3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze

my first lambic-gueuze courtesy of heemer77, thanks Eric. I’m sitting here about 5 hours after finishing this beer and am just now getting the taste of this one out of my mouth. a barnyard aroma, kind of like a damp horse blanket with a very sour, dry flavor. interesting beer.

From a small bottle. This poured a dark cloudy gold and orange with a white head. The aroma was classic for the style. It had lemons, apples and leather. There was also a hint of the barnyard character. The taste was mouth puckering tart and dry at first. It does smooth out a little, but not much. The taste was leather and vinegar with some blue cheese. A slightly salty finsh. Birght and lively, this is for those that love some sour.

Bottle.Bright amber with a medium head,aroma is sour,vinegar and lemon,taste is sour and tarty with apples wood and grass.

Bottle, April 2, 2001 on label. Around 4.5 years old at consumption. Pours nearly fully clear pure golden color with a huge light bubbly white head and lots of carbonation. The aroma is amazing. There is so much activity. It’s very easily identifiable as sour. Fruit aromas are white grape and sour apple. There is also a musty earthy character that wraps up the sharp sour aroma. The flavor is imeadiately intensely sour, but also fairly smooth and light on the tongue. Sour apple and grape with an earthy blanket flavor. Becomes peppery and very dry. At this point I notice the ununiform lace, thick and uneven at spots. The finish is a bit metallic and definitely dry, with a woody character. This beer is complex in both aroma and flavor.

White large foamy long lasting head. Light amber-orange color. Aroma is moderately malty with floral, sour, fruity (apples, grapes) tones. Flavor is fruity with citrus, apples and green apricots notes, slightly sour, ending in a moderately fruity finish. Medium bodied.

350 ml bottle, dated 2003. Thanks to tiggmtl for sending me home with this at the Kennett Square Festival 2005. Poured a slightly hazy straw color, firm and fine bubbled white head, moderate carbonation visible. Aroma is tart and fruity up front with grannie smith apples, pixie stix sugar, and that wonderful funky musty odor. Flavor is a slightly puckering musty flavor with a dry and earthy finish. Somehow this is both sour and sugary sweet at the same time. Light bodied with a slight fizz on the tongue that leads to an almost flat finish. I couldn’t drink this everyday, but this is clearly a very well made example of the style. I’ve only had a half dozen or so Gueuzes and this is only the second I’ve rated in this format so I don’t think that I have the vocabulary to do this justice, but it was great. Consumed New Years Eve in lieu of champagne. Ar:8 Ap:5 Fl:8 Pa:4 Ov 17 = 4.2 total.

Re-rate, 750 ml bottle, 2006 RBSG, 1999 vintage. Pours a slightly hazy orangish gold with a small thinnish fizzy head. Aroma is s delicate balance of sweet and sour, lots of raw naked farmhouse funk. Extremely crisp and refreshing. Great tart flavor with some sugary sweetness. This makes no sense at all, but this is the "cleanest" gueuze I’ve ever had. Notes of funky cheese and citrus. Mouthfeel is dry and fizzy with a spritzy champagne like carbonation. Absolutely fabulous! Much more pleasing than my previous bottle from 2003. Rating is for the 1999 vintage.

Corked bottle, Vintage 1999, 6 years old, 5% ABV
Hazy golden color. Wonderful aroma, very complex, balanced (cellar aroma, sourness, some fruitness). The taste has still some sugars, well sour without being excessive. It’s difficult to ask for better…

75cL bottle, dated 22-02-2003. Pours cloudy straw orange-yellow with a medium frothy off-white head that stays forever on top of this brew, yielding a thick frothy and spotty lacing. Sour citrus and muscadine grape, green apple aroma to awaken the saliva glands and prep them for the brew to follow, yeast (musty cellar, barnyard) and light malt aroma with lemon and mace notes. Heavily bitter, sour and tart lemon citrus flavor to start with light malt body and plenty of yeast, particularly barnyard, and an oily metallic aftertaste. Medium to light bodied, lively carbonation with a slight chalky finish.