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Gulden Draak
Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
- From:
- Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
- Belgium
- Style:
- Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Ranked #8 - ABV:
- 10.5%
- Score:
- 94
Ranked #2,092 - Avg:
- 4.24 | pDev: 11.32%
- Reviews:
- 1,462
- Ratings:
- 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
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by MaximalC:
Reviewed by MaximalC from Illinois
3.6/5 rDev -15.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.6/5 rDev -15.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a stately, translucent plum color with a modest khaki head (courtesy of a moderate pour) that soon recedes. Not much lacing to speak of. Aroma has a complex sweetness consisting of dark fruit, grapes, pear, and brown sugar. Alcohol is also evident in the nose. The big malt sweetness is fully forward in the taste as well, along with a bit of cherry kick that accentuates the alcohol flavor (which isn't especially well concealed). Some apple skin also sneaks through in the finish, as does cinnamon after some warming. The sweetness is pronounced to the point of being cloying (there could be some straight-up candy sugar in there). Between the dark, sweet malt and big ABV, this almost evokes shades of Samiclaus, albeit not quite to that extreme. The Belgian yeast character adds some texture and complexity, but it's pretty muted for Belgian ale.
Overall, this is a massively sweet yet complex brew that demands sipping, and were it not for the bomber, I doubt I could have a second glass in succession. Not my favorite big Belgian ale.
*Addendum: To echo the advice of BuckeyeNation, do be sure to incorporate the sediment at the bottom of the bottle into the pour (especially with the bomber). The difference in balance is like night and day. The sweetness is tempered a great deal, thereby making this much more drinkable. I wish I would have known in advance, as my palate is probably pretty well skewed at this point, but the difference is hard to miss nonetheless.
Jun 25, 2013Overall, this is a massively sweet yet complex brew that demands sipping, and were it not for the bomber, I doubt I could have a second glass in succession. Not my favorite big Belgian ale.
*Addendum: To echo the advice of BuckeyeNation, do be sure to incorporate the sediment at the bottom of the bottle into the pour (especially with the bomber). The difference in balance is like night and day. The sweetness is tempered a great deal, thereby making this much more drinkable. I wish I would have known in advance, as my palate is probably pretty well skewed at this point, but the difference is hard to miss nonetheless.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by brianstrong2 from Tennessee
4.81/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
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, 2024Reviewed by acerbictea from Wisconsin
4.75/5 rDev +12%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
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, 2024Reviewed 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
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, 2024L: 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.
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
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, 2024Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin
4/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
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, 2023Aroma: 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)
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
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, 2023Reviewed by nizzle8287 from Texas
5/5 rDev +17.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
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
Gulden Draak from Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Beer rating:
94 out of
100 with
4362 ratings
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