 kepano (239), Meudon, France
Jun 28, 2006
Following my recent and rather lauding appraisal of the familial White Label, this beer could not have built more anticipation. This unfiltered version poured an expectably hazier and denser body, but its resinous pumpkin hue was no less alluring. The white foam rapidly recedes revealing a plethora of mouth-watering scents. Fruits are more noticeable on the forefront, particularly sweet apricots, peaches and a wonderful smultron aroma that accompanies those of sour apple and pear. Some of the tangy, terroir odors of Gruyère and grass that were so strong in the White Label are present here, in an albeit diluted fashion. A malty background composed of brown sugar and toffee highlighted by vanilla and oak, give the nose a very complete and balanced feel. The flavor benefits of a comparable evolution beginning with a dry, woody, Champagne explosion on the tip of the tongue, progressively shifting to a buttery, coating mouthfeel that resonates of caramel and honey flavors, sustained by a fruitier background of cherries and lemon. Somewhat rounder, softer, perhaps a tad more sour than the White Label and with notably less funk from the cheese and spice section. Emmental is nonetheless present in the long aftertaste, accentuated by notes of pepper and toast. Another exceptional gueuze that, to my palate, rises just above its filtered sibling by virtue of an incredibly pleasing texture, though it offers a slightly different bouquet. Both are worth your effort.
smith4498 (709), Miami, Florida, USA
Jul 3, 2009 Rating #700. Pours hazy copper color with white head. Funky barnyard, leather aromas. Tart lemon rind flavor with lots of sourness. Light to medium body with lively carbonation and a dry finish. Excellent.
DMRz (194), Durham, North Carolina, USA
Jul 1, 2009 Pours a delightful medium amber with a two finger off white head. Nice funky aroma with some green grape and citrus. Flavor is complex and refreshing, with grapefruit, green apple, funk, and some sourdough. Very crisp and refreshing without being too sour. This is a very fine effort.
Madsnp (286), Odense C, Denmark
Jul 1, 2009 Bottle. Deep golden with a small lasting egg white head. Aromas of wood, musty basement, apples, dirty dog and berries. Tart and dry flavour with notes of balsamic vinegar, wood, sour berries and lemons.
kopher (212), New York, USA
Jun 30, 2009 girardin black label gueuze
cloudy light gold, yellowish thick foam
very funky aroma, citrus, especially lemon peel
fairly high on the sour scale, but very little vinegar, mostly lemon and horsey funk
super dry and astringent, a bit thin, even for gueuze
JCB (1534), Durham, North Carolina, USA
Jun 29, 2009 Bottle shared by the powerful durhambeer - thanks, Bob! Very nice hazy orange pour with a much more lusty head than I expected from a gueuze. Splendid tart apple aroma, with dry must and wood. Some vinous notes for sure, as Bob suggested. The finish is sour in a particularly red grapefruit-y way for me. Delicious, complex, and surprisingly drinkable.
danielcurtis81 (597), San Diego, California, USA
Jun 22, 2009 Bottle. Pours a bubbling golden orange with a white head. Brett, sweet tarts, lemon in aroma and taste. A pretty good Gueuze
saxo (3046), Højbjerg, Aarhus, Denmark
Jun 18, 2009 Bottle. Huge head with excellent duration. Color is hazy golden. Aroma and taste are sour with lots of lactose acid, but still fairly mild and sweet in comparison to other gueze beers. Very enjoyable.
Cirrhosis (550), Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Jun 15, 2009 I’ll start this review with a disclaimer this beer probly deserves better marks and commentary then I’m about to give but I hate this style so much I have little good to say about it. Hazy golden tan body with a thin skiff floating on top. Aroma is burnt rubber. This smells horrid it’s making my stomach jump each time I take a sniff. Insane sour taste with some burnt rubber but not as much as in the aroma. Did I just taste baby shit? I’m loving the intense dry sour flavour of this beer but I can’t get passed the rubber/moldy diaper flavour its making me cringe with each sip. Apple and lemon show up in the finish. I hate this style of beer, thanks Gully for sharing but me thinks this was wasted on me.
|
