Gold Dragons Are The Best Dragons

Today in BrewSounds I want to talk about our first foreign beer. It's dark. It's big. And it's from Belgium. 

It's a Belgian Strong Dark Ale.

Belgian beers and breweries are know to be some of the best in the world. Besides being home to six of the seven Trappist monasteries that brew beer, Belgium has the largest collection of breweries in Europe outside of The U.K., France and Germany with around 125.
Belgium's long history with brewing has created some of the most refined beer and styles on the planet including Lambic, Saison, Dubbel, Tripple, Quadruple, Blonde, Wheat, Belgian Pale Strong and todays style of choice, Belgian Strong Dark Ale.
Belgian Strong Dark Ale is a most closely related to the Belgian Dark Ale, obviously. Richer malt, higher abv, ect. Bigger in every department.

Brewery:
Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Lindenlaan 25 - B-9940 Ertvelde, Belgium
http://www.vansteenberge.com/

Name/Style:
Gulden Draak Dark Triple/Belgian Strong Dark Ale

ABV(alcohol by volume)

10%

Now, right off the bat some of you might have said to yourself, "It says Dark Triple in name. Why is this guy calling Gulden Draak a Belgian Strong Dark Ale?" The reason is simply that it does not technically fit the description of a Triple. They range from pale yellow to a sort of burnt orange. They tend to be sweet, but also have a lighter body all while keeping a high alcohol content. Belgian Strong Dark Ales tend to be sweet, have a thicker body and are dark with high alcohol content. Just like Gulden Draak. Hence, I am calling Gulden Draak a Belgian Strong Dark Ale.

The brewery website also calls Gulden Draak a "Barley Wine". But enough nit picking about styles. Let's talk presentation! 

Gulden Draak is a beauty of a beer. When poured into a tulip is produces a thick, chewy dome of head the color of butter pecan ice cream. The beer itself is a hazy dark brown bordering on raisin. The aroma is uncomplicated. Big on the alcohol, sweet malt and red grape. 

For an ale that has such a simple aroma Gulden Draak has quite a complex taste. The Spice and sweet malts blaze up front along with the grape presence. Grape is not too common a quality in brew, but it is delicious in this one. Toffee and yeast notes make themselves known along with a menagerie of subtleties that are hard to describe. There is a lot going on in here. I know there is a lot of alcohol, but other than a faint peppery spice it makes its appearance only in the warming sensation it gives me. Rich, smooth mouth-feel. Thick and almost slimy, but not going to far with it. Looooooong finish that is a pleasantly sweet and a touch herb-like. 

Musical Pairing:

Artist:

Gojira

Song:

Where Dragons Dwell

Album:

From Mars to Sirius


Gojira are a (believe it or not) totally awesome French metal band. I know, I know. A good French metal band?! These dudes write some seriously thick, heavy tunes, though. Some of the mid and late 2000's best metal riffs came off their albums From Mars to Sirius and The Way of All Flesh.

My Kind Of Bastard

Happy Tuesday, BrewSounders. (That's what I'm calling you now)

Today I'll be talking more beer from my Michigan trip.

The style is one of my favorites. The brewery is one of the best in the U.S., in my opinion. And the beer itself is one of my all-time favorite beers. Ever.
Seriously.

Let's talk Scotch Ale.

Scottish Style Ale is a variant of Strong Pale Ale believed to be developed in Edinburgh, Scotland in the late 18th or early 19th century. The traditional characteristics of Scottish Ale are a deep red/copper color that can vary to a dark brown, sweet flavors from malts and unfermented sugars also imparting a rich mouth-feel and a low hop profile with an abv. around 5-7% . The color and much of the sweet flavor comes from a long boil of the wort, resulting a caramelization. Wort (pronounced wert ) is kind of like tea. Grain and malt are boiled in water with hops being added at different points along the boil to impart different characteristics (taste, color, smell). It is then fermented to produce alcohol and carbonation.

Scotch Ale is a stronger version of the Scottish Ale. Deeper in color, higher alcohol content, sweeter caramel malt and roasted characters.

Wee Heavy is Scotch Ale, also. Used in place of and/or used to represent the strongest of the Scotch Ale Style.

Brewery:

Founders Brewing Company

Grand Rapids, Michigan

http://www.foundersbrewing.com/

Name/Style:

Dirty Bastard/Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy

ABV(alcohol by volume):

8.5%

Founders Brewing likes to think of themselves as brewers who brew beer not for the masses, but for beer people. I can't disagree. Though, this tasty gem is very accessible for a Founders brew. I even shared a few with my mother over some pleasant conversation. 

Pours a stunning deep mahogany that is a little hazy with a topping of big almond toned head that lingers the whole session. This is one of the most beautiful beers you will ever see. No lie, I'm actually salivating a little as I type just thinking about it...Anyway. 

The aroma from Dirty Bastard is rich caramel,  brown sugar, toffee, dark fruits(date like, maybe), with a touch of roasted malt and alcohol. Doesn't have the smokiness that often accompanies Scotch Ale. 

The taste is INCREDIBLE. Everything present in the nose is there on the tongue. Creamy caramel, toffee, the fruitiness, all mingle with a sweet malt backbone and a spice from the alcohol. There is also higher than normal hop bitterness. Some peat flavor comes through, but it is mostly on the end of the taste experience. For the uninitiated, when I say peat, yes I mean the stuff used in gardening. It is burned to dry and roast barley. This barley then imparts the peat characteristics to the ale. Often coming through as smoky, here in Dirty Bastard it is more earthy. Might sound strange, but it is delicious. 

Smooth as velvet is how I would describe the mouth-feel. Finishes dry enough to keep the sweetness from being overbearing or cloying. If ever you see this mouthwatering malt bomb do not hesitate to buy it and then send me one. (No distribution in Florida)

Musical Pairings:

Artist:

Skids

Song:

The Saints Are Coming

Album:

Wide Open EP

Formed in the late 1970's, Skids (often referred to as The Skids) were one of the only new-wave-punk outfits out of Scotland to make it on the international music scene. There biggest hit being "Into The Valley".