The Swill: Gulden Draak
The Still: Brouwerij Van Steenberge (Steenberge Brewery)
Ertvelde, Belgium
http://www.vansteenberge.com/htm/2en/21300en.htm
The Drill: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, 11.2oz bottle, 10.5% ABV
The Spill: Very characteristic of other Belgian brews, the Golden Dragon presents a dark, fruity, sweet and sour aroma and flavor amidst bountiful carbonation. Other reviews refer to the bubbly body as "sparkling" and "highly charged." To this drinker, this serves as a distraction when trying to let the beer settle on the palate for examination and enjoyment. The malt is abundant, but takes the form of fruit over bread, partially because of the special yeasts used in the crafting. The high alcohol gives the plum and sour cherry notes a brandy-like aspect, but again, brandy shouldn't have quite so many bubbles in it.
Says Bill: There are some people, like my friend Margaret and my buddy Vic (both followers of the Wall, by the way), who love Belgians, and there are some people like me who don't particularly care for them. That won't stop me from trying a new one, but they truly do have a style all their own which you can point out after only a few samples. If that style is for you, you almost can't go wrong with anything exported from that great beer nation. If it's not, you almost can't go right.
Refill?: Not that I'm saying Belgium sucks, but they do make Budweiser now: 2 taps out of 5.