Gouden Carolus Cuvee Van De Keizer Blauw/Blue

This is a grand beer. Dark brown with a towering head, Aroma is spicey, malty with a light oakness. Flavour is awesome with such a delicated balance of abv, sugar and spice. I could drink this all night long.

Bottled in 2004, drank 2006. Sublime. Do I have to say more? I tried to make notes as I went, but it all started off with "wow!" as I raised the glass to my lips, and finished off an hour later with a contented sigh - not so much a cat that had got the cream, but one that had inherited a dairy and now bathed in its glorious full-fatness 24/7.

Perhaps one of the finest beer-drinking hours of my life. Just me, the Keizer and warm thoughts. Wonderful.

Tasting of 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006 vintages. 2000 and 2002 had cellar taste. 2001 was better, but a lot of esters with taste of strawberries. 2004 was the best of the lot (rating based on this one), with some sourness and alcohol warmth. 2005 was disappointing, disharmonious and the home brew esters was back. 2006 like 2004, but not as smooth.

This brew´s way much too heavy for me. The taste of alcohol being too dominating for my tasting. I can´t taste the full bodied beer and any other ingredients. But great appearance and nice head. I rate this as a (for me) thumbs down, abbey ale.

2005 750ml bottle. I remember trying this beer back as a youngster. I still cant describe it the way i wish i could. Pours out dark brown with a good head to it that is tan with sediments ontop, and at the bottom. Smell is woody with hints of citrousy apples, rasberries and sugar fructose. The taste is a bit oxidized with hints of cinnamon and pines. Good winter brew due to the alcohol taste.

2005 Bottle. Aroma of dark fruit, alcohol, and spices. Smooth mouthfeel and a mild flavor of dark fruit and malt. Decent aftertast of cinnamon and dark fruit. Good for the style.

Bottle 2006. Poured a dark, brownish ruby. Not much head. Aroma of dark fruit, spices, brown sugar, alcohol. Flavor was much of the same, dominated by dark fruit. Alcohol present some throat warming.

2006 Bottle. Pours a murky, dark brown-ruby color with a fairly small, off-white, fizzy, yet creamy, head; settles to a small, dense foth which sticks around entirely and leaves lots of wonderful lace. Powerful, inviting, and spicy nose; makes me think of Christmas with a sprucey note to go with yeasty Belgian bread, date, brown sugar, maybe some clove. Flavor was similar with some nice spicing to back brown sugar, caramel, fig, date, banana bread, slight anise; bitterness is low but balancing for this big Belgain. Palate was my diggest concern; medium, lively, and lacking some rounder fullness with noticable alcohol warmth. Finishes mostly sweet and average length with raisin, yeast, and brown sugar. Fairly decent winter-type Belgian with lots of nice spicing and rich malt flavors to back. It my be a little premature with the carbonation being a litle much and the body being a little small. Overall, something I would like to try in a few years during these winter months.