Winter Koninck - Brouwerij De Koninck NV

beerguy101

California

3.63/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ruby color. Medium white foamy head. Aroma is malty, bready and slightly sweet. A medium bodied Belgian Ale. Malts are fruity and slightly sweet. Touch of banana and clove, cherries and plums. There is also a touch of must that complements the dry finish. Slightly spicy. Nicely balanced. Soft carbonation. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and dry. Aftertaste is slightly sweet

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2004 02:15:42 | More by beerguy101

JohnK17

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +8.1%

03-29-2013 17:27:40 | More by JohnK17

gtk1989

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev +0.9%

03-25-2013 16:40:51 | More by gtk1989

BGsWo22

New York

2/5  rDev -42.4%

03-21-2013 00:04:04 | More by BGsWo22

Sturmthis

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +0.9%

01-18-2013 01:42:03 | More by Sturmthis

uturn

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -6.3%

01-16-2013 02:00:21 | More by uturn

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev +15.3%

09-02-2012 15:40:43 | More by t0rin0

rekel

Netherlands

4/5  rDev +15.3%

07-13-2012 14:36:29 | More by rekel

Brabander

Netherlands

3.9/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this beer tonight at a restaurant where i live. Me and Mrs. Brabander went out for a bite. I asked the waitress for the tapbeers and she mentioned this one. I can remember i had this on from the bottle and that was not really a success. This tapversion was different!

Poured in the original chalice the beers looks very well. Nice one finger head and a black fluid. Roasted malts all over the place but in a decent way.

Easy drinkable with hints of chocolate (Very far away in the taste). A totally different beer on tap!

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2012 23:07:29 | More by Brabander

mrfrancis

Kentucky

3.4/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a hazy amber with a thin, fizzy white mousse. The head retention (or lack thereof) leaves a bit to be desired, but the unfiltered appearance is nice.

S: Very sweet and gentle on the nose with caramel, toffee, vanilla, and plums coming through loud and clear. I was hoping to pick up some hop aromas, but alas, I did not.

T: Notes of caramel, toffee, cream, vanilla, plums, earthy hops, and subtle spice are present on the palate. The finish is sweet with notes of caramel, cream, and vanilla being most noticeable.

M: Medium bodied and firm, but a bit syrupy. The carbonation is a bit excessive, but it is still rather drinkable.

O: This is a solid Belgian dark ale that could be more than it is. If it were better balanced, this beer would be a winner.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2011 22:00:27 | More by mrfrancis

brandoman63

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +8.1%

11-30-2011 18:39:58 | More by brandoman63

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +15.3%

11-25-2011 13:42:33 | More by Rochefort10nh

laituegonflable

Australia

3.65/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a ruby-tinged deep amber colour, head is pale cream colour and disperses quickly. Hints of bead around the edges, slight lace. Looks OK?

Smell is sweet and fruity, with plenty of dried fruit - plums, banana and plenty of vanilla. Caramel toffee and a hint of nutmeg. A bit oversweet, but pleasant Wintery notes.

Taste is richer. Light caramel notes upfront that develops strong, earthy fruit notes with plum and sour cherry. The palate grows sweeter towards late-mid, with vanilla and a touch of cinnamon spice. Pleasant overall, nice fruitness that manages to give complex Belgian sugars without going overboard on the sweetness.

Mouthfeel is a bit harsh, too much fizz. Decent body otherwise though.

The sour cherry flavour is really the hero here, balancing the palate as well as giving good texture to the flavour profile. Good beer, good for drinking during the colder months.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 00:02:17 | More by laituegonflable

redsonja

Netherlands

2.9/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A; red brown nice head

S; roasted malts a hint of spices

T; caramel, spices, some bitterness

M; nothing stays that long in your mouth

O; disiponting beer from the koninck little taste, its to sweet and the spices dont come out in the beer. the longer it stays in your glass more tastes a gone.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 08:44:39 | More by redsonja

berley31

New Brunswick (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured into two snifter glasses... the first pour had a moderate, off-white head that diminished quickly to a thin ring. Body is dark copper and very clear. The second pour yielded a lot of sediment... so much so that the beer was literally plopping into the glass like spoiled milk. Not pleasant.

S: Yeasty and a bit bready, with a hint of alcohol. Slightly sweet.

T: Quite sweet, even more so than the smell lets on. A little bready from the malt. Slight alcohol warmth on the finish.

M: Light-moderate body, moderate carbonation, and quite creamy.

D: Not a bad Belgian Dark, but not exceptional either. Probably wouldn't rush out to get it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2010 12:16:01 | More by berley31

jujubeast6000

Texas

3.43/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Reviewed 1/10/2010 (Draft at Gingerman, Houston, TX):

Pours a clear light red, brown color body. Crreamy white head, diminishing. Spicy sweet malty aroma. Holiday spice aroma. Spicy sweet taste, sweet spices, maybe. Nutmeg or somethning, holiday spices. Nice taste, nutty. Very holiday like. Somewhat creamy body. Letting it warm up a bit.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2010 03:22:49 | More by jujubeast6000

zeff80

Missouri

3.88/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured a hazy, dark burgundy color with a small, foamy, light brown head. It left soapy, sudsy trails of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled malty and somewhat fruity. There were notes of candy sugar, as well.

T - It had sweet biscuity malts with some candy sugar sweetness coming through. Good spiciness and yeasty kick.

M - It was crisp and smooth with a dry finish. A medium-bodied ale that is pretty easy drinking.

D - This is a good Belgian. Good balance of malty sweetness and spice.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2010 02:34:05 | More by zeff80

Halcyondays

California

3.55/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours a cloudy brown with a firm off-white head. Real nice Belgian lace and very good head retention.

S: Smell is mild, some dark molasses, dark malt.

T: Fruity raisin and plum essence and brown sugar predominately. Belgian yeast esters in the mix. Drier than I expected, light hop character.

M: Off-dry overall, smooth, medium-bodied.

D: An easy drinking Belgian Dark for the winter time, post Christmas I guess now. De Koninck always makes very drinkable ales out of Antwerp and this one is no different. Glad I got to try another one, since the only beer I've ever seen from this brewery is the common Pale.

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2010 23:35:09 | More by Halcyondays

Minotaur

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours from the tap into a tulip glass to an orange brown with very light edge coloration. Only a little head that goes away quickly.

Very little aroma: a bit of spice, alcohol, raisin, sourness and hints of malt. But all very faint.

It definitely has saison/bready/wild yeast flavor but extremely balanced in the light malt flavor. It i only verly lightly spiced and I can taste nutmeg,clove and ginger. I had it with snowcrab legs and the initial sour/funkiness vanishes into an alluring pear like sweetness with seafood.

Despite the unusual flavors that come through it is very drinkable and light in the mouth.

Serving type: on-tap

12-24-2009 01:47:12 | More by Minotaur

ImusBeer

Georgia

3.78/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Came in an 11oz pour, dark reddish with a slight offwhite head. A bit hard to see through but still no hazy.

The smell of maple, malt and honey. Hints of blueberry? possibly and of Molassas in the taste. A bit of whiskey oak flavours as well?

The mouth was a little winey with a whiskey like feel but without the heavy alcohol sting. It's a very nice sipping beer, not that heavy on the spice for a winter brew.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2009 14:31:59 | More by ImusBeer

Katahdin

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

It pours a nice amber color and the aroma is definitely sweet, like one would expect from a candy factory. The initial taste has flavors of fruits such as cherries, pears and maybe even some raisins. Finishes with a lingering aftertaste of spices but not overwhelmingly so. The carbonation is a bit thin so one tends to drink it a bit faster than most Belgians but overall has favorable drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2009 21:04:56 | More by Katahdin

jgasparine

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Poured from the tap with a 1/2" creamed-coffee-colored head, which slowly dissipated to reveal some nice lacing. The body was the same color as Grade-A Amber Maple Syrup, and exhibited some occasional coarse bubble working their way up the sides of the glass.

S- Smells of Belgian yeast, caramel malt, burnt candy sugar... and a distinct nutiness emerged as the beer warmed. Restrained aromas of nutmeg were also playing in the background.

T- The taste begins as a replicate of the nose: Belgian yeast, caramel malt, burnt candy sugar, a pronounced nuttiness and nutmeg. But there is also a clear indication of fusel alcohol here... a distinct boozy flavor that you wouldn't expect from a 6.5% ABV brew. The finish is long and lingers with hints of stone fruit.

M- Medium body... reasonably attenuated... and a soft carbonation. Not bad, but nothing to write home about in the mouthfeel department.

D- This beer is quite drinkable... but the fusel alcohols are a bug turn-off, and make me fear an oncoming hangover!

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2009 03:01:10 | More by jgasparine

jwinship83

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

750ml corked and caged bottle. drank from my duvel tulip.

A- this one pours a copper/amber colored body with a moderately sized fluffy white head. the head lasts a little bit before becoming a skin on the top of my glass. random spots of lacing are left wherever it has been.

S- sweet fruity malts. cherries and raisins mostly. not much on the spices which i thought were a staple for a winter beer.

T- just as subdued as the smell. overly sweet cherries, raisins, and pears. cant really find any of the spices in here. not what i was expecting at all.

M- light bodied with a high level of carbonation. a little thin.

D- nothing offensive here, but nothing great either. pretty bland and weak. i doubt ill ever give this one another chance.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2009 15:37:58 | More by jwinship83

MAB

Alberta (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A nice effort but a bit of a disappointment. I was hoping for more spice, a bigger mouthfeel, and a dark-- almost black-- color.
Instead, the beer is a copper brown with a thin head and plenty of carbonation.
The flavors are muted but very pleasant. Lots of sweetness, a hint of bitterness, a nice yeast. No spice notes or other flavors that I could detect, yet the glass was empty in no time.
For now I'll stick to the "Blond Koninck", though.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2009 13:56:05 | More by MAB

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - pours a muddy reddish brown. A thin froth of light brown foam creates a temporary cap, dropping quickly back to a patchy cover and a solid collar.

Aroma - candyish (due to the candi sugar no doubt), some estery vapors here and there. Picked up some light fruitiness and occasional clove and/or allspice.

Taste - the general sweetness of the beer assists with the early grain presence. A diluted cherry juice flavor, chased by some mild alcohol smack and vague but detectable hops. The swallow is fairly drying, with a decent aftertaste of the sugar and the hops.

Mouthfeel - about average body, maybe a touch thin. Carbonation is understated.

Drinkability - an enjoyable Belgian beer. Not a stand out, but pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2009 16:37:42 | More by brewdlyhooked13