Gouden Carolus Cuvee Van De Keizer Blauw/Blue

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

2003 Vintage Rated Jan 2005. Red brown body, big fluffy beige head. Lots of alcohol overpowers the aroma of malt, and notes of anise, and brown sugar in the aroma. This fades a bit as the glass goes on letting the other factors better emerge. Flavour has lots of sweet alcoholic malt, notes of brown sugar and molasses, but not cloying. The second half of the glass is better than the first. Medium to full bodied. Thanks for sharing Tupalev. 6/4/8/4/17 <P>2004 Vintage, Toronto Christmas Party. First beer in my new grade school throwback notebook. Reduce reuse recycle baby! Dark brown body with a moderate tan head. Sweet malty aroma, with a touch of tart undertones. Very small hint of licorice or cane sugar and a touch of alcohol. Flavour is quite sweet with pleasant malt and suagar flavours. Bit simplistic I thought but quite enjoyable. Palate is a touch light for a belgian. Cahier d’exercise! 7/4/7/3/17

Draft and Bottle. Pours a dark brown body with a tan coffee head. Very rich coco, chocolate, plums, raisins and caramel. A dark note of port wine, thick and viscous with a nice etoh warming and some chewy fruits and chalky minerals. I love this beer!

This tasting second big surprise. Bottled 2005 (11%), color was very mahogany and dark. Head was impressive creamy like and long lasting. Complexity is amazing, but predominant notes are raisin, date’s, fig with some licorice and maybe even coffee and Tobago notes. Flavor is full sweet with light bitter notes. Finish is surprisingly short, but still this was for me a great encounter. Love to re-taste this beer. Would like to try and cellar this beer for some years to see the difference and how it would evolve into something even grater if that is possible..... :-)

This 2006 corked and caged bottled brew from a bottle shop marked lot 6668334 poured a large sized head of foamy finely sized light brown colored bubbles that were mostly diminishing and left behind a transparent strongly carbonated dark brown colored body and a good lacing. The aroma was floral dark malt anise and mild vinous. The mouth feel was tingly at the start and at the finish with a strong vinous aftertaste. The flavor contained notes of vinous brown malt mild caramel and mild licorice. Delicious and one I would certainly buy again.

Bottle (2005 + 2007) at Københavnske Øldage 2007. Clear red/brown - offwhite head. Licorice, dried fruits, high carbonated, roasted, ryebread, raisins, sharp. A bit like the Christmas beer. 2005 edition is a bit softer than 2007, but no major difference. Not as fantastic as expected !!

(2001 vintage, rated 2008) Very dark brown, completely vanishing head. Strong plums, figs and raisins in the aroma - some soy-sauce, too. Still slightly sweet, somewhat corky-cellary, moldy-earthy, syrupy flavor. No bitterness to speak of. Medium to full-bodied, almost flat-carbonated. Nice, but seems past its peak. (2002 vintage, rated Nov 2004, 8.5% ABV, 0.75l, was 8-4-9-5-17=4.3) Hazy dark reddish-orange color with small head. Very strong, port-wineous, slightly alcoholic aroma with some anise, cognac, amaretto... Sweetish flavor with an inch of anise and licorice, also some orange-peel, dark toffee. Sugary-sweet finish. Very smooth, quite full-bodied, low-carbonated palate. Very drinkable, and ABV quite well hidden. A very smooth and drinkable, slightly alcoholic, quite complex brew. A lighter and more mature version of Gouden Carolus Noel 2004. Still could mature for many more years...

Bottle. Big sugary body. Brown sugar. Dark brown with a reddish tint. Sweet almost like milk after the Lucky Charms are all gone. Raisin, apple bake. Great dessert in a glass. << Rerated from draft at Taphouse/Queensway ... murky and muddy brown with a milky creamy head. Not a whole lot of aroma, but it delivers a powerful punch of warming alcohol, rich dark fruit and cooked sugar. >>

Dark unclear brown with white head. (2005 edition) very complex in sweetness and spices. Dark fruits and alcohol. Great aroma and Long lasting finish Little carbonation. Top dollar!