4.18/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - A dark brown fluid with some reddish hints. The foam is more beige than off white and transforms quickly till a thin layer.

S - A sweet malty scent mixed with a little yeast.

T - Again a sweet malty flavor with a nice deepness. One can taste this beer is great for aging. There is already some port like tones coming through.

M - A soft to medium carbonation with some alcohol warmth and bitterness in the end. There is noway one can this is a 11% ABV!.

O - An excellent beer! Always good to have a few on you're shelf.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 18:25:12 | More by Mar02x

ikantspel

California

4.53/5  rDev +11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

bottled on 5-6-10

served into a duvel tulip

pours a dark brown with a super small head and the slightest of lacing.

dark fruit, plums, and medicinal nose.

candy, dark fruits, phenolic to the max.

not too much carbonation to this bad boy. but its almost everything ive ever wanted in a quad. finishes quite smooth and not too dry. maybe a tad too sweet, but sometimes, it just works.

i picked mine up at the total wine and more about 20 miles away for 14.99 (4 12oz)... but ill be back for more and more

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2011 05:14:23 | More by ikantspel

broker0078

Pennsylvania

4.7/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer has stayed on top of my beer list for about a year now. I started moving to onto Belgian beers based on tradition rather than reviews. My goal was to taste every Trappist beer I could because I like the history behind a "Trappist" beer.

I like the fact that I could pour this bottle at any angle and the head would be small every time.

I was surprised how little carbonation was in this beer compared to other Quads. I like the fact that the carbonation was low because it seemed to go down smoother.

The dark color was fitting for a Quad and the flavor was like a cup of coffee with roasted malts and raisins.

I feel like Kobe the few times I walk into the distributor and buy this case. But my wallet feels cheated like his wife for the price of it.

Relax baby, I'll fill you with money and keep you happy.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2011 16:48:13 | More by broker0078

ibbjamin

California

3.48/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Paid $5.99 for an 11.2oz bottle from Healthy Spirits in San Francisco. It was bottled 080407 and I am tasting in Sep11. I pour into a chalice to review.

An aggressive pour yields a very small head that dissipates quickly leaving little retention behind. Dark, dark brown in color. Opaque and nearly black, except when held to a bright light. Some strings of lacing.

Dark fruits like raisin, plum, prune and fig dominate, but there is a good malt backing. I also noted molasses, brown sugar, alcohol and Belgian yeast in the nose.

The taste is also dark fruit dominated and quite sweet.

The mouth needs more carbonation, but I recon the aging may have toned this department down a bit too much. I don't think cellaring this one helped it much. Medium body and not as smooth going down as the best I've had in this style.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 01:49:51 | More by ibbjamin

GIVEMEBACKMYSON

Alaska

4.58/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Root beer brown, head is minimal, moderate clarity for the color, thought there would be more of a pillowy head for being a Belgian quad, but ok...

Smell is all sugarplums, dates, prunes, and mildly composted apple peels.

Flavor is really quite spellbinding. I'll do my best here... Up front we have sweeet raisin bread, and that is a sort of a leading notion, and the rest comes secondary, different characters stepping forth and bowing back into obscurity, anonymity....moldy wood, green apples that don't ever go tart, nor sweet...unsmoked cigars, maple wood, pecans, sweet and low, juicy fruit gum. It's all in there, you just have to stop drinking and sit for a while between sips. All the while there hangs a notion, almost a threat, that this will be a sour, but it never is.

The noted lack of head comes through in the mouthfeel. It's not bad, but, lacks some of the pillowiness I'd have hoped for. Really, a touch of CO2 is all that is missing from making this a world beater. Of course, it did travel some route to get from Belgium to Anchorage, and who knows how that went for it. There is alot of good here no matter how you slice it. The flavor, in this "sweet quad" is superb.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 04:08:46 | More by GIVEMEBACKMYSON

zaphodchak

Virginia

4.55/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thin whitish head, deep ruby body. Laces decently.

Red wine on the nose, primarily.

Taste contains red wine, brown sugar, caramel, and spice.

Mouthfeel is spicy, perhaps tingly, and not apparently 'fizzy'.

Fantastic for a sweet Belgian bruin - like a Gouden Carolus. Sweet food pairing brings out apple, perhaps prunish tartness.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2011 01:15:55 | More by zaphodchak

nycbeerfreak

New York

4.47/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Caramel chocolate brown body that has a deep, amber , honey hue to it.

S- Belgian sweet malt and yeast with a dose of alcohol. Great smell appropriate to the style. The sweetness is a dark fruit sweetness like a date or a raisin.

T- Dark fruit tastes of dates and raisins. There is a sweet bread flavor here folks. After that there is the warmth of alcohol and then a return of a more muted dark fruit.

M- It goes down like liquid caramel and the sweet nectar is syrupy sticky.

D- One of the best Quads i have tasted ....end of story

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2011 01:41:36 | More by nycbeerfreak

3toed

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

When I first tasted the Kasteel Bruin six years ago, I had a bit of an epiphany. At the time I was on a Belgian Ale kick (specifically Belgian Browns), drawn in by their complexity and depth. I bought the Kasteel Bruin on a whim; it graciously complemented the end of a delightful dinner, pairing well with a desert of Pears in Fig Syrup over Cinnamon couscous. At the end of the meal it was bliss. But, then again, maybe it was the 11% ABV. The beer became a favorite—it was relatively inexpensive ($7) for its intricacies (and heft), and it was always stocked my the choice dispensary in Richmond, VA.

I hadn't come across a bottle in quite sometime (now living in Boston) until this evening, when I happened upon the "Donker", which I had known was it's other moniker, "Bruin". At $10, it was slightly more than what I had paid prior, but it seemed to jive with all other price increases I had become accustomed to. Little else seemed to jive, however.

Appearance: Dark brown/murky amber in light, the dark cream colored head rings the circumference of the glass, creating the thinnest of shoreline. Very minimal head retention, no lacing.

Smell: Figs, roasted malt, oranges, warm fresh baked rye bread, honey and candied fruit.

Taste: Primary / Syrup, bright fruit (lemons, orange), Secondary / Robotissin, Prune Juice; Final / Alcohol, Molasses, Ginger, Fig Pudding.

Mouthfeel: Touches the tongue lightly, but quickly becomes expansive and coating, cloying with alcohol burn.

Overall: This beer is big, full of figs, and stays with you (in several ways...). It's cloying, and somewhat disappointing from my earlier exhalations. I hesitate to write that my palate has changed, or the beer has changed because, looking back I believe that there is a lot to be be said about context—

Firstly, in the past, I paired the drink with desert, which I think is a wise decision. I could also see it going well with a triple cream brie or a dry, sharp cheese. Think of the Donker as a port or desert wine. Drinking it on it's own this evening was like trying to chase cough syrup with my mother's fig pudding. Like Blueberry Pie and Sizzurp. Ugh.

Secondly, it's the middle of the friggin' summer. Unless you are spending 8 hours in a Michigan basement, there is no need to consume a Baltic Porter, an Imperial Stout or a dark quad in July. It's just silly.

Thirdly, I admit, like so many others, I have changed. I've become a hop head. My taste buds seek them out, especially in the sweetest of situations. But, the Bruin offers no light from it's syrupy sludge. It refuses to change with me.

At the risk of sounding prudent, the Donker is sweet indulgence at 11% ABV. Like a still life from the Dutch Masters—it is deep, dark and decadent, sinful, pouring over with color and life. And like the Master's, it's imbalance is overt, with opulence overbearing from the deep... leaving me searching for a bit of light in it's darkest corners.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2011 01:51:23 | More by 3toed

eric5bellies

Australia

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

Drank from my Duvel Tulip.

A - Pours a dark Brown colour with hints of copper. The head is off White and reduces quickly.

S - Sweet aromas of burnt sugars, and spice, malts are present as caramel.

T - Quite sweet sugars up front before some nice burnt caramel kicks in, followed by dark fruits and cherries. The finish is long with spice and booze.

M - Medium carbonation and body.

O - This is another very solid beer from Kasteel and recommended.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2011 14:53:58 | More by eric5bellies

djoucy

Quebec (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Poors dark brown with notes of ruby red. Thin tan head that goes away quickly.

Smell: Strong malt sweetness with typical dark fruits and caramel notes. Spiciness also comes strong, probably not from hops though.

Taste: Very sweet with a lite hop bitter sting towards the end. Still, a lot on the malty side, not very balanced. Touches of dates, dark fruits, caramel and molasses. A bit of spices as well.

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation. Alcohol warmth. Medium heavy body with creamy texture.

Overall: Quite smooth for the ABV. Will age well. I should keep other bottle for a few more years. A bit too sweet and has an annoying alcohol bite.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 23:57:16 | More by djoucy

beergirltammy

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I was served this beer at a small bar in Brussels, Belgium. I am a huge lover of dark beers and was really excited to try this. It was poured in the proper glassware and had a very nice mahogany color to it. I got about a 1/2" of head to it, which receded fairly quickly. The smell was surprisingly sweet. I was expecting more of a subdued earthy scent, but this smelled almost like cherry cough syrup. The first sip yielded more of the cough syrup taste, but as I let it roll around in my mouth a bit, I tasted more of a molasses/brown sugar hint. Honestly, I feel as though this is a good beer, but it is hard for me to get past the cough syrup taste of it.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2011 19:10:16 | More by beergirltammy

kojevergas

California

3.5/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

As noted by others, this is somewhere between a high ABV brown ale and a Belgian quad, but not really either definitively. I was served a bottle of this in Ghent, Belgium. It was poured into a Kasteel goblet; Belgians really take delicate care to utilize proper glassware. In the same bar I reviewed this in, a waitress was ashamed when a customer asked (in Flemish) for the proper glassware, because she realized she had served a beer in the wrong glass. Dropping more eaves than was polite, I noticed that the "wrong glass" was actually a glass from the correct brewer but not the exact beer for the bottle. Respect. Reviewed from notes.

A: Half-finger head; actually thin. Fair retention, especially considering its 11% ABV. Black colour. Perhaps some might call it an extreme dark brown.

Sm: Caramel, nuts, and light alcohol. I was disappointed to discover the alcohol is present even in the smell, which isn't a great sign.

T: Caramel and nut hop body. Complex. Balanced but strangely built for either style (brown & quad). The dark fruit I've come to expect in a quad is missing, replaced by the standard brown ale nutty hops. The effect is confusing, if not jarring, but the beer still tastes good. You get acclimated and it tastes better.

Mf: Nicely coarse and wet. The alcohol is warming, but a bit unwelcome.

Dr: Not good enough to order again at this price. I can't imagine what this costs in countries in which it's an import.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2011 16:45:11 | More by kojevergas