Rueuze - The Bruery

spicelab

Australia

4.11/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle thanks to nicks6217. Shared with MrKennedy and danieelol. Reviewed from notes.

Cloudy cumquat with an anaemic white head that quickly falls to a bare collar.

Nice tart aromas of marmalade, green apple and grapefruit pith. Soft oaky edges and musty funk. Mild urine character which is not altogether offputting.

Lemon and orange sherbet, cumquat and tart Granny Smith apples, with milder banana estery character. Lovely and juicy, with the the oak completely shutting down any sweetness.

Slightly syrupy entry quickly offset by lively acidity. Great texture.

Great piece of work. The oak contributes a nice roundness and softens the rough edges typically associated with sours.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 03:09:26 | More by spicelab

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.56/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

750ml bottle into a matching Bruery snifter. The brew appears a clear golden yellow color with a finger of white cap. The head dissolves fairly fast leaving a thin film atop. Some spotty lace sticks to the glass and a swirl releases a finger that is quick to fade.

The aroma is lemony lactic with a hint of yogurt. Some mild raw oak appeal is also present with a soft inclusion of vanilla. It has an overall tropical sort of feel to the nose before the onset of a little sulfur, brine and vinegar.

The flavor of this brew is quite sour and briney with notes of apple cider vinegar. There is some tropical fruity aspect providing a pleasant complexity to the flavor. The finish has a bit of white wine dryness mixed with lemony lacto, yogurt and more cider.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. It is a pleasant interpretation of a gueuze for an American brewery. I enjoyed the tropical aspects but pretty much hated the brine and vinegar notes that are unfortunately present in not only this but nearly all sours from the Bruery.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 14:18:24 | More by stakem

SHODriver

California

4.24/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: poured into a duvel tulip to a dark yellow with hints of orange with a small white head that quickly dissipates to a ring around the glass. not a lot of bubbles streaming up from the laser etching in the glass so it might be low on carb. we'll see
S: intense sourness on the nose that seems mostly lactic, also some funky brett, slight fruitiness, and a bit of oak
T: taste is softer than the nose would lead you to believe. very clean lactic sourness with some sour green apple pucker, a nice fruitiness and a bit of oak. swallow is a huge blast of sourness with lingering acidity on the palate with a bit more fruitiness and some must
M: carb is soft but slightly prickly. the beer is medium in the mouth and the beer is quite drying on the finish
O: Another solid beer from The Bruery. Their sours can be overly sour to some people but this one seems to be as expected for the style without being overwhelming. Very good and can stand up with Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 03:33:09 | More by SHODriver

Hugonaut13

Illinois

4.01/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle poured into HF stemmed globe. Let's see how this Americanized gueuze stacks up against the Belgians.

A - pours a slightly murky yellow-orange hue with plenty of carbonation. Head recedes quickly. Yup, looks like a sour blonde.

S - Oh boy, you can smell the sour. Strong lemony smell. I'm not picking up any funk in the nose. This doesn't surprise me as The Bruery usually takes their sours to 11.

T - Well now, this is pretty good! Right up front with tart apples and sour lemons, then into a strong sour mouth puckering punch, and leaves with a bit of sweet oak keeping the sour onslaught at bay. Very drinkable for a Bruery sour.

M - Moderate carbonation. Easy to drink.

O - Definitely more of a sour blonde then a gueuze. I had low expectations as I expected it to be a complete sour bomb, but I left surprised by it's clean aftertaste inviting you to take another sip. If more funk can be added in on future batches, this might become incredible.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 01:13:58 | More by Hugonaut13

ngeunit1

California

4.16/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Slightly hazy golden-orange with a finger of frothy white head. Fades fairly quickly.

S - Sweet wheat, funky brett and other yeasts, lactic acid, oak, lemon zest, vanilla, tart green fruits, sourness, touch of citrus hop.

T - Wheat, tart green fruits, sourness, lactic acid, Brett and other funky yeasts, lemon zest, oak, vanilla, touch of citrus hops/

M - Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. Smooth with a tart and sour finish.

D - Nice gueuze. Well balanced with good complexity.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 23:51:46 | More by ngeunit1

alpinebryant

Connecticut

4.18/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a hazy straw yellow with a sticky head at the edges and a Slight orange marmalade tinted yellow.

S: Aroma of sweet funky metallic dry hay. Slight oak hints.

T: Taste of sour pungent oak barrel with some vinegar, funk and straw mixed together. Very metallic bite, similar to Drie Fonteinen which tends to have a similar metallic edge to it. Some lightly caramelized sugars in the midbody and a stinging lemon presence that is very strong. Aged hops there, probably 2-3 year old czech variety to preserve this. I think this would age well and wish I had more of these.

M: Great level of carbonation for a Gueuze here. Not stinging my tongue and not flat. I heard a nice hiss when I opened the bottle and did not have to wait 30 minutes for the beer to settle.

O: Overall, this is a nice sessionable Gueuze that I think shows that the Bruery is making strides towards making a Gueuze that can be world class. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 19:57:32 | More by alpinebryant

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

4.04/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A- pours a cloudy yellow with a one finger white head

S- lemony aroma alnog with some barnyard horse blanket funk

T- some lemon, very crisp. Funk is mild, not overwhelming at all

M- medium bodied..a lot thicker body than I'd expect from any sour, but I guess it's standard for a gueuze

O- not in love with this one. Pretty subtle flavors, not very loud, seems a little plain despite the ton of work that went into it

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 00:33:42 | More by bigfnjoe

ArrogantB

Colorado

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

Picked up a 750ml of this despite the $22 price tag and my feelings about The Bruery because I just had to know how it stacks up against real gueuze. I suspected it would not and I was right. Appearance is orange, clear (let it settle for two months and poured it like a gueuze), and looks almost identical to Cantillon gueuze. Aroma is interesting, has a mustiness and a slight touch of minerals and copper that immediately makes me think of Cuvee Rene. Slight touch of body odor (no lie, sweaty), cereal and then ass (eww). The aroma is good at first but its not gueuze. I can deal with sweat and body odor but not ass. Super fruity flavor, sour, tart, tastes good but this is definitely going to stand out in a blind tasting as not being authentic gueuze, it lacks funk in the flavor and has a sweetness to it. I caught a sweetness in Duck Duck Gooze as well and I've never caught that in the real stuff. Overall I would not buy this again, its not fooling anyone as a gueuze but as a wild ale it was a good offering. Probably one of the better beers I've had from The Bruery (I usually avoid them).

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 02:35:52 | More by ArrogantB

maximum12

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

...and yes, the sours were flowing like water. I suspect one would've come out of the tap if I'd have flipped it on. Big 750ML bottle stared by...Penguin3200? That would be my guess.

Very pale white boy on the pour, one of the lighter, whiter beers that I've had the pleasure to lay eyes on, so points for being delta. Nose is lemon & light vinegar, which melds up with the tartness. Promising start.

Rueuze might not be sticking to the style like glue, but I'm OK with that. Nice shot of lemon tartness up front that winds throughout the entire beer & locks down the finish, too. Faint limes & an almost lactose milkiness (is my 'change palate' light on?) in the middle. Clean, spritzy. This is a gueuze for session drinking. Could put half a bomber of this down, no problem.

Simple, straightforward, tasty. Very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 21:47:03 | More by maximum12

mdfb79

New York

4.13/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

From 02/17/13 notes. Poured from a 750ml bottle into a wine glass.

a - Pours a hazy yellow orange color with two inches of bright white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells super funky, smelling of barnyard funk, cheese, sour fruits, vinegar, oak, floral hops, citrus hops, and earthy notes. Very nice nose; very and tart and funky, I like it a lot.

t - Tastes of sour fruits, oak, spice, vinegar, funk, some cheese, more sour fruit, and citrus hops. taste is quite good as well, though it is less funky than nose and not quite as complex. Still a good taste.

m - Medium body and moderate to high carbonation. Dry and acedic, nice mouthfeel for a gueuze-style beer.

o - Overall a very nice beer and cool blended American Wild. not as funky as Belgian gueuzes but the funk in the nose is very nice, and some very nice sour fruits. Glad to have a few bottles of this.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 20:30:09 | More by mdfb79

oline73

Maryland

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a goblet.

Pours a cloudy golden color with just a hint of amber. There isn't much head on this beer. Lots of sour lemon and vinegar along with a bunch of oaky notes in the nose. There is a mild funk in the smell that doesn't show up in the taste. The taste is extremely sour, but it isn't funky. This is a very clean sour with notes of lemon juice and vinegar. The body is medium with a very dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 03:09:41 | More by oline73

ehammond1

California

3.58/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle (2012)

The Bruery
Placentia, CA

Clear orange with a small to moderately-sized near-white head that quickly recedes. This beer doesn't have a lot of carbonation, especially given the noted style of gueuze. Leaves the glass nearly clean, though it leaves small spots of juicy stick. Only average.

The aroma is perhaps the best aspect of this beer, though it's not anywhere close as complex, enjoyable, or funky as Belgian examples of the same style. Some definite lemon and sharp citrus notes, bit sour character, and some definite funk (sweaty sock) character.

The flavor is nice, though it simply lacks depth. In one of the most complex tasting styles, this one doesn't have similar depth. That being that, what's here is delicious and certainly worth drinking. Sharp, bright, and sour lemons and perhaps some apricot, sock sweat funk, and moderate-to-high sour character. Dry finish.

Medium bodied with extremely low carbonation. Watery after less than a half hour in the glass. This beer's true failing, if it has one.

Good, and affordable, but not great.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 02:20:52 | More by ehammond1

abrethanson

California

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked this 750ml up at High Times.

Opened up for a lazy Saturday after a good Paddle board cruise around the harbor.

A: Bright golden hazy orange. Could probably use as a flashlight if caught in a bind while drinking. Light and watery around the edges and leaves no lacing around the glass. Poured no head. Retained zero head when poured into tulip glass.

S: Farmhouse yeast with strong citrus notes, lemon peel. Wife picked up a spice that she is unable to name. Also a weird smell that is tough to place.

T: Puckering tartness from the get go. Popped some sour patch kids in my mouth to mellow it out. Upfront with citrus fruits consisting of strong lemon, extremely ripe apricot. Bready yeast, smooth vanilla, and a hint of spice at the finish. Mostly just strong sour and a little carbonation.

O: Extremely refreshing beer. I like tart things and this definitely hit that note. Did not seem to have a lot of complexity going on and was mainly focused on the tart. Was disappointed with the appearance as it was pretty average. Not an expert on Lambics/Gueuze but it is probably a average - above average take on the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 01:20:10 | More by abrethanson

WillCarrera

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle, no bottled-on date, poured into a tulip glass.

A- Pours a clear golden yellow color. It produces nearly zero head, a fizzy white cap fizzles to nothing almost instantly and leaves behind no lacing.

S- Lots of fruit, citrus and vinegar, a bit of musty funk that unfortunately disappears in the flavor.

T- Very sour, lots of vinegar and a bit of lactic tartness, goes heavy on the fruity aspects with some mild oak flavors as well. Again though there's no funkiness to it whatsoever, and the flavor profile doesn't really resemble that of a gueuze.

M- Medium-bodied, has a smooth, dry feel. Carbonation is moderate to low.

O- This isn't a bad beer at all, but it isn't a gueuze by a long shot. The sourness focuses so heavily on the vinegar aspect, and there really isn't much funk either. It doesn't taste bad in general though, and I finished a 750ml very easily, but as far as style and pricing go I would probably pass on this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 16:21:05 | More by WillCarrera

SpeedwayJim

New York

3.03/5  rDev -25%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

750ml capped bottle into a Cantillon tulip. Shared with schen9303.

Pours a .5 finger coarse white head with poor retention. Beer is a clear, bright goldenrod. Lacing is minimal with thin legs. Average for the style.

Nose is tart lemon and a touch of apricot with a mild, zesty citrus presence. No real funk to speak of. Fruity. Moderately aromatic.

Opens tart lemon and citrus with vinegary notes throughout. More tartness in the middle with some starfruit and other tropical fruit at the end. Finishes tart vinegar with just a touch of sweetness. Sour aftertaste. They sure got the sour part of the gueuze down. Though again, there's no hint of funk or much of anything else for that matter.

Light bodied with ample carbonation. Slick, oily and bubbly in the mouth and goes down oily and filmy. Finishes messy with a long, lingering aftertaste. Vinegar, vinegar, and more vinegar in this one. Pretty lifeless overall.

This beer is not bad but its certainly outclassed when defined as a gueuze. Its average in every way. Too bad when I pay $25+ for a beer, I expect it to be a bit better than average. I won't be revisiting this one nor any other Bruery "Gueuze" in the future.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 02:51:14 | More by SpeedwayJim

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.34/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Once again, shared with rudzud.

Light fizzy head fades quickly like it barely existed at all, hazy murky apricot colored.

Nose is awesome, great lambic, sour funk and lemon fruit, tartness, light lemongrass, hint of stone fruit and maybe apricot but hard to really pinpoint, light funk, hint of oak barrel, mineraly, acidic, just great gueuze.

Taste hits with a big sour kick, tart fruit, stone fruit with huge apricot and bit of a mango like, little nectarines and clementine like. Big tart fruit and funk. Pure apricot like sucking on the pit with niblets still on it. Just a hint creamy. Nice overall sourness. Finish is little flemmy, long lingering apricot and sour fruit, hint bready funk, tart, light sweetness too but dry, little acid bite.

Mouth is lighter bod, decent enough but lighter carb.

Overall great, great sour and tart fruit flavors and aromas, nice apricot and fruit middle that adds a great touch, little light on the funk for now but will probably pick up as it ages.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 17:31:38 | More by jlindros

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.41/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Shared with JLindros and poured into a Kate the Great tulip.

A - Poured a hazy dandelion golden hue with no real head. Just a thin halo. Very nice.

S - Aromas of strong hay and funky barnyard. Lots of sour lemons and hints of stone fruits, dusty basement. Very very powerful and inviting and incredibly sour smelling.

T - Taste is full ans funky at first barnyard and hay and then wapow apricot pit! I think they blended filmishmish withbthis or used that barrel because there is an incredible amount of apricot here. Funky, barnyard, sour, and stone fruits. My goodness.

M - Mouthfeel is sharp and super sour,with a nice dry acidic finish. Lowly carbonated but it works.

O - Overall I was floored by this beer. Such a great flavor profile here with light sour apricot and faint barrel notes. Incredibly well done

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 23:42:46 | More by rudzud

merc7186

New York

4.04/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber into snifter.

A: Hazy Golden Straw Hue, Passes Some Light, Thin White Head that quickly disappates, No Lacing

S: Lemon, Apricots, Hay, Limes

T: Bitter Apricots, Lemons, Sour Mash

M: Medicore Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Semi Bitter, Mildly Sour

Overall, a pretty good drinkable gueuze with a nice little citrus nose and taste on top on the your standard gueuze....I liked it.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 00:53:12 | More by merc7186

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

When I opened the bottle, I immediately smelled the sour. I put my nose to the bottle mouth and breathed in the better geuze essence. After pouring into my tulip glass I took in the aroma of the geuze. I really enjoy the sour.

There is a lot of carbonation in this beer, but the foam didn't come up from the initial pour. The coloring is a vibrant yellow, almost like a ginger ale.

This is a challenging sipper. The sour really hits the back of the mouth. The after-taste was very refreshing.

This is a good example for the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 18:07:13 | More by ummswimmin

julian

Washington

1.25/5  rDev -69.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Appearance is murky yellow in color with minimal lacing as the carbonation is nearly non-existent. Strike one for a "gueuze-style ale". Little to no head and zero lacing. Aroma has a bit of citrus, in the form of lemon/lime but this is quickly squashed by the abundance of acetic acid and its dominance on the nose. Taste follows suit. It’s quite tart but not in a complex, funky, traditional gueuze style way, more in a "oops I just squirted vinegar in my mouth" kinda way. Mouthfeel has an unusual oily papery feel. That’s the best way I can describe it. Nothing about this is "gueuze-style" in any way other than it was a blend of 3 different barrels. This was a drain pour. One of very few in the past several years (the last one was also a Bruery beer). Overall, I was less than impressed with this beer or the price tag it demanded. This is yet another overrated, sad failure of a beer from Bruery. They, as of this writing, will no longer be getting any of my business.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 23:34:45 | More by julian

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.23/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle opened on 1.5.13

A - Pours a hazy light orange with a fizzy and active off-white head that slowly fades to the edges.

S - Tart lemon, grain and oakiness.

T - Tart citrus, lemons, tangerine, very sour, wood, slight floral finish.

D - Good carbonation with a light body.

O - Very tart and citrusy, very nice and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 06:06:47 | More by HuskyinPDX

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

4.7/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I'm really excited to try a gueuze made in the US for the first time, I'm also always excited to try a Bruery beer new to me!

A-golden with an almost no head except some white around the rim. not many bubbles. from the belgian gueuzes I've had, this seems to be more or less the norm.

S-super sour scent of lemongrass and citrus. it really tingles the nose!! smells awesome.

T-comes in with a perfectly tart flavor of lemongrass and citrus. it really makes me pucker! the flavors are clear and of high quality. this sure is savory! it has a crisp matching after-taste that really sticks to the mouth. has a certain oak flavor and rawness to it as well.

M-medium to low carbonation with a sticky finish. though not typically desirable in a beer, this is common in a Belgian gueze, giving this a real feeling of authenticity.

O-if you gave me this with out telling me what it was, i would tell you that it's a fine example of gueuze from Belgium. I'm surprised an american brewery, even The Bruery was able to get it spot on. Truthfully this beer is mouth watering. I could drink this so quickly and so easily.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 00:47:17 | More by AdamBear

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Golden/straw colored with a small white head that quickly dissipates.

Smell: There is definitely some kind of white wine/vinous thing going on here. Sour apple and lemon notes tell you that this is definitely a sour.

Taste: Funky! I'm finding it hard to describe this very well. Sour all the way with an oak backbone gives way to lemon and wheatgrass like notes with a sour finish.

Mouthfeel: Ample carbonation keeps things interesting.

Overall: I feel like this beer would sit better with me if it were a bit sweeter, but it's not bad. Glad I got to try it but I probably won't buy again.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 01:16:02 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours out a bright yellow and light tangerine type of color not unfamiliar to those who like their ipas awesome. White head on the top, plenty of carbonation in the right dose. Doesn't retain the head for shit. so what.

Aroma was plenty tart, lemon forward, some chalky brett notes.

Good oaky and big time sour presence, plenty of tartness. Nothing unique here, tastes a lot like most blonde wilds/gueuze kind of stuff, heavy on the lemon, a fractional amount of other citrus (peach, grapefruit, apricot maybe), but mostly tart ass lemon, and why reinvent the wheel, this stuff is solidly reliable. Plenty acetic, but I'm all about that, so its pleasing me and not coming off at all like vinegar. Very crisp mouthfeel, gotta love that, yet gets some grassy notes on your palate at the same time.

I dunno, some people think Bruery's sours are lacking, I think they've done really well. You just know the name and the association with a traditional gueuze is gonna drive some people up the wall, so hats off to the Bruery, anytime you get someone's traditional panties in a wad, you know you're providing some solid entertainment, so thank you for a good beer and a good entertaining read sometimes.

Drank at Layne's UFC ppv (Dos Santos/Velasquez).

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 19:18:55 | More by Beerandraiderfan

DovaliHops

California

4.06/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Considering this is like the fifth bottle of this I've opened since its release, I figure I should finally review it. Pours a hazy, golden straw color. Small white head...not necessarily head...more like A LOT of bubbles. Scent is musky and mineral-forward at first. A bit of vitamin mineral aromas with some nice funk and tropical fruit aromas. Sour stone fruits...apricots, peaches, and even some green apples come through in the nose. I also get some grape skin aromas. Smells like it's gonna be pretty sour. Taste is not as sour as I was expecting (this ain't no Mother Funker). I was hoping for something like Mother Funker, but with more carbonation. This one has the carbonation, just not as much as most traditional Gueuze have. Taste is quite acidic, with peaches and nectarine flavors. Slight tropical flavors with mango and pineapple. Funky, but not "traditional gueuze funky". Still very tasty. Mouthfeel is liking a bit. It could use a bit more carbonation... other than that, the tannic, sticky feel works well with this beer. Drinkability is high. Overall, this is a decent attempt at an American Gueuze. However, it falls short of some of The Bruery's best sour beers.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 09:54:30 | More by DovaliHops