Gulden Draak 9000 Quadruple - Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.

Blindpigbiz

California

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Smell: sweet butter cream, hints of malts, and milk chocolate

Taste: subtle marmalade, butter cream, malts, hints of candied green apples and brown sugar with a mild whiskey bite

Sorry, but I haven't actually paired this beer to anything, however, it would more than likely be good with some smoked pork, Cotswold cheese, and black grapes

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 10:00:11 | More by Blindpigbiz

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.15/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from tap into tulip at yardhouse in palm beach gardens fl. Poured a hazy maple syrup color with 2 fingers of head. It looks a little light in color for a quad...
The aromas delivef with a fruity malt and chocolate nose there is no mistaking a quad...although this is a bit lighter than say a st bernardus.
Taste is dried fruit and banana ....almost hefe like. With a bit of sweet caramel and chocolate. A very easy drink but you do taste some booze.
Not a bad quad by any means...but different. If you are looking for something like st bernardus or westy...this isn't it. Its a bit lighter...more like a german quad if that's possible...I'd drink again for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2013 21:57:42 | More by DrinkSlurm

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.08/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Served in an Olde Hickory glass.

A: Poured a deep, rich, amber color, immensely cloudy, and with an uneven solid white head that stuff around for a while.

S: Fruit... fig jam, plums, and lots of Belgian funk. Reasonably potent.

T: I did the sweet, almost tart, aftertaste first and foremost. Great fruit component, which was much brighter and non-dark fruit-esque than most recent quads I've had.

M: The carbonation was one of the best I've ever had in a quad. Sure, it was kinda high and spritzy, but comfortable as hell. The sweetness was dead on the the lacing was pretty intense.

O: This was expensive, no doubt, but to my mind, this was worth every penny.
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 00:27:45 | More by Chaney

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Picked this up at Top Hops, not having any beers from Brouwerij van Steenberge before nor having had a Quad in quite some time. Although this was indeed strong in the alcohol department, it was quite smooth as well and a lot to take in as I took each sip. The amount of rye and booze in here almost made this feel like a Barleywine, but the sweetness was present from start to finish and reminded me that this was indeed, a Belgian beer.

The pour to this was quite impressive, as the beer had a rich apricot hue that was translucent, a head that resembled a root beer float, and lacing that marked off each level as I made my way through the session. A lot of sweetness and rye in the nose, which was also felt in the mouthfeel. That was reinforced by some sour apple, bear, roasted malt, and a hint of caramel stickiness. The alcohol came on slowly and lingered long in the aftertaste, providing a strong but subtle warming effect.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 14:06:08 | More by JerzDevl2000

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

More like a strong triple/blonde than a quad, but really nice.

A: Deep bronze with a huge white head, very little retention, no lace.

S: Lots of tropical fruit with hints of steelie mineral.

T: Candied pineapple & papaya, hints of mango & white pepper, warming alcohol, balanced bitterness.

M: Very bubbly/carbonated, extremely dry, almost champagne-like, with a very crisp finish.

O: Great brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 03:06:00 | More by Derek

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

330ml, same little squat bottle as the normal Gulden Draak. The Golden Dragon's bigger, and even boozier brother?

This beer pours a hazy medium apricot amber hue, the rising effervescence non-stop, with three fingers of very puffy, thinly foamy off-white head, which leaves some patchy gnarled root lace around the glass as it slowly seeps away.

It smells of darkly caramelized and slightly toasted malt, fruity banana bubblegum, candy floss, rather soft earthy yeast, subtle leafy, wet grass hops, and a mild vodka-like booze twinge. The taste is sweet, sugary pale malt, slightly upgraded with some roasted caramel notes, more titration tube banana esters, ethereally musty yeast, applesauce, earthy, weedy hops, and a thin membrane of alcohol warming.

The carbonation is a bit pointed and frothy at first, but settles quickly enough, the body medium-heavy in weight, and generally smooth, and even evokes a semblance of creaminess here and there. It finishes fairly off-dry, the still sturdy fruity malt and understated dark sugar seeing little opposition in the form of hop or alcohol astringency.

While a genuinely tasty offering, the overall intricacies don't really keep up with the best in class - sure, the booze is expertly integrated, and while there's lots going on in its own right, there's just a certain je ne sais quoi lightness of being that renders me just a wee bit down about this style that I share many's affinity for.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 02:02:46 | More by biboergosum

SLeffler27

New York

3.66/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Hazy golden copper with a pale gold three-inch foam over turbulent carbonation that wells up from within a Gulden Draak tulip glass. Thick patches of lace are left after the head slowly retreats.

Light, funky yeast with toasted malt and bananas. Some melon fruits and bubblegum are also present.

Somewhat more bitter than anticipated by the style. Some notes of white wine give way to cinnamon and other spices, while light caramel sugar leads to a quick, sweet finish.

The body is medium with a satin texture and lively, fine carbonation. The alcohol is as expected in this dry beer.

While not quite to style, this was enjoyed while reading and listening to live harp music. The moment was sublime on a gentle, quiet afternoon, while the stark exterior whiteness contrasted against the dark green Norwegian pines.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 14:52:20 | More by SLeffler27

Louis_Toschner

South Carolina

4.26/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Had on tap @ Old Mill Brewpub in Gulden Draak tulip. Beautiful orange/ coppery hue, kind of like a sunset over the water, (I may have been a little influenced by the fact that they are lakeside.) The nose was very pleasant...it had the smell of fresh baked bread, a little "candy-ish" and light on the hops smell. The taste was very in sync with the smell...fresh bread, sweet candy-like hints, and nice, but not over-bearing hops flavor. Mouthfeel was a bit silky but a bit chewy as well.

Overall, this definitely one I will be revisiting...especially since the Brewpub is only about a block away from me.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2013 13:44:27 | More by Louis_Toschner

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.8/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I like the regular version better I think. this one is punishingly boozy, with no apologies. I mean, I know its a quad and it should be big, but this is hard to drink. pours super light for its genre, orange hued bronze color, maybe even lighter, fairly clear, with a sudsy white head. the nose is all alcohol, a touch of banana and other fruits towards the end, and some candy sugar, but the alcohol is by far the most forward aroma. same is true with the taste. it finishes hot, but some banana from the yeast is left over after the alcohol burns off. hints of honey, vanilla, and black papper flash in and out, but in the end its booze and sugar. too much for me, and I am a lover of quads, but this one has glaring imbalances even for its strength. its still a very well made beer of course, but in comparison to the regular gulden draak, this is inferior in my opinion. 750mls of this could kill a small child.

Serving type: on-tap

04-11-2013 16:37:12 | More by StonedTrippin

Radome

Spain

4.54/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served from a 750 ml bottle bought in Belgium. The bottle was dangerously carbonated; the cork popped out under its own power as soon as I loosened the cage. Luckily, my hand was close enough to catch it before it flew across the room. I had to wonder right away if all was OK with my bottle.

A - Light copper color; slightly cloudy; orange highlights. Head was off-white and thin even after the evidence of over-carbonation; disappeared almost immediately. Some lacing.

S - The aroma is amazingly complex. Cracked pilsner grain and bubblegum hit me right away. There is also lightly toasted bread and cotton candy. No hops overtly evident, but there is a fresh, grassy note in the background that must come from hops. There are no off notes to match the over-carbonation, although I was looking for them. There was an "aged" note similar to wet cork, but it added complexity without being distracting.

T - The taste matches the aromas in complexity. Again, bubblegum and cotton candy are at the forefront. There is some light bread from the malt and enough grassy hops to keep things from getting too sweet and cloying. Alcohol note is muted, but obvious.

M - The heavy body is appropriate, given all the flavor. Carbonation is prickly and a little biting. Hops bitterness is low to medium. Alcohol adds some heat.

O - After the cork incident, I was prepared for the worst, but got a pleasant surprise. This is a wonderful Belgian pale strong ale. It's a barley wine unashamed to have all the great Belgian characteristics.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 23:21:48 | More by Radome

Beerenauslese

California

3.64/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Light amber body. Sudsy head on the pour with big pancake bubbles, quickly dissipates to a light ring. No lacing.

Nose is malt and candi sugar, and a touch of green hops.

Tastes of malt and sugar, with some aged hops thrown in and coriander/ginger. Finish is dry and hoppy.

Body is medium and carbonation is faint. As this sits in the glass, gets flat as a pancake.

Overall, rather sweet and high ABV--one glass is enough. Can't say I'd seek this out again when there are more complex and tasty Belgian quads to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 16:58:07 | More by Beerenauslese

BeerDocT

Georgia

4.21/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Gave in to temptation and bought a four pack of these for $16.95 at Hop City in Atlanta. Loved the original Draak and had to try this baby out.

Appearance 4.0: Very appealing deep amber color. The label describes this color as "amberblonde" and that is a pretty good description. Head was fine at one inch and dissipated into nice swirls on the top.

Smell 4.25: Very subdued hops and grains are present in the bouquet, but the predominant scent is that of spicy yeast and Belgian candi sugar. This is a deep bouquet; very nice. For those of us with brewing experience, this is an excellent sign that good things are to come.

-Taste 4.25: Front is somewhat sweet, but fades into a slightly dry taste with pleasant hints of tart apples and very subtle alkaline hops. Middle is smooth and bubbly and I taste lovely candi sugars. Finish is slightly sweet, but the focus is refined and has a deep maltiness and I detect deliciously dry (and noble) hops. Aftertaste is long and features grassy grains, the candi sugar flavor again and after all that...a hint of deep barley malt.

-Mouthfeel 4.0: Lots of bubbles in this bottle-conditioned beauty, which helps to balance out the ridiculously high ABV.

-Overall 4.25: Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Yes. I am a big fan of the Van Steenberge brewery and this version of Draak is worth the price, IMHO. Different in several important ways from its more easily found cousin, this beer is, nonetheless, excellent and well worth tracking down. Excellent and further proof of the embarrassment of riches present at Van Steenberge brewery.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 20:32:45 | More by BeerDocT

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.51/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from Whole Foods.

More a BSPA than quad, this is a golden copper with a dense, off-white head with excellent retention and moderate lacing. The nose is a blend of yeast, spice (clove, fennel), golden raisins, ripe white grapes, honey and caramel. Too sweet for my liking, this beer opens with a blend of honey, caramel, toffee and spice. There's bubblegum (not my favorite flavor) as well. Spicy and sweet with some yeast on the finish, this beer is medium-full in body and highly carbonated. Decent, i much prefer the regular version of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 08:04:35 | More by DefenCorps

CrazyDavros

Australia

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours dark amber with a large, lasting head.
Nose shows raisins, golden syrup, dark rum, dried figs and confectionery.
Similarly rich flavours. Bready malt, brown sugar, dried fruit and a bit of soft booze.
Too much carbonation.
Pretty damn good.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 02:52:35 | More by CrazyDavros

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

300 ml bottle

Pours a rosy amber color, slightly hazy, with an off-white head about an inch thick which dissipates to a film.

Smells of apples, white grapes, yeasty esters and buttered bread.

Flavor is of white wine and apple butter mixed with some bready malts and a whisper of hop bitterness.

Full body with stinging, pillowy carbonation on the roof of the mouth.

Flavorful, tasty quad, good balance, contains its strength better than you would expect, all around fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 17:17:40 | More by Cylinsier

GilGarp

Colorado

4.26/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

33 cl bottle with a shrink-wrapped label. No date but this is the first I've seen of this beer so it must be relatively fresh.

The GD 9000 is a fairly light color for a quad, more of a light amber color than the usual darker brown. It has huge towering head that just won't settle down but, when it does, it leaves some nice lacing.

Aroma is classic quad with dark fruits, clove, and Belgian yeast.

Flavor is bold but balanced with great depth of flavor. Dried fruits like raisins and prunes, spices like clove and mulling spice, and a dry alcohol burn on the finish.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and strongly carbonated. It has good balance but finishes very dry. The alcohol is strong but should settle if it is aged a year or two.

Overall a very good quad. I'd like to know specifically what's different between this and the standard Gulden Draak but both are enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 00:30:51 | More by GilGarp

jroberts8811

Missouri

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - opaque amber, minimal head, minimal lacing.
S- dark fruit - cherry, raisin, plum,

T- crisp, light almost corn note, malty, yeasty, fruit forward: cherries, raisins. Alcohol nicely concealed.

M - medium bodied. Heavy carbonation. Sweet, rich.

O - not what I expected in a quad. Used to Bernardus as the measuring bar. falls well short.

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2013 03:22:52 | More by jroberts8811

keithmurray

Louisiana

3.95/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a chalice

Appearance - translucent amber color with white head

Smell - sweet cherries as well as alcoholic fumes

Taste - malt bomb, cherries, raisins, red grapes

Mouthfeel -heavy thick body, heavy carbonation, sweetness lingers throughout, booze is present as well, sticky, syrupy

Overall - This reminded me of the Samiclaus series of beers, this is unlike any quad I have ever had. This was a good beer, albeit a slightly disappointing one. Certainly not as good as the classic Gulden Draak, which I love. At this price point, a re-visit is unlikely

Price Point - $6.49/11.2oz bottle

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 01:04:33 | More by keithmurray

tectactoe

Michigan

3.96/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy, dark-amber color, maybe even enough to be called brown, with a slightly darker-than-beige head, creamy and frothy looking. Retention was nice, but minimal lace was left against the glass. Aroma was, as to be expected from the style, a malt-heavy bomb. Dark, fruity esters in the form of dates and figs, candied grapes, burnt sugar, spicy Belgian yeast; some phenol alcohol pokes through, not a surprise at 10.5% ABV. Some more light molasses and caramel aromas come out but remain pretty tamed for the most part.

Hits the palate with a slightly thinner body than expected, however still fairly creamy with a hefty helping of carbonation that seemingly lifts the beer right off of your tongue while you're taking a sip. Big fruity flavors, very sweet - not quite "tart", but there is a split second where you might say some tartness is apparent. Boozy grapes (almost wine-like, but not as harsh), dates, brown sugar, toasted caramels. As the alcohol warms, it takes on a sherry or brandy character, becoming much more relevant and maybe even a little too powerful. Spices from the Belgian yeast are noticeable but not necessarily the forefront here, as they are in many Belgian ales; light bubblegum, clove, almost a minty flavor. This one finishes dry and bready, sweet and caramely with a small hint of dark, fruity esters fading out.

Very tasty quad, although I think I may prefer the regular Gulden Draak to this one. Certainly not bad for the price, seeing as how it's cheaper than many quads of similar size.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 12:48:03 | More by tectactoe

MetalHopHead6

Virginia

4.01/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Gulden Draak 9000 is sweet, fruity, and boozy.

It exploded when the cap was popped with foam erupting and pouring down the side of the bottle. It was cloudy dark amber in the glass with a massive foamy white head which filled more than half of the glass. The aroma was dominated by metallic booze with a little banana and pepper. The flavor was extremely sweet and fruity with a touch of banana up front, followed by sweet fruits such as fig, plum, and dark berries. There was a strong presence of booze in the flavor making the overall taste similar to alcohol-soaked fruit. The feel was smooth, with surprisingly little carbonation in light of the initial explosion and the massive head.

Gulden Draak 9000 is a bit dark and the booze is a bit overpowering; however, it's delicious with a lot of layers and complexity in the flavor. It's not a great Quad but it's a pleasure to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 22:26:33 | More by MetalHopHead6

pants678

California

3.83/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Really it looks like most American Ambers--except the big frothy Belgian foam.

Smells of cider and a little biscuity.

Sweet but not tart, I'd expect a harder bite for a Quad. Still it's rich and it leaves that Gulden Draak stain. A little brown sugary but more fruit/honey than anything with a tannic back.

Light carbonation works for it, not so overwhelming that it needs any more. I've had better in the style (i.e. St. Bernardus) but this sure ain't bad for not being a trappist.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 03:13:34 | More by pants678

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours medium amber with a big foamy off-white head. Splashy lace, nice retention.

Tropical fruit, vanilla, wood in the nose.

Sweet tropical fruit and booze up front. Malt is rich with hints of vanilla, some nuts, and a woody edge. Alcohol is present but does not bite. Bitterness appears in the finish. THis drinks like a triple.

Fuller bodied with alot of carbonation.

A solid quad, but not as deep and rich. Worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 00:09:59 | More by OtherShoe2

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 4.25

33cl bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A: Deep, clear chestnut body under a perfect, towering off-white head that peeks slightly over the brim of the oversized tulip. Retention is rocky, lacing is comprehensive. Spectacular.

S: Sweet. Toffee, banana, prune, and spicy booze. Pleasant.

T: Mmm. Smooth caramel malt, rich dark fruits, and some lively banana esters. The fig and prune notes intensify toward the finish, and only a light warming flush on the aftertaste attests to its strength. Flavorful and delicious.

M: Medium body, tons of fine carbonation. Way over the top in terms of fizziness, even after the huge head. It gets better after a handful of powerful swirls of the glass, but definitely overcarbonated.

O: Very nice, but not quite as dynamic as the regular Gulden Draak - although it certainly is more to style. I'm glad I tried it, but probably won't be buying more - there are just too many great Quads out there.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 01:49:01 | More by woosterbill

sommersb

Tennessee

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Tasted On: 01-09-2013
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 330ml brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Tulip
Purchased: Single from Frugal MacDoogal, Nashville

A: Gushed out of the bottle when I opened it...head is a massive rocky off-white, 4 fingers in height. Color is a hazy, dark amber. Both lacing and head retention are excellent.

S: Sweet caramel smells, plus dark fruits, with molasses and a woody component make up the aromas.

T: Figs and raisins come to mind with the sweet flavors. The rich taste also features brown sugar, caramel malts, oak and maybe a bit of star anise. Little to no bitterness perceived.

M: Highly carbed mouthfeel, with a full body. The finish is fruity and mildly sweet - very rich with an alcohol warming.

O: Except for the crazy foam when I opened it, this was a wonderful brew. Recommended

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 04:25:08 | More by sommersb

monkbrewed

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25

Good looking beer. Good sincere smell. Balanced in terms of grain and hops. A light, sweet flavor, slightly fruity. Yeast is hidden in flavor profile. Amber in color and very clear with slight coagulation from refrigeration. Residual effects of ABV from a Quadrupel wasn't evidenced after one, but drinking several, those effects might accrue. 4-packs were selling for $23.95 so this is expensive too. A single 12 oz bottle was purchased for $6.59.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 19:05:02 | More by monkbrewed