Gouden Carolus Noël (Christmas)

It’s been way too long (relatively?) since I’ve had a beer I’ve really enjoyed. I decided to pull out the highest rated one I hadn’t rated from the cellar... and this was the one. Lets see... dark amber body with a large head. Nose has the Carolus house character, a wide range of fruits, and sugar. Still, it didn’t come in a very impressive way. Luckily, the flavor was much more interesting. This was rich! Not very big on the spices though.. whatever. Alcohol at 10% was hidden perfectly. On top of that there was a lingering aftertaste which made this better yet. Possibly my favorite Xmas beer.

Bottle. Has a mahagony color and pours with a foamy tan head. The aroma is bubblegum with caramel malt. Sweet and creamy caramel and roasted malt that makes a smooth and creamy beer. Llightly spice with a maple or brown sugar.

1 pint, 9.4 fl oz. Pours mahagony with a frothy tan medium-sized head and lined lacing, good head retention. Yeast (dough, bubblegum) and medium roasted malt (caramel, nutty) with faint perfumey hops and alcohol notes. Warm, spicy medium sweetness and medium acidity, medium to light bitterness, sugary, caramel, maple, bubblegum, port and alcohol. Full, warm bodied, medium fizzy, medium dry palate.

(Bottled) Mahogany/dark amber in colour. Huge foamy head. Big, potent nose with caramel, dried fruit, liquorice and herbs (sweet cicely, rosemary, thyme?). Full, fiery flavor, with dried fruit (prunes), more herbs (caraway, aniseed?) and a well balanced hint of yeast. Sweet but not sticky. Complex stuff and a magnificent beer.

The aroma is straight root beer. This has a deep black color until you hold it up to a light, and then a very deep ruby. The flavor is plum, faint citrus, very complex, with a hidden hint of banana. It’s fizzy, olive oil, like hard liquor. And it left a tingly freshness in the mouth.

Mahogany with red highlights and a large but quick tan head. Aromas are warm & coat the nostrils but are difficult to decipher. Fruity pine & fusels, some banana and brandy. High carbonation contributes to a fluffy mouthfeel carrying malts, spice and ginger. This is a complex and very celebratory beer, one that is perfect for the holidays.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=20>Foremost Liquors, Oak Forest, IL 60452<font size=-1>

750, left by somebody at my nye party. aroma is tart and malty fruit, some coffee? dark reddish brown, low carbonation. heavy body, and flavor mirrors the aroma: tart, with tons of malt, and a good bit of acidity. hides the 10.5 quite well, but drinkability suffers at the hands of the body and acidity.

cloudy dark amber w/ a brown head. sweet fruity aroma w/ hint of some spice, the flavor is dominated by alcohol and fruits. full bodied and warm.