De Koninck - Brouwerij De Koninck NV

IrishRedRock

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

What?! A Belgian ale without yeast floating in it and a lower ABV? No matter, its gooooooood. It's a light amber ale that smells like the alcohol and yeast will be much more prevalent.

Has a slight spicy yeast flavor that bubbles on the tip of the tongue. Extreme smoothness is accompanied by a fruitiness and a slight caramel taste as well. An exceptional ale, pairing well with my block of horseradish white cheddar. Mild and easy to drink, yet full of flavor and delicious. Worth finding.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2003 18:29:53 | More by IrishRedRock

AtrumAnimus

Texas

4.47/5  rDev +22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

What can you say? This is just another fine Belgian beer. The fine blend of malt & hops is not necessarily exceptional but is noteworthy. They definitely know what they are doing. I prefer the Cuvee to this one but I still really enjoy the flavor. Very smooth and clean on the palate with an enjoyable nose to compliment the flavor. I had this with a chicken in pesto sauce & cheese which turned out to be a great combination. Again I will highly recommend this one to try and it will not be unusual to find it in my fridge at home.

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2003 07:39:17 | More by AtrumAnimus

ElGuapo

New Jersey

4.18/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

a brown copper pour with a lot of floating sediment, and it has a good amount of tannish foam on top. it dies to a lace and leaves some on the glass for you. there was not a whole lot to smell out of this one. i had to swirl it like crazy to pick up a faint sweet smell. later on, it picked up a little, and i got some spicy hops and fruity aromas.

the taste is very simple. sweet malts followed by a welcomed hop bitterness, and a dry finish. there is nothing outstanding about this beer, but it is just good. i can't pick out exactly what i like, but i guess it is just the balance and the hops at the end. it is medium-bodied, and very smooth with some tingling carbonation at the start. towards the end, it gets a bit richer and more full flavored with nice spicy hops throughout balancing the malts at the start, and dominating the finish. this is simply a great beer

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2003 12:00:22 | More by ElGuapo

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a nice amber copper tone, and filled with a white frothing head that was short-lived. Some hints of some hop aroma, but the sweetness from the malt is more apparent. At first taste all that I could detect was the the vienna malts. After letting the beer sit for a little I noticed that this beer is very simple in flavor with some mild hopping, but what makes this beer great is that it's finish is so crisp and smooth that this beer is a satisfying treat to be experienced.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2002 13:24:14 | More by WVbeergeek

blkknight02

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured an copper-amber hue with a nice thick head. Smelled faintly of fruits. A touch of hops (noble variety?) intermingled with hints of Vienna/munich malts. Nice Brussels lace on the glass. Carbonation medium ot high.
First sip is malty with a spicy/peppery finish from the hops. Very well balanced. Reminds me of a blonde bock but not as strong. Goes down easy and will be trying to brew it ASAP.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2002 06:08:34 | More by blkknight02

beerluvr

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with a firm just off-white head over an attractive coppery/amber liquid. Nose is of new-mown hay, very delicate aromas. Taste is malty, though not heavy-handed maltiness. Leaves a clean aftertaste on the palate. Very little hoppiness to speak of. Light bodied finish, makes a very agreeable "session" beer...if I found this on draught it would be very easy to put alot of this away!

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2002 10:40:15 | More by beerluvr

BeerManDan

California

3.1/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Clear redish-copper in color with a whisper of white foam in the head. Slight spicy smell and color was the high light of this beer. Could not taste anything exceptional. Was disappointed with the flavor and after taste.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2002 12:06:58 | More by BeerManDan

Pegasus

Texas

4.03/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Slightly hazy copper color with a thick and creamy off-white head that maintains superbly; sheets of carbonation rise up the walls of the glass. The lace is quite good, leaving prominent rings in the glass. Aroma has a pronounced medicinal quality with underlying sweet and spicy notes. Taste begins with malt flavors then flows into a distinct apple peel taste accompanied by spices, among them cloves, I think. Finish is dry with a hopped edge. The mouthfeel is smooth and velvety. An excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2002 19:31:14 | More by Pegasus

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Clear, deep reddish-copper in color with an off-white head that holds OK and leaves a good collar with some whispy surface foam, and some good lace. The aroma is bold and welcoming with a gently dark fruitiness, a soft spiciness, some toasted maltiness, and a light suggestion of hops. The body is medium-light with a very fine, and somewhat limited, carbonation level. Very smooth in the mouth with a light caress on the tongue from the gentle effervescence. The flavor is delicate; with a toasted, biscuity maltiness from Vienna malts, a light spiciness (I think from both the yeast - or a possible spice addition - and the Saaz hops), and some medicinal phenols that smooth as the beer warms. Well balanced. The finish is short and dry with just a minimal lingering earthiness. This beer is very drinkable and continually beckons you to have another sip! Very clean and crisp. Quite surprisingly full of character (though not complex) for a beer that starts at only 11.8 Plato. This is what I think of as a standard Belgian artisinal ale. Well worth seeking out, and probably worth buying by the case.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2002 12:28:55 | More by NeroFiddled

Jason

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hazed amber with the occasional bubble rising to the top, superb head retention. Ripe plum in the aroma with a hard spicy back from the hops, faint esters awaken the nostrils even more to further suck in its intoxicating aroma.

Grassy with some medicinal phenols, moderate body with a halting smoothness that rolls the crispness around the tongue. Maltiness is cracker-like with a clean graininess. Hops are prolific with spiciness and an even bitterness. Fruitiness is plumish with faint alcoholic esters on the side. Clean drying mineral finish.

This is a beer I’d have in my fridge at all times, I have to work on how to get some in my local liquor stores … or even better get it on tap if that is possible.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2002 20:44:16 | More by Jason

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

3.73/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A very nice beer, easy to drink, nice and dry with hints of clove, cinamon, caramel. Great on tap, and great to have a lot of, good stuff, but perhaps a bit expensive outside of Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2002 17:49:24 | More by rastaman

Thrasher

Oregon

4.08/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

De Koninck is being sold in gift packs with a bolleke (the glass it's traditionally served in). Warm malty aroma with visible flecks floating in the beer...? (This must be an old bottle. Still tastes just fine.) Yeast imparts a tang and spiciness to what otherwise feels like a soft malty British ale. Quite refreshing without being too vigorous. Comfortable and full of character - well balanced. I imagine this would be a good introduction to Belgian style.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2002 15:21:52 | More by Thrasher

John

New York

4/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on tap and a fine brew it is. Very smooth on the palate. Not as complex as some Belgian beers, but a real pleasure to drink. Amber colored with dense head, mild yeast spiciness and toasted/nutty malt flavors that blend into one another well.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2002 14:09:16 | More by John

BKotch

Texas

4/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I wish I lived in Antwerp so that I could call this my local brew. Good in a bottle, better on tap. Nice golden color, good lacey head, a nutty, malty flavor and a dry finish. I could drink a lot more of this if it weren't over $8 a six-pack.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2001 14:33:31 | More by BKotch

Todd

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: 11.2oz custom brown bottle. Bottled on date stamped on the back.

Appearance: Hazy amber with a sticky white lacy.

Smell: Fragrant, light medicinal aromas. Smell of spice, cinnamon.

Taste: Medium bodied with a flush malt character. Wonderful toasted flavours followed by some dryness, yeasty spice and a sweet fruit-like flavour reminiscent of black cherry juice, but without the tartness. Finishes with a touch of grain dryness.

Notes: A great Belgian Speciale.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2000 14:10:08 | More by Todd