Kasteelbier Donker

A brown or dark red beer with an OK but fast disappearing head. The aroma is sweet and slightly fruity. The flavor is fanstastic; very sweet, fruity, and complex. It ends on an earthy note - but with a good sweetness and notes of oranges. It has no bitterness at all. A really good beer with a good palate, but a little too sweet, and not bitter enough for my liking.

Bottled. Comes in a real classy shallow tulip glass. Pours dark ruby with rich head. Toffee aroma, and once it is warmed up also roasted malt and burnt sugar. Sweet vinous and very malty. In a way quite remimiscent of a full bodied red wine. The mouthfeel is soft and it is arousingly flavourful. The balanced finish contains a slight trace of hop bitterness to balance the port wine.

(Bottle 33 cl) Very dark and extremely full-bodied. A pruny sweetness with loads of malt. A bit flat actually. A very complex strong ale. Try it from the beautiful Kasteel-glass at the castle grounds in Ingelmunster. 100993

Looks black, but is actually very dark mahogany. Has a perfect 1 inch head when poured into a snifter (probably better than the regular Kasteel glass); Aroma features alcohol, dark malts, plums, a little bit of smoke (kind of like this smoked plum tea I bought in Chinatown once). The body is thick, but silky smooth, with a sweet palate of demerara sugar, vietnamese coffee, chocolate cake, and only a hint of alcohol or fruit. The finish is of sweet malts. This is big, but sure hides the alcohol well. You know its winter when you're drinking Bush Noel and Kasteel on consecutive nights.

Brown colour with a baige head. Sweet raisin fruity aroma and a sweet berry taste. Medium to full body and a sweet light alcoholic finish.