Kasteel Winter
Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.

Kasteel WinterKasteel Winter
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From:
Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.
 
Belgium
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV:
11%
Score:
94
Avg:
4.24 | pDev: 9.91%
Reviews:
62
Ratings:
257
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 01, 2020
Added:
Oct 29, 2013
Wants:
  45
Gots:
  60
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by falloutsnow:
Photo of falloutsnow
Reviewed by falloutsnow from Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
From: Binny's, Champaign, IL
Date: Bottled 2013-06-26
Glass: Founders' snifter

Kasteel's "Winter" is probably the first Belgian coffee stout I have tried, with an interesting mix of coffee, roasted malt, and Belgian yeast-derived flavors. While I enjoyed the beer, I thought the 11% ethanol was a bit too obvious relative to the coffee, chocolate, and yeast-derived flavors. It would be great to try a less alcoholic version of this, perhaps in the 6-7% ABV range, which would allow for the exclusion of adjunct sugars, a heftier mouthfeel, and less obvious ethanol.

Beer pours a 1.5cm tall head of tan-colored foam, made up of small-sized bubbles, yielding a fairly frothy appearance. Retention is about average, lasting slightly over one minute in a decline to a thin film resting atop the body of the beer, thicker around the edges. Lacing is modest, though present, some medium-sized spots and lines cling to the walls of the glass. Beer is a very dark amber brown color, lighter amber-brown around the edges, with light bringing out lighter shades of amber brown. The body is transparent, with carbonation visible, though modest in number and activity.

Aroma of smooth, sweetned, hazelnut coffee with a touch of burnt toast, milk chocolate, ethanol, and slightly peppery Belgian yeast phenolics.

Flavor of non-bitter, hazelnut coffee, ethanol, Belgian yeast-produced phenols, and slight burnt toast acridity. Front of palate picks up well-sweetened watery chocolate and hazelnut coffee mixed with some spicy ethanol. Mid-palate of hazelnut coffee, ethanol, slight burnt toast and watery chocolate, and peppery yeast phenolics. Back of palate continues to experience sweetened hazelnut coffee flavor with fairly obvious ethanol, while adding a bit of anise to the background of burnt toast, watery chocolate and peppery phenolics. Aftertaste of hazelnut coffee and slightly harsh ethanol, gradually fading to a mostly sweetened hazelnut coffee flavor.

Beer is medium to medium-light bodied, with carbonation of medium intensity, leading to a very foamy (9/10) and only slightly smooth (1/10) mouthfeel. While not unpleasant and never fizzy, I would have appreciated a heavier feel for such an ethanol-heavy beer. Ethanol felt somewhat easily on the palate and back of throat as a mild burning, less so as heat in the nostrils, though this is present as well. Closes dry, with light stickiness on the palate and around the lips.
Dec 22, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of FBarber
Reviewed by FBarber from Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Bottled 2013.

Pours a dark matte brown color. Almost no head whatsoever. Opaque and rather still in appearance.

Aroma has strong notes of rich dark bread, some dark fruity notes, caramel, and chocolate covered cherries.

Taste follows the nose with notes of chocolate, plums, dark fruits, caramels, with a rich bready backbone. There is a spicy note that peeps through on the back end.

Feel is dry, almost powdery in character. Mild carbonation. Dry finish.

Overall its a really unique but lovely strong dark ale - the chocolate notes do give it a more holiday-esque character. Really nice beer.
Feb 01, 2020
 
Rated: 4.19 by kds2437 from Texas

Dec 25, 2019
Photo of macrosmatic
Reviewed by macrosmatic from Florida

3.8/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Reviewed from (very) long-standing notes. The bottle was acquired from a raffle win at the 2014 Brewer's Ball in Tampa. Poured from the 2013 vintage bottle, corked and caged, into an El Catador teku glass. Consumed on 10/30/17.

A: Hazy to turbid dark brown, with a thin off-white head that fades quickly. Fairly low amount of visible carbonation. Not particularly pudding - reminds one of chocolate-caramel pudding.

S: Dark fruits, caramel malts, and brown sugar. A moderate toast to the malt body. Some yeast esters – apples and pears especially. Almost like a boozy caramel apple, with some toffee as well.

T: Fruity esters up front – apple and pear again, with some dark fruit, rum-raisins, and prunes. Toasted malts, lots of brown sugar, and milder molasses. Touches of bubble gum and banana. A caramel apple impression again and some notes of vanilla. Mild spices – but not as heavily spiced like most other "Winter" beers. More caramel and brown sugar plus the raisins and apple fruitiness at and after the swallow.

M: A medium body for style with a sticky mouthfeel. Carbonation sensation on the low side. The alcohol flavors are certainly noticeable but this isn't "hot".

O: A decent beer, though nothing I’d be running to repeat. It comes up a little short in the boozy-raisiny-malty goodness I was hoping for, but it's certainly sweet and malty. But a reasonably tasty Belgian Strong Dark option.
Aug 03, 2019
 
Rated: 3.68 by desint from Belgium

Jul 24, 2019
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

4.34/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Bottled 9/11/13; drank 1/3/16 @ the Yarchives.

Opaque brown/purple appearance.

A rough pour yielded a small khaki head; decent lace.

Caramel, plum,brown sugar & faint raspberry notes in the nose.

Medium thick, creamy mouthfeel.

Rich caramel & brown sugar flavors up front; faint orange citrus notes on the finish. Mild booze heat emerged as this warmed.

This has aged beautifully.
Apr 28, 2019
 
Rated: 4.05 by mltobin from Connecticut

Jan 24, 2019
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
So smooth and lush with winter and dark flavors. Makes me look forward to the months up coming, would be a perfect beer to have by the fire. Has two flavor groups happening, one a toffee/caramel latte with milk chocolate and vanilla, then other is a molasses dipped dark fruits such as prune and plum, leading to a combining flavor of sweet, dark and slightly bitter. Little light in the body, but not necessarily as bad thing with the cloying sweetness and creaminess.
Sep 29, 2018
 
Rated: 4.18 by Greasy from Kentucky

May 21, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by LennyBound from Illinois

Mar 30, 2018
Photo of bbtkd
Reviewed by bbtkd from South Dakota

4.06/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V. Kasteel Winter (2013), 11% ABV. Bottled 6/26/13, so the oldest beer I've ever had. Pours very dark brown to black, with a slight tan head. Nose is a light sweetness, taste is sweet moleasses, a hint of chocolate, dark fruit, with a slight bitter close and some alcohol burn. Excellent mouthfeel, overall excellent.
Dec 23, 2017
 
Rated: 4.27 by Jcarriglio from Florida

Nov 15, 2017
 
Rated: 3.92 by hopkrid from Florida

Oct 30, 2017
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.91/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
This was poured into a chalice. The appearance was a dark brown color with a thin white to off white foamy head. Moderate lace wove around the glass. The aroma starts off with the milk chocolate up front and bold (coming through pretty dry and sweet). Quad qualities takes a good a minute before displaying themselves. The flavor is pretty sweet through the chocolate, Belgian sugars and dark fruits. Bold Belgian spices make a good effort to balance. Nice sweet Belgian sugar to chocolate aftertaste with the same finish. On the palate, this one sat about a medium on the body with a nice sipping quality about it. Low carbonation. Stickiness is almost cloying but dryness from milk chocolate seems to contain nicely. Overall, pretty nice BSDA that I'd have again in the Winter.
Jun 23, 2017
 
Rated: 4.5 by bshefftz from California

Apr 27, 2017
Photo of Mindcrime1000
Reviewed by Mindcrime1000 from South Dakota

3.67/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a single-serve bottle--bottled on June 26, 2013, so this is well-aged, but probably not too long in the tooth yet.

Pours a solid but unspectacular one-finger tan head that quickly disappears--but good classic Belgian lacing. Dark brown and extremely opaque for the style, and lacking in the usual reddish highlights. Not an ugly beer, but not a pretty one either.

The aromas aren't classic, but they are definitely unique. Malts very forward, with distinctive espresso notes, and a touch of dark fruit in the background. As the brew warms. a smoke aroma appears, but so too does a bit of solvent note.

The flavors follow the nose fairly closely, but without the fruit notes. Dark chocolate and coffee with a touch of creaminess combine to provide what is at once a unique take on this style and yet. Ok, I have to say it. Dammit, I feel like I'm drinking a Quad mixed with a Starbucks something or other. The solvents from the alcohol only serve to drive the feeling home. I like the taste in the abstract, but the "get off my lawn" old guy deep inside is rebelling and screaming "THIS IS NOT A QUAD DAMMIT." Because I will admit this might be a personal failing, rather than that of the brewer, I won't deduct too much.

The mouthfeel is pretty thin for the style, and lacking carbonation.

Overall, I'm deeply conflicted about this brew, I absolutely love Kasteel's "Donker." I understand this is a "seasonal," but it feels like a "miss" for me as to the "style." Still, a decent brew that others might find intriguing.
Feb 18, 2017
 
Rated: 3.98 by BIGPOPPAS from New Jersey

Dec 21, 2016
Photo of Vixie
Reviewed by Vixie from Florida

3.91/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a dirty brown color with very little head. Not the best looking beer I have seen by any stretch, but I don't try new beers for how they look.

The smell is a bit better than the look. Not a lot going on, mainly coffee and chocolate.

Lot of chocolate in this one. I am also tasting some fruit, as well as a hint of spice, plus a bit of warming on the finish.

Smooth and silky going down, with a hint of heat from the carbonation and abv.

Not quite as fruity as this style usually is, but that is not a bad thing. If I was eating a good quality piece of chocolate and washing it down with a quad, that is a bit of what this experience is. It is nicely done, a change of pace from what you normally get from a Belgian, and worth a try.
Dec 02, 2016
Photo of PorterLambic
Reviewed by PorterLambic from Florida

4.05/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A bottle of 2015 release drunk in October 2016.

After removing the cage & cork I'm not impressed by the pour or nose.
Pours a muddy brown with a fizzy head, not unlike a cola. Head is gone as fast as would be any cola's. No lace left behind.
Smell is sweet with a solid note of vanilla. First thought? Candy, maybe chocolate chip cookie dough (YUM!) but nothing beer like really. Further investigation finds some fruitiness and malt.
Taste is where this shines. Notes of vanilla, oak, dark fruits, boozy in the back nose, malty, light smoke. Terrific balance.
Rich, smooth, very whiskey-like. Definitely a sipping brew. Hockey and a bomber, sounds like a winner to me.
Oct 28, 2016
 
Rated: 5 by MaddDogg84 from Texas

Oct 18, 2016
Kasteel Winter from Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.
Beer rating: 94 out of 100 with 257 ratings