Gouden Carolus Indulgence - Botanik
Brouwerij Het Anker

Copenhagen 15/6 2018. 75 cl bottle from Den Belgiske Ølbutik, Jyllingevej, Vanløse. Black and gold serious looking label with signature from "the 5th Generation Family Owner".

Pours hazy - to the point of opacity - yellow with a big white, bubbly head. Settles as a thin layer of foam eagerly crawling up the side of the glass. Substantial lacing.

Aroma is botanic with strong herbal odor. Like sticking my nose in a vegetable garden. Rosemary, lemon, ginger, citrus.

Strong carbonation. Medium thick, soft texture. Slightly sticky.

Flavor is rather sweet and a little sugary. Followed by a weaker but noticeable bitterness. Medium bitter, perfumed aftertaste. Lingering.

The herbal vegetable garden is very much in focus - which should be fitting for a beer named "Botanik". But a bit too herbal for my taste buds.

Had on tap. Pale and cloudy yellow body with a finger of white foam. Smells like a garden full of spunk: many herbal tones, flowers, earthy root, with added clove, basil, rosemary and belgian yeast. Fascinating smell indeed! Taste leans more into the belgian strong elements of the yeast, esters, and boozy maltwork, but the herbal and floral tones in particular continue to impress. A bit much all said and done, but it is called Indulgence after all. Mouthfeel is soft, full bodied that rises upwards through the sip, sneak creamy with tones of herbs and hops poking through

I had this on draft 8/21/23 @ the Hopleaf.

Mostly opaque orange appearance.

A nice off-white head; a thick curtain of tree-rung lacing remained.

Herbal spice, floral notes, star anise, mild clove & faint banana in the nose. Smelled great!

Creamy, medium thick mouthfeel.

Herbal spice & floral flavors up front; banana, star anise & mild clove notes on the finish.

Incredibly smooth & easy to drink despite the complexity. A real gem.

750 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. Shared with Holmen1. ABV is 8.5%. Brewed with elderflower, angelica root, cloves and rosemary. Hazy yellow colour, huge white head. Distinct aroma of said spices / herbs, esp. angelica root, also spicy yeast. Spicy and herbal flavour on a sweetish background. Minimal bitterness.

This bottle (75cl) was gifted to me by a friend that works at the brewery/distillery.
In the yearly series called "Indulgence", a theme is chosen to represent the flavour. The 2017 edition is called "Botanik", referring to what is now the city park of Mechelen, but was in use by Rembert Dodoens as a herbs garden (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rembert_Dodoens). Named after a famous botanist, this beer is brewed with different herbs (elderflower, rosematy, angelica root and cloves).

Poured in my trusty "Seef" tumbler.
Golden hazy with a storm of carbonation. Large head.
Scent is floral and cereal. You can clearly find the alcohol and a pile of metal after a rain shower.
Flavour is a bomb of herbs. Honey sweetness. Creamy and full mouthfeel. The alcohol is hidden behind the pallet, but sure is present.
Aftertaste keeps that honey sweetness and herbal aroma. Mouthfeel becomes a bit dryer, but the flowery sweetness lingers on. It sticks to the mouth.

A very special flavour. I understand the story they try to transfer via the beer. A true session beer and a nice experiment. Nothing near an everyday drinker.

 

 

 

From Labirratorium. In Teku glass. Playing Thimbleweed Park, then Avernum 2. Very drinkable and refreshing for its abv. Well implemented belgian strong ale with plenty of herbs. Its only downside is that its too foamy