St. Louis Gueuze

Brewed by Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck
Style: Lambic - Gueuze
Ingelmunster, Belgium

Serve in Flute, Tumbler

Aroma of mixed fruit, grapes and hops, dark amber, small rocky white head. Taste is musty fruit, and ginger ale? Very light bodied, none of the usual characteristics like sour, tart, acidic, dry ... nothing! Dull.

Bottled, from Oud Arsenaal, Antwerpen. Deep gold, thin white head and moderate condition. Gentle funkiness in the nose, low fruitiness in the mouth with just a hint of acidity and low farmyard notes. Gently dry and bitter in the finish.

Best By September 2009; Sampled July 2010
Pours with a frothy, pale tan colored head. The beer is a rich amber hue that shows a brilliantly clear, dark amber color when held up to the light. The aroma smells of fresh cut pears, apples and bananas even. There are some kiwi like aromatics that are brought out by a definite acidity. I should mention that the beer smells quite sweet too, so at least in the nose this is very different than something that is fully spontaneously fermented and conditioned. There is a soft, musky note here that smells strange when coupled with sweetness.

Not as sweet as the Faro, but this is certainly a sweet beer. The beer finishes with a lingering tartness that is mostly lactic, but has some definite acetic over-tones to it. Fizzy and light bodied, though perhaps a bit heavy for a Gueuze, but this also doesn’t have that Lactic slickness that one usually gets; this really isn’t that sour, so must not have enough to contribute this note. The sweetness brings out fruit notes that remind me of lightly oxidized apples, some pear, fake lemon, . A touch of sherry in the finish adds some age to the malt character. This also reminds me of sweet tea, though perhaps not quite as much as a Faro does.

This is worse than the Faro to me b/c it really shouldn’t be sweet. Judged as a Faro, I like this better than the three Faros that I just tried, but as a Gueuze this simply sucks; it is certainly not bad or objectionable tasting, just not a Gueuze.

25cl, from De Hopduvel Gent, not complex sweet gueuze, yet refreshing, balanced, clear, good head, simpel brew

On draught at Brasserie Beck. Light winey nose, mild cherry wood or oak, and a mild fruity character. Not overly complex or sour, but a decent tangy freshness. Dark golden-amber clear, with very little white foamy head. Medium light body, watery with light carbonation. Starts with very light gueuze profile, mild tarty fruity notes, light oak, and some winey acidity. Bit sugary, and overall a bit watery. Run-o-the-mill quaff.

25cL bottle, courtesy of Papsoe. Thanks, Henrik! Pours a murky, muddy brownish color; light tan head with patchy lacing. Overripe fruits and apple juice in the aroma; minimal tartness, funkified sugar. Medium mouthfeel: slightly tart / spoiled apple juice and lemony citrus and a biscuity / flabby malt core; tart, sugary apple juice. Medium, tart apple and dusty finish.

Dark golden with a white head. Aroma is light sour - vinegar - sweet fruity and sugary. Flavor is rather sweet, light sour and moderate acidic. Too sweet for a gueuze. 051210

Bottle at the 1904 Beerhouse. Pour is a golden honey with a smallish white head. Aroma and flavor were light vinegar and tart Granny Smith apples. Unexciting but an easy beer to drink.