Gouden Carolus Cuvee Van De Keizer Blauw/Blue

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

Brown coloured beer with small off-white head and medium carbonation. Malty caramelish aroma. Full bit creamy and sparkling palate. Finish is roasted ending bitter. Can’t find myself in the high average rating, it’s ok but I liked the less rated red one more.

2009 labeled, corked, 75 cl Bottle. Pours Dark mahogany with ruby highlight. Tiny fingerwide tanned head shows quite cohesive lacing with confident retention. Moderate fruity esters on the nose - a bit similar to GC classic. Not so dried fruity, a bit woody with plums, and dark grapes and then a some dark roasted, but sweetish chocolate and rum like (phenolic?), spicy interplay. The first sip leaves a very sweet, dark cherry kind of yeasty, malty fullness on the tounge. Definitely a sipper, but only a very subtle alcohol warmth is sensible. Big bombs of dark cherry and raisin-like esters, caramelized sugars, interesting peppery, yeasty notes smoothly surfacing in your palate and seating there for a long, holy time. :) Some chewy, crisp, but peppery belgian hops are maybe present but not dry or bitter at all. It would be interesting to try an older vintage how would improve the fruity character, and how’d mellow the alcohol. Very solid beer, still at this fresh vintage. Amazingly tasteful, chewy, thick and rich dark belgian ale without being too distinguish or unique. Really my kind of beer.

750ml bottle, 2009. Pours very dark copper/brown with a one finger light beige head. Very nice, complex beer that evolves and changes. Aromas range from very fruity, dark fruits, cherries, light apple, some yeast. Flavors are predominantly fruity, cherries, dark fruits, sometimes some chocolate really comes through, some pear, yeasty, bready belgian goodness. Alcohol is quite present. Only real knock I have, but I think it will get better with age. Mouthfeel is rich, but with high carbonation for the style. Very rich and delicious beer overall. Glad to finally try this one.

2007 version. Full malt richness, with caramel and dark fruits--a step richer than the Classic. Lots of cherry. Silky smooth--perfect body. Rich and well-balanced. Superb.

2008 Bottle, dark, almost black, normal beige head. Malts, yeast and candy in the nose. Taste is malty, dark, herbal, a bit sweet, hoppy and and a nice, average finish. The second glass reveals a thick, almost syrupy creamy taste, but also a smell of pee. Nevertheless a good beer, but not above the classic Gouden Carolus imo.

Bottle from Vanuxeem beer warehouse near Ypres. Deep brown pour with nice tan head. Aroma of port and dark fruits. Sweet, complex, dark fruit, spice, warming. A contemplative Belgian strong ale from one of the best breweries on earth.

Large biege head good carbonation colour is plum like or dark wine aroma banana candy dark fruit vanilla maltiness flavour clove banana candy raisin plum cinnamon brown sugar creamy smoothness typical of a gouden carolus has a fizz on the palate yeasty goodness through the beer sweet but not rich not much bitter not that it matters finish great mix of flavours smooth a fizz on the palate morishing stuff.

This beer pours a dark brown almost black with a thin tan head that dissipates quickly. The aromas are light citrus and dough. The flavor is sweet and yeasty and not too dry. This was a pleasure to drink. Cheers!