Gouden Carolus Cuvée Van De Keizer Imperial Dark
Brouwerij Het Anker

Brown color. Thin, off-white head . Rich aroma of plums, caramel malt, raisins, and some cocoa. Balanced taste with Belgian yeasts domination. Exquisite beer!

At my lady Pamela's house; bottled and slightly chilled, 750mL in a weizen glass. From the Huron Church Rd. LCBO in nearby Windsor. Best before March 13/35. My 1st beer from the Mechelen, Belgium brewery. Significantly substantial in the eyes of Sundae the cat...

sadly the one i had was flat/ very low carbonation. and from that..it was too sweet

On tap at Gollum Bier cafe ramsteeg Amsterdam.
Clear Deep dark red. Big head and crazy lacing.
Smells like dark dried fruits.
Tastes like prunes and dried cranberries.
Feels medium body and plenty of fizz.
Overall a fantastic beer.

Review: 2485
Name: Gouden Carolus Cuvee Van De Keizer Imperial Dark
Brewery: Brouwerij Het Anker
Location: Mechelen, Belgium
Style: Belgium Dark Ale
ABV: 11%
Canned: 2025
Date: 7 September 2025
I picked up this beer in Barcelona during my visit. I am using a vintage Olympia goblet and serving the beer at 50 degrees. The pour created a creamy, light tan two-fingered head with exceptional retention. The slow dissipation left chunks of lacing on the glass. The color is dark brown with a ruby hue, charting at SRM 26, and semi-opaque. The appearance of the beer is exceptional for a dark ale.
Nosing the beer, I detect notes of cherries, figs, dates, raisins, toasted malt, toasted bread crust, a light fruity sweetness, chocolate, toffee, caramel, molasses, light Maillard, cloves, bananas, black pepper, light floral esters, phenols, leather, and earthy notes. The beer is brimming with fruity and malty aromas.
Sipping the beer, the fruit flavors are evident with plums, dates, raisins, and figs giving the illusion of the accompanying fruity sweetness. A few more swallows, I noticed the depth of malt profile with notes of toasted bread, caramel, malty sweetness, and earthiness. Other flavors I detect include leather, molasses, light Maillard, cloves, bananas, black pepper, phenols, and toffee.
The mouthfeel is chewy, finishing heavy and warm. The body is heavy, with low carbonation.
Final Thought: I was not expecting this beer. Imperial Dark is the first beer I've had from Het Anker, and I'm impressed. The beer is well-made and adheres to the guidelines effectively. As the beer got warmer, the finish became warmer. Overall, a delicious offering that I am enjoying.

Copenhagen 2/9 2018. 75 cl bottle form Ølhandleren in Give. This is the 2018 edition. Drawing of a King on on his Horse with a blue band across.

Pours clear dark brown with a red hue and a medium-sized off-white head. Settles as 1 cm thick layer of foam covering the surface of the beer. Substantial lacing.

Aroma is strong, sweet and spicy. Sweet dark fruits. Plum and prunes. Sugar. Bitter sour spicy notes. Sherry and alcohol. Light carbonation. Thick, oily, creamy and soft texture.

Flavor is strong and boozy. Heavy sweetness followed by moderate bitterness. Aftertaste is sweet with a solid alcoholic burn. Lingers for a while.

A strong vinous sweet sipper. And there is a deliciously long way to the bottom when you drink a 75 cl bottle.

 

Pours tan with light cap on draught. Sweet notrs of honey and malt. Bold notes of caranel and plum with Belgium style carbonization and malts. Really good dark strong ale, packs a boozy punch at 11% ABV.

T - molasses, dates, sour apple, cherry, booze, clove, dark chocolate
Massive molasses flavor with some nuances in the background it seems. Dark chocolate comes through as the beer warms which gives it a bit more depth. Seems less nuanced compared to other quads I had.

Bottle 0.75L, labelled 2016. (Tasted 2016)
Hazy brown body with small frothy, frothy, tan head, mostly diminishing with some nice lacing.
Moderate-to-heavy malty (roasted, caramel) aroma with notes of red fruits, plums, raisins, wood, and some coffee and licorice.
Moderate-to-heavy sweet and light-to-moderate bitter flavour with a long-lasting sweet/vinous finish.
Medium-to-full body with creamy texture; soft carbonation.
Maybe a bit young, but a nicely complex beer.

I really love this brew. Had on draft. Sweet, caramelly, but refreshing and not too sweet. A dark golden brown, with a small amount of foamy head remaining, and a smooth mouthfeel. Malty and tangy aftertaste.

 

6 oz draft pour at Lures Bar & Grille. Pours a medium chestnut brown with a smallish head. Aroma and flavor feature bready caramel malt, Belgian yeast esters, dark fruit, and hints of banana and spice (clove). Mouthfeel is somewhat boozy but that's not surprising given the abv. Very tasty, although I think I'd prefer this closer to the 8% abv range.

Very much a belgian style beer from the nose to the taste to the mouth feel. Lots of carbonation pushes the flavors across the palate. Nice malty front forward then the spices, bubbles across the palate.

 

 

750 ml caged and corked bottle poured into a Tulip.
2021 vintage

A syrupy vinous aroma with notes of cucumber (weird, I know) erupt from the bottle as it is uncorked. Pouring dark cola brown it developes a persistent two finger khaki head that leaves good amounts of intricate lace while showing its alcohol content on the sides of the glass. After the pour the nose is less vinous and more bourbon barrel-like with malty sweet indicating plum, currant, and sugary lactose aromas. Hints of tobacco and leather come on the second pour. Flavor is sweet, rich and has some cola qualities. Chocolate malt, plum, candied sugars, very chocolate covered berry/cherry dessert-like. Bourbon and tobacco come with the minor alcohol bite. It only dries slightly by the finish and there is almost no bitterness. The aftertaste is malty and a little sweet. Creamy and silky smooth feel overall, with a light crispness on the first pour. The medium-full body shifts slightly to a watery feel by the end of each pour. Somewhat warming but not as much as you’d expect for 11% ABV.

While being in danger of becoming too sweet to my palate, it never did and at no time was this a chore to drink during the entire 750 ml bottle. I was never bored with it. Very good.

75 cl. corked bottle from Más que Cervezas, served at home in a trappist glass.
Brown colour, medium head with long retention, average lacing.
Aroma of cherries, plums, caramel, belgian yeast, licorice, cloves, brown sugar, cinnamon, molasses...
Full body, creamy mouthfeel, average carbonation. Sweet boozy finish.
Taste follows the aroma.
A beast.

Very deep ruby colour with a tan head. Absolutely beautiful, looks like a stout without enough light. Smells is exactly what I hoped for, spicy, dark fruit, malt sweetness. Taste is impressively the same. Feel is smooth even with fizziness. Having now had the west 12, this is closest I E had to that beer. Wonderful dark strong, even quad beer.

Wow!
Draft pour at first glance looks dull, but glows a clear ruby body when backlit and barely holds any foam save for an edge-hugging ring. Sheets of lacing race back to the ring after agitation leaving random artistic lacing.

Boozy, fruity aroma dominates roasted malts.

Flavor Is a fine melange of dark stone fruits, chocolate, booze, brown sugar, and candied fruit.

Full mouthfeel enjoys subtle carbonation to barely coat the palate and clears clean after a brief alcohol reminder.

Overall, clearly meant for the emperor, wherever he/she is.