Duchessic Ale - Birra Del Borgo

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.08/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

jleblanc was such a vociferous pimp of this beer that I had to grab a bottle.

Quite brilliantly clear, this beer is a gorgeous golden color with a dense white head with excellent retention and lacing. A steady stream of carbonation is visible.

The nose is quite saison-like with a rustic, barnyard aroma with a spicy character along with some honey and a mild floral character. I definitely do not get the gobs of horseblanket that some people allude to, this is still very saison-like, to the point that I wish I'd held onto it a longer. However, there is a definite Brett character to the nose, refreshingly so, mildly clove-like with some earthiness.

The palate opens with a delicious blend of dry, saison flavors and a wonderful Bretty character. Rustic and barnyardy with drying hay, spicy phenols, the pronounced Brett character does work well with base saison. The mid-palate is quite funky alongside which there's a combination of honey and a hibiscus-like floral character. Drying out on the finish with a earthy spiciness, this is quite delicious. Light in body with a moderately high level of carbonation, this is quite the treat on the palate. Thoroughly drinkable, I'll keep an eye out for this. My only complaint is the moderate bait-and-switch that this beer is. I've had many a Cantillon beer and this has nothing I really associate with one, this almost tastes like a good saison that's finished with an all-Brett beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2010 02:57:46 | More by DefenCorps

NYCWheatFanSC

New York

3.65/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Hazy apple juice gold with a light white head that recedes at an average pace. Lots of lacing.

S - Horse blanket, hints of urine. Nice and funky, not very sour though.

T - Pretty bland/watery. Lots of pepper, but not too much funk. Almost has a similar profile to a hefeweizen.

M - Very watery, nothing to write home about.

D - Would not seek out again

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2010 01:36:30 | More by NYCWheatFanSC

nickd717

California

3.8/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared at the after-Bruery tasting. I was very interested to try this one.

Pours mostly clear golden with a well-formed white head and a little lacing.

Aroma? Two words: HORSE BLANKET. It's as if they ran a horse around all day with a big ol' load on its back, then took the dirty, sweaty, horsey blanket from between the horse's disgusting back and its saddle, then threw the damn thing in the fermenter. And I love it! Some brett and pepper in there as well.

Flavor is also very horseblankety, funky, and bretty. A little sweetness from pale malt pokes through the tartness and funk. Some pepper too.

Medium body with mild acidity and fairly lively carbonation.

Drinkability is very good. Overall, pretty much a poor man's Boulevard Saison Brett with a little more tartness and funk.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2010 17:36:04 | More by nickd717

ToasterChef

Maine

4.15/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from my tasting notes. Served in my 20oz Uprising chalice at Novare Res. This excellent beer pours a peach/orange color. It is slightly cloudy. It is very interesting looking. It has a yeast aroma, along with some citrus. It is a very good fruit smell. The main flavors are of peach and grapefruit. There's a bit of sourness to the finish. It tasted a bit chalky at first, but as I drank it, this went away. I think the beer may have been too cold at first and as it warmed, this chalkiness went away. The approach to cellar temperature really improved things. It has a medium body with no detectable carbonation or coating. It feels great. The drinkability is equally impressive. This beer has just the right amount of sourness. I'm really glad I got to have this beer!

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2009 15:11:08 | More by ToasterChef

Travlr

District of Columbia

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle at Churchkey in Washington DC.
A: hazy yellow, same color as a urinary tract infection (but in a good way). Larger than expected white head that lasts longer than expected. Great lacing.
S: simply amazing combo of freshly mown grass, barnyard, hay bales and horse stall.
T: starts with light citrus and bread, continues to a musty finish with the barest hint of bitterness.
M: body is lighter than expected. This might improve with age.
D: the aroma is everything. definitely a unique brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2009 02:14:11 | More by Travlr

Patrick

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a hazy golden straw color with a thin and fluffy white head. Some rocky bubbles in there and some thin white lacing on the side of the glass.

S: Smells of dried apricots and some grassy hay. Some mustiness in there as well.

T: Some mustiness from the aroma starts things out tastewise. Some tangy wheat in the middle, and the finish is more mustiness and some lemony flavor. Not much as far as phenols from the yeast go. Kind of expecting more.

M: Dry, smooth, velvety, light bodied, creamy.

D: Not a bad saison, but for some reason I was expecting more.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2009 00:46:06 | More by Patrick

ShogoKawada

Rhode Island

4.05/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

33cl bottle from Nikki's, 10.49+tax. Poured into my new Chimay goblet.

A- A mild, slightly hazy rusty sunshine yellow with little to no head... expected as I poured this slow as to leave the yeast for the second pour. Nice, dense bubble formation at the edges... this beer looks tasty.

S- Interesting... the lambic is noticeable in the nose. Leather/wet-dog/medicinal funk smell. Cherry/pineapple/green apple sweetness.

T- Interesting. Hard funky first shot. Not nearly as sweet as the nose would suggest. Mild pear, a faint grassiness, and a sharpness from the funk which is quite tasty. WOW... 2nd pour with the yeast puts this one in another level. Funk and fruit are multiplied... tart apple is ever-so-fleeting. very tasty! This is an interesting blend... not in-your-face, but pretty tasty, indeed.

M- Sharp, drying, and really complex. Beyond my tongue, I think... but I know I enjoy it!

D- Moderate... tasty, interesting, and unique... a bit too expensive to have a couple of these, but I enjoyed this for sure!

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2009 00:47:40 | More by ShogoKawada

Billolick

New York

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Small green bottle, large cap. Pours cloudy dark peach, delicate off white head, leaves fine blobs of lace. Complex nose, earthy, light barnyard, citrus, grape juice. Yummy creation, delicate, complex with notes of more light funk, Tropical fuits, lactose, brett, chunky/drying skunky hops..a lot going on here...all of it quite delicious...

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2009 21:34:05 | More by Billolick

vacax

California

3.63/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

We have a little saying around here that "anything Cantillon is good" and since this is part one-year old Cantillon lambic this has to be good as well. Duchessic pours a cloudy dark gold color with a sparse white head. Microbubbles cling along the perimeter of the glass and a few larger bubbles coat the surface initially. Soon after the pour all that remains is a few patches of lace and a ring of fine bubbles.

The aroma hits me at first with some definitive funk, then I pick up some catty muscat grapes followed by a wave of lilac. Not sure if I would call the bouquet exceptionally appealing, but I am finding the contrast between funk and flora interesting. The flavor profile starts with a trickle of tart flora and proceeds to the midpalate with some muscat grapes, funk and white pepper. Finishes with even heavier spicy, herbal, dry funk. Feel is light with easy, low carbonation.

Interesting beer, though honestly not entirely my cup of tea. This actually reminds me of Cuvee de Castleton, albeit with more of a funk to it than a sourness. Unique flavor would make a nice palate cleanser in a tasting.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2009 05:27:43 | More by vacax

seaoflament

California

3.78/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Shane for sharing this interesting beer this past weekend.

The beer poured a light amber hue with a few bubbles on top. Not much of a head to speak of but it's understandable with the young lambic that is used in this blend.

Nice tropical aroma upfront with notes of apricots, peaches, papaya, mango, and orange make up the first line of fruits. There is a leathery presence but it's a low profile. A bit of oak and vanilla with some citrus fruits make up the end half of the aroma. Tangy wheat later on and a bit of spices. It certainly has a presence of a cross/blend between a saison and lambic.

On first taste I get spices, wheat, and a dry brett flavor. The saison seems to have a stronger presence with a bit of funk in the background. Still feels like it's young in the bottle and could use some more time. Hardly any carbonation, quite still and somewhat thick at times but quite easy to drink

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2009 03:02:07 | More by seaoflament

HopHead84

California

4/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Received in a trade with jleblanc and consumed on 10/31/2009. The beer pours an interesting, vibrant, and hazy peach orange. I didn't let this settle more than a day before I opened it so the haze is likely my fault. The head is one finger, fizzy, and white. Retention is decent.

I was very interested in this beer when I first heard about it, and then I learned it was a one year lambic in the blend and my expectations dropped a bit. I'm immediately greeted by the signature wet leather that alerts me to Brett's presence. The citrus is prominent in the form of orange and lemon. Wheat notes are strong, and I detect subtle lactic notes as well as some yeast character. I get neither alcohol nor hops in the aroma.

The flavor opens up with a low level of lactic sourness with a little tartness, segueing into citrus wheat. The orange notes are almost tangy, and Brett is again present in a subtle form, imparting mustiness. The finish exhibits low lactic sourness with lingering citrus. The beer is light bodied with a lower level of carbonation.

This is interesting stuff that I can't help but think will improve with a bit of age. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 20:38:18 | More by HopHead84

ATPete

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

375ml capped (re-sealable) champagne style half bottle

Looky what I have here, a collaboration brew of epic proportions. Though I added this beer as a Saison / Farmhouse it truly is a blend of Saison from Birra Del Borgo and 1 year old Lambic from the one and only Cantillon, safe to say I'm excited to try and very privileged to have acquired this one.

Duchessic Ale pours an orange hue that i have not yet seen in a glass of beer before, it appears to have a sandy texture, hundreds of tiny bubbles line the surface of the pour, minimal 'foam' to speak of. Very delicate to the nose, a mild looming funk, fresh wood, slightly vinous, white grape/apple juice, faint lemon/lime skin a definite sweetness and a touch of a fresh hop character. My only complaint, albeit a small one, is that the beer drinks basically flat, very still in the mouth, it adds unnecessary weight to the quaff and accents the sweetness a bit too much. Glad I have another to age, id be quite interested to see what this does with some time.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 19:35:49 | More by ATPete