Kasteel Donker - Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.

irs

New Jersey

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

holy MF S! this was a gift from a very very very generous friend. bottled on date is 071102. So this is an 8 year old Belgian, and I know he aged it well.
I am so not worthy, this is my first review on BA, but I feel like I just can't just drink something this rare and try to pay some homage to my friend's generosity.
A - looks like Newcastle, warm, moist, medium dark brown with a sweet beige lacing along the glass.
S - Sweet. Feels like walking through ripe honeysuckle, but not...Caramel and butterscotch. I hate very sweet smells, but this is somehow addictive.
T - very sweet. Like a cake infused with brandy, or rum, more like rum, but very intense and sweeter than rum.
M - this is what I like best. its chewy, yet light. it leaves a very nice aftertaste on the palate. Carbonation seems just what it should be for the whole experience.
D - Hard to answer. One is very nice. I wouldn't have two. Two would be awful. For a nice dessert, I think this is wonderful. But just one.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2010 03:49:24 | More by irs

Pencible

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: This poured a nearly opaque dark mahogany with a bit of light tan head.
S: It smelled like bready yeast and prune and molasses, with banana and a bit of cocoa powder.
T: It tasted like very sweet caramel and a blend of dark fruits, with bready yeast and a bit of banana. It had a lasting sweet aftertaste with a bit of alcohol.
M: It was fairly thick with smooth and subtle carbonation.
D: This was a solid dark Belgian ale with a very sweet character. It had great body, and the alcohol wasn't bad (even though it was noticeable), so it was easy to drink. Great candidate for aging, but also enjoyable fresh.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2010 19:10:55 | More by Pencible

cwc

Japan

3.93/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Interesting beer. Wait, is this beer? I guess so. A new experience for me, for sure.

First of all, the bottle itself is intriguing. Not unusual for a Belgian beer, of course, but this bottle stands out in the world of beer. Basically, it looks like a bottle of champagne, with gold foil covering the cork. Oh, this one was brewed in 2008.

When we corked the bottle, we didn't smell much of anything, but the smells come out when you pour it into a glass. Definitely a sweet smell. The color itself is beautiful, an interesting reddish brown.

It's sweet. Sufficiently sweet that my wife said, "this is really interesting and makes me reconsider what I think of as beer, but you can have mine". Fair enough, it's delicious and the flavors are really complex, I tasted one on the initial sip, something different when I swished it around my mouth and then another in the aftertaste. You like complex beer? This is it. It's sweet, for sure, and you can also taste the alcohol (although not so much after you have more than a glass or two of it.)

Really interesting beer and I'd like to try others from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2010 15:17:51 | More by cwc

jjboesen

Maryland

4.63/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This superb Belgian was the last beer of 2009 (and the first of 2010); poured from the bomber into a tulip glass, it emits a heaving gusher of head that, once dissipated, becomes a dark ruby liquid impenetrable to light. Splotchy lacing abounds and cakes the glass rim. The nose is pleased by a sweet grape aroma, one which might be considered too cloying. Whatever. The palate is blessed with an aggressively creamy concoction of rich malt and brown sugar. The mouthfeel is warm and doughy, as if the mouth were a bakery. Yummy!

What a great beer! I only wish that the year was as good as it's first beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2010 19:14:41 | More by jjboesen

ryanonline

Florida

3.4/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Looks nice, dark and deep with Ruby highlights. Big tan head. Good lacing.

Smells very sweet and light roasty. No hops.

Tastes a bit too sweet, almost saccharin. And a touch of roastiness.

Clean and creamy with a slightly dry finish.

Too sweet and a bit heavy i coukd only stomach like one or two of these.

This is one sweet muuhfuuh.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2010 22:57:53 | More by ryanonline

busternuggz

Arizona

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

Poured from a 11.2 ounce bottle into a snifter. Bottled date of 9-12-02 (!)
Looks beautiful. Nice rusty brown with a 1/4-1/2" thick bubbly, khaki head, leaves spotty lacing. Very inviting.
Rich and complex smell, I got raisins, cardamom, a bright maple syrup note, a little leather, and figs.
The taste was similarly complex. Big maple syrup, raisins, and dates up front, a little wood. It has a nice spicy/fruity aftertaste to it. Big and rich, but only a little heat every now and then. It's a little too sweet for a while, but as it warms it gets more mellow and a nice honey note comes out. I recommend drinking it close to room temp.
Nice thick texture comes in with all that richness, but it's well carbonated and ends pretty clean.
Definitely a sipper, but it's delicious and interesting enough to keep you going.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2010 14:58:38 | More by busternuggz

akenethon

Germany

4.38/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: dark brown with reddish tint, almost no foam
S: I can smell the malt, cinnamon, caramel, and alcohol. it is like a wine that has been aged in oak barrels
T: sweet, sweet, but fine. finesse in all aspects. a berry like aftertaste. it must be blackberry or blackcurrant
M: light mouthfeel despite high alcohol. hits the palate with a little bit of alcohol, absolutely lovely
D: I find this beer a bit too sweet for my taste. I may be able to drink a bottle of it, and maybe two if accompanied by food. it has a high alcohol content for long drinking anyway. Would be an excellent replacement for a sweet wine, but not the thing you could drink in a casual manner. You kind of have to set aside your time psyche to admire it.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2010 20:30:50 | More by akenethon

BucBasil

South Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Picked this one up at the Carrefour in Varna, Bulgaria. I am so happy to see good beer starting to make its way into this country. This beer was labeled "Kasteel Bruin-Brune 11^o". I believe that this is the same beer. Anyway, on to the beer...

Poured from the stubby 330mL bottle into a snifter.

A: The beer is a carbonated, opaque, pure brown, with a bit of light coming through when held up. the beer is topped with a frothy tan head of about 2.5 to 3 fingers with ok retention.

S: A big sweetness is the first noticeable aspect, heavy with dark fruit and some sugar. Some light roasted nut. Yeast.

T: Wow this is an unexpectedly sweet beer. The first sip is molasses and brown sugar coating overripe dark fruit. Malt begins to make an appearance after being held in the mouth, light and somewhat fleeting, but present in the form of dark breads. Then the yeast comes in and blows everything away in the finish, again with a very sweet character. Somewhat cloying, this beer took some time to get used to, though as it warmed, some different and more subtle notes came into play, including a light roasted nut flavor that was nice for a moment and a touch of cinnamon-sugar...

M: Very smooth with a touch of soft carbonation.

D: This is a pretty sweet beer, but still ok for such a high alcohol content. Masked very well, there is hardly any burn, but the sweetness does become a little annoying later down the line. Pick this one up to give it a try - could be a good gateway beer into Belgians, but I could have used a bit more balance.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2010 17:25:42 | More by BucBasil

BobZ

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml Bottle
Poured into Rochefort Chalice

Appearance: Deep reddish brown, nice light tan head, a good amount of lacing.

Smell: Wow, really nice nose with a caramel sweetness and very complex undertones.

Taste: delicious beer, deep complexity, but malty sweetness is the dominant characteristic. Not "overly" sweet just truly great flavor.

Mouth feel: Very smooth, but may tend to coat the palate a little too much.

Drinkability: Drinkable, but due to the sweetness and tendency to coat the mouth, this beer may be best when coupled with some other dark ales (like Unibroue La Terrible) in a session.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2010 01:33:49 | More by BobZ

ocelot2500

Arizona

3.63/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark mahogany color with garnet highlights and a small mocha head that leaves small bits of lacing.

Smells of dark fruits and bready malts.

Tastes of dark fruits, caramel, and roasted notes. Dark fruits are characterized by raisins and figs. This is really sweet and adds to the caramel notes. Some roasted notes come through and give the impression of molasses.

Mouthfeel is medium with a smooth amount of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2010 02:38:31 | More by ocelot2500

rwathree

Iowa

3.3/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle, poured into a snifter. Had this once before three years ago at a private tasting. I'll admit right away that I remembered a different beer than the one I had last night.

A: Nice, dark brown color, but weak, barely-there head.

S: You can tell right away that this one's going to be sweet. Heavy commingling of brown sugar and raisin.

T: Overwhelmingly sweet at first, which threatens to ruin the beer from the get-go. After I got past that, I could appreciate some of the other elements, especially a pleasant, champagne-like effervescence.

M: For all it's sweetness, it's not an overly thick beer. Nice and rich, and the carbonation is pleasant.

D: On the plus side, the alcohol presence isn't too powerful. But that sweetness makes this hard going down.

I can see this going well with a rich cheesecake or something equally bold and sweet, and maybe it mellows over time. That said, I won't drink this again as a stand-alone beer, and don't think I could get through a 750ml. Not bad, but I'm not likely to revisit this (again).

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 17:05:20 | More by rwathree

Stunner97

New Jersey

3.2/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance- dark brown and highly carbonated with tan head quickly fading away, see through when held to the light

Smell- very malty nose and lots of raisony and sweet smell, rum

Taste- very malty and sweet, decently long finish, raison, brown sugar, alcohol noticeable,strong flavor and good amount of heat

Mouthfeel- heavy and boozy, a little to much heat

Drinkability- not bad but a little to much alcohol and packs a bit of heavy punch for smooth easy drinking, would have tough time finishing whole bottle but enjoyable flavor overall

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2010 18:06:24 | More by Stunner97

chileman13

New Mexico

3.63/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a corked 1 pt+ bottle into oversized goblet.
A- deep brown/reddish cloudy brown. It leaves a good lacing on the glass.
S- Sweet fruity very light smell.
M-Smooth medium with average/correct cabonation.
T- Sweet carmel, dried fruit, plumy raisin. Manechevitz dessert beer.
Good 11% abv beer buzz. The abv is not reflected in the taste.
Not my style of beer, however I enjoyed the adventure.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2010 01:45:41 | More by chileman13

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

At first glance 'brune' seems about all there is to this beer but a birds-eye inspection reveals a universe of colour swirling about the glass. In both reflection and rim there is cognac-like amber, Bordeaux-like red, and rich roasted coffee brown. If this sample is proper indication, expect to see as much head as the Atacama dessert does rain.

I don't need to read the label to know that this is strong; each and every of the eleven percent alcohol is present and accounted for. Still, this potent fog hardly makes breathing more difficult, instead it makes it so much more pleasurable: notes of dark sugar and toffee, anisette, dried cherries, figs, dates and plums reward each breath.

It's a marvel how such disparate things as figs and yeast, barley malt and dates can end up tasting so much alike. When we use to the term 'fruity' in describing beer flavours it is most often a suggestive, nuanced term. Not in this case. The taste is exactly as I'd imagine a blend of macerated figs, dates, dark cherries and pomegranates.

It is like dark fruits were pressed through a sieve, their juices distilled and then the distillate was blended back in with the puree as well as some additional juices. This has the lush, plumpness of perfectly ripened, in season fruits as well as their intense, potent, concentrated spirits. It has as much depth and complexity as any single malt, spirit or wine.

The beer's heightened flavours and fervent potency definitely lend it to a snifter. Often times more can be better with these toothsome, sensual Belgian ales but I'm happy this came in the 33cl bottle because a 75cl one would simply be overkill. It's needless to have more than one glass to appreciate a beer so exorbitant and gratifying.

This is one of those ales that inspires people to make the claim that 'beer is more sophisticated than wine'. While wishing to keep myself out of that discussion, I'll admit, Kasteel Bruin certainly helps out their argument - it really does transcend the world of malted beverages. Any first-rate, self-respecting beer cellar will keep this in stock.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2010 16:54:39 | More by biegaman

Naugros

New Jersey

3.3/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Very brown in color with little head to speak of. Not what I expect from a Belgian beer. I'm used to billowy heads, but this did not develop one. Maybe it was the drinking vessel (a chalice) the precluded it. It did however leave nice lacing down the sides of the chalice.

I'm getting pears off of the nose and caramel sweetness and some dried fruit...raisins.

Yep, definitely raisins. You can taste them and they are sweet, very sweet...too sweet for me. The sweetness wrestles the heat of the alcohol to the ground and subdues it, but if you listen closely you can hear the 11% ABV crying "uncle". It's there but masked by the sugars. This is the frou frou drink of Belgian beers...almost schnapps-like.

The body is medium but all the sugar made it feel heavier. I could not perceive the carbonation.

I'm not sure I can finish this beer. I'm afraid that it will give me a headache. I'm not fond of the sugary flavor and maybe it's because I am unfamiliar as to what a donker should taste like. If this indicative of the style then I'll steer clear. I'm now hesitant to try their tripel.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2010 02:39:43 | More by Naugros

ncfranklin

Alabama

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

Bottle to a goblet.

A: Pours a deep dark brown to black which shines a ruby red. Small head that dissipates quickly to a light ring. The beautiful red in the light really makes this one shine. Almost wine-like.

S: Caramel sweetness and a feint nudge of spice. Not potent at all, quite hard to smell.

T: A short start of caramel leading into a heavy load of dark fruit. Only a small bit of spice present on the tip. This is a fruity mixture, as typical with the style. No alcohol present what so ever, fantastic job on that.

M: A very smooth, rolly feel with little carbonation.

D: The emphasis on dark fruit here would keep me away from more than one or two, suitable as this is to be sipped at its whopping 11% ABV.

Not best in style, but a suitable brew for dark fruit Belgian lovers.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2010 18:32:43 | More by ncfranklin

gauchebag

New York

4.43/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had this on tap at a new joint in town, got it because of high abv. It poured a very chestnut brown with a finger of mocha-ish colored head. It smelled fruity and sweet, nothing too discernible though. It tasted predominantly of caramel and burnt sugar to me, I didn't get any of the fruity notes from the smell, it basically came across as a super-alcoholy Sugar Daddy (which I'm going to say is a good thing.)

The abv was hardly detectable and I didn't give it too much time to warm up as the serving size was only 0.25 L but I greatly enjoyed it and would have had another if I didn't have to go back to work. It was very very easy to drink and I definitely felt a bit of hazy glow after even such a small amount which was pleasing as it usually takes a lot to get me there.

I'll be going back for more for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2010 00:10:40 | More by gauchebag

metter98

New York

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer poured very dark amber (near black) into a snifter glass. A thin layer of white bubbles covered the surface and there's a moderate level of carbonation.
S: There are aromas of malty sweetness with some hints of dark fruits in the nose.
T: The taste is complex and has a lot of overall sweetness along with flavors of candi sugar, raisins and plums.
M: It feels medium- to heavy bodied on the palate and a bit a bit thick but smooth.
D: For such a strong beer, you don't really taste the alcohol. This is very drinkable and I would definitely have another.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2010 21:12:22 | More by metter98

cjgator3

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle
Bottled on 03/05/2009

A- Pours a dark cherry red with some dark brown color as well with a light tan colored head that turns into a ring of lace.

S- The aroma is definitely dominated by the malt. Dark fruits (most notably raisin and plum), dark candied sugar, caramel, cherries and a yeasty spiciness. The aroma is very complex, really liking this one so far.

T- The taste like the aroma is full of sweet malt with lots of raisin and hints of cherry flavor with some alcohol soaked plums in the finish. The alcohol is definitely present in the taste, but is remarkably hidden for a 11% ABV beer.

M- The mouthfeel is full bodied with a perfect amount of carbonation.

D- Overall, I really enjoyed this one. This is a world-class beer without question. I think it is a little underrated here on BA. Definitely worth seeking out!

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2010 03:22:52 | More by cjgator3

Beaver13

Colorado

1.83/5  rDev -55.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

750ml bottle, bottled on 070924 (9/24/07?). Pours a murky brown with a small head that quickly goes to a tiny collar.

The aroma is subdued. It has some sweet caramel and toffee malts, some oak, a little dark fruit, and a bit of oxidization and alcohol.

The flavor is very sweet sugary malts and molasses, a little cola and fruit with a big sugary finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and syrupy.

Overall, this is way overly sweet. It's a bit of a treacly mess. As it warms and I get accustomed to the sweetness a little nutty malt and banana come out. So there's some complexity, but the sweetness overwhelms everything and makes it rather unpleasant.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2010 04:34:14 | More by Beaver13

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

stubby bottle, says bottled on 090225, I would assume means Feb 25 2009, so its got a little more than a year of aging

A - poured into goblet a deep mahogany color, with a thin creamy head, lots of lacing

S - sweet dark fruit, malt, a little booze

T - taste improves as it warms. nice sweetness, buttery, some alcohol burn in the aftertaste

M - very creamy, sticks to the mouth

D - quite drinkable. enjoyable to sip and let it warm you

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2010 03:39:11 | More by jmdrpi

flagmantho

Washington

3.9/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 330mL bottle into a tulip. My bottle is labeled as having been bottled on 8/4/2007, so it's got a couple of years.

Appearance: very dark brown-amber which allows some red light through when held up to a light source. Head is practically nonexistent: a thin film of large tan bubbles; not surprising for a beer this size.

Smell: musty, yeasty, bready aroma with plums and alcohol. For all that, the aroma is not turned up to a very high volume, even as the beer warms. Not too bad, though.

Taste: rather a lot like the aroma, but somehow more pleasing. Nice rich malt flavor that tastes old and strong. Alcohol is definitely noticeable here, but it's not necessarily a bad thing; the natural dark fruit flavors are complemented.

Mouthfeel: rich, silky mouthfeel despite low carbonation. Body is medium but it has a great, not syrupy but not thin consistency.

Drinkability: actually, quite drinkable for its strength. I'm going to enjoy this glass a lot.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2010 07:20:45 | More by flagmantho

SkeeterHawk

Texas

3.9/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I happened to stop by the Whole Foods in Boca Raton Florida while meeting a customer, and I saw this beer. Well, I picked it up, but haven't gotten a chance to try it until now. I am in Orlando with Knightly Spirits now, so if I am going to try it, I should do it now. I don't think that this beer is going to travel back with me. Let's see how this thing tastes...

Appearance: Pours a very clear reddish brown color with a small head even after a relatively aggressive pour. The head didn't completely disappear, but turned into a very thin ring in top of the beer. There is a little bit of lacing left on the glass after drinking, but it is minimal.

Aroma: The beer was very cold when poured, so the aromas were very reserved. I got some caramel and some dark fruits mixed with an already noticeable alcohol presence. As the beer sits for a bit, the fruit comes out more, and I am starting to pick up currants...interesting.

Taste: The flavor is much more bold than I expected from the aroma. It is somewhat thick on the palate from the start, and I get a whole lot of dark fruit mixed with some spice from the alcohol and an evident warming on the back of the throat. This beer hits the palate like some kind of refined dessert...with a kick. The carbonation is a little low for this beer and it would definitely benefit from a little more. As the beer warms up, the flavor continues to get more fruity. It is interesting, I can pick out white raisins...if you believe that.

Opinion: Overall this is a pretty good beer. I think that it could use a good bit more carbonation. The cork was only in the bottle just over a half-inch, so maybe a little bit leaked while it was being stored. The cork has a Dec2008 stamp on it, so the beer really isn't that old considering the ABV. Oh well, I like the beer overall, and I wouldn't mind trying it again...especially if it was on tap when the carbonation was controlled.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2010 10:45:22 | More by SkeeterHawk

obywan59

Virginia

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

750ml bottle. You need to peel off the tear strip to get the paper off the top to expose the wired-down cork.

Pours dark brown into my Duvel glass with a 2 1/2 finger head leaving light lacing.

Aroma of tart citrus at first, but then I noticed some sweet maltiness as well.

Oh, wow!! After the tart aroma, I didn't expect it to be so sweet. Taste of dark bitter chocolate and burnt malt with a bit of cherry. Or, perhaps dark dried fruit soaked in rum. Almost candy sweet.

To me it felt a bit lighter than other BSDAs I've tried (except for Mad Elf). This was a good thing, considering the extra sweetness. I think the sweetness, more than the mouthfeel, is what makes it seem almost syrupy. Not cloying.

Excellent sippability. The sweetness definitely slow you down. I think I like this even more than Corsendonk Christmas Ale.

The 11% ABV really fried me!!

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2010 07:16:15 | More by obywan59

mopargoof

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Nice 750ml bottle. Looks like a very dark belgium but then poors off red from a green bottle. Very little head. Sweet aroma. Very soft and silky at first sip followed by an overly sweet sugary body.

I was a little disappointed in this beer. Several of my friends say this is the best beer that they have ever tasted but I found it to be extremely sugary and sweet. Good alcohol content at 11% and no indication of the kick until its on you. Very expensive - buy 1 bottle and try before you spend the $100 plus on a 12 750ml bottle case.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2010 03:30:26 | More by mopargoof