Kasteelbier Donker

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

Draft - Poured a reddish dark brown in color with a medium tan head that held up and produced some lacing on the glass. Aroma is malty sweet with plenty of dark fruits. Flavor followed closely... plenty of dark fruit and brown sugar. A bit too sweet for my taste, but good.

a nicely fragrent darkish brown and red Belgian strong ale with a lightish alcohol flavor similar to an aged rum but with prune and raisin like fruit flavors that complement well and deliver good presentation and satisfaction. a touch sticky and sweet with a balancing new fruit flavor accompanying the package and brightening the flavor profile and thereby bringing appeal to a greater audience as it seems aged yet vibrant.

Bottle; tailgate tasting at Rose Bowl. First Kasteel beer. Poured a dark, reddish-brown color. Aroma of sweet fruit, alcohol, dark fruit; sweet and malty. Flavor was much of the same; sweet fruit, raisons, sugar and light cocoa. I wrote another adjective, but cannot read it. This one was really nice.

330ml bottle
11.0% ABV
I tried this beer on April 9, 2009 at "Smokeless Joe’s" in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It came recommended from the bartender. The beer poured a murky reddish-brown with a long-lasting tan head. The aroma was sweet malt, some yeast, some sugar, and dark fruit. The mouthfeel was medium bodied with medium carbonation. The flavour was sweet malt (a little too sweet), yeast, and some plums. A very good beer, just a tad short of a great beer.

Dark brown beer with small beige head. Aroma is very complex: malty, sweet, strawberries, raisins, some roastiness and alcohol. Flavour is quite similar than aroma but berries and strong sweetness is more dominating nuancees and luckily alcohol is disappear. Full bodied, sugary and sticky to drink. Kasteel is complex, very easy to drink and aromatic beer but sweetness was little too much for me.

APPEARANCE: Pours a nearly opaque amber brown color with a medium tan head that dissipates at an average rate. There is a moderate amount of lacing. AROMA: Sweet dark fruit (Plums, cherry, raisin), alcohol. Almost smells like a port/sherry. TASTE: Taste similar to aroma. Sweet dark fruit, brown sugar and alcohol. There is hint of sourness that comes through like a granny smith apple. MOUTHFEEL Medium-full body with a syrupy texture. Light fizzy carbonation. DRINKABILITY: A rich but smooth and easy drinking beer. There are no funky flavors in here. However it is 11% alcohol and a bit too sweet to drink too much of this. NOTES: BBCSD-0902-Larry

Can this beer get any better? Very high ABV at 11%, yet sweet and easy to enjoy. Definitely a different dark beer!

Bottle. Dark brown body with an off white head. Ripe fruit and sweet malt in aroma. Caramel and Belgian yeast as well. Medium bodied. Prune, raisins, overripe cherry, sweet malt in flavour and it ends up with the warmth of the alcohol. Very tasty Strong ale.