Courage
Brouwerij De Dochter van de Korenaar

CourageCourage
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From:
Brouwerij De Dochter van de Korenaar
 
Belgium
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV:
8%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.7 | pDev: 11.08%
Reviews:
19
Ratings:
26
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 01, 2019
Added:
Apr 01, 2010
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by crossovert:
Photo of crossovert
Reviewed by crossovert from Illinois

3.56/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
For my 500th review I mustered up the courage to hopefully indulge in this beer. My bottle is 2009 vintage, 11.2 oz brown bottle. This small brewery has been surprisingly good to me so far.

The pour is gorgeous on this one, a nice deep reddish brown with a big billowing off-white head. As the head slowly recedes it leaves some fantastic lacing.

You can smell this one form a mile away, it smells incredibly potent. It is also quite unique. It is almost like minted strawberry.There are also other spices such as anise that come to mind. There is definitely some funkiness to it though.

The flavor is very herbal and spicy. There is a peppermint note as well as a mouthful of anise and nutmeg. Maybe some sage in there too? Definitely very herbal.

The mouthfeel was a bit too watery for me. This is an interesting experiment though it is probably my least favorite for far from this brewery. I would buy it again next year if another edition comes out if given the chance.
Aug 16, 2010
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.6 by desint from Belgium

Sep 01, 2019
 
Rated: 3.25 by enelson from Illinois

Mar 22, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by bark from Sweden

Sep 28, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by sammy806 from Maryland

Jun 03, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by mychalg9 from Illinois

Apr 05, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by ejimhof from Pennsylvania

Dec 25, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by deapokid from Pennsylvania

Nov 25, 2011
Photo of Brabander
Reviewed by Brabander from Netherlands

4.37/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
I bought this beer two weeks ago when i was in Belgium. I know the place where this beer is made very well. Baarle Hertog is a unique little village, about 33 parts of Belgium laying in the Netherlands. The border crosses several times in the village, one moment you are in Belgium and the other in Holland.

The beer is a very good winterbeer. Nice bottle, other type than most Belgian beers. Poured in my Struise glass this beer looks very nice. Big broken white head and a deep orange to amber colour. Boozy smell with hints of spices.

Taste is absolute great. Milkchocolate and a boozy warmness fill the mouth.

Great to drink, when you see it buy it!
Nov 09, 2011
Photo of avalon07
Reviewed by avalon07 from South Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A: Poured from a bottle to a goblet. Had an orangey color and a cloudy consistency. There was a small amount of foamy head that quickly dissipated. Average lacing.

S: A very pronounced wheat signature in the aroma, with some malt and sweets.

T: Tasted of wheat, malt, chocolate, and a little bit of hops. There was also a slight grassy component in the finish that made it a little unpleasant. Not a bad flavor, but off-putting in some ways.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a dry, somewhat thin finish. Light- to medium-bodied.

O: This isn't the worst beer I've ever tasted, but it wouldn't be my first choice.
Nov 07, 2011
Photo of ATLbeerDog
Reviewed by ATLbeerDog from Georgia

3.7/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle says “Jan 2011”

Pours an ugly, cloudy orange/brown with a quickly dissipating tan colored head. Smells mostly of sweet massive malts with a tad of spice breaking through. First sip is quite similar to the nose with heavy sweet malt hitting first followed by a tad of citrus and spice bitterness comprising the finish. Average mouthfeel and lacing contribute to a solid brew.
Aug 27, 2011
Photo of Knapp85
Reviewed by Knapp85 from Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This beer poured out as a dark red color, boarder line brown I'd say. The head was fluffy and tan, as it faded the head left some streaks on the glass but not much else. The smell of this beer had a subtle sweet malt aroma to it. The flavor of the beer upfront was decent I'd say, it had a slight spice kick to it in the back end. The mouthfeel of the beer was medium bodied, not too heavy or too light. Overall I wouldn't have to have this one again, I enjoyed it but as for having multiple of this I don't feel it's necessary for me to do.
Aug 03, 2011
Photo of stcules
Reviewed by stcules from Italy

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Reddish color, ruby edges. Beigefoam, quite good.
Frutiy smell, rasperry, granatine.
Fruity taste, too, same notes, but with something fresh and balsamic.
Then some peated and smoked notes, biscuit, touches of candy sugar.
Definitely, a interesting beer.
Malty aftertaste, fruity, then in the back, hop and light smokyness.
Jun 26, 2011
Photo of TMoney2591
Reviewed by TMoney2591 from Illinois

3.77/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a plastic tumbler.

Finally, I've found that bottle of Liquid Courage I've been hearing so much about! It pours a hazy sienna topped by a finger of sandstone foam. The nose comprises clove, nutmeg, raisins, banana, wheat, plums, and rye bread. The taste holds notes of wheat, rye bread, chocolate powder, and a good amount of clove. The body is a straight medium, with a very light moderate carbonation and a grainy feel. Overall, a pretty solid BSDA, though a bit heavy on the wheat and clove for my liking.
Feb 17, 2011
Photo of wschmit
Reviewed by wschmit from Illinois

3.41/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 oz. "Special Winter Release 2009" into a Perfect Pint.

A: Relatively fine, tan head with medium retention atop a very cloudy, oud bruin-like body. Some sizable patches of webbing remain as the head settles.

S: Smells strongly of bread yeast, or proofing dough. Once that subsides, a pleasantly alcoholic malt follows, with a touch of acid or lemony hops.

T: Given the yeasties in the bottle, I'd have imagined this would pick up some complexity. However, it's a bit like a mild dubbel--present alcohol, a tame sweetness, and next to no hops. It has a bit more hopping than a dubbel, for a Belgian brewer at least, but still not much. Overall, it's good, but not great.

M: Very much on point. Plenty of yeast means plenty of chew, but it's a bit undercarbonated, if anything.

D: Alright. If you like Belgians, this is more or less "to style," but a bit expensive, and probably not world-class.
Feb 02, 2011
Photo of Mora2000
Reviewed by Mora2000 from Texas

3.53/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to bu11zeye for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a reddish-amber color with an off-white head. The aroma has some toffee and citrus notes, but what really comes through is licorice.

The flavor is more of the same, with licorice dominating. I also get some bread and biscuit malt, raisins, dark fruit and some citrus. There is also a mix of spices, but I can't pick any of them out individually.

Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.
Nov 12, 2010
Photo of farrago
Reviewed by farrago from New Jersey

3.12/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Weak head, barely musters enough tan foam to cover the surface, same thing if you give the glass a solid swirl, very little lacing. Lighter reddish brown colored liquid, noticeable cleanliness and transparency, yellows around the rims and glass bottom, a few beads of smaller bubbles spread throughout. The nose tends to wander all over the place without an organizing principle, caramel and toffee arguably appear first, red cherry, golden raisin, date and apricot fruit, some slightly burnt cocoa powder, earth, two day old scones, dried meadow grasses, anise seed, close to zero citrus or flowers, the hoppiness muted, can't muster much punch. Medium-bodied, foams up quite a bit, texture is kind of like the consistency of cheap shaving cream. Some banana mixed into the butterscotch, marshmallow, caramel flavors, still remains on the dry side, not a beer for those with a sweet tooth. Grape, cherry, apricot fruit with a smoky bitter chocolate topping. The earth, tree bark and leaves, grasses deaden the mid-palate. Dried orange peels and white grapefruit pith do make a cameo here. It may be the case that this beer was not meant to last a year but it's doubtfully so. In any event, it is flat-footed with no special element to catch your fancy. (2009 bottling)
Nov 12, 2010
Photo of JAramini
Reviewed by JAramini from New York

4.22/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Tried on tap at The Blue Monk in Buffalo. The menu description mentioned smoke, chocolate, caramel, and vanilla. Sure enough, all of those flavors were well-represented. Cocoa powder upfront with a hint of smoke in the finish.

The nose on this was really great, tons of chocolate, matching the predominance of chocolate on the palate.

Could stand to be thicker, but as a BSDA rather than a stout, the mouthfeel was appropriate, if not luxurious.

This was a really nice surprise. I'd never heard of this beer, but I'm not overly aware of a lot of Belgian brews besides the big names. Thanks to a good menu description I tried what is now a new favorite.
Nov 11, 2010
Photo of Beerenauslese
Reviewed by Beerenauslese from California

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a cloudy, partially translucent brown with an ample tan head that lasts awhile, leaving little clouds of lacing on the glass.

Aromas of chocolate, and dark fruit, including some banana, and a little spice.

Tastes of milk chocolate and caribbean fruits, dried banana. It is slightly hoppy and spicy (coriander) in the finish.

Body is light for what is self-described as a winter ale.

This beer is characterized by a milk chocolate taste, and a long dry spicy finish that sets it apart. It is drinkable, but lacks a complexity one would expect in a dark Belgian winter ale.
Oct 23, 2010
Photo of bskrtz
Reviewed by bskrtz from Illinois

3.57/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Poured at 42 degrees from 11.2 ounce bottle to St Bernardus ABT glass beer challis

A) Dark cherry wood, very cloudy -- cannot see through the glass. Held to the light, the suspended carbonation makes this mixture glow. Appears a bit flat

S) Burnt chocolate brownies. Herbal & earthy. Sweet.

T) Dominent herbal or floral bitters. Burnt caramel, prunes, raisons, dates.

M) Smooth but some 'bite' due to unknown bitter hops or herb. Alcohol is barely present despite 8% ABV. Appears flat but bottle conditioned secondary carbonation remains consistent throughout the pour.

D) Beautifully crafted beer but beware the bitter herbal (or floral) undertones
Oct 04, 2010
Courage from Brouwerij De Dochter van de Korenaar
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 26 ratings