Gouden Carolus Noël (Christmas)

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

33cl Bottle. Pours dark reddish brown with a small beige head. Aroma is malt, raisin, caramel, liquorice and spices. Flavor is malt, caramel, liquorice and spices with a gentle touch of alcohol. Very complex and very good. Unfortunately I think the palate is a little watery but its definitely the best Christmas beer in the world! However there is a big difference between the tap version, the 75cl bottle and the 33cl bottle. The 33cl bottle version is usually better carbonated, which makes the beer more smooth and harmonized. If I can choose ill always take the small bottle, rather than the big bottle, and the big bottle, rather than the one on tap.

Bottle from Liquor World, Fayetteville AR. Very deep copper, small layer of white head, nice contrast. Rum, buttery chocolate, a nice old woody funk. An aroma of bakeries and well-built old horse barns. Viney rich raw sugar flavor, very soft and sweet up front, but nothing sticky in the finish. Delicate pepper and cinnamon, mahogany. A nice little resiny cocoa pinch in the finish. A very beautifully poised beer, subtle but full of interest.

Draft, at Cooper’s (Scranton, PA) on 12/26/09. Pours reddish brown, topped with a small tan head. Aroma of dark fruit, spice, brandy and alcohol. Flavor of fruitcake, toffee, brown sugar, caramel, and alcohol. Long finish, with dark fruit and spice.

Reviewed at the 2007 Strong Ale festival A- Murky amber hue, thin layer of white frothy head, spotty lacing S- Licorice and spice, dark fruits (raisins and plums), floral hops and spice T- Initial taste dominated by licorice/anise and raisins, touch of chalk and smoke, dark plums and figs, slight berries and brown sugar, warming alcohol M- Medium-bodied, watery texture, mild carbonation D- Smooth and fruity beer full of winter spices, alcohol presence is stiff and limits drinkability

THOUGHTS: My bottle said 10% ABV. Not overly Christmasy, but it was like a sweet candy treat for the holidays. Awfully clear for a bottle conditioned beer. No real sediment either. Not as good as the Grand Cru, but close. Hardly any hops anywhere. Bonus point for being better than the sum of it’s parts. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a clear, dark brownish red that looked bright red in the light with a small to average, off-white head that mostly diminished and left virtually no lacing. The aroma was nice, but could have been stronger. There was moderate to heavy molasses and caramel malts, banana, raisin, apple, cherry, red wine, brown sugar, maple syrup, a little alcohol, candi sugar, sort of a rum flavor and other dark fruit. The flavor started very sweet, and finished sweet, ever so slightly bitter, sour and a little more sweetness with and average to long duration. There was caramel, candi sugar, raisin, cherry, apple, dark fruits of all kind, molasses, and maybe a little brown sugar. Very fruity, but it got a little cloyingly sweet, keeping it from being perfect. The medium body was slightly syrupy and sticky on the lips, then a little dry with very fizzy carbonation and a moderate alcoholic finish.

Mini growler from Half-Time. Pours a clear dark ruby color with a medium beige head comprised of small tight bubbles. Sweet plum, fig, raisin, and stone fruit aromas with a little yeast. Medium to thick body with a good amount of brown sugar. A definite change up from what the nose said was coming. The 10+% sneaks in on the finish and packs a big warm punch.

Wow. This is pretty astounding stuff. Brown color with a medium sized but very dense head. Aroma starts with some of the dark fruity notes that I expect from a belgian xmas beer but then takes a funny citrusy turn. Intriguing. The flavor is a wonderful balance of toffee/caramel notes along with prune, orange peel, maple syrup, mystery spices, and a touch of clove. I feel like I notice something different with every sip. Truly a top notch beer.

Poured a nice deep rich brown color with not much in the way of head. Aroma was so strange. A mix of spice, anise, a little citrus, a lot of malt. We shared a bomber among four people and everyone of us had a different impression. i thought it tasted like strong tea with a twist of lemon and some honey and molasses. We heard peppermint stick, malt bomb, and Wurther’s original candy tossed around too. This was a very complex and very tasty beer. Would love to revisit.