3 Fonteinen J & J Oude Geuze Roze

Blind tasting: Hazed apricot. Fine-bubbled dense white froth. Delightful aroma of plaster, band-aid phenols, horseblanket, peach, dried leather, iron, musty oak and pencil eraser. Fine carbonation gently pricks the palate before offering a soft caress. Cedary, heavily musty and tightly oaky yet slickly fruity with a tangy medley of peach skin and lactobacillus. Oak reinforces the impeccable attenuation by exerting a tight clasp on the sides of the cheeks. Dainty residual sweetness evokes thoughts of vibrant stewed-peaches which echo the equally delicate vanillin oak tannins. Snappy phenols and harsh notes of horseblanket are softened by the underlying slickness. Clean and soft malt crackles with a gingerly sweetness before blossoming into a full-bloom straw-like anchor. Hints of iron exude and complement the tangy peach and lacto flavors. Coarse oak finish is adorned a beautiful dried-leather astringency and straw, vanillin and peach trailing. Dusty oak lingers alongside a lime-accented peach-skin bitterness. Not quite on par with the Blauw, but this has a lot of qualities I love (elegant, complex, and adeptly balanced). Fine stuff. Thanks to my pal, cquiroga, for sharing.

750 ml bottle - Columbus X tasting

Thanks to moejuck for cracking this open late at night. Even with a burnt out palate I could tell this was something special. Since I am unlikely to ever get a chance to try it again I did my best to enjoy every sip. If you have access to this in Belgium consider yourself lucky. If you know someone who has it bug them to open it or wait for a special occasion. It should hold quite well for years to come.

Aroma / Appearance - The light yellow body looked perfect sitting in my small sampling glass. The smell of rose petals drifted upwards along with orange cloves and lemons. A strong tartness woke up my tired nostrils and got them ready for another sample. The funk was strong like a dirty barnyard in the middle of harvest. Overall it had all the characteristics of a perfect lambic.

Flavor / Palate - The sourness started to affect my stomach before the first sip was even down. Orange rinds, lemon juice and a finish of dry champagne made it clear that this was a beer that would not be masked by anything other than another bottle of world class lambic. Even after all the other imperial stouts, IPAs and other beers this one cleared the palate immediately. If I don’t get a chance to try it again I will remember it for being a benchmark by which to compare other gueuzes. Don’t let the overall score fool you - this is one of the best beers I have tried in the style.

C-bus 10. Bottle from henrikb--1000 thanks. Lightly sour aroma, with some straw/grass and lemon zest scents as well. Cloudy golden brown body with no head. Medium palate with lower carbonation than most products from this brewer. Earthy flavor struck me first, then a definite lemon zest/sour flavor with black pepper mixed in. The peppery taste hits more in the aftertaste as well. Dry and tart--but not quite as funky as expected.

C-Bus 10: Bottle shared by moejuck with a big thanks to henrikb for sending it over: Pours a hazy gold with a small off white head. Aroma, funky, yeasty, lemon, some acidity. Flavor, dry up front, funky and tart, lemons, and light fruits, sour, with a dry finish, great funk, very good.

Bottle from fonefan. Clear light amber body with a large fizzy off-white head-fading. The nose is heavy acidity with mainly lactic acid, lots of lemon, horseblanket and cobwebs. The flavor is moderately sour, lightly sweet with melon, strawberry, lemon, yogurt, apple skins and pithy orange. Medium body is soft with moderate, but gentle carbonation and a lasting, sour, dry end. Fantastic.

Bottle (cell phone rating). Amber, off white head. Raspberries, a little perfume and sweetness in aroma. Lightly sweet flavour, some dry bitterness reminding me of tonic and juniper. I really like this a lot! Thx Engelsmann!

Difficult to rate. Aroma: Cask wood, acid, sweet fruit. Medium yellow color, hazy. Frothy, white head, mostly diminishing. Flavor is acetic. Dry. Medium to full body. Moderate astringent.

(750ml Bottle, 2003 vintage) Pours a lightly cloudy orange body with a medium-sized white head. Aroma of barnyard, brett tartness, apple, and oak. Flavor is acidic, floral, and light pepper with some bitterness and a dry finish.