Community Tasting Note

forceberry wrote:

Saturday, November 20, 2021 - The base beer is fermented spontaneously and then aged in old oak pipes. The Gueuze is blended from three batches, aged 12, 18 and 24 months. Unlike the White Label, the Black Label is bottled unfiltered and unpasteurized. No obvious bottling or best by -date visible, possibly best by 2017, as suggested by the cork. Purchased in December 2016. 5% alcohol. Tasted along with 15 other Gueuzes.

Clear and rather pale straw yellow color with a modest white head. Somewhat mild yet moderately funky nose with classic Gueuze aromas of leather and latrine, some evolved Sultana raisin notes, a little bit of grainy malt and a hint of lemon. The beer is dry, quite tart and surprisingly bitter on the palate with a medium body and still remarkably ample and persistent carbonation. The flavors feel a bit light in intensity, yet show good focus. There are notes of lemony citrus fruits, some leathery funk, a little bit of grainy malt, light bitter notes of pithy grapefruit and a hint of apple peel bitterness. Good, bright acidity with quite a bit of hop bitterness, which doesn't feel that typical for a Gueuze. the finish is tart, crisp and rather bitter with a lengthy aftertaste of pithy grapefruit bitterness, some incisive metallic notes, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light evolved notes of dried yellow fruits and a hint of bretty leather.

A nice and perhaps a bit simple but also enjoyably crisp Gueuze that shows surprisingly pronounced hop bitterness for a lambic - a style not normally known for any hoppy notes. Although the beer is otherwise enjoyable and refreshing, the bitter notes clash with the rather high sourness, as low pH seems to both accentuate bitterness and lend a slightly metallic flavor to the alpha acids. This was good stuff and showed a little bit of evolution compared to the young bottling tasted back in 2015, but ultimately this didn't leave a lasting impression in our extensive Gueuze extravaganza. Nevertheless, at 4,64€ for a 0,375 bottle, this was a great purchase.

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