De Koninck

Brewed by Brouwerij De Koninck (Duvel-Moortgat)
Style: Belgian Ale
Antwerpen, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

UPDATED: JUL 12, 2005 On tap at Pub Italia. Dark amber ale with a thick off white head. Strong apple and beeries in aroma. Rather oxidized malts and sweetish maple notes, with some german style hoppiness. Medium bodied. Very slightly above average. 6-3-5-3-11 Bolleke at Oude Arsenaal, May 2005. Red amber ale with a thick off white head. Sweet perfumey aroma of rosewater and sweet vanilla. Sweet maple-like sugar, with delicate nuttyness, very floral in mouth, like rose petals. 8-5-8-4-15

Fruchtig-malziger Antrunk, eine süße Note versucht sich erfolglos durchzusetzen. Malzmuffiger, etwas wässriger Mittelteil, die Herbe setzt sich langsam durch und wechselt nach und nach ins trocken bittere. Leicht hopfig. Kann mich nicht vom Hocker reißen. Test vom 20.3.2007, Gebinde: Glasflasche Noten: 9,8,9,8,5,9 - 8,50

Bottle. dark golden colour with an off-white head. Aroma is malt, caramel. Flavour is malt, caramel, fruit, sweet. Ordinary beer.

UPDATED: MAR 31, 2005 (draught) Totally clear amber-fox. Thick yellowish head, lacey. Nose of ambrée malts, some sugar and hops, CO2 is even obvious in the nose. A bit of burned rubber (sulphur). Aroma as freshly gristed malt. Taste, IMO, the ideal balance between sweet and bitter from noble hops. CO2 gives an ever so slight sourish hint. Biscuit (cookies) flavour. Very fresh De Koninck has a flavour as from freshly mown grass. Light-bodied. Well saturated, not fizzy. Refreshing. In the aftertaste, all tastes struggle and the hopbitterness lasts. NEVER confound a draught ‘bolleke’ with the bottled product. Filtered, but not pasteurised, this is a mega-difference. NEVER visit Antwerpen without drinking one. Not all pubs serve it equally well, though. To an Antwerpener, this is the standard (=/ the best beer!) by which all other beers are measured.

Brandy coloured and a sour fruit aroma. The taste in the mouth is of sour apples or grapes, but the aftertaste is a bit sickly after a while. An enigmatic beer.

UPDATED: AUG 8, 2007 Draft pint
Consumed at Bierspeciaalcafe De Paas, Den Haag, May 2006
Clear dark amber color, large head. Lightly sweet, bland, pale, malty, simple semi-sweetness and nothing else to offer. Glad I did not pay for this one.

Any first impressions?
-Scant head lasting over clear copper-orange.
-Exuberant orangey fruitiness lays on pils-like, bready malt.
-The well-hopped finish is appreciated.
-The carbonation and thin body are obviously made for quaffing.

What if you dig deeper?
-The dry wooden hoppiness in the aroma could appear vegetal to some.
-Vaguely caramelly maltiness is not polished, and in the end nearly tasteless.
-What else could you expect from an ordinary amber ale?

Bottle; best before November ’06.

On tap. Clear amber body, small white head. Aroma straw, grass, alcohol, plastic. Musty sweat. Woodsiness. Flavor tobacco, fruit, pale malt, musty. Light bubbles.