Gouden Carolus Classic
Brouwerij Het Anker makes some of my favorite beers. In fact, I’ll state right now that I think they make the finest Belgian tripel, hands down. I don’t think I’ve had a beer of theirs that I could complain about. And that statement can continue after tasting the Classic, a Strong Dark Ale.
When I purchased this one I was admittedly blinded by the prospect of enjoying a Gouden Carolus beer that I hadn’t seen on the shelves before. That said, I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I finally cracked it open and released it from the confines.
Appearance
I think that perhaps in the future, I will actually read up on a beer before enjoying it. I was honestly surprised by the darkness of this one as it poured. I’m not saying that it was stout dark, but the name “Classic” gave me the impression that it was going to be a lighter beer. Like I said, more reading in the future. At any rate, the Classic pours a garnet edged brown with an off white head that faded relatively quickly.
Aroma
This beer smells wonderful. Hints of plum/prune, cherry and a nice, yet subtle, yeastiness are present initially. There’s also a nice malt aroma playing in there as well.
Taste
The taste wasn’t quite as complex as the aroma had eluded to, but still a damn fine brew. The malt is there as is the cherry and prune, but the fruits are rather subdued and present themselves more in the finish of the beer.
Overall
As with every other Gouden Carolus beer I’ve ever enjoyed, this one will always be on my list of beers to be on the look out for when out shopping. It’s hard to think of anything critical to say about this beer.
Rating: 4/5