Gulden Draak

Brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Ertvelde, Belgium

(Belgium) Pours a dark brown color with a fabulous foamy white head with some nice carbonation. Aroma of dark fruits / alcohol / and caramel. The taste is creamy, robust, with a molasses and toffee flavor. This is a amazing strong ale, The 10.5 % alcohol is present and will deliver a T.K.O you if drink piss beer all the time.....lol. :)

The way in which the alcohol, sugar, and malts combine in this - admitted, somewhat overwhemling and vulgar - fluid is absolutely fabulous! Dark rye bread, almost german pumpernickel, raisins, prunes, hints of licorice, port, and brandy – all put together in a black Belgian brew; I’m satisfied! It may be on the strong side – but the alcohol is the factor which binds it all together. One of my all-time favorites, and will be for a long time.

Pours a deep maroon color with a medium, well-retained off white head. Smells of sweet fruits, caramel malts, and yeast mostly. The flavor was much of the same. Very fruity in its taste, molasses, figs, and grapes seem to stand out the most to me. The alcohol was seemingly masked brilliantly, as there wasnt much of a hint of the 10.5% that this brew consists of. Just a nice, well done Belgian.

Draft. Pours brown with an off white head. Caramel, toffee and bread in the aroma. Medium body. Flavor is caramel/toffee, raisin, bread and just a hint of hops. Very nice, very drinkable.

750. Pours a very murky brown with a tall foamy head. The aroma is spiced with bready malts and suggestions of clove, figs, toffee, caramel. The sweetness here is remarkably like actual caramel with light fruity esters to keep it interesting. The finish is juicy and the more I drink, the more I taste cherries. The 10.5% alcohol is hidden entirely. Rather enjoyable.

V- ruby red color that’s impenetrable. Poured with a huge head but settled quick enough. A- bananas and fruit spices with some yeast. T- reinforces the bananas and spices with a bit more snap to it as the alcohol P- Nice balance

Presentation: It was poured from a white painted 330ml or 11.2oz bottle into a tulip glass. It is a dark hazy liquid that is dark brown in color with an abundance of small bubbles that form a thick head. The head is light tan in color and has great retention time. The aroma has a sweet and fruity character with yeast and a definite alcohol presence. Up front I get a light sting of tart fruit, sour cherry and yeast that quickly turns sweet and malty. More dark sweet fruits come out now like figs, raison and prune mixed with Belgian candy sugar. The alcohol starts to add some warmth and some herbal hops are detected as it heads to the finish were it turns fairly dry. It is well carbonated yet smooth and full bodied. This is an excellent Belgian Strong Dark Ale with all the complexity and strength that I love in Belgian ales.

Dark brown pour, thin white head. The flavors are rich and intense and very well balanced. A caramel sweetness with a bit of candied sugar and malt with a spicy yeast finish. Strong, rich, and smooth--pour another!