Gouden Carolus Ambrio 1471
Rating: 7 out of 10
We're starting off with a Belgian Amber Ale here, refermented in the 1 pt, 9.4 oz bottle it comes in. It boasts a healthy 8% ABV and is said to be named after the gold coins of the Emperor Charles V. The ale has its roots as the first traditional town ale of Mechelen and was brewed in, you guessed it, 1471 as the "Mechelschen Bruynen."
It pours a deep cloudy and unfiltered amber brown color and sports a huge creamy light tan head - a sea of delicious foam - that lasts forever. Literally. The head may come down but it never goes away even after sitting there for 30 minutes. Of course it laces extremely well on the glass. This is the most impressive head on any beer I've tried to date.
It has very little carbonation and a strong aroma that is slightly sweet. It took me a while to place it, but the smell is bubble gum. This is the first beer I've tried where I've been able to pull that out. Other aromas are caramel, biscuit malt and a hint of honey.
The taste has a slightly sweet edge but a good balance to it. It is very smooth and you can't taste the alcohol, which can sometimes be a problem in these higher gravity beers. You can taste the malts, bubble gum, caramel, honey and deep inside the taste you can pull out banana. It coats the tongue very well and hangs around a long time. It has a remarkable finish, slightly bitter hoppy, but very smooth. It also produces some remarkably pleasant burps.
Overall it's a good brew and one worth trying. Will it make it into the rotation? That remains to be seen, but it will definitely get another visit.
By John on April 6, 2007 @ 6 PM with 0 Comments
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