-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Gouden Carolus Ambrio
Brouwerij Het Anker
- From:
- Brouwerij Het Anker
- Belgium
- Style:
- Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Ranked #122 - ABV:
- 8%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #19,531 - Avg:
- 3.81 | pDev: 12.34%
- Reviews:
- 218
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 10, 2023
- Added:
- Sep 15, 2003
- Wants:
- 13
- Gots:
- 42
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Clydesdale:
Reviewed by Clydesdale from District of Columbia
3.53/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.53/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: Pours a murky bronze with orange highlights. The head has a soft khaki tone and is extremely tall, light, and foamy. Retention is impressive, and random splotches of lace stick to the glass.
S: Some sugary sweetness in the nose - some firm caramel notes. Lightly phenolic and spicy notes go along with an herbal hop presence. Some moderate notes of orchard fruit add a bit of depth.
T: A short flash of caramel sweetness at first. Yeasty characteristics dominate - fruity esters of bruised red apples and ripe pears, along with light spicy phenols. Herbal hop bitterness is fairly pronounced for a Belgian style. Lightly metallic and alcoholic into the finish.
M: Fairly full-bodied. Rescued from stickiness by aggressive carbonation that doesn't seem to lend too much smoothness. Crisp and dry overall.
D: A pleasant but somewhat scattered Belgian ale. A bit different, but definitely a not an all-time favorite. If you're a fan of the style, you'll probably dig it.
Nov 19, 2010S: Some sugary sweetness in the nose - some firm caramel notes. Lightly phenolic and spicy notes go along with an herbal hop presence. Some moderate notes of orchard fruit add a bit of depth.
T: A short flash of caramel sweetness at first. Yeasty characteristics dominate - fruity esters of bruised red apples and ripe pears, along with light spicy phenols. Herbal hop bitterness is fairly pronounced for a Belgian style. Lightly metallic and alcoholic into the finish.
M: Fairly full-bodied. Rescued from stickiness by aggressive carbonation that doesn't seem to lend too much smoothness. Crisp and dry overall.
D: A pleasant but somewhat scattered Belgian ale. A bit different, but definitely a not an all-time favorite. If you're a fan of the style, you'll probably dig it.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by RaulMondesi from California
3.75/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Not bad. I dunno, maybe it’s what Al saw in Peggy. Like, and ok Red, and… well, that’s it. No sass. No kick in the ass. I drank it and then I was done with it.
Aug 30, 2023Reviewed by cheeseheadinMinneapolis from Wisconsin
4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
11.2 oz bottle Bottling date of 10/02/2016. About 5 years old
nice looking beer, impressive head: tall thick and fluffy, long lasting, plenty of lacing.
taste: pear, plumb, apple, a little dark fruit. some spice as at warms. Some yeast notes that are not strong.
A easy drinking beer for the style. Not strong or over powering in any way.
Aug 06, 2021nice looking beer, impressive head: tall thick and fluffy, long lasting, plenty of lacing.
taste: pear, plumb, apple, a little dark fruit. some spice as at warms. Some yeast notes that are not strong.
A easy drinking beer for the style. Not strong or over powering in any way.
Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland
4.09/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Hazy, dark amber appearance with a large, off white head. Yeasty, wheaty aroma with fruity esters. Soft fruity taste, mildly spiced, decently hopped and well balanced by the sweet caramel malts. Medium-to-full bodied, moderately carbonated mouthfeel. Worked well when paired with the charcuterie board this mild summer evening.
Aug 02, 2021Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota
3.84/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.84/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
11.2oz bottle. Label has stamped bottling date of '10/02/2016'.
Murky, deep amber colored body. Off white, foam dome head. Leaves rings and spots of lacing.
Aroma of fruit - green apple, pear, and peach. Slightly sourness from Belgian yeast.
Taste also has the fruit - green apple, pear, and peach, along with some spicy notes. Has the Belgian yeast contribution.
Medium plus mouth feel. Has some dryness from the yeast. Very good carbonation.
As the label describes, this beer "creates the perfect harmony between the powerful taste of dark ales and the light freshness of blond ales".
May 31, 2021Murky, deep amber colored body. Off white, foam dome head. Leaves rings and spots of lacing.
Aroma of fruit - green apple, pear, and peach. Slightly sourness from Belgian yeast.
Taste also has the fruit - green apple, pear, and peach, along with some spicy notes. Has the Belgian yeast contribution.
Medium plus mouth feel. Has some dryness from the yeast. Very good carbonation.
As the label describes, this beer "creates the perfect harmony between the powerful taste of dark ales and the light freshness of blond ales".
Reviewed by Vixie from Florida
3.89/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.89/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a nice amber color with just a hint of brown, and forms a large tan head in my tulip glass.
Sweet fruity smell, seems to be apple and pear and a hint of peach, also a bit of yeast.
Bit fruitier than expected, almost tastes a bit like a hard cider. Also picking up a bit of bread like taste, and the lingering taste to me is more apple.
Pretty smooth going down, almost creamy.
Not a bad beer, but compared to other Belgians, a bit lacking in flavor. The flavor isn't bad, just more subtle than usual for a Belgian. Very easy to drink, would be a good entry beer for someone venturing into Belgians for the first time.
Mar 27, 2021Sweet fruity smell, seems to be apple and pear and a hint of peach, also a bit of yeast.
Bit fruitier than expected, almost tastes a bit like a hard cider. Also picking up a bit of bread like taste, and the lingering taste to me is more apple.
Pretty smooth going down, almost creamy.
Not a bad beer, but compared to other Belgians, a bit lacking in flavor. The flavor isn't bad, just more subtle than usual for a Belgian. Very easy to drink, would be a good entry beer for someone venturing into Belgians for the first time.
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England
4.01/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.01/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
L- Very deep amber, getting over towards pale brown. A very slight haze on it. 5mm almost white head, holding very well.
S- Quite piquant and bright, hard to pin down, perhaps just a hint of spices.
T- The Taste follows the Smell pretty closely, it's also quite pungently rich without being sweet.
F- Punchy and rich. makes for a good winter-warmer type beer.
O- Very drinkable, though perhaps less so in high summer. Punchy enough to accompany robustly flavoured food. I'd happily drink this again.
330ml bottle BB 05/05/2022 bought from BeersOfEurope (UK).
Mar 18, 2020S- Quite piquant and bright, hard to pin down, perhaps just a hint of spices.
T- The Taste follows the Smell pretty closely, it's also quite pungently rich without being sweet.
F- Punchy and rich. makes for a good winter-warmer type beer.
O- Very drinkable, though perhaps less so in high summer. Punchy enough to accompany robustly flavoured food. I'd happily drink this again.
330ml bottle BB 05/05/2022 bought from BeersOfEurope (UK).
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
4.17/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Murky apple cider color.
Small white head; no lacing.
Cinnamon bread nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Rich bread flavor; a cinnamon smack on the lips. Quite tasty.
Apr 01, 2019Small white head; no lacing.
Cinnamon bread nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Rich bread flavor; a cinnamon smack on the lips. Quite tasty.
Gouden Carolus Ambrio from Brouwerij Het Anker
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
386 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!