Gulden Draak

Brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Ertvelde, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Bottle. Dark brown with some ruby accents around the edges, opaque, and a lightly tan head. Lots of toffee and fruit-cake breadiness, with plums, spice, and light citrus. Candied toffee that lends sweeter in the taste, with some cane sugar, very rich malt that isn’t too dark...this shies away from quads, but comes close to most dubbels to me...fluffy and heavier body at the same time with vibrant carbonation. Warming alcohol on the palate and back of the throat, but is only slightly peppery in other respects. Rich, tasty, and rounded.

Clásica donde las haya y parecida a mi querida Optimo Bruno con una apariencia que supera a esta. La única pega que se le puede encontrar es su nivel de graduación que hace que se quede cierto sabor alcohol en el paladar.

Hazy dark brown pour with a touch of ruby and a medium, beige coloured head, which laces and remains thinly. Sweet, dried fruity and alcoholy nose. Mouthfeel’s thick and slick and the malty aroma brings caramell, chocolate and alcohol along, flavour’s sweet and of dried fruits. Dry and alcoholy/warming up finish with bitter chocolate and light spice, which remains at last in a dried fruity/chocolate flavoured aftertaste. Serious and not easy drinkable brew on the sweet side.

very light nose, sweet malts sweet with alcohol bite, smooth warming lingers, second sip smoother and stronger malts. Third sip akin to sipping whiskey.

Whoa. A lot in the aroma. Raisins, fruit, chocolate. Like a dessert bread about to go in the oven. As it warms, it really takes on a strong yeast nose. Some toasted toffee. Every inhalation is a little different. Pours dark brown. Held to the light it’s a deep amber/rust. Medium head. Laces well but doesn’t last long. Taste is big malty sweetness. Chocolate and caramel. Raisins. Licorice. Rich, sweet bread. A little herbal with a bit of a brothy overtone. A little alcohol in the finish but that is offset well by both the the sweetness and breadiness. Thick and creamy but not syrupy. Goes down easy. For a big and super sweet beer, this is remarkably light to drink. The alcohol is hidden very well and for all its chewy breadiness it actually fairly light in body. This reminds me more of the quads I’ve had than other tripels.

bottled. pours brown with a touch of orange. medium off white head. aromas of all kinds of things including raisin, hops, soy sauce, caramel, brown sugar and roasted malt. tastes very sweet, and has a noticable alcohol burn in the back of the throat. full bodied, full flavor and a lasting finish. i’ll need to buy this again.

33 cl bottle. Pours a hazy dark orange/brown color. Almost a dark amber. Head was off-white and slightly small, but my bottle might have been a bit old. Even with the small head, there was a fair amount of lacing. Aroma was very sweet. Mostly fruits, berries, yeast, and some light malts. Aroma was not overpowering but there was some nice complexity. Flavor is very sweet. There is a strong berry, fruity character. Possibly some plums and raisins, which are balanced by some light malts and some hops. This beer still retains its sweetness, which is probably what I like most about it. Finish is warming and a tad dry but with a slight sting of alcohol, which is perhaps my only complaint. I love the mouthfeel here. This beer is full-bodied and does indeed grant you an opportunity to experience its complexity. Very smooth beer overall. This is an excellent brew but just falls short of the Trappists.

Flavor is an outstanding mix of cream and toffee. Palate/texture is creamy and smooth. Minimal hop content.