Gulden Draak
Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.

Gulden DraakGulden Draak
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From:
Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
 
Belgium
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Ranked #8
ABV:
10.5%
Score:
94
Ranked #2,090
Avg:
4.24 | pDev: 11.32%
Reviews:
1,462
Ratings:
4,362
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 10, 2024
Added:
Dec 19, 2001
Wants:
  333
Gots:
  1,024
Dark Triple Ale brewed with caramel malt and re-fermented with Bordeaux wine yeast
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Ratings by LovingCup:
Photo of LovingCup
Reviewed by LovingCup from Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Okay let me preface this by saying I'm no expert on Belgian strong dark ales...new territory here. Last similar-ish beer I had was Finch's Nuclear Winter and despite my hometown <3', this is much better.
First, cool ass bottle and classy sounding af. The next part is the looks, perhaps my favorite aspect. Huge puffy head with peaks and valleys. Dark brownish color with a ruby shimmer in the light, can't see through shit. And the best part is I let this sit for 10 minutes after pouring and the bubbles persisted, but the real magic was the vertical linear formation of them: it looked straight like the letters from The Matrix and I ain't even trippin'!
As for the smell. Very complex. Sugary caramel sweetness. Most present are dark fruits: figs, dates, a lil grape, and that one that makes you shit. Oh yeah, prunes. A touch of chocolate even. And a bit of booze.
The flavor is intense, but more approachable than expected (tho I was expecting a knockout punch) its big, but at the same time, drinkable...sip by sip. I like high abv beers but don't enjoy overly boozy flavors. This is good. The alcohol is there in a background warming sort of way, not an obnoxious boozy way. I think considering its 10.5% it is masked rather well tbh. Idk my palate isn't used to this style the way it is for others yet but this isn't bad at all. On the contrary it's quite good. The mouthfeel I want to say is medium.
Overall I give it a 92. im actually surprised by how massive yet inoffensive this was. glad I picked up this bottle of Gulden Draak. Very pleased. Hope to revisit this beer (and style) again sometime in the near future.
Jan 04, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.63 by BLVBBERGIXLL from Arizona

Mar 10, 2024
 
Rated: 4.5 by mushycake from Connecticut

Mar 03, 2024
 
Rated: 4 by Nyoder

Feb 24, 2024
Photo of brianstrong2
Reviewed by brianstrong2 from Tennessee

4.81/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Other than Sint Bernardus Abt 12, this is one of the best beers I have ever had. The extremely high malt content and being a deep red tripel is unique and wonderful. Highly recommend. Of note, the aroma is a bit boozier than the feel or taste.
Feb 16, 2024
Photo of acerbictea
Reviewed by acerbictea from Wisconsin

4.75/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Dark red fruits (apples, cranberries, plums, dates, cherry), almost a little red wine. Caramel sweetness, with just enough bitterness to keep it from being cloying. Goes down INCREDIBLY easily for its 10.5% ABV. All-around excellent.
Feb 08, 2024
 
 
Rated: 3.75 by brpendergast85 from District of Columbia

Jan 16, 2024
 
Rated: 4.31 by RoyalKaiju from Kentucky

Jan 14, 2024
 
Rated: 4.19 by Budlum from Maryland

Jan 14, 2024
 
Rated: 4.08 by BillyNoonan from Ireland

Jan 12, 2024
 
Rated: 4.38 by SeanP99 from North Carolina

Jan 11, 2024
Photo of cratez
Reviewed by cratez from Canada (ON)

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
330ml bottle from a gift pack purchased at the LCBO. Expiry date of November 7, 2025. Consumed January 6, 2024.

L: Clear, dark, ruby red hue. One finger of tan coloured foam. Several strands of lacing on the wine glass.

S: Red apple, cherry, roasted malt. Some vinous red wine notes. Hints of caramel, dark pit fruit (plum) & toffee.

T: Mostly follows the nose. A bit chocolatey + touch of sour cherry.

F: Lush, silky, full bodied MF. Slightly tart upfront. Long, bittersweet, drying finish. ABV is well hidden.

O: A first class Belgian Strong Dark Ale, with genuinely novel character thanks to the red wine yeast. One of the better examples of the style, this is a "must-try" in my books.
Jan 07, 2024
Photo of Steve555
Reviewed by Steve555 from Wales

4.47/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
My first dark ted tripel. Creamy tan foam on a reddish brown body. Taste is malty, sweet caramel and cranberries with some lingering bitterness. Finish is very smooth and slightly sweet with next to no booziness. The effect is a very clean sense of inebriation and the realisation you’ve drank something special.
Jan 05, 2024
Photo of defunksta
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours a clear, deep amber color with a massive light tan head. SRM of 19. (4.00)

Aroma: Strong aromas of rich bread, dark red fruits, some cherry and booze underneath. (4.00)

Flavor: Strong and rich flavors of caramel mixed with dark fred fruit and Belgian spices. Plum, cherry, amber malts. Booze shows underneath and finishes sweet. (4.00)

Feel: Heavier-bodied, strong carbonation, Warm, sweet, and shows the booze a bit. (4.00)

Overall: Ranked #8 for a Belgian Strong Dark Ale, but on the bottle listed as a Red Tripel. It has rich caramel, red fruit, and shows the booze with a warming quality on the end. Very flavorful and the amber malt flavors emerge as it warms. Enjoying it so far. (Rating: 4.00)
Dec 17, 2023
Photo of Grax
Reviewed by Grax from Iowa

4.6/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Aroma is extremely complex and enticing, with a bouquet of juicy red fruits and caramelly malt. The body delivers, with a wave of creamy, juicy red fruit followed by spice and malt. Very intense and complex mouthfeel follows, yeasty, herbaceous, and delicious. Great beer
Dec 17, 2023
 
Rated: 3.43 by AGU313 from Maryland

Nov 16, 2023
Photo of nizzle8287
Reviewed by nizzle8287 from Texas

5/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Poured into a snifter at about 45F, somewhere between ruby and amber, with an off-white head with very fine bubbles that reduces to a nice film and ring around the edges of the glass. Smell is candied figs, caramel and yeast. Tastes of dried dark fruit and cotton candy, with a slight hint a hoppy bitterness. High carbonation, appropriate for the style. ABV is very hard to detect, but is all there when you stand up after finishing the glass. Overall, a spectacularly good dark triple. Just as good as Chimay blue in my opinion. Very easy to drink. I will definitely get this again!
Oct 23, 2023
 
Rated: 4.08 by Mat0720

Oct 21, 2023
Gulden Draak from Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Beer rating: 94 out of 100 with 4362 ratings