Monday, March 29, 2010

A perfect ale for adventuring, Gulden Draak

Once again I have a birthday and my friends and family gift me with alcohol.  I cannot bear to let them down, so dutifully I consume them one by one....

Tonight's brew is Gulden Draak (golden dragon in Dutch).  This is another complex brew reviewed by a guy whose palate and nose are just good enough to recognize a fine brew, but not schooled enough to do a professional review.  So enjoy the yeoman's ride and be jealous I am the one drinking the ale.

This is a dark Belgian ale with a high alcohol content, 10.5%.  The first challenge is a brew that is designed to hold up and balance with the higher alcohol level; passed.  It poured a coppery brown color with a nice, long lasting head.  There was a complex mixture of flavors including dark fruits, brown sugars, and some spices that I could not quite put my finger on but come to be expected by in the Belgian ales.  The flavor of toffee hung in there after the sip and there was little bitter aftertaste.  The mouth feel was pleasant, not too much carbonation.  With more sips there was the taste of some candy, and despite the sweetness had a dry finish.  Other flavors that were just beyond my identifying danced on the tongue while drinking.

Since this was a gift, I cannot comment on the cost.  I would certainly drink it again if presented, but not too many at one sitting.  The high alcohol content will put you back on your ass in no time.  This is a very nice ale, one you will be pleased to enjoy given the chance.  It would be the perfect ending to a successful adventure.  Thanks to my lovely wife for feeding my beer and blog habit.  

Cheers!

3 comments:

  1. There is a publick house up the street that apparently serves this. Next time I'm up there, I will have to give this a try.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Let me know if you find it and what you think.

    ReplyDelete

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