Gouden Carolus Cuvee Van De Keizer Blauw/Blue

2004 750 ml bottle. Pours a murky brown caramel color with a thick frosty light brownish beige head. Aroma is full of dark fruits-dates,plums,prunes as well as nutmeg, candied brown yams and banana. Taste is full of the dark fruits mentioned above as well as hints of dough bread,caramelized brown sugar,fresh yeast,nutmeg and candied yams. Nicely carbonated and very tasty. Pleasantly sweet,yet not overdone. Excellent !!

2004 bottled tasted Christmas Eve 2006.

The cork comes out with an explosive pop, and the beer pours beautifully - rich caramel brown with a yellow-tan head and splendid lacing.

The aroma offers rich dark caramel, dried fruit, and some apple, but the flavor is where the heart of this one lies. Rich creme brule sweetness erupts throughout the early flavor profile, mingling deeply with prunes and dates, a hint of rum, yet more rich caramel, spicy into the finish - splendid. At almost three years of age, the flavors had melded together beautifully and deeply, scarcely hoppiness remained, and the mouthfeel was just full and lucious without anything like 11% worth of heat.

I was very impressed and enjoy this one immensely. This is a great choice for a sweet dark belgian strong ale.

2004 vintage. Poured a hazy dark ruby with a creamy light tan head. Leaves perfectly symmetric lacing. Aroma of cinnamon, cream, raisins, a bit or orange. Flavor is somewhat dry with flavors of brown sugar, raisins, wheat bread, a bit of wood, slowly fading to a slight bit of acidity that comes with a bit of abbrasive carbonation. At first, I thought the acidity might reflect some infection, but upon deeper reflection in the flavor it feels quite intentional, as it works to an equilibrium with the sweetness and the dryness. All in all, everything here is very delicately balanced, and in the end nothing overpowers anything else. A superbly crafted Belgian that reflects some of the greatest the world has to offer.

2000 Grand Cru labelling, Courtesy of Denver Dave.Very aromatic - bready and fruity with acidity prevalent. Tastes smoothly sweet with rounded fruit tones and some dry sourness lingering after. Translucent ruddy brown coat and whisp of head. A late-matured BSA that is still showing integral strong character. (400th rating of this, wohoo.)

Bottle. 2000 Vintage. Hazy brown-orange colour with a small white head. The aroma is perfumey, flowery, with plenty of caramel, butterscotch, and a bit of alcohol. Anise flavour, sugar, sarsaparilla, and slight harshness in the finish. Also a bit quick and bready in the finish.

750ml bottle 2006 vintage - via my secret santa - Pours dark brown with a large creamy tan head that fades back to about an 8th of an inch but laces the trappist glass in sheets. Aromas of caramel, toffee, prunes, figs, raisins, and light roast. Flavor is prunes, raisins, toffee, caramel, a little black liccorice, and a little oak. Smooth soft silky palate with some lingering fruity sweetness in the finish. Pretty nice brew...

Bottle, 2006 vintage. Deep red-amber with a big beige head. A huge range of aromas, quite phenolic, caramelized bananas, bugglegum, burnt toffee, and figs are all prominent. Very rich flavourful palate with all of the complexities of the aroma combined together; sweet but tempered with a mildly bitter finish. Some espresso toastiness in the finish as well. I think this is perhaps the best belgian strong I’ve had yet.

750ml Bottle @ Decemberfest 2006: We were sampling the 2000 edition on this day. Pours cloudy, deep amber brown in colour, with no head to speak of. Aroma of black licorice, cherries, and plums. All three come through in the flavour alongside a nice oak flavour and lots of alcohol. Very nice.