Winter Koninck - Brouwerij De Koninck NV

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

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

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

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

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

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

A nice drinking Belgian. Some spice yeasty malty aroma and that's in the taste, along with sugar. Cellared for a year or so. Very much sweet dessert, went fast. Whitish body with good head. Above average mouthfeel from creamy caramel. Some cinammon.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2009 02:45:48 | More by northyorksammy

tmoneyba

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle from Belmont Party.

Poured hazy brown color with an average frothy off-white head that was lasting and produced fair lacing. Moderate nutty malt and yeast aroma. Medium body with flat carbonation. Moderate spicy sweet&sour flavor with medium sweet & sour finish of moderate duration.

Very refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2009 14:35:22 | More by tmoneyba

robbyc1

Illinois

3.28/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I expected a lot more from this beer, coming from the belgian world. It's much lighter looking and tasting than you would expect for this style. It gives you the belgian yeast flavors, but not much malt to back it up. I suppose the relatively low abv is the problem as a Belgian Dark should have more complexity, not bad just a slight bit better than an average american brewer would make this. Pass. Although I'm really intrigued by lower alcohol beers, this one is a disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2009 17:51:47 | More by robbyc1

ViveLaChouffe

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

One of the several bottles of Christmas or "Kerst" beers I brought back from Belgium.

Kind of an amber brown in the glass with a thin ivory head. Some floaties in the beer, doesn't look like yeast but more like coagulated protein. Not so appetizing! Fruity maltiness and an earthy, yeasty aroma. Prunes and baked apples with just a hint of oakiness.

Earthy and spicy in the mouth, a bitterness in the finish. Cinnamon and clove is prominent and a sweetness that hints at candy sugar used in the brewing process. More candy sugar in the finish, a mild bitterness accompanies the sweetness in the finish.

Man, a lot of spice in this ale! Fruity, sweet and spicy pretty much sums it up.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2008 20:33:15 | More by ViveLaChouffe

nighthawk

Nova Scotia (Canada)

1.83/5  rDev -47.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

330mL bottle, best before date stamped on back, poured into De Koninck chalice.

Pours a deep red-brown amber colour with two fingers of dense white head produced. Head sinks to a thin ring, leaves a fair bit of lacing on the glass.

Nose is medicinal, funky sweet fruit. Weird.

Taste is all cherry cough syrup. Medicinal through and through. I can't detect anything but thick medicine-like cloying sweetness.

Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, medium-low carbonation. Clean finish, which is a relief.

This beer is pretty horrible. It doesn't stay with you, which is its one redeeming feature, but it's not pleasant on the palate. I guess I didn't choke it down, but wasn't nice. I will be avoiding this one in the future.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2008 23:50:00 | More by nighthawk

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A. Poured from a 750 ml. bomber into a Chimay chalice. Head retention is poor and no lacing. Reddish brown in color.

S. Very faint, some malts, some sweetness.

T. Lacking in the taste category, it almost tastes like nothing. I thought it was a bit too cold so I let it warm up a bit, and that did very little. A bit of apple and a solid whiff of alcohal as it warms. Not impressed.

M. Medium bodied and a bit chewey.

D. Very drinkable, just not memorable.

Overall: Dissapointed to say the least. I thought a Christmas Ale by a belgian style brewery would be a sure fire hit. Indeed I was wrong. Good thing I split this with a friend.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2008 14:36:38 | More by Stinkypuss

Onslow

Texas

2.42/5  rDev -30.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

best before 06 09 08 ... looks like diet coke ... pours with a low head ..."ya, whatever mother fucker" ... slightly fizzy on the tongue ... dusty, old golden syrup, calorie free chocolate flavours ... disappointing to say the least... not worth the anticipation or money, so many better belgians out there...

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2008 16:17:55 | More by Onslow

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A dark brownish ruby color with a big brownish head that diminishes quickly. Very pretty body.

Smells of ripe fruit (apples?) and malt.

Ripe fruity sweetness up front with some malts in the middle finishes with a slightly metallic taste that has a slight alcohol taste to it, which is surprising for the ABV.

Good mouthfeel, nothing fabulous. Medium bodied, well carbonated.

I opened a 750ml bottle and don't really want to finish more than then first glass.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2008 03:32:03 | More by Hojaminbag

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clean copper color, with hints of orange, and an off white head. In the aroma, malty, with corriander and nutmeg. In the taste, malty, semi-sweet and small hints of Christmas spices. A smooth, small bitter mouthfeel, with a dry and spicy aftertaste. Nothing fantastic, but a nice mellow Chistmasy beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2007 13:31:51 | More by OWSLEY069

weeare138

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to eyedrinkale for sharing this at egajdzis pre-Kennett party...
Appears a hazy, dark amber with a small off white head that fades into a mild cap. Streaky lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is of caramel, toffee, yeasty, vanilla, brown sugar, toasted grains, mild cork, and light oxidation that still seems to have a bit of life left.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas with the caramel, and vanilla as the mainstays in the semi-sweet brew that has just a touch of spicing in the background.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, slightly thin (perhaps due to oxidation), and caramel sweet.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2007 18:59:03 | More by weeare138

mdagnew

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

3.6/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

330ml bottle bought from Gap Wines, Belfast..

Poured a dark coppery brown colour. Creamy tan head poured pretty sparse and fizzy into a de koninck glass then faded almost instantly to nothing. Quite a lots of big carbonation bubbles shoot to the surface... no lacing...

Aroma - Light caramel maltiness, spicy fruits (figs, raisins, bitter oranges), nice nuttiness, some nutmeg notes, light medicinal / herbal hints, grassy, faint peppery hops...

Taste – Spicy tart fruits (figs, raisins, apples), light nutty sweetness, herbal / anise notes, toasty malts, caramel / toffee, peppery hops, strong breadiness...

Feel - Quite sharp... light / medium body.. pretty drinkable although maybe a little harsh to drink to much...

Overall - A decent brew... nothing groundbreaking but worth a try...

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2007 14:31:48 | More by mdagnew

Absumaster

Netherlands

2.23/5  rDev -35.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

I had high hopes of this beer, because I really like De Koninck, but it was not what I expected.

Appearance was OK, a red, brown beer with a thin head.

Smell is lots of caramel, which appears to be artificial, it also gives the impression of nuts and has some medicinal notes. The beer is also very malty and full.

Taste is again lots of the artificial caramel and sweet molasses in combination with a toothaching sweetness. Other than that nothing that sticks out. Undrinkable and poured into the sewer.
---
This is a new edition of the Winter Koninck, which has a different recipe from the previous version I reviewed.

Appearance is a dark copper beer with an initial thin head that disappears in time. It leaves absolutely no head. Little visible carbonation.

Smell is malty with a strong caramel maltiness. A light roast. A pleasant yeast profile remiscent of apricots and raspberries. And some chocolate.

Taste is strong malty with a nice caramel maltiness that is a little roasted. The malt is the key player in this beer. Hops are almost absent. The beer has a great drinkability and although this beer has 6,5% it does not show. Indeed a winter version of the regular Koninck

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2007 08:20:20 | More by Absumaster

Pegasus

Texas

4/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Hazy golden orange, with a moderate white head, the first pour was free of sediment, the second, although gentle, swirled with chunks of yeast as large as small coins. Thin, finely beaded lace lines the glass walls.

Aroma: Sweet and spicy, with notes of coriander, alcohol, mild hops, apple peel, dark fruit, earthy yeast, and wood.

Taste: Opens with notes of bitter apple, earth, yeast, and quite earthy undertones as well. There is also a subtle note of bitter chocolate, and some hints of dark fruit. Towards the finish, fairly bitter herbal hop notes appear; these linger on well past the end of the taste.

Mouth feel: Smooth, fairly full, with champagne-like carbonation.

Drinkability/notes: In all, quite well-made beer, certainly suitable for a holiday celebration.

Presentation: Packaged in a 750 ml Belgian bomber with a cork and cage closure, served in a 250 ml De Koninck chalice.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2006 19:19:21 | More by Pegasus

EPICAC

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had at Paters Vaetje in Antwerp.

Appearance: Pours a clear, dark ruby-brown with a beige head that fades to a thin film, leaving sheets of lace.

Smell: Lightly malty, light dark fruit. Pretty clean overall, though what is evident is pleasant.

Taste: Light sugary sweetness throughout. Some light fruitiness, with some good spiciness in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, low-carbonation.

Drinkability: Quite drinkable for a winter beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2006 20:55:49 | More by EPICAC

CRJMellor

Arkansas

2.8/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a clear dark, red and brown a solid ecru head that leaves some scattered lacing.
Aroma of caramle malt, musty hay like notes along with some bread tones and some brown sugar or molasses.
Flavors of earthen malt, almost a dirt and saw dust type taste with some funky, musty yeast hints. Very sweet, just about cloying malty hit. Little bit of coriander as it warms. Way off-balance.
Mouthfeel is sort of light and dusty without any kind of balance or transitions.
Drinkability is very average. just not very appealing at the end of the day. Too much funky sweetness with nothing to balance it out. Saw dust kind of bittering is bland and adds no redeeming quality to the brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2006 17:19:54 | More by CRJMellor

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled in various places in Antwerp, Belgium, but this reviewed bottle was had in Oud Arsenaal.

This beer poured a slightly hazy, garnet color with creamy, light brown foam that was slow to settle and clung to the glass in spots. The smell was malty with a touch of vinous Munich maltiness. The taste was nicely malty with a light sweetness and fruitiness as well as a bit of vinousness. The mild hoppiness came through in the finish. The mouthfeel was very smooth with medium-full body and good carbonation (crisp up front). Overall a very nice beer, and very drinkable around town in Antwerp.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2006 19:25:36 | More by UncleJimbo

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml capped and corked bottle.

Appearance- Pours a good two finger head that lasts for about two minutes. But thene recedes to only a simple ring o' foam. Colro is a cognac amber with no lacing.

Smell- A little tart, woody aromas with some definite yeast aromas.

Taste- A little oak starts out with some German-esque malts, lightly toasted. Light hopping bitterness with a light molasses sweetness.

Mouthfeel- A tit tart but not bad. Almost sessionable if the tartness was a little less. But pretty smooth going down with a little grittiness.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2006 21:43:26 | More by scruffwhor