Gouden Carolus Noël (Christmas)

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

(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.

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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.

Bottle. Blackish beer with a red hue, the head is smooth and quite whispy. The aroma is sweet, spiced and mulled fruit in nature. The flavour is strong, liquor like with a load of spice, sweetness and appley fruits. Overall a pretty good comforting beer.

Had this at BJ’s Winter Ale Fest, 2005. Originally rated 8/01, 3/5, 7/10, 3/5, 15/20. Rerate: Beer is lightly hazy, dark-amber color with a small, frothy, white, mostly diminishing head. The aroma is malty, spicy—but extraordinarily and obstrucively peppery. Malty with moderate notes of toasted grain, caramel and a trace of molasses; Hoppy with a moderate note of oregano-like herb, resin/pine; Yeasty with a light notes of banyard, dough, attic and basement; Miscellaneous notes include light alcohol, heavy, dusty white pepper. Alcohol is well hidden in the nose.<P>The flavor is moderately sweet and lightly bitter with a warm, long, moderately bittersweet finish.<P> The body is full, the texture is velvety, the carbonation is lively, moderate warmth.

12.31.05 750ml bottle. Dark caramel color, looks like flat cola, with a medium sized, fairly lasting white head. Aroma is banana and bubblegum with a spicy and bready yeast (banana bread) and some hints of band-aid. Almond and vanilla fill in a spotty scent of chocoalte chips and dried apple. Unique flavors, it reminds of many dubbels I’ve tried but less yeasty. Body is lithe and ful of coating eff. Pleasantly sweet, not overly so, and a very light finishing snap of eff, alcohol, and spice. Licorice hints saturate throughout. Very nice stuff.