Gouden Carolus Noël (Christmas)

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

Hello my name is Ryan and this beer kicks ass....Now, on to the more detailed aspects: A typical color and aroma, though more pungent, for this style. Heavy aroma of malts, spice and dark fruit. Flavor was (SURPRISE!) more of the same, though extremely smooth with light carbonation (this bottle was a cellared 2005 vintage via BigSilky). The aftertaste was light but lingering and yada yada....just all around, fantastic.

A long after Christmas treat for me. Sampled a 750ml cellared bottle, 2005 vintage. Plum, spiced and sweet malt flavors and aromas in the full bodied Belgian Strong. With all the ratings listed here and the fact that I never heard of it before tells me that I’m out of the loop. I’ll have to try more Gouden Carolus offerings in the future.

BB 03-10. Pours a dark brown-red color with clarity and a fairly full, frothy, creamy, beige head; head is mostly lasing and leaves nice, tight lace. Nose is fairly fruity and almost rum-soaked; anise is dominant with lighter notes of toffee, raisin, plum, light yeast, and some spicing (ginger/clove). Flavor is complex and quite potent; still lots of anise with toffee, brown sugar, raisin, light cherry, clove, nutmeg, light yeast with some acidity and mild bitterness. Palate was fair and detracted some from the unique flavors; lively, medium, but round with some noticable warmth from the alcohol. Finishes still mostly sweet with anise, raisin, and brown sugar but also with a tobacco note (interesting but not unpleasant). Palate and the overpowering anise notes do not allow this to be something special with so many wonderful flavors and complexities. Very interesting and showing lots of potential; unexpected and surprisingly likable. I tried this one aover a year ago and had something completly different: much more carbonation and less anise notes. Both were interesing in their own right but both would be great with a bit of tweaking.

At the 2007 Big Beer, Belgians, & Barleywines Festival in Vail. Pours a copper color with a thick white head of spider-web lacing. A concoction of raisins, brown sugar, coriander and cough syrup. This has some serious heat. An outstanding holiday beer in the old school manner.

Pours a two-fingered creamy white head that fades slowly to a thin layer leaving some lace. Cloudy mahogany color. Strong carbonation and medium-heavy bodied. Raisin/plum nose. Flavor - sweet raisin, caramel and spices, high ABV is noticeable. Nice Christmas ale. 750ml bottle, gift from Liquid Solutions Oregon City, Or.

Bottle. Dark brown colour with a beige head. Aroma is alcohol, candis sugar, orange. Flavour is spices, alcohol, hop, cellar notes, candis sugar, roasted. Harmonic christmas beer.

Bottle: Poured a dark brown with tan colored head. Sweet candy caramel and spice aroma. Sweet spicy malt flavor.

bottle 2006 from World of Beer - light head, fruity, sweet with spices, very complex flavor - absolutely delicious! Thank You Santa!