Gulden Draak (Dark Triple)
Poured a 11.2oz stubby into my Bell's tulip. This beer pours a dark, prunish brown with a massive, three inch, beige cap that leaves sticky lacing all the way down the sides of the glass. The aroma reminds me first of dark fruits. Hints of ripe, red apple, sour cherries, plum and just a bit of prune. Carmel and toffee come out in the middle of the nose with just a hint of Belgian candy sugar at the finish of the aroma. The flavor is rather vinous to me. Grape jelly, apple and just a bit of prune come through. To me, it reminds me of a sweet wine, where the grapes flavor is very concentrated, like an ice wine. Big sweet malt notes dominate the middle of the flavor profile and it finishes with just a hint of booze mixed with brown sugar. They really do a wonderful job at covering the 10.5% alcohol. As it warms, sour cherry notes really start to dominate. The mouthfeel is light for as dark as the beer is. I understand, it's a stereotype that darker beers are normally heavier in body, but this one really surprised me. The carbonation is crisp and fits really nicely with the body. All in all, this is a really good beer. I'm sure it won't be the last time I drink it.