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
Ratings: 3,951 | Reviews: 1,344
4.38/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.09/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Served from bottle into glass at home. Pours ruby brown in color, medium high clarity, with large, long lasting tawny colored head. Aroma is a mostly dried fruit, like raisins and cherries with some caramel malt. A small amount of alcohol aroma is detected. No hop aroma is detectable. Flavor is more dried fruit and caramel, no dark roasted flavors but a more mellow maltiness, like a Marzen. No hop flavor detectable. Very minimal alcohol flavor at the end. Medium body with medium high carbonation. Overall this beer is fruity, boozy and slightly sweet, with a dry finish. All of the characteristics are very well balanced, producing an extremely drinkable 10.5% beer. It may lack a little of the richness and complexity expected of Belgian beers like the Trappist ales or other quads, but still very interesting and enjoyable.
830 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Served from bottle into glass at home. Pours ruby brown in color, medium high clarity, with large, long lasting tawny colored head. Aroma is a mostly dried fruit, like raisins and cherries with some caramel malt. A small amount of alcohol aroma is detected. No hop aroma is detectable. Flavor is more dried fruit and caramel, no dark roasted flavors but a more mellow maltiness, like a Marzen. No hop flavor detectable. Very minimal alcohol flavor at the end. Medium body with medium high carbonation. Overall this beer is fruity, boozy and slightly sweet, with a dry finish. All of the characteristics are very well balanced, producing an extremely drinkable 10.5% beer. It may lack a little of the richness and complexity expected of Belgian beers like the Trappist ales or other quads, but still very interesting and enjoyable.
830 characters
4.15/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Gentle pour into snifter (it's a volatile Belgian after all). Steady khaki head. Thick nutty brown color.
Sweet nose with some caramel and fruit, among other subtleties.
Similar taste, with brown sugar, sweet malts, and some berries.
Mouth has carb, but is overall medium in body.
General consensus is pretty accurate, a great, sweet-but-strong Belgian dark. Comes in a pretty unique bottle shape too. Strong resemblance to some dunkel lagers, like eisbocks.
466 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Gentle pour into snifter (it's a volatile Belgian after all). Steady khaki head. Thick nutty brown color.
Sweet nose with some caramel and fruit, among other subtleties.
Similar taste, with brown sugar, sweet malts, and some berries.
Mouth has carb, but is overall medium in body.
General consensus is pretty accurate, a great, sweet-but-strong Belgian dark. Comes in a pretty unique bottle shape too. Strong resemblance to some dunkel lagers, like eisbocks.
466 characters
4.32/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Cellared 2013 Bottle:
Smell: Bold caramel and toffee, raisins and plums, estery earthy yeast.
Look: Pours amber/brown with a nice 1/2" thick tan head with decent retention. The beer is opaque and maybe a bit darker at the bottom of the glass, probably due to sediment accumulation. Minimal lacing observed.
Taste: complex combination of strong sweetness (caramel, toffee, candy sugar), dark fruits (raisins dominating), med-heavy bitterness and some vinous notes. Almost tart.
Palate: medium bodied, rich, creamy texture, lively carbonation, and significant astringency at the back of the palate. Finish is sweet and malty with lingering astringency and a slight alcohol burn.
Overall: this is complex Belgian beer. after aging, remains very complex. cannot say it has "mellowed" but is still drinking strong and assertive! #respect hahaha
839 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Cellared 2013 Bottle:
Smell: Bold caramel and toffee, raisins and plums, estery earthy yeast.
Look: Pours amber/brown with a nice 1/2" thick tan head with decent retention. The beer is opaque and maybe a bit darker at the bottom of the glass, probably due to sediment accumulation. Minimal lacing observed.
Taste: complex combination of strong sweetness (caramel, toffee, candy sugar), dark fruits (raisins dominating), med-heavy bitterness and some vinous notes. Almost tart.
Palate: medium bodied, rich, creamy texture, lively carbonation, and significant astringency at the back of the palate. Finish is sweet and malty with lingering astringency and a slight alcohol burn.
Overall: this is complex Belgian beer. after aging, remains very complex. cannot say it has "mellowed" but is still drinking strong and assertive! #respect hahaha
839 characters
3.78/5 rDev -10%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Dark golden appearance with a significant head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is a slightly sour fruit. Taste is a smooth sour fruit with a little too much carbonation.
174 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Dark golden appearance with a significant head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is a slightly sour fruit. Taste is a smooth sour fruit with a little too much carbonation.
174 characters
4.19/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.5/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
First had this visiting Spain more than 20 years ago, but we had it on tap then. Got a bottle. Beautiful color, rich taste, a bit sweet, fruity is right.
153 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
First had this visiting Spain more than 20 years ago, but we had it on tap then. Got a bottle. Beautiful color, rich taste, a bit sweet, fruity is right.
153 characters
4.15/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
3.29/5 rDev -21.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
4.39/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
The beer is a dark caramel brown color. Had a thick white head that thinned out into a layer that lasted my whole beer. The beer has a nice aroma of dark fruits and alcohol, almost a wine like smell to it. It tastes similar to how it smells. A nice sweetness of dark fruits, followed by a nice warmth of alcohol. Very carbonated and full bodied.
351 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
The beer is a dark caramel brown color. Had a thick white head that thinned out into a layer that lasted my whole beer. The beer has a nice aroma of dark fruits and alcohol, almost a wine like smell to it. It tastes similar to how it smells. A nice sweetness of dark fruits, followed by a nice warmth of alcohol. Very carbonated and full bodied.
351 characters
4.41/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.3/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.37/5 rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.37/5 rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.63/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.16/5 rDev -1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a cloudy dark amber color with a thick foamy head. Head retention and lacing are excellent. Sweet aroma with Belgian yeasts and dark fruits. Very smooth taste. Raisins, brown sugar, other dark fruits and sweet malts predominate. Medium to lighter bodied with mild to moderate carbonation.
298 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a cloudy dark amber color with a thick foamy head. Head retention and lacing are excellent. Sweet aroma with Belgian yeasts and dark fruits. Very smooth taste. Raisins, brown sugar, other dark fruits and sweet malts predominate. Medium to lighter bodied with mild to moderate carbonation.
298 characters
3.31/5 rDev -21.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Pours a caramel brown with a thick soapy tan head. Leaves a nice heavy lacing down the glass.
Smells of roasted caramel with a lot of sweet malts. Oddly getting something like a boiled rice smell as well.
The taste was plums, raisins, caramel and a lot of malts. All of these on the heavy side of sweet. Getting overpowering raisin taste.
Medium mouth that was sticky on the tongue and has a heavy wet finish.
Not for me. The raisin sweetness overpowering that taste just was not going anywhere for my taste buds. Oddly same reaction from the wife but she thought it was overpowering in sweetness somewhere else, just could not pin point it. The other odd thing was when I went to pour I popped the top on the bottle and it exploded with a rush of smoke followed by a fountain of beer. Both bottles did this and had been sitting silently in the fridge prior to pouring. They were not shaken or disturbed in any fashion. A bit disappointing at a price point of about$20 for a four pack, yet I am still glad I ventured into Draak territory and survived.
1,055 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Pours a caramel brown with a thick soapy tan head. Leaves a nice heavy lacing down the glass.
Smells of roasted caramel with a lot of sweet malts. Oddly getting something like a boiled rice smell as well.
The taste was plums, raisins, caramel and a lot of malts. All of these on the heavy side of sweet. Getting overpowering raisin taste.
Medium mouth that was sticky on the tongue and has a heavy wet finish.
Not for me. The raisin sweetness overpowering that taste just was not going anywhere for my taste buds. Oddly same reaction from the wife but she thought it was overpowering in sweetness somewhere else, just could not pin point it. The other odd thing was when I went to pour I popped the top on the bottle and it exploded with a rush of smoke followed by a fountain of beer. Both bottles did this and had been sitting silently in the fridge prior to pouring. They were not shaken or disturbed in any fashion. A bit disappointing at a price point of about$20 for a four pack, yet I am still glad I ventured into Draak territory and survived.
1,055 characters
4.71/5 rDev +12.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Gulden Draak from Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
4.2
out of 5
based on 3,951 ratings.
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4