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BELGIAN DARK ALE

Kasteel Donker

Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck • West Flanders Belgium

Top Fermentation Bottle Conditioned● 11% ABV

A massive dark quadrupel-style ale from Castle Brewery Van Honsebrouck. Thick and port-like, it pours near-black with flavours of dark chocolate, candied plum, banana, and brown sugar, finishing warm and lightly boozy.

PERFECT FOR
☾ Cozy Evenings☾ Quiet Reflection🍂 Autumn Evenings
Ask the Monk
FLAVOR PROFILE
Dark FruitChocolateCaramelBananaWarming

Dark, malty and warming, with notes of dark fruit, chocolate, caramel, with a balanced, moreish finish.

SERVING

Serve at 10-14°C in a chalice to maintain a generous head and let the aromas bloom.

10-14°C

CHARACTER
DryMaltySweet
LightFullFull
SoftBalancedBitter

Style-based profile from ABV, style & tasting notes.

TASTING NOTES
Appearance
Dark chestnut, with a lasting tan head
Aroma
Dark Fruit, Caramel, Banana
Taste
Malty, medium-bodied, dark fruit, chocolate, caramel, banana
Finish
Clean and a warming glow.
BEER DETAILS
Style:
Belgian Dark Ale
ABV:
11%
IBU:
18-28
Origin:
West Flanders, Belgium
Glassware:
Chalice
CELLAR3 to 8 years

Cellars well. Strong and bottle-conditioned, it rounds into sherry and dried-fruit notes.

PERFECT PAIRING

"A natural digestif; superb with chocolate fondant or a wedge of strong blue cheese."

Aged Cheese

Aged Cheese

Gouda, Trappist, Bruges

Chocolate

Chocolate

Dark chocolate, tart

Cook this: aged Gouda with dark bread, or dark chocolate truffles.

AVAILABILITY

Rare, limited distribution

UntappdBeerAdvocateTotal Wine
PRICE GUIDE
$$$$

Special Occasion

Rare or strong, worth the hunt.

II

Flavor & Aroma

IOn the nose
  • Dark Fruit
IIOn the palate
  • Dark Fruit
  • Chocolate
  • Caramel
  • Banana
IIIThe finish
  • Warming

A massive dark quadrupel-style ale from Castle Brewery Van Honsebrouck. Thick and port-like, it pours near-black with flavours of dark chocolate, candied plum, banana, and brown sugar, finishing warm and lightly boozy.

III

Story & Heritage

ABOUT THIS BEER

A massive dark quadrupel-style ale from Castle Brewery Van Honsebrouck. Thick and port-like, it pours near-black with flavours of dark chocolate, candied plum, banana, and brown sugar, finishing warm and lightly boozy.

On the Belgian Dark Ale style, A broad category of dark, malty top-fermented beers. Sweetness from caramel malts is balanced by yeast character. Rich but not overly heavy.

Explore the Belgian Dark Ale guide Source: RateBeer
BREWERY

Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck

COUNTRY

Belgium

REGION

West Flanders

STYLE

Belgian Dark Ale

IV

Glassware & Ritual

The Chalice
THE CHALICE

For Trappist & abbey ales

The broad, open bowl releases the deep malt aromatics of strong abbey ales and supports a thick, protective head, built for slow, contemplative sips.

01

Cellar-cool the glass

Clean and dry, never frosted

02

Pour straight & bold

Down the centre to raise a head

03

Build a rocky crown

A full head locks in the aroma

04

Let it warm

Malt complexity blooms as it opens

V

Reviews

No reviews yet

Community ratings will appear here. In the meantime, see what drinkers say on:

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THE MONK'S NOTE

Pour it into a chalice, served around 10-14°C, and let its aromatics open before the first sip. Patience rewards this one: a few years in the cellar will round it into something deeper.

Brother Anselm, cellarmaster

ADD TO YOUR JOURNEY

    Belgian Beer Wisdom

    Did you know?

    Many Belgian beers refermenent in the bottle, creating natural carbonation and complex flavors.

    Why it tastes different

    The Monk's Dispatch

    One letter a month from our cellar: a beer worth seeking, a brewery worth knowing, a small lesson in the art. What is this?