Dragon Premium Dark Beer

[Heike Fallago]

Gulden Draak (Dutch for Golden Dragon) is a dark Belgian beer with high alcohol by volume (10.5%), brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge in Ertvelde, East Flanders. It is named after the golden dragon at the top of the belfry in Ghent.[1]

Gulden Draak has a strong scent of alcohol, which hampers the ability to easily define its aroma. Still, there is a powerful fragrance of barley, ripe plums, and cherries. Different testers worldwide mention a sweet coffee aroma. Compared to the aroma, the taste is influenced somewhat less by the alcohol. It hints at sour cherries and brown sugar. The aftertaste is somewhat bitter. Gulden Draak also has a high alcohol content for a beer at 10.5%. Gulden Draak was awarded the best-tasting beer in the world in 1998 by the American Tasting Institute (now ChefsBest).[1]

Akin to the other special beers of the Brewery Van Steenberge, Gulden Draak is a high fermentation beer with secondary fermentation. For the secondary fermentation, a wine yeast is used. Fermentation happens both in the bottle as in the barrel, which ensures a preservation for years.[2]

The legend of the golden dragon (Gulden Draak) says that it was first featured on the prow of the ship with which the Norwegian king Sigurd Magnusson (Sigurd Jorsalfar) sailed in 1111 to go on a crusade. Sigurd offered the statue to the emperor of Constantinople (the current Istanbul) to put it on the cupola of the Hagia Sophia. Over a hundred years later, the Flemish count Baldwin IX had transported the show-piece to the Belgium regions. The Norwegian dragon ended up in the hands of Bruges. After the battle on the field of Beverhout in 1382, the inhabitants of Ghent took their spoils of war, including the dragon and put it on top of their Belfry, where all communal charters were kept. The dragon had to protect these documents and it was also the symbol of the freedom and might of the city. The brew-master gazed upon this statue and was founded with inspiration to create and thus name the ale. Dragon has no feet, don't ask why because a 5th generation brewery owner will not have a good answer.[3]

The 10.5% abv Gulden Draak 9000 Quadruple is a pale quadrupel variant of the dark brown Gulden Draak. It is named after the postal code (9000) of the city of Ghent, Belgium.[4] Three different kinds of malt are used in brewing; for secondary fermentation a wine yeast is used.[4] Gulden Draak is packaged in a black plasic enveloped bottle in volumes of 33, 75, and 150 centilitre, and in kegs of 30 litres.

There is also Gulden Draak The Brewmasters Edition, where the regular Gulden Draak is left for a period in a used whiskey barrel.[5] In addition, there is a 7.5% abv Gulden Draak Vintage.[6]

Our cask ales are available in both 9 & 4.5 gallon casks delivered to you brewery fresh by our friendly and helpful dray. We have an extensive range of core and limited editions (two every month) on offer.

Our core range of cask ales consists of six superb beers that appeal to all drinkers whatever their preference. Top of the list is our best seller Golden Pippin (blonde); Best Bitter (a traditional bitter); Black Gold (dark malted stout); Scotts 1816 (a premium IPA); Silver Myst (a cask pilsner) and Antedote (a blonde citrus ale from the Recoil stable).

A very easy drinking extra pale ale, Whitesnake is well-hopped with a combination of Columbus, Amarillo and Bravo hops to produce aromas of lychees, peach and orange with a refreshing level of bitterness.

Dragon's Fuel Imperial Stout Extract Beer Recipe Kit is a renowned and utterly black brew aged on bourbon-infused oak that delivers a complex and indulgent drinking experience. The bourbon-oat aging imparts flavors of vanilla, roasted malt, and a subtle bourbon sweetness. It boasts a full-bodied character with a velvety smooth texture and a pleasant warmth from its 11% ABV. The beer showcases notes of dark chocolate, coffee, and caramel, making it an obvious choice for those who appreciate a well-balanced, intense stout.

Imperial Stout is the big bad boy of stouts that has captivated the palates of beer enthusiasts for centuries. Its historical origins can be traced back to 18th-century England, with a notable evolution into the even brawnier style that we know today.

Historical Origins: Imperial Stout originated in the United Kingdom. It was created in the 18th century to satisfy the Russian Imperial Court's commendable thirst for bold, dark ales. These strong, rich beers were exported to Russia and thus became known as Russian Imperial Stouts. The higher alcohol content and robust character of Imperial Stouts made them able to survive their long journeys.

The early Imperial Stouts were known for their dark color, high alcohol content, and a rich, complex flavor profile. Their flavors often featured roasted malts, dark fruits, and a certain sweetness that helped balance the bitterness from the roasted grains. Over time, various British breweries produced their own versions of Imperial Stout, each with its unique twist on the style.

Evolution into the Modern Style: The evolution of Imperial Stout is intertwined with the changing landscape of the brewing industry. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the UK, the popularity of Imperial Stout began to fade due to changing preferences and the emergence of lighter beer styles. This led to a decline in the production of traditional Imperial Stouts.

However, late in the 20th century during the first wave of the craft beer revolution, Imperial Stout made what we happily consider a triumphant return. Breweries in the United States and around the world began to experiment with the style, pushing its boundaries and redefining the Imperial Stout category.

Higher Alcohol Content: Imperial Stouts typically have an elevated alcohol by volume (ABV) ranging from 8% to 12% or even higher. This not only gives them a warming quality but also allows for aging and maturation, even more so than their historical counterparts.

Rich and Complex Flavor Profile: Modern Imperial Stouts exhibit a wide range of flavors, including dark chocolate, roasted coffee, caramel, toffee, and dark fruits. These complex flavors are achieved through the use of various malts and aging in barrels.

Roasty and Bitter Notes: Roasted barley and malt provide the characteristic dark color and impart roasted, sometimes bitter, notes. This bitterness is balanced by the sweetness from residual sugars and high alcohol content.

Aging in Barrels: Many modern examples of Imperial Stouts benefit from aging in bourbon, whiskey, or other spirit barrels. This aging process can add layers of complexity, as the beer absorbs flavors from the wood and the previously held spirits.

Variety and Creativity: Craft breweries have fully embraced the Imperial Stout style, resulting in a vast array of variations, such as flavored Imperial Stouts (e.g., chocolate, coffee, vanilla, or chili-infused), dessert-themed stouts, and pastry stouts, which incorporate elements of desserts like pie or cake.

Imperial Stout has come a long way from its origins as a beer brewed for Russian royalty. Today, it remains a symbol of brewing innovation and creativity, with brewers constantly pushing the boundaries to create new and exciting variations of this bold and indulgent beer style. Whether you're sipping a classic Russian Imperial Stout or a modern, barrel-aged creation, the allure of this style continues to enchant beer enthusiasts around the world.

Sour fans in the beer industry will call La Folie a classic of the style (myself included), first brewed by former New Belgium brewmaster Peter Bouckaert, who previously worked at Rodenbach, makers of the amazing sour brown ale of the same name. La Folie is wood aged to create that signature dark fruit, apple and tart flavor. The sour brown ale is higher in ABV (6.5%) than most will assume for a refreshing beer but the fruit flavors are perfect for an aperitif before dining al fresco.

There are a number of different ways to cook a beer brat. Personally, I make brats the way my parents did: beer boiled. This means boiling it for 20 minutes in your beer of choice, and then tossing it on the grill for a couple of minutes for the final touch-up.

All of this got me thinking, how much does the craft beer I use to boil the bratwurst effect the overall taste? Internet message boards are filled with advice: marinate; grill; never poke holes in the brat! The topic can sometimes incite vicious agruing.

Revolution Pils is a German-style pilsener with slight bitterness and a slightly above average 5.5% ABV. The beer provided a good baseline for my totally non-scientific testing. It boiled up very quickly compared to the darker beers used and had little to no froth.

Pils added just enough flavor to let you know that the bratwurst had been boiled in beer versus simply tossed on the grill. Much like you would expect, the added flavors were very subtle when compared to the rest of the field.

I chose this beer for two reasons. First, I wanted to see if the sour taste would be carried over in to the bratwurst and second, I wanted to see how the lime and salt would affect the flavor. The sour style of El Gose did not seem to impact the bratwurst flavor, nor did the lime. On the other hand, the sea salt made this bratwurst by far the saltiest of the seven we tested.

There is nothing subtle about the raspberry flavor in Raspberry Jam. Although the raspberry flavor did not directly transfer over to the bratwurst, it did add a distinct of sweetness to the meat. I would be curious if other fruits would have a similar effect.

Key Lime Pie is a soured blonde ale brewed with lime peel and a 4.2% ABV. Initially, my goal was to use seven different craft breweries, but after seeing how Raspberry Jam performed, I was curious if using a sour lime beer would do a better job of driving the flavor into the bratwurst.

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