Gouden Carolus Noël (Christmas)

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.

Part of a 3 sampler, 10 cl in a white wine glass at Birra Artigianle de Qualita in Milan. Very dark cloudy ruby color. Severly weet/malty, straight up licorice taste. 10cl is all I can handle, definitely not a whole pint.

33cL bottle drunk with appreciation (for Donfardz64) in every sip. Intense aromas of milk chocolate and a licorice, clove style aniseed. Some leathery yeast and smoky notes - giving it an earthy character. Heavy, roasted malt plus some warming alcohol showing through. Lovely! Dark, syrupy flavours. I first taste strong licorice and a deeply roasted malt, followed by a raisin sweetness that persists to the finish. This sweetness is complimented by a mild cocoa bitterness in the background. Alcoholic, spirit-like mouthfeel with an aniseed finish. Amazingly complex and warming - it’s a shame us New Zealanders celebrate Christmas in scorching heat!!

This beer was way.. WAY to hot. On tap and Pizza Port Carlsbad. Pours a clear dark brown w/ red hue. Molasses, caramel malt, dark fruits, plums, raisins, toffee, and spice, clove, etc. and then heavy on the alcohol. I really didn’t like this one.

In short: A fuller-than-full bodied belgian dark ale. A malt orgy with a light spicy touch.
How: Bottle 750ml. (too) many times. This rating for a one year old 2007 bottle.
The look: Cloudy brown body topped by a small dark beige head
In long: The king of the malts outdo themselves with this brew. This is a malt orgy with light spicy notes just to spice things up. Toffee, molasses, caramel, more molasses, cloves, candied fruits, dark fruits, more heavy caramel, red fruits, and more toffee. but the beer really doesn’t feel very sweet. Something must be drying it up, herbal spices and/or the well hidden hops (that I can’t even detect)? This is a very big Belgian dark whose decadent body can rival that of just any other beer on the planet. If you like malt and don’t mind a little spicy touch this is as good as it gets. Ha! Christmas, this is the time of year when people like me gather with friends and family to celebrate the birth of a new batch of the Carolus Christmas. Jesus Christ this is a good beer.