De Koninck - Brouwerij De Koninck NV

magictrokini

California

1.8/5  rDev -51%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Not good. Pours clear amber with floaties and a quickly-dissipating head. Aroma of stale malt and dsuty wood. The taste is acidic; some malt with yeast, but mixed together to form the dreaded sweaty gym sock. Maybe this was a bad one that left the brewer. Either way, I don't want to know. Avoid.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2008 19:54:47 | More by magictrokini

stcules

Italy

2.35/5  rDev -36%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Reddish to copper color.
In the smell, quite good.
The taste slips away, with malt and almost no more.
Quite sugary start, though at the end there is aome bitterness. Melon and peaches, but not too satisfaying.
The aftertaste is similar, with a less sweet finish.
Light body.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2006 19:54:51 | More by stcules

delnoche

Germany

2.35/5  rDev -36%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed on Apr 22, 2009.
30cl bottle poured into a Westmalle Trappist glass. Pours a beautiful amber with miniscule head that disappears within a few seconds. Very light aroma of yeast maybe? I can't place it. Very light taste with a smooth palate. Not bad but not at all interesting. I think I'll pass on seconds.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2009 20:28:19 | More by delnoche

GbVDave

Illinois

2.58/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 11.2 oz bottle into a DT tulip.

A: Pours a clear golden color with a tiny off white head. Sheets of sticky lace.

S: Icky aromas of sour grains, funky caramel, and mustard seed.

T: Pretty much as above with a mild crackery malt component. No yeast and virtually no hop flavors.

M: Mouthfeel is rather thin yet coats the mouth with abundance.

D: Drinkability is fair, but why bother. There are so many better Belgian Pale Ales to spend time with. Not impressed.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2007 02:11:52 | More by GbVDave

Ryan011235

Ohio

2.6/5  rDev -29.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a Duvel tulip on 4/11/12

01 2012 on the label

Deeper shade of honey brown. Quite clear. Three finger head of foam compresses to a rippled, billowly slab. Pretty good retention. Not much lace.

Aromas of bread, caramel, paper mache, tree bark, way over-ripe apple and tangy fruit overtones. Hops are very faint. The smell is somehow ominous. The taste starts off with a punch of tangy fruit that seems out of place, at least to such a degree. From there, bready malt picks up, but is weak compared to the fruity aspect. The aftertaste has an artificial bent. Medium body with moderately nippy carbonation.

Overall impression - I just can't get past the fruity twinge with this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2012 22:51:36 | More by Ryan011235

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

2.65/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Red-orange body topped by a uniform finger-and-a-half head, and dropping. Rich fruity nose, oranges, plums, and some candy notes. Unfortunately, the taste is less complex: sweet, but the aspects are much less defined. And there is an annoying chalkiness in the center of the aftertaste. A disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2003 04:28:36 | More by RonfromJersey

trevorwideman

Manitoba (Canada)

2.68/5  rDev -27%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

330ml bottle poured into a tulip glass.

Hazey, ruby-orange coloured beer with a 1/2 inch head that retains itself at about 1/8 inch. Nice lacing. Medium carbonation evident in the glass. Smell is a bit less impressive. Slightly medicinal, chokecherry sourness, and underneath a sweetness like strawberry Jolly Ranchers. A little bit cloying. Funky yeast aromas are also in evidence, and just a slight corn-like odor.

First taste is quite sour, then gives way to a soap-like taste, corn adjcunt seems to be there, and some sweeter candy-like malt notes. Very tart up front, very much like cherry cough syrup at times, and the underlying sweetness is a bit much. Finishes herbal with a taste like red wine vinegar being the dominant aftertaste. Mouthfeel is a bit warming, mildly carbonated, and quite dry. This is one Belgian I'm not excited about at all. I would find more than one to be altogether too much, no balance, muddled flavour profile, and a little cheap tasting if I dare say.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2006 19:52:15 | More by trevorwideman

TastyTaste

Minnesota

2.7/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

What a weird looking beer, seems to be a suspension of small flakes on the inside, almost looks like a shaken snowglobe, wondering if this is a bad bottle. No Head on the pour. Definite diacetyl in the nose, with light carmel and hops in the background. Taste is not bad, somewhat smokey and bitter from hops, with nice maltiness. Mouthfeel is thin, but sufficiently carbonated. Weird beer, I may have to try it again with a fresher bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2005 18:30:45 | More by TastyTaste

kimcgolf

Georgia

2.7/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 1 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Poured to a bright copper with suspended yeast, absolutely no head or lacing. It had a very weak aroma of some spice, may have been cinnamon. Flavor of cinnamon and hops, but had a dry, sour finish. I have three more, and will try these, but not real impressed with this one, especially for a Belgian Ale.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2006 00:22:52 | More by kimcgolf

Guinness4me

Florida

2.73/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

This beer poured a standard, structured belgian but it was a much darker beer than I expected. It had a legitimate head, but nothing spectacular.

The beer's smell and taste were similar to each other, first a whiff of belgian flowers, then malt and finally a vinegar finish. It was a little more bitter at the end than I like, but not offensive.

Due to it's odd finish, I wouldn't enjoy drinking more of it. If this is a belgian "pale" ale, it's one on steroids.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2006 04:28:53 | More by Guinness4me

cbl2

New York

2.73/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

4/16/2007 $2.99 11.2 oz. 5.20% Best by 10/04/07 stamped on back.

Appearance:

Pours a clear brown with large soda-like carbonation. Topped by a thin film of soapy tan bubbles that are quick to settle.

Aroma:

Toasted malts. A hint of pepper, and bland wet hops. Unappealing.

Taste/Mouthfeel:

There is nothing Belgian about this. Weak insipid mouthfeel, with flavors reminiscent of home-brew gone bad. Overly bready, and desert dry with medicinal hop flavors. More of an English Pale ale than a Belgian Pale ale. This is extremely disappointing, especially once cost is factored in.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2007 20:06:37 | More by cbl2

kojevergas

California

2.73/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Served on-draught in Belgium. Served into a bolleke glass. Cost was 2.10 euro. ABV is 4.9% according to the beer menu. Reviewed from notes taken in Summer 2011.

A: Pours a three finger head of nice cream, good thickness, and nice retention. Body colour is a nontransparent gold. Hazy.

Sm: Light aroma of caramelized malt, cream, and floral hops. Not a lot going on.

T: Amber malts, floral hops, a weak barley foundation, some cream, and fair caramel. Lacks sufficient body. More simple than I expected. The cream is nice, and it's pretty well balanced, but overall the build is less than par for the style.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Suits the flavour profile nicely.

Dr: Pretty decent, and well priced. Give her a go, but don't expect much.

C-

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2013 20:53:22 | More by kojevergas

garymuchow

Minnesota

2.75/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Since my P.O.V. is considerably different than most on this beer I'll put the punch line first. I guess even Belgians can make bland flavorless beer. This must be their beer for the masses.
The appearance is nice-- pleasant amber color, clear, medium head with slight lacing. The mouthfeel was soft with a nice balance of carbonation. The aroma after the initial shot of Saaz hops was followed with a light malt and sweet water character. Taste had the similar sweet water quality, like a N/A. Some dryness and bitterness on finish, but not necessarily pleasant. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone interested in a trial of Belgian beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2003 19:08:12 | More by garymuchow

Gueuzedude

Arizona

2.75/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

This beer was ok, a fairly standard example of the Belgian pale ale style. Nice and easy drinking, but nothing to make me feel like I needed another one. Really not too much flavor in this beer, overall it is just lacking in those flavorful beer qualities. I quickly moved on to a duvel that I saw on the menu, you should too.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2003 17:02:38 | More by Gueuzedude

Crosling

Colorado

2.78/5  rDev -24.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This ale pours with an amber hue and a large head, that lasts well. Nose is really delicate, but shows a touch of spicy/peppery hop character and sweet fruity malt. Flavor is clean, dry and herbal. Better than almost every U.S. amber ale. Better than Heineken.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2009 06:48:59 | More by Crosling

jletts

Washington

2.88/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured amber with a thin head quickly faded, and smelled of thin hops and caramel with notes figs.

Caramel malt and hops on the taste...a little thin in the flavor department. It actually reminded me a little of an american or dutch lager.

Mouthfeel was a little thin but matched the taste in that department. This was not the best Belgian beer I've tasted, but not entirely objectionable. But I doubt I'd buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2007 22:49:17 | More by jletts

HugoGrim

Pennsylvania

2.9/5  rDev -21%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured from the bottle into a pint glass.

A reddish/orange hint to this ale, very minimal head which disappeared almost immediately... not much to look at.

The smell was much better than the look, but nothing special.

The flavor was ok, but it did leave me wanting more. It wasn't the freshest bottle, so this might account for some of my disappointment. The flavor seemed quite weak, not nearly as strong as other Belgian ales that I've had.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2005 04:17:37 | More by HugoGrim

alysmith4

District of Columbia

2.9/5  rDev -21%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Decent beer, very sweet though. Mine was on tap at a nearby restaurant.. I only ordered it after my first two choices were out. Served in a proper glass, at an appropriate temperature. My biggest complaint (besides the sweetness) would be the level of carbonation. I didn't think it was carbonated enough at all. Not sure if this is typical, or a product of the tap.

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2006 21:57:49 | More by alysmith4

beeragent

Texas

2.9/5  rDev -21%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

The beer poured a deep orange, almost light brown color, forming a 1/2 inch head, that quickly faded, leaving light lacing on the glass. The aroma is sweet, but somehow, reminded me of how a cider smells. The taste is sweet as well, very fruity flavor, maybe mild hops. The mouthfeel is light, and smooth. An interesting ale, but not one that I could drink more than one of during a session. A little too sweet for me, but still worth the experience.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2007 07:22:32 | More by beeragent

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

2.9/5  rDev -21%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

It pours a amber color, and a sweet smell. In the taste I was kind of anticipating a bit more. Then I got it. It is just an amber. Light enough, but not to light. Easy to drink, and it pretty much is what it is... a standard Belgian amber, and there is nothing wrong with that, but not my style.

Serving type: on-tap

05-30-2007 20:47:47 | More by OWSLEY069

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

2.95/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Came in a De Koninck gift pack, 4 330 ml bottles plus a chalice. Best before date on this bottle is 10/06/06.

Pours out a clear but deep ruddy copper hue, small fizzle of off-white head with little retention. The aroma is predominantly chewy caramel malt, with light notes of floral hops. Things get a little screwy in the flavour dep't. Metallic and grainy at first, never saw that coming, then there's more of a toasted malt profile in the middle, with some of that sweet caramel malt coming out towards the finish where some grassy, almost herbal hops make an appearance. For some reason this all just doesn't come together for me, it turns me off. The mouthfeel is fairly average, neither too watery nor very full. Perhaps this bottle didn't receive the tenderest of treatment from the brewery eventually to my glass, but assumptions aside I have to go by what I've sampled, and I found this to be an ale that does nothing for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2006 10:15:28 | More by IronDjinn

fisherman34

Manitoba (Canada)

2.95/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Amber in colour with medium carbonation. Vanilla caramel and mild banana aromatics... perhaps a bit of corn syrup too. Flavor wise, the caramel evolves into more burnt toffee territory. Peppery yeast notes appear mid taste and evaporate into a slightly bitter and drying grain husk finish. Way more thin than I would have expected, considering all of the caramel aromas. Even though it’s intended to be a lighter style of Belgian ale, "Light" doesn’t have to mean light on flavor or compexity. This one is a bit too "light" in both regards.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2006 22:47:39 | More by fisherman34

tbsb

2.95/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: beautiful brown color.
Aroma: not much. A little citrus on the nose.
Taste: citrus upfront fading quickly. Not your typical Belgian beer.
Mouthfeel: light body.
Overall: Not a great beer once you have delved into Belgians, but a decent starter beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-24-2012 06:09:17 | More by tbsb

elricorico

Alberta (Canada)

2.98/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured a ruddy copper colour with a very faint white head, that faded away almost immediately. There is no haze to this beer, it looks filtered.

The smell of the beer is very difficult for me to pin down. It reminds me most of Yukon's Cranberry Wheat beer. There is some kind of tart berry smell, and perhaps a bit of grass. The smell is not very strong.

The taste is much like the smell up front, going from a light berry to a grainy wheat taste. The finish is medicinal. Overall effect is ok, but doesn't wow me in any way.

The beer has a light to medium body and the carbonation is tingly(best I could come up with). Drinkability is a little lacking in my opinion, considering that this beer is not high in alcohol. It just doesn't feel too quaffable.

A bit of a disappointment in my books.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2006 05:55:15 | More by elricorico

DogFood11

California

3/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured this into a tulip it forms a meager white head. Amber to light copper in color and a slightly hazed body.

I couldn't help but think of salting crackers as I gobbled this baby down. A kind of medicinal dryness that teaters the malts towards an odd Cracker/medicinal combo. It pulls it out ok as the sublte fruits and spiced buildup acts as a partial balancer. Quiet tea like background but gives in to the spices.

Notes: Ehhhh...rather lackluster without much of an identity. Not my cup of tea but I can respect that it is a quality offering without any flaws other than it didn't fit my palate.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2007 02:54:26 | More by DogFood11