Gouden Carolus Noël (Christmas)

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

An awesome 750 ml bottle thanks to my 2009 Summer Secret Santa. Pours an amazing picture of deep mahogany hues, almost completely opaque with a beige head of medium thickness. The aroma is great; full nutty and sweet notes; lots of sugary candies, but more rich fruity malts and caramel. The flavor is great as well; a rich creamy mouthfeel, caramel, light spices, rich fruity malts, strawberries and other fruit, light hops as well. Like a great Christmas cake. Nice. I’m feeling merry for sure. Rich and fruity like I enjoy in Belgian Ales.

i drank this in a chimay trappist glass,revcieving a lovely crimson body a small off-white head.i gathered an aroma of liquorice,brown sugar,and blow pops.i was very happy with my first sip of this.liquorice,malts,ginger bread,christmas trees,and bubblegum.this brought me right back to christmas day.what an outstanding brew this is!!!

Dark brown colour, diminishing off white head. Heavy aroma, fruity, banana, sweet caramel, little bit roasted. Taste is sweet and fruity, fizzy carbonation. Finish is sweet, but not to much, with some alcohol taste.

33cl bottle courtesy of Hogtownharry. Thanks! Deep chestnut pour unleashes a billowing fluffy beige froth. Aromas of mint and dark fruit(plum, black cherry) upfront followed by floral spiciness and yeast. The flavour profile is sweet candied dark fruit with Belgian candy sugars. Following that there is a nice licorice component with other spices and sweet roasted nuts. Quite creamy and easy to drink considering the weight. Quite good. Thanks for the bottle Harry!

(Bottle thanks larsniclas and rlgk) Pours deep reddish brown. The aroma is desert wine like with tones of sugar, light wood, sweet dark fruits but also lighter fruit tones of grapes, citrus/oranges, bananas, green apples, unripe pears, nectar and a light floral overtone. Malty tones of caramel and toffee. Some marzipan sweetness is also present. Hints of dark bread and liquorice. The flavour is nicely grapey vinous with some fruity tones of apples and pears. Too sweet finish with a lingering sugariness. Spicy and creamy yeast and malt mouthfeel. Alight sourish touch of dark berries is also notable. Medium to full bodied.

sample at PP. On tap. Amber color. Sweet. Very malty. Lots of melanoidin caramelization. Delicious. This beer rocks. Alcohol barely noticable.

Little bottle, best before March 8, 2010. Pours stark ruby with a dense off-white head. The aroma is sweet and fruity with intricate spiced character. It leans towards berries and licorice with a delicate spice backdrop. The slick, dense palate is much appreciated. Flavor is decently warming and thick. The sweetness is perfectly in check and a timid burn highlights the drier aspects of the brew. Notes of licorice, clove, chocolate, and some spice I can’t identify are all here.

75cl bottle from Willow Bend Liquors (Tampa, FL). Rated on 3/20/08. Pours a chocolate brown with thin tan head. Smells very sweet with notes of maple syrup, malt, chocolate, caramel, bread, yeast. Flavor is sweet with hints of roasted malt, caramel, toffee, and overtones of port wine and brandy on finish. Very good.