Goulden Carolus Christmas

Slightly late for a Christmas beer, you might think, particularly with the weather (finally!) getting a bit warmer here in Brussels. But press on...

I have to say I've become a bit of a fan of Het Anker brewery in Mechelen. It was almost exactly a year ago today that we had a visit there and enjoyed a number of different beers.

Today's beer, Goulden Carolus Christmas, which Bob and Nona got me for my birthday last month, is another fine brew. The 750ml bottle pours out deep and dark, and the taste is equally rich. At first, it was a bit boozy-fumy, but then, as it sat in the glass for a while, some serious licorice and cola notes developed. Almonds. Even grape-flavoured throat sweets. That may sound a strange combination, but it works. Trust me.

Thanks, Bob and Nona!
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Cooking with beer

Fiona and I tried two experiments with beer in the kitchen, and both turned out quite well. First, we cooked up some vegetarian bratwurst with onions and witbeer. The blanche we used was Brugs, the Alken-Maes version of Hoegaarden, which some like better. It worked reasonably well, though I like everything with fried onions. The beer gave it a bit more earthiness, perhaps.

The second experiment was ginger muffins with Vedett added to the mix. The batter was incredibly runny, but the final product was great. The muffins were too spicy for the kids, but Fiona and I loved them.

I think I'd like to put together a few more entries on cooking with Belgian beer. Maybe even write a book. It might not sell much, but it would be fun to make.
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