3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze

Brewed by 3 Fonteinen
Style: Lambic - Gueuze
Beersel, Belgium

Bottled at Le Bier Circus, Brussels. Pours hazy orange with a lasting white head. Aroma is citric and sour. Taste malty with notes of lemmon and lots of sourness. My first lambic. All that sourness seems a bit strange to me.

Bottled Feb 2004. I think I’m starting to understand why I’m digging the lambics so much - there aren’t crap breweries trying the style that taint the reputation of the style. Pours brownish amber with a large off-white head with a cascade of carbonation. The aroma is very clean with wild yeast, pepper, tart lemon zest, lots of earthiness and grapefruit - very crisp and grainy. Medium / light body that is grainy and effervescent - very refreshing super-crisp. The taste starts with clear tart citrus, wild crisp yeast, some barnyard, but fresher than normal and light spice. The finish brings out grainy peppery spice and almost a creamy finish.... well, at last for a lambic. Excellent. Further down the bottle there is more barnyard and oak starts becoming apparent, however even with these traits becoming prevalent it still remains crisp and refreshing. Huge thumbs up for this world class, highly enjoyable lambic. Even at the high price tag I’ll get another before too long. (8/4/8/4/17) <P> rerate notes: After having this a couple more times the flavors and complexity are just off the charts, so the numbers have to be boosted up - this is just a fantastic gueuze. Easily my favorite of the ones I’ve had.

Jan 2004 bottle. My first Geuze. Pours a cloudy yellow/orange with a carbonated white head. Regular lambic aroma. Tart and sour, musty and earthy but pleasant. Powerfully acidic taste. Tart and sour and strong. Nice balance and complexity. Just the right level of strength. Nice.

Green bottle, 37,5 cl, bottled on 09/02/2005, savoured on April 17 2007; eye: amber, hazy, suspended matter, light effervescence, champagne-style beige head that falls rapidly but leaves a tiny carpet on the beer; nose: strong sour green apple, oak, light horse, floral, a bit medicinal to a certain degree; mouth: strong sour green apple, oak, lots of acidity, light oak, finale is sour and rather dry, lightly astringent, relatively thin, lots of effervescence, bottom half of the bottle is not as acidic and sour making it more pleasant to savour, quite sour, medium body; overall: correct FRANÇAIS Bouteille verte, 37,5 cl, embouteillé le 09/02/2005, savourée le 17 avril 2007; œil : ambrée, voilée, matière en suspension, légère effervescence, mousse beige de style champagne qui tombe assez rapidement pour laisser une mince couverture sur la bière; nez : pomme verte sure prononcée, chêne, léger chevale, floral, peut-être même un peu médicinale; bouche : pomme verte sure prononcée, chêne, pas mal d’acidité, léger cheval, finale sure et plutôt sèche, légère astringence, texture relativement mince, assez effervescente, fond de la bouteille est beaucoup moins agressant plus plaisant à savourer, assez sure, corps moyen; en résumé : correct

4/15/07, 750ml, bottled 2/04 (aged 3 years). i found this on sale for $12.99. pours a beautiful glowing orange with a red tint to it and fluffy white head. to me, a perfect looking beer. nose had wonderful notes of brett, lots of oak, barnyard funk, cheese, and very sour smelling. flavor was a wonderful balance between oak, brett, acidity, and lemon. nothing overdone here and this gueuze just works perfectly. a wonderful treat! 4.4.

9/3/07, another tasting of a 10 year old bottle dated Dec. 1997 at the 3 Fonteinen restraunt. sampled this next to a 2004 vintage as well. at 10 years of age this was really mellow, rounded out acidity, a very nice aged geuze for sure, both vintages were great but the 04 was more sour and citrusy - it grabs you and wont let go. the best "reg. line-up" geuze currently on the market, period! 4.3.

7/10/08, 375ml bottle, bottled 2/12/08. thanks xnoxhatex for sharing. once again an incredible gueuze similar 3F, oaky, musty, lemon, vinegar, musty. wow awesome! 4.3.

Bottle shared with brewfiend at Cellars LexLarp in St Paul. Pours a clean brownish yellow is a white head. Aroma of sour cheese, yeast and some floral hops. Taste of citrus, rasins, and sour apples. A bit dry sour aftertaste.

Bottle. Bought at Premier Gourmet, March 06. Bottled January 22, 2004. Pours bubbly orangish yellowish. Nice frothy white head that nicely laced the glass and was present all the way to the end. Sour aroma. Not as sour as I expected, nice good balance between the oak and sourness. As it warmed fruity notes appeared, mostly like raisans. This is my far the best Lambic i’ve had. I’m sure it has mellowed a bit. Carbonation was lively and present in each sip. Light, fluffy body. Nice sourish/orangish lingering aftertaste.

(Bottle @ ’t Brugs Beertje, bottled 11/30/2005): Pours a fizzy clear brownish color, good head, white, foamy, good lacing. Dark fruity bitter smell. Maybe a moldy cheese aroma? Sharp taste, same cheesy taste. A sour soda taste. Effervescent. Not for the weak. A sour rotten taste. As it warms, and as the alcohol kicks in, it’s more palatable.