Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Gulden Draak

Today's Belgian beer has a whopping 10.5% alcohol/vol. It comes in an oddly-shaped 330mL bottle with a white plastic coating. The bottle I drank also had a best-before date of March 2, 2013. Either the beer is loaded in preservatives, or the extra alcohol keeps the beer fresh for a long time. I suspect the latter.

When opened, the beer had a strong malt aroma. The name of the beer is a bit of a misnomer, as it poured a light brown colour. There was a thick creamy head, and tons of small bubbles. Needless to say, the head stayed a long time, only thinning and never disappearing completely. This beer has a very nice visual presentation. It retained its malty aroma as well.

The first sip was delightful. This beer might be a bit too heavy for the summer. Bit it would be a great warm-up beer after a day of skiing (cross-country or downhill, doesn't matter). As I drank, the head left a nice lace on the glass. The beer's aroma is exactly how it tastes. It has a sweet aftertaste, with a bit of warmth coming from the high alcohol content. It feels soft in the mouth despite the large amount of carbonation. The beer was only mildly bitter. I would recommend that everybody try this beer at least once.

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