Kasteelbier Donker

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Bottle. Pours cloudy dark brown with a big head that fades fast. The aroma is all Belgian - yeast, esters, a bit of dark malts, and a hint of alcohol if you look. The flavor is super sweet all the way - way too much - it’s like drinking slightly hoppy and bitter pancake and cough syrup.

(Bottle 75 cl. as Kasteel Brune) Pours reddish brown. Nice vinous sweet aroma. Flavour of overwhelming sweetnes, caramel, dried fruits, almond. Full body, alcohol is actually well hidden but the sweetness is just to much.

Bottle. Aroma of fruit, plums and alcohol. Golden red colour with beige head. Very, very sweet flavour of plums, dates and caramel. Medium body.

33cl dark brown bottle, like the one shown when you’re looking for "Kasteel Bruin" (which is the actual name). Dark nutty brown color, medium beige head collapses quickly but leaves some lacing. Heavy-bodied dark ale (well, at 11%), ok mouthfeel. Aroma is sweet caramel, herbal spices, and plenty of booze. Taste is very sweet - a little like sweet fruit juice, with some bitter herbs for balance. Finish is sweet, too. Lingering alcoholic after taste. No, this can’t be it. Belgian triples/bruins don’t have to be THAT sweet. It’s a little like some medicine you’re taking in my country to improve your heart ("Doppelherz"). I’ve got nothing against sweet chocolaty notes, but this is JUST sweet. No, this ain’t beer.

A very nicely carbonated dark strong ale. It has a nice cola and roasted malt flavors. Overall very nice. The head is long lasting.

Bottle. Moderate malt aroma of chocolate, light herbs for the hops, moderate horse blanket for the yeast, raisin, red wine, brown sugar and vinegar. Head is small, fizzy, light brown with fair lacing and is mostly diminishing. Color is dark grayish brown, like dark iced tea. Flavor starts moderately sweet and lightly acidic, and the long finish is moderately to heavily sweet and lightly acidic and bitter. Palate is on the fuller side of medium, syrupy and has a softer carbonation than I expected. The sweetness tastes a little artificial, but otherwise a very good Belgian Strong Ale.

UPDATED: JUN 2, 2011 Bottle. Colour was brown caramel, with a nice head. Strong aroma which raised my expectations. But this beer is too sweet for my taste. It is easy to drink thoug, regardless of the high alcohol percentage. When having it in your mouth, the bubbles reminds me almost of a sparkling wine. Update 2nd.June 2011: i tasted this again, and must say that it still is too sweet, but analyzing it from a technical oerspective, it actual is quite ok. After all taste differ!

Bottle. Beer color was very similar to Coca Cola. Very sweet aroma, dried fruits. Reminded some of port wine. Taste was very sweet, syrup, plums and some cherries. The alcohol warmed nicely in the stomach.