Verhaeghe Duchesse De Bourgogne

Rerate, tap at Pizzeria Paradiso. Not sure what the deal was with this pour, but I couldn’t even drink this: smelled like oily, overripe fruits and balsamic vinegar (similar notes to before, but I found it overpoweringly balsamic-y this time around); fit only for salad dressing. Acidic and vinegary in the mouth (though not exceptionally tart or sour at all); flabby carbonation, overripe and pretty gross sour ale. Even at half-price happy hour, this wasn’t worth the $3. I’ll revisit this in a bottle someday, but it won’t be anytime soon. 4.4.5.3.12=2.8

Draft, Brickskeller. The very last of the keg, evidently. Pours a clear, dark mahogany-ruby color, like a rich, reddish wood; light tan head with large-bubbled retention and patchy lacing. Dense, mildly tart and overripe red fruit aroma; hints of balsamic vinegar and sour cherries; a bit of toasty oak. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: surprisingly relaxed tartness; dense, dried red fruits, oily fruit leather, and a hint of vinegar, but nothing very sharp or tart (could use some more acidity as well); a bit flabby, all told. Medium, dried red fruit and somewhat doughy finish. 8.4.7.4.14=3.7

Pours a wine-dark red with a thin head. Aroma is amazing- sour steak sauce with a hint of dark malts. The flavor is more of the same, but with a great Belgian acid sourness that really goes great with the burnt steak sauce flavor. Finishes with a nice sweetness on the tongue. One of my favorite beers... a work of art. I usually drink the 350ml bottles, but just drank a 750ml bottle last night... a bit too much sweetness for that much beer. I would suggest sharing if you get one of these.

This beer’s biggest drawback might be how unusual it is. Sour fruit on the nose. An almost vinegary, cidery, sweet and sour dark fruit flavor on the front palate fading to wood on the finish. Great depth of flavor, but takes some definate getting used to. Not for beginners. Acquired from The Spirit Shop in Norman, Oklahoma.

Draft at Brouwer’s Cafe in Seattle. Poured a hazy ruby red color. Head was light tan with good retention and lacing. Aroma was of sour cherry and other mixed fruit, molasses, and a hint of milk chocolate. There was mild acidity on the tongue that was unfortunately overwhelmed by a cloying sweetness. Tasted of cherry, green apple, and distinct oak. There was some nice malty caramel in the finish. A bit too sweet for me, but pretty good.

Ruby color, good head. Aromas: Sour, acid, apple, cherry, citric. Palate: Sour, malt, oak, fruity, sweet. Complex.

Root beer appearance; opaque with garnet as transmitted color. White wine aroma. 4 months after ’best by’ date, but let’s be honest, that shouldn’t matter much here. Apple cider vinegar taste. Sweet/sour dry grapes. No head retension; thick rings which slid back into brew. Bubbles spaced very far apart. Tried this warmer than normal. Thin Mouthfeel. No bloating, which is unique to this style for me. Resinous palate. Oaky with tart cherry undertones. Almost cloyingly sweet. Drinkable though.

BB 12-08. Pours almost clear but deep, dark ruby in color with rust hints; head is full, pale beige, rocky at first, but surprisingly lasting and firm, leaving nice lacing. Nose is tart and sour but not overly so, as with most of the style; lightly acetic notes of overripe chery, some sour apple notes, wet rotting logs, light musty yeast notes, even some sweet notes of caramel. Flavor is surprisingly not sharp with sour notes; still some overripe cherry notes, sweet notes of bruised apple and caramel, wet oak, and light musty notes. Palate is decent, soft to lively, medium, and velvety. Finishes with the tart notes disappearing, leaving the bruised apple notes and wet oak giving some light bitterness. Certainly one of the more "tame" Flemishes with the sharp, tart, acetic notes being fairly light and not so dominant. It was nice for a change but still left me wanting the brash notes of others in the style.

Brown with red highlights, good head. Smells sour (lambic like) and woody, the taste is bittersweet and sour and you can feel the oak. Very drinkable and refreshing. Great beer but too sweet to be perfect!