Gouden Carolus Classic

Brewed by Brouwerij Het Anker
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Mechelen, Belgium

330 mL Bottle. Amber-brown body with a tan frothy head that settles to a foamy ring and leaves some lace; appearance-wise it really sits between a 2 and a 3. Toasted grains and raisins dominate in the aroma, alcohol comes through in an almost red wine-like expression, and there are accents of brown sugar, molasses, leather, and a very faint innuendo of bubblegum. Rich dark sweet malt and toasted grains dominate in the flavor, although this beer is really too sweet for my liking. Molasses and treacle stand out in the aftertaste and finish. Sweet, and somewhat prickly in the mouth although it has a sweet and syrupy lingering finish. For me it struggled to score a 3 in that it made a good first impression with the aroma but if not for the overwhelming sweetness, this beer could do better on my scoreboard.

330ml, bottle. Here’s a complex beer. Almost pitch black, with a small head, looks fine indeed. Hints of raisin, dark fruits, chocolate, spices. Great after-taste. Very nice beer.

330 ml bottle from the LCBo pours a cloudy murky belgian brown with a fair sized beige head The aroma is herbs, candi sugar alcohol, The taste is yummy a little on the light side for a strong belgian but good none the less

Intens brown beer with light beige foam on top. Aroma is rich with some caramel, candi sugar, raisins and malts. Taste is smooth, with a rich caracter of malts, brown sugars, fruits and an intersting bittering in the finale.

Bottle from LCBO. Pours deep red-brown with small tan head. Nose of port, brown sugar. Taste a bit too sweet overall, but nice notes of raisin, port and brown sugar. Some vinous notes, with bitter finish.

0,33 l bottle.
Nice deep ruby-mahagony colored beer, poured clear with a nice foamy tan head that diminishes slowly to a small, delicious lacing one. Fine, alluring aroma with caramel and fine toasred malt, belgian yeast, candy sugar and pleasant fruits. Rich body, fine texture with roundish mouthfeel. Flavor of candy, caramel and toasted malt, moderated fruity esters like plum and raisins. Some roasted character in the fine aftertaste. Direct hit of the style.

Pours dark copper/brown with the customary thick, creamy head. Aroma shows note of port, brown sugar, treacle, doughy yeast and sweet bready malt. Flavours are massively rich. Very sweet with loads of treacle and dark candi sugar, as well as more of the doughy yeast and peppery phenols. Alcohol is quite powerful (which only increases the stature of this beer) to the point of becoming overpowering. Carbonation is quite high, which partially helps to dry out the finish. Too sweet, and too boozy for my liking.

Bottle. Reddish pour with white head. Aroma is very, very sweet tropical fruits (pineapples, bananas) some chocolate and alcohol. Very sweet taste as well, quite fruity. Warming mouthfeel.