Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Vertical test (Note: brewery Van Honsebrouck has always regarded "Brigand" as a beer for ageing) between "Brigand", newly bought (A), sell-by date: 10-2005 and B) sell-by date 03-1996. Points for A) as above, for B) in [brackets] in text. Colour: A) yellow to caramel-fudge colour; very thick, dense head, stable B) caramel-orange, thick head fastly reduced to +/- 1 cm [4] Nose: A) caramel and herbal-hoppy. Toothpaste-minty smell; B)hazelnuts, portwine, higher alchohols first, then going over to walnuts/walnut oil [8] Taste: A) caramel, caramel-malts, fiery bitter taste on top of a very malty base. Retronasal a baked apple flavour B) Again an aggressive bitterish taste. With the outspoken walnut flavour, it combines to walnuts with the little yellow bitter peels still on, soaked in brandy. Yet, the overall sensation is sweeter [7] Mouthfeel & aftertaste: A) reasonnably full-bodied. Alcohol burn. No new aftertaste B) alcohol-esterisation diminishes typically the full mouthfeel. But I think they're pretty much the same. Extra sweetness is even more obvious in the aftertaste [4] Overall: the old Brigand IS better. But only in the way a strong, heavy beer will age well if stored in a good way. There is no outside surplus [15]Nothing from this beer is really outstanding - everything's just OK. Important: BOTH beers mention 9.0 %ABV, not 8.5 %
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
The colour is nice read. The head is pink. Smells like cherry. Perhaps the most impressive fruit-flavour I ever tasted. Sweet flavours are mixed with sour flavours. Very good when you're really thursty.
Ungstrup (52110) reviewed Kasteel Donker from Brouwerij Vanhonsebrouck 22 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
A brown or dark red beer with an OK but fast disappearing head. The aroma is sweet and slightly fruity. The flavor is fanstastic; very sweet, fruity, and complex. It ends on an earthy note - but with a good sweetness and notes of oranges. It has no bitterness at all. A really good beer with a good palate, but a little too sweet, and not bitter enough for my liking.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5
A somewhat unique little tripel - citrus and peaches in the flavor - aroma is dominated by alcohol - alcohol is way too present in the flavor, too - out of balance - disappointing but not a terrible experience.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 9
Orange yellow, hazy; white head, dense. Lactic & citrussy in the nose, wet straw - lambic without the horseblanket. Taste yields lemon-like acidity, slightly lactic. Nice acidity but too citric acid instead of lactic acid. Very refreshing, light mouthfeel, buttermilk aftertaste. Very nice, very refreshing - but not exactly what I'd expect from lambic. For West-Flanders, quite good. Re-rated 22/12/03 Nose of horseblanket/Brett, nutty and medlar (Mespilus); bit of lemon and grapefruit (arome would reach 9/10). Taste sweeter as expected at first, very lemony, vaguely muscat-grape. Finish very citrus-sour. Long tart, dry-out aftertaste. Van Honsebrouck is going to convince me after all. Total sum would go up 1 or 2 points.
Sloefmans (15389) reviewed Kasteel Tripel from Brouwerij Vanhonsebrouck 22 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Thick white head, champagne-like bubbling. Quite stable. Beer colour of old gold, very clear. Nose gives an alcoholic-tinted sweetness, grain. Later something sulphury, like burnt rubber. Taste is a bit oppressive sweetness, candisugar. Faint flavour of green sultana's (sulphur?). After a while, it becomes completely almond-flavour, even with a whiff of bitter almonds. Quite some alchol-burn, throat-warming effect. Very dry at the same time. Alcohol masks the body completely. Sweetness becomes nearly cloying, given time. Not too outspoken, seen the dryness. Was the blond version really necessary? Commercially, yes, no doubt. For the taste palette, however...
omhper (44752) reviewed Kasteel Tripel from Brouwerij Vanhonsebrouck 22 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Bottled. Muddy pale orange with smallish head. Vinuos aroma of fruit and toffee. Malty with balanced sweetness and a strong almond flavour. The mouthfeel is surprisingly light, and the massive ABV is suprisingly well hidden, especially considering the modest sweetness. Some hoppiness renders a dryish finish with just a hint of bitterness.
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8
A red beer with a good head. The aroma is the sour and sharp aroma that suits a kriek. The flavor is soft and on the other hand sharp like a kriek should be and ofcourse with notes of cherry. A really good kriek.
omhper (44752) reviewed Kasteel Donker from Brouwerij Vanhonsebrouck 23 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottled. Comes in a real classy shallow tulip glass. Pours dark ruby with rich head. Toffee aroma, and once it is warmed up also roasted malt and burnt sugar. Sweet vinous and very malty. In a way quite remimiscent of a full bodied red wine. The mouthfeel is soft and it is arousingly flavourful. The balanced finish contains a slight trace of hop bitterness to balance the port wine.
jhaase (14816) reviewed Kasteel Tripel from Brouwerij Vanhonsebrouck 23 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 5.5
Grape/champagne and cidernose. Hazy golden, low but solid head. Almond flavors, flowers and paint thinner. Creamy full mouthfeel.