Struiselensis - De Struise Brouwers

DaveHack

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured in to a Hill Farmstead stem. Served at 55 degrees

Pours a hazy straw color, just like a saison. There is almost zero head, even with an aggresive pour.

This smells of straight funk and sour fruit, with a touch of bubblegum-ish scent. Very unique scent, but very enjoyable.

Taste is similar to the nose. There is a some tart fruit upfront and an oaky flavor, though I don't believe this was oak aged.

Mouthfeel is superb on this. It is dry, but not overly so. There is a definite wine-like aspect to this. It is dry and delicious, but dry and heartburn inducing on the way down....but in a good way.

This beer is really good. This is how I love my wilds to be. I'm guessing the additional aging on this hasn't hurt it (the last review was over a year ago). I would love to have a couple bottles of this around.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 00:27:20 | More by DaveHack

oline73

Maryland

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

Poured from a bottle into a Chimay goblet. I found this on the bottle menu at Max's.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy amber with a hint of orange. There is a small layer of off white head that fades away quickly and leaves a ring around the edge of the glass.

Smell: Quite sour with a lot of lemon and some mild vinegar. Some sweetness along with a mild herbal note.

Taste: Fairly light body, but still very sour. Lots of citrus, mostly lemon. A very mild malt flavor. Although this is very sour, it is still super smooth. The finish is crisp and sour. I would happily have another.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, very mild carbonation and an extremely dry finish.

Overall: I only heard about this beer a few weeks ago, and boy am I glad I was able to find it. Very sour but easy to drink too. Lots of lemon. I would definitely have another if I get the chance.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 18:18:45 | More by oline73

DaveJanssen

British Columbia (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750 mL split two ways poured into struise glasses at Kulminator. Served at cellar temp. Reviewed 9 June 2011. Best by 11 2012.

Ar: tart fruit, lactic sour, dirty funk, light floral, strong hay

Ap: Fine white head, good retention, clear gold

T: Tart lactic acidity, light citric, hay, tart berries, sort of a one dimensional sourness, hay, very grassy, lemon, mild end, good floral hay, pineapple

M: Medium carbonation, thin mouthfeel, lightly watery, acidic at end

O: Aroma better than taste, lacking in complexity, lots of hay, a bit too mild

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 23:28:44 | More by DaveJanssen

domtronzero

California

4.38/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks for sharing Kyle! 11.2 oz bottle.

A - Slighly hazy golden blonde color with a short lived fizzy whitish head. Little lacing.

S - Light grainy malts, slightly sweet with a touch of lite sourness and funk.

F/M - Light, sweet, candy-like pils malt flavor immediately followed by a pleasant lactic sourness that you feel in the front of your palate. Nice funky barnyard. Clean finishing and quite dry. Medium bodied with moderately high carbonation.

D - Great beer. Clean, refreshing, tart and delicious. Yet another great beer by the Struise brewers.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 03:35:25 | More by domtronzero

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

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

Thanks to kbutler1 for sharing another tonight.

Poured into snifter.

Pours a layer of white head that fades to a ring. Color is a clear golden orange.

Aroma: Very acidic with a big lemon citrus kick. A lot of wild bugs here. Very sour and funky. Green apples. Yeast. A lot of oak as well.

Taste: Mouth puckering sour. Green apples and lemon acidity. A lot of sourness and funk. The bugs are really getting into this beer and I like it. Oak again. A lot like the nose, but more sour.

Mouthfeel: Puckering and tart. Lighter bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Ends fairly clean.

Overall, I was really impressed with this sour. It was very tart and very tasty. Easy to drink as well. A nice treat!

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2011 03:01:42 | More by mothman

womencantsail

California

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

Thanks to Doug for sending this one my way.

A: The beer pours a slightly cloudy golden orange color with minimal amount of white foam.

S: Lots of grass and mild lemony tartness. A big time funk which is quite earthy and almost mushroomy. Very musty and dusty with some hay and wet oak.

T: Big time lactic tartness. Lots of lemons and green apple sourness. Decently funky, though nowhere near the level of the nose. A little bit of salt, and some light grassy and earthy funk.

M: Medium in body with a soft carbonation to it.

O: A nice beer with some good attributes, but not amazing in anyway.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2011 03:51:50 | More by womencantsail

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev -5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

$6.49 for a 11.2 oz bottle. 6 % alc/vol on label

A: pale yellow, clear, some had but quickly dissipated
S: earthy brett, medium nose that was true to lambic quality
T: true to type lambic - doesn't have aged qualities of gueuze but very nice with tartness and grainy undertones
M: tart, refreshing lambic style beer
O: good beer but lacked depth and character like an aged gueuze

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2011 22:14:07 | More by wisrarebeer

Cmack15

Massachusetts

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

A nice well crafted beer. I had no clue this beer existed but when I spied it on the list at the Kulminator I had to order it. I believe the Kuminator had this beer listed under there gueze section so that is how I approached this beer. Nice sour and funk going on but not overpowering really well balanced. I really liked this beer and am sad to learn that it is retired, but thankful for the experience that I have had with it.
Cheers

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 15:23:47 | More by Cmack15

twelvsies

Maine

4.58/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Haven't seen this beer in ages, but landed a couple in a trade, thanks to GCurlow! I have no idea how old this is, but I am assuming it's got a bit of age on it...

Pours a bright brassy gold color, a hearty pour yielding a smallish head that fades away pretty quick. Nose is fresh and lively - green apple and citrus rind, fresh hay and wheat grass, funky, oaky and earthy. Initially quite sour yet refreshing to the max - lots of funk complexities, juicy and lemony, woodsy with subtle stinky cheese notes, finishes with more malt backbone than most lambics / wild ales. Really great - it's all coming together - the sour, the funk, the complexities - and the glue is the signature Struise maltiness that makes this beer stand apart from others in the style. Sturdy body in texture as well yet dry and with a crisp finish. A really drinkable and accessible wild ale that holds its own with unique character.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 01:07:51 | More by twelvsies

fear025

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aroma:Sour. Kind of like sour apples.

Appearance:Gold in color, slightly hazy.

Taste:This beer is really quite sour. It's got some wine flavors. There are apple notes.

Mouthfeel:Pretty harsh and astringent.

Drinkability:This is an amazing wild ale, and is a great sour Belgian ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2011 23:39:56 | More by fear025

muttyd

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

*Reviewed from notes*

Hazy golden yellow/orange with a thin fizzy white head that fades into a faint ring. Aroma is of tart apples, pears, some wet hay, grass and that distinctive bretty funk. Flavor follows the nose: refreshing tart apple cider, earthy, grassy, and slightly sour. Not overly sour or astringent. Rather light body with a pleasant effervescence. Finishes very dry.

Struise is probably one of my favorite breweries of all time and this beer did not disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2011 17:46:16 | More by muttyd

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.18/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Big thanks to jahuneyc for the brew.

A - It pours an amber-gold, very translucent, and is capped with a smallish fizzy white head. It is a clean and tidy looking brew, perhaps too much so.

S - The nose offers impressions of tart apple and slightly vinous earthy notes. It is not overpoweringly funky, nor terribly complex, but it is quite enjoyable.

T - The flavor is somewhat pert; tart apple and sour grape mingle with an earthy brine note. Quite pleasant, but, again, not terribly complex.

M - The feel is not bad in any way; actually, it is pleasant in a similar manner to the other characteristics of the brew and continuing the theme of quite-good-but-not-great. It seems a bolder direction from the mouthfeel may have served this brew better.

D - Nice, easy drinking. This would be a very good introductory sour-wild.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 19:23:27 | More by ktrillionaire

sweemzander

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

11.2oz. bottle poured into a stemmed glass.

(A)- Pours a cloudy golden orange color. Produced some white and transparent bubbles.

(S)- A very dry funk to it. Subtle white grape and lemon rind. The earthy funk takes centerstage. An easy going acidity to it. Definitely a funkier take with lots of vinous characteristics. Very reminiscent of a Gueuze in some aspects. On the finish is a very subtle orange peel and spice.

(T)- A nice spritzy burst of acidic sour fruits up front: white grape, lemon, lime, apple, and maybe even peach. Not as funky as the smell was, but definitely brings on the tart and acidity fruit driven aspect home.

(M)- A higher carbonation level, but it adds a nice spritz to the fruity acidic character. Smooth and not as funky or sour than expected, but it sure is refreshing and crisp.

(D)- An extremely easy drinking wild ale that I am enjoying very much right now. Definitely easier on the palate and would go great with certain foods. De Struise needs to do more things like this if this was simply a one-off.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2011 12:57:27 | More by sweemzander

kbutler1

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle. Opens with a fairly healthy pop and poured into a tulip glass a clear golden hued color with a slight white head that collars around the glass. As I am pouring I smell sour notes wafting from the glass. Tart cherry and vinegar notes in the nose. The description states this as "slight sour" but I would say this is a decently sour beer that bites at the tongue with your first sip. Light mouthfeel with just the right amount of carbonation. Tart cherry, peach, and apple fruit flavors in the taste along with an underlying sour vinegar note. Pretty drinkable. Minimal lace. Ends rather crisply.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2010 21:17:52 | More by kbutler1

Riv3r

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I bought this beer as a single bottle for curiosity's sake.

Served in a tulip glass.

Appearance is a pale yellow with an orange tint.

Head is minimal.

Aroma is concentrated apple and lemon with cinnamon overtones.

Mouthfeel is light and airy.

This beer has an unusual sour and sweet flavor, almost like an apple-flavored sweet-tart. Apple and lemon flavors are complemented by the sweet and sour base of this beer.

Minimal, crisp aftertaste. Would accompany hard cheeses well.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2010 02:42:29 | More by Riv3r

jrallen34

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

11.2 oz bottle picked up right off the shelves at Dennis' Brothers, served into my Darkness tulip...Pours a dark gold with wild, light white head with poor retention...A nice sour wild aroma of light horse blanket, musky with a hint of oak. The sourness is nice but there is underlying sweetness that almost undermines what is going on. If it was a fruit I'd be ok, but its almost sugary corn...The taste is pretty solid, very sour to start, geuze like. The sourness dies quickly leaving a dead and almost flavorless finish that almost ruins the experience, slightly metallic as well. The feel is great, one of those sours that the second it hits your mouth you its super dry like a wine while at the same giving me a nice puckering sensation. Easy to drink.

Another solid De Struise worth trying if you see, but don't give up much.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 23:56:23 | More by jrallen34

AleWatcher

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A nod to ShawnM213 for the bottle. Thanks bud.

A sour blonde eh? Nice. Hazy orange grapefruit color. Whitish head, spotty lace. Head turns into a wispy cloud-like cap of lazy and loose bubbles.

Citrus, grapefruit. Bright, clean, and funky. The nose is very nice-- a sweet, tart, and sour bouquet of everything you'd expect to find, and nothing you wouldn't expect to find.

Good flavor, good sourness. Finish is dry and tart, entirely enjoyable. This is one that I'll be happy to grab another bottle or 2 and see what the Brett does after 2 more years! A slight sour grapes, like acidic white wine, note comes up towards the end.

Body is just about right-- enough carbonation to keep this moving along. The body comes in just shy of medium. This is a very easy drinking wild ale. I normally share my sours with my wife... but she was upstairs when I poured it, and after tasting this, I felt it best not to bother her.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 19:18:10 | More by AleWatcher

Tone

Missouri

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy, golden color. 1/2 inch head of a white color. Decent retention and poor lacing. Smells of tart malt, strong sourness, citrus (apples), hint of wheat, hint of sweet malt, and a hint of hop. Fits the style of an American Wild Ale. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp with an average carbonation level. There is also a strong tartness/sourness. Tastes of tart malt, hint of wheat, hint of sweet malt, citrus, hint of hops. Overall, very tart and that is by far, the dominate feature of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2010 13:59:53 | More by Tone

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Sloeber tulip glass.

Best-named beer ever? Perhaps. It pours a clear amber-copper topped by a quickly-dying bit of white foam. The nose comprises tart lemon, sour berries, wet hay, funk, coriander, cardamom, and a tiny bit o' wheat. The taste transitions from a general sourness to a harshly puckering tartness, which then gradually fades into a soft wheatiness. The body is pretty light, with a mild carbonation and a crisp finish. Overall, an interesting brew, but not one I can sit back and enjoy time and again. Still, it's pretty tasty, even for a sour.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2010 19:27:58 | More by TMoney2591

hawks10

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

330ml bottle poured into a tulip...

Pours a hazy pale golden orange with about one finger of soft white head which quickly dissipates...

The first sniff yielded nothing more than tart lemons...the next sniff however, wow...! A very nice barnyard aroma comes forward, funky and delicious. The tartness returns to balance out with the funk and nice brett aromas...I know there is much more going on, I am just not gifted enough to pick out and describe all the layers that make up the overall, fantastic, aroma...

Initially this beer starts off mildly tart. Granny smith apples and a bit of lemon astringency show themselves but are not overbearing. Bits of wheat and wet hay, an overall musty taste mixed with some great "funk". Very tasty, complex but still simple enough to understand and appreciate...

Medium bodied with good carbonation. A bit puckering with a lingering dryness...

Very happy with this beer...I think it may be my first from De Struise...I will definitely be trying this one again...and again...

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2010 02:24:21 | More by hawks10

DenverLogan

Colorado

4.93/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Very light color...2008 in a small bottle...small swirly head. Aroma of cider and strawberries, with a taste of sour strawberries, a little funky brett, but really nice and refreshing sour brew. Could drink a big glass of this...easier than most sours...fun and tasty!

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2010 04:40:17 | More by DenverLogan

Verecund

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Clear yellow pour, but sits a golden orange in the glass (an old jar). Interesting bubbling carbonation, but little to no head and no lacing.

Fairly restrained in the nose. Some straw, citrus, and crisp apple. Minor vinegar. A good bit of lacto sourness. As others have mentioned, this one has been aging nicely, and I'm sad to see my last bottle go. Very clean tartness, like biting into a golden delicious. Some dryness on the finish, accompanied by lemon zest.

Refreshing and drinkable. Low to medium carbonation.

A delicious beer, and just what I've been craving. One of my favorites of this year (even though it's two years old by now).

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2010 02:13:12 | More by Verecund

alleykatking

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 11.2 oz bottle. Review from notes...

A- Pours a hazy golden orange color. One finger off-white head that stays for a little bit. Splotchy lacing as I drink it down. Some light floaties in this one....mmmm.

S- Nice barnyard funk right off the bat. Some light hay notes along with some citrus undertones. Vinegary notes mixes with a light apple backbone. Some floral notes....nice brett funk throughout the entire nose.

T- A lot of unexpected sourness right off the bat. When I had this last time there was no big sour punch like this. Brett funkyness right in the front with a clean lemon and ripe apple taste to it. Wine like vinegary notes throughout with a sweet ending. This all seems to wash away at the last second before it goes all the way down the hatch.

M- Medium mouthfeel. Carbonation is a little high for my liking. Funky sourness with lemon left on the palate with a clean barnyard hay aftertaste. Vinegar style sourness clings to the teeth and rest of the palate. Very drying beer on the palate. Flavors blend together very well but still individual overall.

D- This beer has been aging perfectly. I can't complain one bit about how this one is turning out. It really does seem to be getting better with age. I hope to pick some more of this one up here soon. Drinks well now and should drink well in another couple years as well!

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2010 02:13:29 | More by alleykatking

jwinship83

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

330ml bottle drank from a duvel tulip. no freshness information anywhere to be found.

A- this one pours out of the bottle a golden yellow colored body with a modest bright white head. the head is quick to fade, and leaves behind small spots of lacing.

S- very subtle odors coming out for this one. the first thing i notice is the distinct scent of brett, which comes off as a barnyard and rather unclean. why this is enjoyable in a beer is beyond me, but for some reason it is. theres also some lemon zest and a small amount of vinegar.

T- the barnyard odors that i could smell come through loud and clear in the taste. the sourness i could smell leads to flavors of green apple and lemon also. its sour, but not overpowering. theres a nice and dry finish here.

M- light to medium bodied with a high level of carbonation. the mouth is left feeling dry.

D- not my favorite wild ale, but certainly not undrinkable. ill check out another bottle at a later date to see how its changing.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2010 15:25:34 | More by jwinship83

ThirstyBird

Germany

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours golden yellow with a white head that fall s to a wide ring and wispy skim. A little lacing.

S - I get white grape, a little pepper, some apple notes and citrus.

T - Tart up front but not hugely so. Sour apple, some spiciness...lemon. The finish is dry with a lingering sourness.

M/F - Active carbonation, light/medium body.

D - Pretty nice drinking sour. Crispy and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2010 01:03:19 | More by ThirstyBird