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

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.51/5  rDev -14.2%
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 +1%
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 +3.9%
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 +4.2%
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%
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 -3.4%
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 -3.2%
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%
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 -6.4%
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 -1.5%
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 +3.9%
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 +7.1%
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%
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

Doppelbockulus

Florida

3.95/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nearly 100% clear bronze, there is just the faintest haze looking through the glass. The head erupts when poured but settles withing a minute.

Smells a bit like nail polish and granny smith apples.

Flavor is pretty good, but I think I would prefer this after at least two years in the cellar. The yeast is very strong, providing a light copper flavor. Subtle red wine flavors come through, slightly sweet up front, but dry with tannin in the back.

Mouth feel is medium, the tingle and fluidity are light.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 23:15:47 | More by Doppelbockulus

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

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

BB 14/12/2013

This beer is immediately surprising, in that it has a much lighter hue than one would expect from a quad or BSDA. Amber in colour, clear, and with a fairly large off-white head. Makes you wonder if somehow the wrong beer got in the bottle. Decent retention, good lace.

Nose contains apple, yeast, bread and pear. Like the hue, this smells much more like a tripel or BSPA than a Quad. Smell is good but not at all what one would expect from the alleged style.

The taste is the first thing that gives even a hint of quad-like qualities. Caramel, a hint of dark fruit and some spice. Bread, yeast. The same tripel-like flavours present in the nose are here as well, but less upfront: apple, pear. Interesting beer. Taste-wise it does straddle the line somewhere between tripel and quad. Fairly sweet.

Medium bodied, strongly carbonated. Bready. The 10.5% is very well hidden.

Overall, a good beer but it has really been mis-marketed. Although there are some quad elements in the flavour, it is much closer to a tripel or BSPA. I have reviewed purely on the merits of the beer rather than "to style". You would certainly never include this beer in a "quad tasting" or anything of the like. Pretty unusual.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 20:20:39 | More by jrenihan

thierrynantes

France

3.85/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beer bottle (33cl.) purchased from Le Souffleur de bières, tasted in 2013.

Appearance : brown/orange color, with tan foamy head (but not persistent).
Smell : malts and alcohol aromas.
Taste and mouthfeel : sweetness, nice long caramel notes and malty finish.
Drinkability : a good beer in the style Belgian strong dark ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 07:22:24 | More by thierrynantes

Brutmasta

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a stubby bottle into a short tulip.

Pours a lovely amber with some pink and orangish hues. I'm getting almost no nose from this at all besides the typical yeast you get from a quad or a tripel. I'm actually very disappointed in this. Once you take a sip the disappointment from the nose goes away pretty quickly. Biscuit, apricot, leafy things, with a bit of citrus all meshing together seamlessly! Mouthfeel has a lot of carbonation early and finishes semi dry for a very different mouthfeel that covers all areas. Overall a very good beer but not being able to smell it brings it down a tad.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 03:38:01 | More by Brutmasta

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

330 mL stubby bottle, poured into goblet. No easy to read dating.

appears a clear dark golden color with amber highlights. huge foamy off-white head settles down to a thick creamy layer. aroma and taste is a little boozy. raisin, sugar, but not too sweet. bread crust. medium body, coats the mouth. lower carbonation, smooth.

overall - okay, but not as good as the regular Gulden Draak

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 02:29:15 | More by jmdrpi

FondueVoodoo

British Columbia (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Brilliant deep clear amber colour with plenty of carbonation streams. The bloom of the carbonation blasts the head straight up to four fingers of soapy head. Plenty of lacing and the head holds very well. This looks great in the glass.

S: Sweet caramel and sweet pale malts. Sweet ripe banana and tropic pineapple & just a hint of alcohol esters. Some notes of golden raisins and peaches. Smell is sweet and alluring without becoming too sticky sweet.

T: Sweet malts & bread yeast, not as sweet as the scent, but hold some malty sweet that stands up well to the yeast. Some hints of honey and dates and ripe bananas. Alcohol is there, maybe not as forward as other quads, however you will get a tiny hint booziness. Aftertaste shows a mild sweetness mixed with minerals, fantastic.

M: The carbonation is a subtle buzz that wakens the front of the tongue, so subtle it doesn't make it all the way back. It holds nicely on the tongue.

O: Gulden Drake 9000 seems to straddle the quad and the triple styles and it does so with skilled precision. With hints of alcohol but notes of sweet malts it does marry the 2 styles, but overall this brew is terrific. If it were presented as a triple I think it might get better marks. However if you think of it as a variation on the style - it still blends the 2 styles artfully. Definitely worth a try - keep an open mind.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 04:37:13 | More by FondueVoodoo

fx20736

New York

3.9/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

poured from a 330ml bottle into a glass, served at room temp.

Beer gushed out open upon opening, bilowing off white head sits atop a coppery orange beer that is insanely active with carbonation.

aroma is nutty-malty like pancake batter, subtle sweetness like orange marmalade, pineapples and honey.

mouthfeel is curiously flat for a beer this carbonated.

taste; again orange marmalade and nutty pancake batter. a sweet booziness on the finish that doesn't overpower the taste buds.

very interesting beer. it calls itself a Quadrupel but is the lightest in color and flavor of any Quad I've ever tasted. it juicy and mildly sweet. Ultimately the beer falls short with its poor mouthfeel and flavor that is a little too subtle for the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 22:51:10 | More by fx20736

BobZ

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2 oz bottle poured into my Duvel tulip.

Appearance: Rich amber with a big frothy 2” head that barely recedes to about 1 ½”. Abundant lacing.

Smell: Citrus (toward lemon) and spice.

Taste: A citrus sweetness upfront with a perfect amount of hoppy bitterness on the finish. Slight hint of bread from the malt. The alcohol is warming but other than that completely masked.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and rich on the palate up front but clean and crisp on the finish.

Overall: Funny the call the regular Gulden Draak a “Dark Tripel” and it taste just like a good BSDA. The call the 9000 version a quad and it’s much more like a strong tripel in flavor. Either way it’s a delicious beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 21:52:46 | More by BobZ

scottfrie

California

3.25/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

375ml bottle into matching tulip.

A: Pours a deep caramel amber color with a couple fingers of fizzy light tan head. Head slowly faded into a fuzzy film that lasted the whole beer through. Decent lace left down the glass.
S: Huge notes of sweet fruits dominate with flavors of apple cider, grape juice, plums, red pears, and raisins coming through. I pick up some expected spice as well plus light notes of alcohol.
T: Very sweet with the same fruits as the nose, but definitely more yeasty and spicy than the nose suggested. I get pears, grapes, apple juice, clove, cinnamon, dates, prunes, raisins, cocoa, golden delicious apples, pepper, and doughy yeast on the palate.
M: Bold, sweet, boozy, and damn near cloying. Carbonation is prickly at first but softens up in my mouth. Full body, syrupy mouthfeel.
O: About five years of age would probably do this one some good. It’s good but just a bit too sweet and boozy for me to love. If you can, wait a long while to crack this one open.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 01:43:04 | More by scottfrie

zeff80

Missouri

4.23/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear, dark, dark copper color with ruby highlights. It had a three-finger, tan head of fluffy foam. It left sticky patches of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of dried dark fruits with some biscuity malt notes.

T - It tasted of plum, raisin, dates and fig. A touch of toffee, caramel and spice.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium to full bodied ale with a dry, clean finish.

O - This is a fantastic quadrupel. Glad I was able to find one in Kansas.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 03:13:58 | More by zeff80

DavidST

Texas

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

Poured from a 33cl bottle into a goblet, didn't see a bottled date. This pours a mid sized off white head which has medium retention and leaves a lacing and the color is slightly golden color. The smells are spicy, some Belgian funk, some coriander, some fruit esters. The feel is medium high carbonination. The taste is spicy, a little hop bitterness, not as much malts as expected, very dry, but tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 04:15:45 | More by DavidST

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Gulden Draak 9000 opens to a rich, fruity nose overflowing with banana, strawberry, cherry, orange, peach, pear, sweet apple, and melon fruit esters. The sheer variety of fruit aromas is astounding, as if the beer were 50% fruit juice. But there’s also a nice spice bouquet, including clove, coriander, and touches of white pepper and nutmeg, long draughts of wildflower honey, honeysuckle, caramel, vanilla, and toffee, and a good, light base of baguette and pastry. The panoply of sugars and fruits in here, when held next to the pastry notes, make the beer smell like a delicious spiced fruit pie. But there’s also an alcoholic note, as of champagne, white wine, mead, and a hint of cognac, which speaks to a spiked fruit trifle. As a whole, the nose is fantastic, offering one of the more varied, layered, rich fruit-and-sugar based aromas I’ve ever encountered, the beer smelling like it should be its own dessert course.

On the tongue, the beer begins with a typical banana and clove note, but this is quickly joined by other fruits and spices, the berries, peaches, pears, sweet apples, cherries, and melon fruits from the nose translating very nicely, and the cloves joined by sharp bites of white pepper. The wildflower honey and honeysuckle also translate nicely, giving the beer an almost super-sweet Stevia extract rim, with brown sugar, caramel, and toffee adding further sweet textures. Hops provide just enough sweet pink grapefruit flesh to add a pleasantly citrusy, bitter edge. The alcoholic content here is champagne-like, with medium white wine and mead overtones, and these blend well with pastry and light toast crust. Near the end of the mouthful the beer takes an even sweeter turn, for a half-second or so spiking in Stevia extract sweetness, before subsiding into a fruity, sugary aftertaste that mimics the main flavors, and lingers on the tongue for a good while. Mouthfeel is medium, and carbonation is medium-high, adding to the champagne feel.

Overall, this is excellent beer, and one of the better quads on the market. I did find that the taste didn’t quite live up to the promise of the aromas, but even at that, the flavors were delicious, and almost perfectly balanced. A must-try for fans of Belgian ales.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 21:00:27 | More by jondeelee