Gulden Draak | Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Brewed by:
Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Belgium
vansteenberge.com
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 10.50%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
Dark Triple Ale brewed with caramel malt and re-fermented with Bordeaux wine yeast
Added by BeerAdvocate on 12-19-2001
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers
Ratings: 4,064 | Reviews: 1,368
3.95/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Have seen this a hundred times at my local craft shop but simply never picked it up until now. At $5 for the single I'm hoping for a solid brew.
Look - Ruby red with a brown twinge. Finger of off white head an ample carbonation on the appearance.
Smell - Cherry apple pie is the first thing that comes to mind. A fair bit of that typical belgian yeast as well.
Taste - Again, A mixture of cherry, baked bread, apples, with a moderate kiss of alcohol.
Feel - Very alcoholic and moderate bodied with a high level of carbonation.
Overall - At the price point I was hoping for better but this is still a solid, slow drinking and tasty belgian. Like a much smoother and less cloying dubbel for comparison. On a 2 degree Fahrenheit Michigan night, it's pretty nice for the warming effects. May change ratings as I finish the bottle if I feel a warmer brew experience is drastic enough from the experience fresh out of the fridge.
EDIT UPDATE : The flavors retained much the same but I must admit that this beer became aeons smoother as it warmed and that fact coupled with the ABV warrants a few changes in the ratings.
1,120 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Have seen this a hundred times at my local craft shop but simply never picked it up until now. At $5 for the single I'm hoping for a solid brew.
Look - Ruby red with a brown twinge. Finger of off white head an ample carbonation on the appearance.
Smell - Cherry apple pie is the first thing that comes to mind. A fair bit of that typical belgian yeast as well.
Taste - Again, A mixture of cherry, baked bread, apples, with a moderate kiss of alcohol.
Feel - Very alcoholic and moderate bodied with a high level of carbonation.
Overall - At the price point I was hoping for better but this is still a solid, slow drinking and tasty belgian. Like a much smoother and less cloying dubbel for comparison. On a 2 degree Fahrenheit Michigan night, it's pretty nice for the warming effects. May change ratings as I finish the bottle if I feel a warmer brew experience is drastic enough from the experience fresh out of the fridge.
EDIT UPDATE : The flavors retained much the same but I must admit that this beer became aeons smoother as it warmed and that fact coupled with the ABV warrants a few changes in the ratings.
1,120 characters
4.51/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.46/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
2.94/5 rDev -30.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
2.69/5 rDev -36.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.75
I'm frequently amazed how some thousands of reviews later, I keep coming across beers that I've drank for ~020 years that I haven't written a review for. Anyways, pours a light amber color with a thin white but not virgin white color that is thin and around 1/4" deep. The smell kicks down a hot alcohol burn, some caramel and apple notes.
Taste still drops the apple notes and the alcohol burn is still the most prominent thing about the beer. Every time I've had this, I have always wondered why such punishing alcohol gets a pass taste and mouth feel wise from people. It is really oppressive, there isn't much in the way of other flavors to help carry it. Its like those hot sauces that are just hot, that provide little other flavor to it. Once you get as accustomed as you can to the heat, you can pick up notes of raisin and other dark fruit from the yeast profile.
Sorry I can't endorse this beer. Typical American.
935 characters
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.75
I'm frequently amazed how some thousands of reviews later, I keep coming across beers that I've drank for ~020 years that I haven't written a review for. Anyways, pours a light amber color with a thin white but not virgin white color that is thin and around 1/4" deep. The smell kicks down a hot alcohol burn, some caramel and apple notes.
Taste still drops the apple notes and the alcohol burn is still the most prominent thing about the beer. Every time I've had this, I have always wondered why such punishing alcohol gets a pass taste and mouth feel wise from people. It is really oppressive, there isn't much in the way of other flavors to help carry it. Its like those hot sauces that are just hot, that provide little other flavor to it. Once you get as accustomed as you can to the heat, you can pick up notes of raisin and other dark fruit from the yeast profile.
Sorry I can't endorse this beer. Typical American.
935 characters
4.28/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
**
01/10/18
I know I had this several time sin the past, but just never rated it,
12 oz. Bottle to snifter.
LOOK: medium brown with a reddish hue, healthy frothy eggshell head. Mostly Clear, but not much light gets through.
AROMA: aroma is warm and spicy and sweet. Brown Sugar, fruitcake, rum. Light cinnamon. Maybe a hint banana.
TASTE: Apple cider, raisin, Rum or brandy presence and high abv give this a very warming finish.
FEEL: Full body and thick. A healthy supply of carbonation as well.
Great winter beer.
**
538 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
**
01/10/18
I know I had this several time sin the past, but just never rated it,
12 oz. Bottle to snifter.
LOOK: medium brown with a reddish hue, healthy frothy eggshell head. Mostly Clear, but not much light gets through.
AROMA: aroma is warm and spicy and sweet. Brown Sugar, fruitcake, rum. Light cinnamon. Maybe a hint banana.
TASTE: Apple cider, raisin, Rum or brandy presence and high abv give this a very warming finish.
FEEL: Full body and thick. A healthy supply of carbonation as well.
Great winter beer.
**
538 characters
4.45/5 rDev +5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
3.8/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a dark red mahogany with an off white head. Smells of sweet caramel, malt, and toffee. Tastes of Belgian yeast, honey, malt, very sweet caramel, toffee, and dark fruits. Medium in body and carbonation. Overall a very good Belgian dark, but a little sweet for my tastes.
275 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a dark red mahogany with an off white head. Smells of sweet caramel, malt, and toffee. Tastes of Belgian yeast, honey, malt, very sweet caramel, toffee, and dark fruits. Medium in body and carbonation. Overall a very good Belgian dark, but a little sweet for my tastes.
275 characters
4.54/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
11.2 fl.oz
Poured into a big mouth wine glass.
Smoke from the bottle.
Bubble eruption, at first large, loud and foamy. Fine bubbles soon to follow.
Deep color, dark rusty amber/gothic copper.
Scent of malts, dark fruits, especially Figs. An abundance and depth almost absurd. Secondary wave more figs, figgy-citrus.
Fantastic throat burn; tastes of old fashioned Candy. Cellared fruits and titanic malt. Intense carbonation.
A lingering saucy tart. A cherry fruitcake , dreaming creamy. Brandy glaze hop-tang.
Our Golden Dragon dreams upon thresholds of bliss most perilous!
584 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
11.2 fl.oz
Poured into a big mouth wine glass.
Smoke from the bottle.
Bubble eruption, at first large, loud and foamy. Fine bubbles soon to follow.
Deep color, dark rusty amber/gothic copper.
Scent of malts, dark fruits, especially Figs. An abundance and depth almost absurd. Secondary wave more figs, figgy-citrus.
Fantastic throat burn; tastes of old fashioned Candy. Cellared fruits and titanic malt. Intense carbonation.
A lingering saucy tart. A cherry fruitcake , dreaming creamy. Brandy glaze hop-tang.
Our Golden Dragon dreams upon thresholds of bliss most perilous!
584 characters
3.67/5 rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.69/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.25/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.06/5 rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
For the price I would pass
26 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
For the price I would pass
26 characters
3.5/5 rDev -17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.46/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
3.75/5 rDev -11.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Gulden Draak from Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Beer rating:
4.24 out of
5 with
4,064 ratings
0 characters. We love reviews! Turn your rating into one with ≥ 150 characters.
In English, explain why you're giving this rating. Your review must discuss the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) and your overall impression in order to indicate that you have legitimately tried the beer. Nonconstructive reviews may be removed without notice and action may be taken on your account.