Liefmans Goudenband

355 ml bottle, best before 2015 on cap, 2005 imprinted on cork. Purchased at Gomer’s in Lenexa, Kansas. Pour is mahogany, mostly clear, though there are some yeast floaties visible. THe head is off white, and fades rather quickly. Aroma of wood, earthiness, mustiness, and tart cherries. Some sourness, though this is certainly beneath the other aromas. Taste is quite soft, with a very approachable cherry tartness at teh lead, with a silky, full body beneath featuring all of the sour, earthy, wood components of the nose. Nicely structured beer, nothing really seemed out of balance. The finish has fruit, and some sharp vinegar. Overall, very interesting and nice.

Vintage 1982 tasted 2007. Wow. Probably the best beer I have ever had. The 25 years have done wonders for the flavor of this masterpiece. Tasted at the original brewery (which now only brews as the fermentation and packaging are done elsewhere). Bottle pulled out of the cellars which still contain cases and cases of 1980’s era Oud Bruins, so check it out if in the area. Hazy reddish brown. Some head. Amazing portlike aromas. Sourness: acidic and tart and horse and sweat. Rich sweetness as well. Wonderful delicate balance between sweet and sour. Huge sour flavors and major sweetness battle, or rather dance. An incredible experience. Thank you Liefmans for having the forsight to keep that cellar.

Chocolately brown pour and small white head. Smells very sour and tart. Cherries, alcohol. Malty, oaky, earthy, woody-cherry flavors and nice sour, sweet finish. I do like this beer.

Looks like whiskey. No head. Smells like sour malt an tastes the same. Sour ales are not my favorite. The alcohol taste abd smell doesn’t help.

375 ml bottle

I found this at a local store and decided to pick it up. Not being sure of the future of Liefmans it seemed as good a time as any to sample one of their easier drinking styles. To me this is not an intensely sour beer but rather one with a nice tartness. After filtering out the sediment from a bad pour (my fault) you are left with a very enjoyable product.

Aroma / Appearance - The short lived head smoothly collapsed into the mahogany body underneath. Black cherries, wood and caramel glazed brownies made a potent trio that lured me in with its tightly woven textures. As it warmed things really began to open up.

Flavor / Palate - The start is a sour dryness that hints of early spring in an old forest. Molasses comes next as if one was to have tapped a tree and let the sap flow. The final touch is a smooth sugar texture that tastes like flat Dr Pepper. With the tart finish this one has a little bit of everything. If it were more affordable I might drink it on a fairly regular basis. As it is I can imagine this going into the list of safe fallback beers.

3/7/08 - On Draft at Ginger Man in Dallas. Pours brown with amber hues, foamy, thick beige head topping it. Nose is sour, slight smoke, fruit. Great sour fruit taste, apple pear and plum, some hints of vinegar, but balanced well with the maltiness. Very good.

Pours a very dark amber with a thin white head. Slightly sour aroma that is a nice balance of maltiness and sour fruit. Perfectly balanced sour ale that is not to sour nor to sweet. A nice amount of maltiness and sour fruit combie to give this a beer an extremely smooth very drinkable taste. The best sour ale I’ve had yet.

Bottle at Tre Små Rum, Göteborg. Tahnks to Reza for sharing. Amber color, small white head. Cork aroma, woody, cedar, malty, sourish, some vinegar. Malty, vinous flavor, vinegar, sweet and sour, woddy. Very nice balance.