Gouden Carolus Cuvee Van De Keizer Blauw/Blue

A dark brown/ruby colored beer, with a foamy beige head. It disappears quickly. The aroma is typical from Gouden Carolus. Very complex, notes of caramel, wood and roasted malts. The taste of dried fruits like raisins and prunes. It’s spicey, alcoholic. The aftertaste is burning sweet. A very good beer.

Vintage 2007. An imposing wooden red mahogany hue with a frothy cap of beige. Sweet, decadent and vinous nose of butterscotch, chocolate, raisins, and figs in the first breath, which is a mite too buttery. But the depth of nuance in the bitter tones and the sweet ones is unknowable; a westvleteren-like unconquerable cave. Peppery red wine, caramel, raw cocoa nibs, tannins, cinnamon. For the most part, the dryness of alcohol it offers is in the vein of a fine cabernet, as it seems so dark and tannic, and buried deep in that mysterious pure-chocolate soil. The butterscotch sweetness at the beginning is a cumbersome gateway into the ocean of character here for me.

Enormously full flavor; a fully realized, deep malt and yeast collaboration at every turn. Wildflower honey-dipped hazelnuts. An arresting red wine with every warming caress and velvety nuance it offers; cinnamon, sweet red peppers, brown sugar, and powdery cocoa. There’s an ebullient brightness of citrus that blends sunshine with the tartness of the wine character into something undeniably attractive. A fulsome thickness of chocolate, blackberries, caramelized pears and alcohol nearing the finish; warm and expansive, but dusted starkly with a surprising herbal bitterness, that couldn’t be better placed to balance the delirious sweetness and complexity altogether, and to wrap it up on a succinct dry kick. Wow.

Full palate, syrupy and effervescent, with a wholly erudite impression of cleanness and complexity from start to finish. It calms down a bit into maple syrup at the very end, showing a touch of alcohol, generously and appropriately. The balance and warmth of this gorgeously complex experience isn’t divine inspiration, but it’s quite breathtaking!

2008 750ml corked bottle. Pours a beautiful golden/red/brown with a very lively frothy beige head that produces excellent lacing and has wonderful retention. Aroma is sweet brown sugar and there is a bit of alcohol at the end, but what do you expect for an 11% beer? Flavor is of dark fruits and brown sugar and a touch of spice. The finish is a bit dry but I guess you could expect that. There is a touch of warming in the back of my throat as well. Mouthfeel is teetering on the syrupy side. This beer is wonderful.

Poured a nice ruby red color with nice frothy head. Aroma of alcohol, brown sugar and fruit. Flavor is sweet and some spices and alcohol on tongue. Overall a good beer but not overly impressed.

Dark ruby red hue with a thick sustaining layer of frothy tan foam. Aroma is sweet malts and dark fruits with a nice background of spice, sugar, and alcohol. Initial taste of rich dark fruits and caramel malts dominate and followed soon by spices and light chocolate, finishes sweet and slightly dry. Palate is a creamy smooth texture with ample carbonation. Overall, a fair Grand Cru that is somewhat lacking in flavor and complexity.

C&C 750 from Wine Warehouse in Charlottesville. Brown-amber pour with a 2-finger head. Grainy, bready aroma with dark fruit notes, caramel and spice. very malty aroma with heavy molasses and dark fruit notes. Strong flavor kind of surprising given the delicate nature of the nose. Full bodied.

Bottle. A logn time ago though... Pours a dark brown/amber colour with off-white frothing head. Aroma is very sweet with malts, spices, dark fruit and alcohol. Mouthfeel in palate is absoloutely wonderfully thick and soft. Flavor is again malts, spices, dark fruit, caramel, and, of course, alcohol, which gives you a warm tinkling feeling inside. Not drunk as I write this. I promise!

2004 bottle- Poured a dark brownish red. Very thick head. It had a very sweet taste and smell. I would recommend this beer to anyone.