Gulden Draak
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
There are many reasons why we all love family and one of those reasons are unexpected gifts. My brother recently travelled to Melbourne Australia and brought me back some boutique beers to try, this is one of them.
Gulden Draak is named after the golden statue at the top of the belfry (bell tower) in Ghent. It’s a dark ale which is brewed & bottled by the Van Steenberge Brewery in Meetjesland Belgium. The Van Steenberge brewery is the only operating brewery in Meetjesland and its history dates back to 1874. Since its humble beginnings, the company has flourished and in 2009 a new brew was added to their repertoire – it is named Augustijn Donker. Unfortunately, I am yet to try this beer but rest assured I will.
My first taste of Gulden Draak summed up in one word was WOW, I mean that in both a positive & negative way. It has a taste unlike anything I’ve tried before, it starts off quite flat but then hits you with a massive sweetness. There’s a strong fruity taste along with a taste of burnt brown sugar. Some people believe that this beer is hard to smell because of strong alcohol content (10.5%) I disagree completely. It has a sweet, caramel-like aroma that is pleasant to the senses. As mentioned earlier this is a dark ale and guess so is it’s appearance. It pours with a small tan head that quickly dissipates and when held to a light the liquid appears red in colour. My concern with this beer is that due to its overwhelming taste and alcohol content, it’s not one that most people would be able to make a night of however, that said, a few with a cooked meal wouldn’t hurt, you’d sleep well if nothing else.
If you would like to try this unique beer and have not had any luck finding it, either head to Melbourne and visit the Acland Cellars at St Kilda. Alternatively, jump on-line and check out their virtual shop The Beer Store to purchase it for yourself. Be aware though, a 330ml bottle will cost you $10.99. Regardless of the steep price this beer is definitely worth a try even if you can only afford the one.
Rating (out of five):
Category : Ale, Beer Reviews