Kasteelbier Donker

Brewed by Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Ingelmunster, Belgium

This is my second time i have the pleasure to taste it after many yeras before. I got the same opinion as the first time. Just an excellent brune. Well balanced, so smooth at all.

75 cl. bottle. Bottled 4.28.08. Pours a thin long lasting, light beige head, with attractive lacing, over a clear dark reddish brown (SRM 32-33) body....nose is sweet caramel, bit of raisin, some dried cherry....taste is sweet to start, with multiple dried fruits represented, including raisin, cherry, plum, finish is non hop bitter, with a bit of astringency, almost over wood aged in type....mouth feel is quite thick and creamy, aided by the carbonation, the alcohol is reasonably hidden, but obviously there. The downside is that there some off aromas, and tastes that keep the rating lower than anticipated.

A lovely intense overwhelming beer - this is what a Belgian strong should be. Big and malty and intense, but also a lovely spicy sweet middle with some noticeable alcohol present. Dark brown with a tan foamy head. Very drinkable for 11%.

Draft at Ebenezer’s. At the point in the night we had it, I believe I was in no mood for this. Either that or I still can’t stand brutally sweet/cloying beers. Pours a very dark brown, red around the edges. Nose is sweet caramel and fresh wort. Taste is sweet. Sickeningly so. Only upside was the fact that it hid the alcohol. Yuck.

11.2 ounce bottle from Whole Foods in Hillcrest ($4.79). "Bottled on 080407". Pours a dark brown with ruby highlights. Minimal beige head quickly disappears. Aroma of dark malts, caramel, molasses, plum, and raisins. Flavor of caramel, toffee, and molasses along with some dark fruit tones. It’s VERY sweet but not quite to the level of being cloying (though close!). Sweet finish. The big 11% ABV is very well concealed making this a very drinkable (and somewhat dangerous?) beer.

Listed as a quad at eulogy, had it in a stubby bottle. Pours brown with a tan ring. Nose is sweet and rich. Taste is sweet, rich, with raisans dark fruit and liquor. Overall pretty good, got me drunk quick.

Sampled at the 8th Annual Music City Brewer’s Festival. Dark brown orange, off white head. Aroma is sweet, caramel, fruity esters, cherries, figs, brown sugar. Taste is brown sugar, more dark fruits, caramel.