Kasteelbier Donker

Brewed by Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Ingelmunster, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Bottle. Pours deep amber with low carbonation. Aroma is muted with dried fruits and spice. Taste is prunes, dried fruits, very boozy. Not bad.

Bottle. A - Deep mahogany brown. Decent sized white head (less than I was expecting though). A little lace is left but not a whole lot. S - A bit of sweet spice (cinnamon and nutmeg mostly). Good amount of sweet dark sugar and molasses along with sweet dark fruit. Good amount of malt. T - Lots of caramel malts with dark candi sugar and molasses. Mixed with that are the dark sweet fruit flavors (raisin, plum, date, fig). Also a good amount of cinnamon and nutmeg. Somewhat like a port, there is also a hint of vanilla. The sweet and fruity flavors were quite prevalent, and it reminded me a lot of a Christmas stollen (raisin/currant sweet bread/cake). M - Medium body with normal carbonation. Fairly creamy and pretty smooth. D - Good for the style. Obviously it is a sipper, and the ABV and sweetness will hold this back. However, this would be a great way to cap off a meal or and sip on during a night. Not one that I would have multiple per night, and would probably take a couple days break between them. It is one I will come back to though. Notes: Really is like a liquid dessert. Lots of dark sweet fruit and sugar. Some may think too much (and at times/moods I would probably agree), but I think overall this is a great beer with lots of good flavors. Memorable one also, definitely worth a try.

Sweet candy sugar aroma. Brown-amber color. Tastes as it smells, a bit a syrupy. Notes: Beer Advocate Belgian Beer Fest (Boston) ’09

Maroon color, medium brown head. Aroma of butterscotch. flavor has caramel candy - very sweet.
Earlier Rating: 1/24/2010 Total Score: 4.6
Draught at Churchkey in Washington, DC. Courtesy of Nahim, thank you sir! Deep ruby red color with a 3-bubble head. Aroma of candied chocolate covered cherries and vanilla. Flavor of Christmas fruitcake and bread, with a licorice finish. Amazingly complex. A real winner.

Tap at Kulminator. Chocolate malt aroma. Opaque black-brown color with moderate but long lasting head. Sweet chocolate malt aroma. Light astringent alcohol finish. Hides Its strength well.
Earlier Rating: 5/8/2005 Total Score: 2.8
Bottle. Sweet grape/raisin aroma. Dark brown color with next to no head. Extremely sweet malt and slight astrigent finish - really not to my liking - way too sweet.

Pours brown with a beige head. Aroma is roasted malt, fruity, light phenolic. Flavour is sweet caramel, roasted malt, high alcohol, fruity. Burning aftertaste.

Horeca Expo (Gent end nov. 2009) on tap. Almost black color with a beige head. Aroma soft, caramel, sweet. Medium body. Taste sweet, caramel, roasted malts, not much else.
Earlier Rating: 1/18/2007 Total Score: 3.1
Bottle, 33 cl. Dark brown colour, good white beige head. Dominated by dark fruit, and sweetness, alcohol was well hidden, chocolate. Medium body. Very commercial beer, still good, but not my favorite.

On tap at Monks, pours a amber brown with tan head. Aroma is of raisin and malts. Taste is sweet with alcohol coming through in the finish.