Liefmans Goudenband

Brewed by Liefmans (Moortgat)
Style: Sour Ale
Oudenaarde, Belgium

12.7 oz bottle poured into snifter- poured non transparent and murky dark amber brown. A decent off white head formed and slowly bubbled away. Thick aroma of yeast with dark cherries, and a note of black berries. Hits the mouth with a defined thin body, tongue is awaken by tastes of cherries, various tart berries, sourness. Finish is dry with cherries still lingering in the mouth. If this brewery ever goes under, it’s going to be a shame.

Sampled both a fresh 2006 and a 1987 vintage via 750ml bombers during Cheesehead YeHA in Brookfield, Wisconsin and shared by 1FastSTi and MrFactor. The 2006 vintage pours a hazy reddish brown brew with a fizzy off-white head that quickly dissipates to a fine film and white ring. Aroma of tart cherries, some yeast funk, a touch of dark grapes with oak. Taste is medium bodied, well-carbonated with flavors of tart blackberries, roasted nuts, caramel and some alcohol. Finish is tart berry sour with a decent yeast funk aftertaste. The 1987 vintage was a pleasant surprise. The aging smoothed out the tartness of the 2006 with a powdery brown sugar character. I could detect some cork flavors but disregarding this it had a smooth and semi-sweet cherry/yeast aftertaste.

I liked to sneak sips of cherry dimatapp as a child, you bring me back... of course, you’re better, subdued cherry malt funk, and you the eight real nice like ... i like you.

Michael Jackson liked it so... me too! A sweet and sour amber Belgian, worth buying to unwrap it like a Christmas present!!! It’s a real Thriller!!!!!

Poured from a bottle. Poured a deep reddish-brown color with a thin off-white head. Aroma of grapes and some funk. Flavor is semi-tart grapes, light oak, and a bit of alcohol. Seems like it should be more complex than it is. I was really hoping this would be more sour, perhaps the bottle I got was just off.

Taste of is tart cherries, light oak notes and light sourness with a bit of alcohol warmth. Aroma is of light cherry and a bit of sourness. Alcohol is well hidden and it’s really a superb beer.

Pours a reddish-brown that gets darker towards the top, with a creamy white head with plenty of lacing. Aroma is funky/earthy and also sweet fruits like black berries and green grapes. Taste is much like it smells but the palate could be better; it falls pretty flat but is still very enjoyable.

37,5cl bottle: vintage 2004. Pours amber reddish with a little creamy off white head. Sour, earthy, sweet, vinous, matured malty. Well balanced. Medium bodied. Notes from sweet malts & fruity berries. Very pleasant, well made & easy drinkable!