Gouden Carolus Classic

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

Bottle: Clear, chestnut-amber coloured, slim beige lacy head; sweet raisins in the fruity-alcoholic nose; solid sweet flavour, medium bodied, a bit sticky; fruit-cake and warming brandy in the sweet finish.Fine, fine.........

Dark red-brown. Brownish head, slim but going down lacey. Raisins/(dark) sultana's, fruity, alcoholic nose. A rich X-mas cake. Taste is outspokenly sweet. Alcoholic, ridden with (fruity) esters and higher alcohols. Flavours of fresh figs, plums, pears, dried dates. Watered-down dark brandy (Armenian?). Less acidity than in the Noël. As usual with G.C., the texture is thinnish and completely at odds with the OG/ABV. A bit soupy, after all. Liquid fruit cake. It remains a classic in every sense. I think the managment buy-out has been for the better. I'm not sure about the new names, though.

[33cl bottle, mille grazie Ivo] Clear, ruby amber colour with a big and beige foamy head. Sweet toast-malty and slightly nutty aroma with toffee, vanilla and a slightly vinous fruity touch of raisins. Sweet flavour with a light burnt bitterness, full bodied with a very creamy and pleasant mouthfeel. Aromatic, delicately toasty malt profile with notes of caramel, dark berries and raisins. Strong malty and subtle fruity finish with a pleasant, Armagnac-like finish. A very balanced and complex brew [19.XII.08].

Bottled, 33cl. Reddish-brown beer, with a beige head and some floaties. It has a rich aroma of toffee, fruits and beef-stock. Some yeastiness too. A nice candi-sweetness in the flavor is followed by hops, spices and some alcohol. It has a light sourness in the finish, and an almost full body. A nice beer, that worked well with sausages and mustard. (060428)

Deep reddish colour with a small tan head. Malty and sweet aroma with hints of plum. Nice balanced flavor with yeast and a malty dark fruit sweetness.

Brown rum flambé over wealthy meat, raisins and roasted malts…A good sherry with dark chocolate, perfectly blended and intelligently sweet...Subdued torch lighting in an elegantly rustic castle hallway…Het Anker truly have no reason to envy the Rocheforts of this world, their malt control is absolutely stunning and delectable...

Best before 07/12/06. Dark brown beer with a ruby tint. Nice sweet fruity and malty aroma, plum/prune, caramel/toffee apple, black pepper and cardamon. Full bodies, malty sweetness, plummy with heavy notes of bread and toast. Lingering yeasty spice, a bit of wheaty tartness and some other fruity acidity. Nice complexity. Tap at Mugs Ale House. I wanted to re-rate this with a few more years on it, so here it is. Deep brown with a ruby tint. Nose is peppery and lightly alcoholic over sweet slightly oxidized malts. Sherryish and pruney with sweet dried fruit in back. Plums and raisins on the nose. The flavour is still very sweet with brown sugar and dried fruits. Slightly alcoholic which helps cut the sweetness, but it’s still too sweet and chewy. I thought that some age would have dried this out, but it doesn’t seem to have done that. It has added some nice sherry character to the sweet maltiness. I don’t think it’s going to improve with any more age on it though.

Bottle courtesy of hogtownharry. Pours cherry red with a tan head. Smells of cinnamon, cherries, touches of dough, oranges, hints of oak, some spice. Tastes of figs, brown sugar, molasses, some alcohol, cloves. Mouthfeel is full. Some melon on the finish.