DeuS (Brut Des Flandres) - Brouwerij Bosteels

ADR

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thomas Liquors gave me a "good customer" discount, $16 dollars -- thanks! 2001 vintage, poured into a LaTrappe chalice.

The bottle blew like a land mine, covered the sink and one side of the fridge. Hazy bright peach from the final yeast pitch (the 4th), head flattens to less than an 1/8 of an inch after the spurting released the primary carbonation. Decent string laces. Spicy aroma, huge amounts of pumpkin pie spice and associated sweetness. A little bit of model paint phenolic whiffs, as well. Tea-like and steeped in associated flavors, clove and ginger, lots of nutmeg predominate with a black pepper bite up front. Finishes with a bitter date-like and apricot liquor cordial impression and a fully rounded aftertaste. Decided body overall. Sense of alcohol and huge amounts of reminders of the sip. Survives low temperatures very well. Very nice, complex without an obvious hop...big. Wish the bottle didn't blow (I may have jostled it too much), I missed out on about 1/4 of the volume here. Minnesota, we should all take advantage of this beer's availability, the distributor is shaky and stores like Thomas Liquors only have six (well, five) on hand.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2003 08:24:50 | More by ADR

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

$20 dollars for a beer? Did I get taken? Or is the experience worth the money? Let's find out.........

The cork pops off this one similar to that on a bottle of champagne. Loud and voracious with creamy white foam spewing over the top and then down the shaft of this magnificent bottle. Impressive from the start.

The appearance of this beer is a chill hazed light golden. Rapid streams of carbonation are visible. After a fairly vigorous pour, a very healthy fluffy white head is erected on top of the beer and it has the head retention of an 18 year old boy on a weekend pass to Hef's Pleasure Palace. An abundant amount of voluptuous frothy lace is left for my viewing pleasure. I love the smell of this beer. It sets the perfect mood. Very sweet. And sensual. Candy-like. A slight hint of must is in the air. And is that some incense as well? Maybe not, but then again..... Some pumpkin pie spices come through faintly. And also some yeasty, bread like tones. The flavor profile of this beer ( a curvy one at that) really seduces me. Starting at the top, I get a very rounded malt sweetness combined with sugary goodness. As I go downward, the sweetness thins out a little in the midsection and going down further, I get another beautifully rounded and pronounced spiciness. Like lemon pepper. Corriander. Sage. This beer projects that "hourglass taste profile" that I hear so much about. This beer finishes smooth and dry. Leaves me begging for more.

If ever a beer was lascivous, this is it. Time for that cold shower now.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2003 22:06:45 | More by Bighuge

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The single most expensive bottle of beer I've purchased in my life, at $20 for a 750ml bottle. With that in mind, I didn't want to drink it alone, and scribbled some notes while enjoying it with friends.

Les Brut de Flandres, an ale brewed in Belgium, then finished in France. The bottle shape and label design do all they can to cast a resemblance to champagne, down to the fancy, cursive typography. Since so many fine Belgians, like Duvel, use a "methode champenoise", I'm unsure of the neccessity of the fuss.

Pours a brilliant golden hue, and a huge, simmering, luminous white head, and a honeycomb of dazzling fine lace, as we sip and sip.

Aroma: uplifting, sensual, arousing, citrus, spice...angelic!

Glorious array of hops. Smooth texture, very light, gorgeous...that's where my notes end. K. had indigestion that this beer didn't complement, grabbed a winter ale. That didn't work, so A. had to finish it for her, and I was left to finish the DEUS. Strangely, I didn't really feel the alcohol, a whopping 11.5%.

All in all, a beautiful, smooth, sparkling ale that I enjoyed very much, but will rarely buy again, because of the price. There's too many comparable brews at 1/3 the price.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2003 14:07:40 | More by feloniousmonk

Brad007

Vermont

4.13/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a yellowish-blonde color with a thin head.

Aroma is sweet/grainy with a hint of spicy yeast.

Surprisingly, a hint of grape is present along with raisin and spicy/grainy malt.

Mouthfeel is full of lingering grape and spicy yeast.

Who needs champagne when you've got deus? Its certainly worth what it costs. I'd buy a bottle and store it for a special occassion.

Serving type: on-tap

01-01-2011 03:58:29 | More by Brad007

OldFrothingSlosh

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A champagne beer? How will this turn out...

Clear yellow-gold in color. Huge volumes of carbonation swirling around. Strangely, the whitish head is quite robust, lasting an eternity. Amazing lacing of the glass. Aromas tickle the nostrils. Sorta like perfume crossed with an array of citrus. Flavor is superb. It's hard to convince yourself that this is beer your are drinking. Crackly carbonation enhances the drenching of the tastebuds from the sugary sweetness up front, smoothing out to a more pronounced peppery/hop bite in the middle, and finishes with a honey-glazed orange spice zip. Dry? Hell yes. Simply an amazing creation.

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2004 01:25:32 | More by OldFrothingSlosh