In our small seaside town, there are few places where you can find interesting beer. So, when I pass by the Ashkelon Beer Point, I always stop by. I check to see what’s new, and it’s a pleasure to talk to the owner – he’s our man, who loves and understands beer.

After stopping by Beer Point the other day, I found the last two bottles of Samichlaus 2017 and bought them for my “beer library”. When you visit in this store, you can’t just leave without trying something new. So, this time, my eye was hooked on two bottles of Golden Dragon that I had not tasted before.

Before I was a bit wary of smoked beer, but after my last trip to Bamberg, my eyes were “opened”. I learned to enjoy this unusual beer, and not just professionally judge its taste.

The design of the bottle remains the same, the labels differ only by name. The traditions are great, if everything else is in the same way. The beer is beautiful, dark brown in color with a dense foam. The smoky aroma is very clear, it outlines the contours of the beer, but doesn’t overpower you.

The taste is caramel, with a hint of chocolate and quite strong smoky notes. All this is beautiful, but the beer is very heavy to drink. The high alcohol, 21% density along with the smoky flavor just presses you down. This beer is physically very hard to drink. It’s a shame, but is not a good combination.

The next beer was an Imperial Stout from the same brewery. Imperial Stout is a very unusual beer. It is characterized by aristocratism and solidity. This strong beer cannot be drunk ” on the run”. It should be enjoyed in a relaxed atmosphere, like a good aged cognac.

It was with this mindset that I touched the Gulden Draak Imperial Stout. From the first sip, the beer impresses with its power. It is very dense. 25% density along with 12% alcohol creates an impressive duo. The aroma of chocolate malt with caramel tones tries to fight with the high alcohol, but without success… You can put up with the high alcohol, but… the excessive sweetness just kills!!! This beer was so sweet, I could hardly finish my glass. I began to compare it to the beer I always keep for dear guests – NOCTUS 100. And the comparison was not in favor of the Belgians…

My mood was gradually going bad. Apparently, this was reflected in my face. That’s why the owner asked me, “Is this how you’re going to leave, with sadness on your face and in your heart?” So, I decided to drink a can of O’Hara’s Leann Folláin, a many times tested Irish stout. And everything around me immediately turned bright colors. I started smiling again! Describing this beer is like describing a song! You just have to taste it. Have a good beer, friends!