Verhaeghe Duchesse De Bourgogne

Brewed by Verhaeghe
Style: Sour Ale
Vichte, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium

Pours a dark rusty reddish color with a thick foamy head. Smells of tart cherries, apples, and fermented grapes. First sip is mellow with sours notes that are subdued and quiet, not “In your face.” Cherries, green apples, raisins, maybe a tad of brown sugar, all combining in flavor. Creamy mouthfeel, but slightly under carbonated. Considerably more sweeter than sour, the brew finishes well with a little stronger bitterness. Very Good.

Draught at City Beer, San Francisco. Pours a brownish red with a wonderful, fluffy, aromatic head. The aroma is full of fruit: dark grapes, dates, figs, apple, some cherry. Body is medium, smooth, a bit syrupy. The flavour is sour initially with a whole bunch of golden delicious apple, fig, cherry, wood in the finish.

Dark amber pour with frothy tan head. Sour aroma with vinegar and dark fruit. Deliciously sweet and sour taste, with brown sugar and cherries. Balanced but tart finish. Nice full mouthfeel.

Bottled: pours dark, cobber brown with a large tan head. Nice lacings Nose of vinegar and fruits. Sour flavour yet with a sweet balance, fruit, vine and malt. Geuze finish. Medium bodied. Very balanced for an sour ale. Just great.

Bottle. 33cl. Old rating. Really sweet and sour, you can feel it in the saliva glands basically. Very nice tart, and sour flavor, Think bing cherries, malt, and brown sugar all mixed together.

I came home from work today...and to my great delight my wife says, ’here you go then’ and hands me an assorted box of 6 belgium beers. Not only that, but sitting on the table is my favourite dish of bangers and mash. Oh i! Thinks me. Getting alcohol from the missus is the equivalent of a man giving a woman flowers for no reason. Should I be worried about her fidelity? Anyhow, she can do what she likes if it means a regular supply of Belgium beer. On open the foam rushed excitely out of the bottle and sat proudly on top waiting to be poured. I got an initial aroma of fudge, toffee and fruit tart. A very attractive beer, much like the saucy lady on the front. In certain light the beer looks almost black but has tinges of ’Burgundy’ here and there. Delightful looking head with intricate lacing and the flavour doesn’t disappoint either. Reminiscent of a balsamic vinegar salad dressing mixed with sour apples A rather unexpected taste considering it’s appearance. Probably the equivalent of eating curry flavoured ice cream (that’s if you love curry) What an absolute refreshing experience! This lambicesque number has certainly brighted up my day. If I’ve anything bad to say about it, it’s that after the initial thrill I think I’d quickly tire of this brew. I recommend this beer to anyone trying to get their girlfriend into the beer tasting game. Getting to the bottom of the glass now and decidely disappointed to see it go. I’ll revel in the refreshing aftertaste this has left in my mouth.

Draught. Pours a clear, deep red bordering on brown, with a creamy off-white head. Nose is an odd combination of rich, deep red wine and black tea. Round and juicy, just a hint of vinous sourness. Flavor is softly tart, sweet, and rich to begin - vinous, rich red fruits and a big malt sweetness that shows through as well - like fresh bread dipped in a glass of red wine. Subtle tartness lingers - never dry, very juicy. Clean, slightly vinous finish with tea-like note of tannins showing through. Full bodied, with soft carbonation.

Very interesting flavor. Aroma a lot like balsamic vingar and a slight sour fruuit smell. The beer is sour at first but finishes with a great aftertaste. Souress disipates more the warmer the beer gets. Dark brown color, very little head. With my first bottle, I wasn’t to sure. Second bottle I began to appreciate and enjoy this beer. Will never be my favorite but certainly a different beer I can appreciate for what it is. A beer worth appreciating!!