2016 Moriau Oude Geuze

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 93 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View forceberry's profile
  • Report Issue

  11/20/2021 - forceberry wrote: 93 Points

  Moriau was originally a lambic blender, purchasing lambics and blending and bottling themselves, but stopping this activity in 1978. From 1978 to 1994 Moriau lambic was brewed by Brasserie De Neve (the same place where they brewed Dekoninck lambic). When De Neve was shut down in 1994, Moriau and Dekoninck asked Boon to brew their lambic according to the De Neve recipe. However, according to Frank Boon, the Moriau and Dekoninck should be the same stuff as Boon Gueuze, as they are made with the same beer and bottled at same ages. Normally this beer should be a blend of beer aged for 18 months in oak foudres with a small addition (5%) of lambic aged for three years is blended in to add complexity and a small addition (5%) of young, still partially fermented lambic aged for up to 12 months is added for the secondary fermentation in the bottle. Best by June 6th, 2035. 7% alcohol. Tasted along with 15 other Gueuzes.
  
  Moderately deep and somewhat dark golden yellow color with a bronze core and a moderately large white head. Slightly restrained and somewhat funky but also noticeably complex nose with aromas of grainy malt, some bretty leather, a little bit of lemon juice, light urinal tones, a hint of farmhouse funk and an evolved touch of bruised apple. The beer is mellow yet quite tangy on the palate with somewhat modest sourness along with a medium body and complex flavors of lemon juice, some slightly bitter winter apple tones, a little bit of grainy malt, light bretty notes of leathery funk, a hint of urinal and a touch of white pepper. The carbonation feels very gentle and easy. There's also a little bit of hop bitterness that lends a light touch of pithy grapefuit character to the taste. The finish is long, quite smooth and rather complex with flavors of lemony sourness that seems to grow in intensity towards the end of the aftertaste, followed by notes of gentle grapefruity bitterness, a little bit of grainy malt, light tangy notes of winter apple, a hint of bretty barnyard and an evolved touch of bruised apple.
  
  I find it hard to believe Moriau Oude Geuze would be identical to Boon's Oude Geuze, because this is the second time I've had this beer next to Boon's and they certainly don't seem identical. This time this beer was tasted next to both Boon and Dekoninck Geuze and they all seemed unlike each other, even though they all come from the same brewery. They all were even purchased at the same time and had "best by" date either in 2035 or 2036, so there's not even age difference that would explain the differences. Well, all the same, this time around Moriau seemed more impressive than the Boon Geuze - although not as stupendous as the Moriau 2014 I had some years ago, which probably is my favorite Gueuze to this day - showing maybe slightly less sourness than the other two, but also more depth and complexity along with some slightly evolved characteristics. A superb lambic by all accounts, drinking wonderfully now and showing great potential for future development. A steal at only 3,45€ for a 0,375-liter bottle.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.