Gueuze and Lambics

Beer and Spirits
21

I’ve only tried a couple of theirs … the Oud Bruin is easily my favorite of those that I’ve tried … i have a hard time shelling out $5 for an 11oz. bottle, though.

22

Boon was mentioned before and it brings up an interesting question in my mind. I have had Boon’s “Geuze Marriage Parfait” and was surprised to see (and taste) that it has 8% abv. I have never seen any other true lambic get above 6%. I have talked to someone who is much more knowledgeable than I am on these matters, and he said there is some debate as to whether true spontaneous fermentation can yield that much alcohol. He also said Frank Boon is fairly vague when discussing the issue and likes to say something along the lines of he knows it’s possible rather than that’s what happens with this particular beer. This is, of course, all heresay, and admittedly comes from an importer of some lambics other than Boon (I hope I’m not throwing anyone under the bus here – the person likes the beer in question more than I do as I found the alcohol level too high for my taste). Does anyone have any knowledge of this matter or opinions on the beer in question? As I said, it’s not my favorite. Part of what I love about lambic is that it has so much flavor that doesn’t come from the methods yielding higher alcohol. I struggle with trying to pair high alcohol beers with food. Lambic, on the other hand (other than the marriage parfait), pairs beautifully with a variety of foods.

23

I didn’t know that Boon’s Marriage Parfait was that alcoholic. It sounds like the importer with whom you spoke is implying that Boon chaptalizes – I do not know one way or the other if that is, in fact, happening at Boon. I like Boon’s standard gueuze, but was rather disappointed by the one bottle of Marriage Parfait that I’ve had (I think it was a 2003 bottling, and I think I had it sometime last year, or the year before that). I remember the sourness being turned way down on that bottle, which is my favorite part of gueuzes and lambics, so it wasn’t really what I was looking for.

24

OK, i had never had a Gueuze before. I just had a Lindeman’s Cuvee Rene with some Indian food.

If this is an decent example of a Gueuze…i don’t have to have another. This is obviously just not for me

25

Local shop restocked on Belgians, picked up a 375 of Girardin Geuze Black Label and a 750 of 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze [training.gif]

26

Quit cryin’!
I’ll get you hooked eventually. The style grows on you.

27

Peter - tyler and I cracked those mags of beer we bought a while back - killer stuff (being half in the bag before two mags of beer didn’t hurt any!)

28

Were the mags Duvel and Gouden Carolus Van Der Kaiser Blue?
Do I get to say “I told you so”?

You have to try the Panil “regular” as it is not nearly as sour as a gueuze. It will help build up your palate to appreciate the sour aspect of gueuze.

29

yup - those were the mags!

30

Plus, I don’t consider that a decent example.

31

i think Cuvee Rene is a decent example, but nothing more than that. actually, it’s probably at the bottom of the gueuze totem pole, but i stille enjoy it anyways. that said, i’m not sure you’d actually like a better example - especially if it’s the sourness that you dont like - that won’t be any different in the better examples. let peter lead you, it sounds like he has a good progression plan. i’d also suggest a La Roja by Jolly Pumpkin Brewing Company - hint of sourness, but nothing like the Cuvee Rene, and the La Roja is not a gueuze, actually.

32

Peter is my beer guide…the place he works here in Mass. has a great selection

33

Drank the 3 Fonteinen last night and tonight. A bit boring - quite similar to the Cuvee Rene. There was an oaky note I found interesting on the first night but it has gone away on day two. More yeasty perhaps but not any better or worse.

34

That’s too bad. The 3 Fonteinen geuze is one of the few that I haven’t had. I know it’s quite pricey, though, so I would have hoped for more. I have had their Kriek, which I though was a very good example of that style.

35

wow … I’m sorry you did not like the Drie Fonteinen — it is, imo, the finest example of gueuze that I’ve had the privilege of tasting. I’m blown away that you put it in the same league as the Cuvee Rene, but to each his own I suppose. I think the Girardin you picked up is also a very nice gueuze - if you don’t like that maybe try a Cantillon. If you don’t like either of those, then you just don’t like gueuze.

36

I did enjoy it, I enjoyed the Cuvee Rene as well. I just am hoping a little more for $20/750ml. I do have a hard time seeing through the sour fruit to get at the complexities in the beer maybe I just need some more practice.

37

2005 CANTILLON IRIS Beautiful hazy amber color. Creamy pale malt with both fresh & aged hops smooth/sharp fresh barley aromas w/steely brett/lambic punch. Rich & full but not sweet on entry followed by a complex mildly sour to dry then steely-oaky brett and on to a long hoppy/lambic dry finish. Elegant powerful & near perfect. WOW - I LOVE this Beer! 96 Points

newhere

38

Picked up one of these the other day - can’t wait to try it!


2008 Cantillon brewery Broucsella 1900 Grand Cru

Always nothing less than Amazing stuff!


N.V. Drie Fonteinen Oude Gueuze Feb. 2007 bottling
Found a bottle of the 2006 bottle - Ill be a very sour chap sometime soon! [drinks.gif]

Thanks for all the great notes, Brian.

newhere

39

cool … i’m glad you liked it, even if it was a disappointing QPR. FWIW, i do think the Cuvee Rene offers a very solid QPR (assuming you paid somewhere around $10 - $13 for a 750). Try drinking it at, or near, room temperature. Serving a gueuze cold robs it of lots of its complexities. Also, young gueuzes (which are, themselves, usually blends of one, two, and sometimes three year old lambics) often lack the complexity you may be seeking. Try aging one for a year or two - you may find it more to your liking. If you have a good local source for gueuze, you might be able to find one that already has some bottle age on it – gueuzes usually have a bottling date labelled on them. let us know what you think of the Girardin.

40

it’s always my pleasure to share … please post your thoughts and impressions when you crack into your “Pepe.”

I have a 375 of the '04 Drie Fontenein bottling that I’ve been sitting on for a couple years … that one may be getting opened sometime relatively soon. I also have a 375 of Drie Fontenein’s '99 bottling waiting for me to pick it up (at least the product description claims it to be the '99 – I am a bit skeptical of that, but won’t be disappointed regardless given the price I paid), as well as a 750mL Cantillon “Fou Founne” Lambic (peach lambic), which I’ve never tried (and is supposedly quite rare), as well as 2x 375mL of Drie Fontenein’s “Doesjel”, which is a lambic who’s fermentation halted, never to finish. I’m looking forward to them all, but the Doesjel in particular has piqued my interest.