Verhaeghe Duchesse De Bourgogne

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

25 cl bottle. Yeast at the bottom. Dark brown colour with a weak head. Aroma of sourness, acid and sweet fruit. Lovely complex flavour of oak, sour and sweetness combined with fruit and spices. Very wonderful indeed.

(Draft: O’Brien’s in San Diego, CA) An interesting beer with some negative characteristics that somehow seem enjoyable; The biggest issue is the flavor and nose being not only just sour, but somewhat vinegary; However, sour cherry and moderate sweetness in both the flavor and nose minimizes the impact of the vinegary character, and it’s actually enjoyable in whole; Lightly sweet on the palate, but the sourness cleans the palate nicely; Maroon/brown color; Tannish head is smallish on the pour and fades to a sheen within a few minutes; Some lacing, but barely enough to really notice it

Bottle: Expires 12/09. I can assume this was a few years old. Pours a ruby brown rusty color with good clarity and a wispy tan head. Fruity/sweet aroma. Notes of dried cranberries, green raisins, toffee, and evident musty oxidation. Interesting. Creamy fluffy body. Flavor shows some signs of oxidation, papery and sweet. Notes of cranberries and candied sugar. Fruity with notes of green raisins, plum and just a touch of vinous quality. There’s some later toasted nuances of driedn bread crust. Pretty unique and interesting. A bit sweet, with less tartness/funkiness than I would’ve liked. I want to try it fresh.

Beautiful ruby-brown pour with a fabulous, creamy head. Aroma is mildly sour with nice underlying fruity notes and green apple, green grape. Mild, tart, soft and luxurious in the mouth, like very sweet green apples. A wonderful mix of sweet and sour. Extremely drinkable. I wish I could get this for a better price.

(Draught)

The beer pours a deep sanguineous color with the head a majestic creamy light tan crown upon the body and the lace a satin sheet to conceal the glass. Nose is sweet, fresh and crisp, hints of over ripe fruit, cherries comes to mind, bit of oak also noted, a real treat for the nose and eyes, start, is sweet and malt laden, top is middling in its feel to the palate. Finish is satisfyingly acidic, the hops congenial in their spicy bite dry and lingering aftertaste, this was the best of the Belgian Ales I tasted at the 5th Annual Lucky Baldwin’s Belgian Ale Fest, and one I need to find in the bottle.

Vinegar quality in the nose, almost Worchestershire-like. Beautiful deep tannic color, classy label. Meaty, tart, woody and perhaps a little smokey. Screams for a good chunk of roasted dead beast.

Bottle bought at Hopduvel Gent. Deep brown colour with some reddish undertones and a moderate tan head. Aroma was very sour, almost vinegar-like, with some fruit and molasses and tart oak. The flavour was powerfully sour with some yeast and a vinous mouth feel. The finish had a lingering acetic edge. Complex and very enjoyable.

Deep red wine colored body with a fizzy fast disappearing head. Sour winy aroma with yeast and fruit specially cherries. Flavor is tart sour fruity with cherries and balsamic vinegar. Very sparkling, almost like Champagne! A truly amazing beer!!!