Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 9
Dark red-brown. Brownish head, slim but going down lacey. Raisins/(dark) sultana's, fruity, alcoholic nose. A rich X-mas cake. Taste is outspokenly sweet. Alcoholic, ridden with (fruity) esters and higher alcohols. Flavours of fresh figs, plums, pears, dried dates. Watered-down dark brandy (Armenian?). Less acidity than in the Noël. As usual with G.C., the texture is thinnish and completely at odds with the OG/ABV. A bit soupy, after all. Liquid fruit cake. It remains a classic in every sense. I think the managment buy-out has been for the better. I'm not sure about the new names, though.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9.5
Brown colour. Nice head, doesn't stay long, though. Wonderful aroma, reminds of some creamy chocolate dessert I had once (can't remember it's name). The taste is a smooth mix of coffee and chocolate. The alcohol is there but stays in the background.
Sloefmans (15389) reviewed Blusser from Brouwerij Het Anker 22 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
Absurdly huge head, white-yellow, very lacy; gold-grain coloured beer, clear. Faint flowery nose. Grainy taste, taste of non-sweet coloured malts, giving it more an ale-character. Faint hops wafting over. Slightly burning taste from the malt, quite dry mouthfeel. Short bitter aftertaste. Tasting this beer raises more questions than it answers. First - is this top- or bottom-fermenting? Wouldn't be the first Belgian "pilsner" to be brewed with ale-yeasts. Second, and certainly it if would be genuine bottom-fermenting - then WHO brews this? 't Anker? Bottom-fermenting??
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 7.5
[2000 vintage] The aroma is sweet with notes of wood, yeast, plums, apples and other fruits - lovely complex. The color is redbrown but it has no head. The flavor is sweet and fruity and is very powerful - a fine beer.
Ungstrup (52110) reviewed Gouden Carolus Tripel from Brouwerij Het Anker 22 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
The aroma is sweet malty. The color is amber and it has a beutiful head. The flavor is very sweet malty with notes of fennel. The alcohol prickles the tongue and it has a good palate.
caesar (10848) reviewed Mechelschen Bruynen from Brouwerij Het Anker 22 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Clear dark amber color, with a nice medium and lasting creamy head. Aroma of sweet amber malts, bit hoppy also. Taste is quite the same, amber malty, bit sweet, bit fruity. Lasting palate. Nice brew.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
[2002] (the bottle states 8% abv) This is a very vinous beer, in both aroma and flavor. Ruby color with a lasting white foamy head - this is very subtle but highly enjoyable - the flavor is a creative mix of aged (oak aged?) red wine and fruity malty sweetness that lingers on the tongue and lips - a mix of mild candies and good wine - how can you loose?
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5
The aroma is slightly sweet, malty, fruity, and with notes of berries. The color is a beutiful deep red with a beutiful though fast disappearing head. The flavor is a little sweet from a good malt blend - a pretty complex flavor. An OK beer without being fantastic.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
(draught) Thick yellow/brown head, dissipating. Dark brown beer with a shine of "blood-oranges". Chocolatey nose, dessert wine, very ripe banana. Taste is dry-bitter, underlying dark and caramel malt. Lots of rest-sweetness, some raisins. Full-bodied, dense, oily. Alcoholburn, warming effect. Nice. But an aged bottled one is better.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Rerate: i tasted an aged cuvee vd keizer 2002, conserved by the owner of the Deugniet in den Bosch. Very nicely aged, small hints of port, bit more alcohol burn, full flavored. Original rating: Chestnut brown color, short but lasting head. Aroma of roasted malts, bit fruity. Quite sharp taste, bit alcoholic. Roasted malts, not real soft as i hoped for. 3.5