St. Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition - Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.

brystmar

New York

3.43/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled 07/06/2011.

Straw-colored body, fizzy white head commands decent retention.

Aroma is full of cloves and other misc spices. Funky yeast is subdued, yielding to these non-traditional scents, and that's unfortunate.

On the upside, none of these missteps seem to affect the flavor profile. This tastes like a tradiional gueuze (albeit less funky) from an established blender: funky, cheesy, citric. Light years ahead of every other St Louis "sour" I've had (all of which are awful).

Happy to discover a $6.50/375mL gueuze that's actually reasonably good.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 04:26:42 | More by brystmar

iL0VEbeer

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%

05-09-2013 16:34:22 | More by iL0VEbeer

beernads

Florida

4/5  rDev +1.5%

05-08-2013 08:13:14 | More by beernads

ObeMaltKinobee

California

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

05-08-2013 06:16:56 | More by ObeMaltKinobee

Auraan

Arizona

4.11/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured a cloudy orange with a thin white head that left no lacing. Scents of brett funk, barnyard like scents and some slight fruit. Flavor begins with sour notes reminiscent of lemon, there's also a dry white wine like flavor underneath the sour. It finishes on a dry note with a very grainy flavor that carries into the aftertaste. Mouthfeel is light bodied with high carbonation. It's a good geuze, though not as complex as the other I've tried. Worth trying, but not what I'd call my favorite for the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 05:48:13 | More by Auraan

StubFaceJoe

Colorado

3.25/5  rDev -17.5%

05-05-2013 02:52:57 | More by StubFaceJoe

nyrblue2

New York

4/5  rDev +1.5%

05-02-2013 00:19:32 | More by nyrblue2

EthenWithAnE

California

3.69/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

This came in a green bottle, however I didn't notice any particular light struck aromas/flavors with this sample. Some sediment at the bottom, I poured gently to avoid (my preference).

Aroma - Moderately high malt sweetness, smells of cherries. No hop aroma detected which is ok for style. Malt balanced well with a moderately low musty, barnyard aroma. No alcohol, dms or diacetyl detected.

Appearance - Golden hue. Excellent clarity. Intense frothy white foam upon pour but recedes quickly, unfortunately uncharacteristic of the style. Possibly due to the amount of acidity.

Flavor - Moderately low malt sweetness characterized by cherries; no hop bitterness or flavor (ok for style). Malt balanced instead with moderately high lactic acid yeast character. Finishes very dry. No dms or diacetyl detected; no alcohol presence. Lacks a bit of the barnyard, horse blanket character typical of the style.

Mouthfeel - Medium light bodied with high, very spritzy carbonation. Scrubs the palate nicely. Not warm, nor creamy, but sharp with a high tartness and puckering sensation without being harsh or astringent.

Overall - A very complex and refreshing beer. The balance between malt character and yeast derived aroma/flavor works wonderfully and gives the beer dual purpose as both an afternoon thirst quencher and a mealtime accompaniment. RE: lack of musty, barnyard character - Possibly blend with more of the older, more developed lambic to pronounce the earthy character of the Senne River Valley. Otherwise, a wonderful gueuze.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 14:40:52 | More by EthenWithAnE

yancot

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +1.5%

04-28-2013 17:24:12 | More by yancot

Beerney

California

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

04-26-2013 01:15:29 | More by Beerney

mkennedy119

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

04-24-2013 02:15:14 | More by mkennedy119

CDW

Maryland

4/5  rDev +1.5%

04-20-2013 13:38:23 | More by CDW

brutalist

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%

04-19-2013 22:19:38 | More by brutalist

Axnjxn

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +1.5%

04-19-2013 22:09:24 | More by Axnjxn

schoenfelderr

South Dakota

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

04-19-2013 12:38:30 | More by schoenfelderr

kylehay2004

Florida

4.18/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Small head but excellent lacing on my out on a slightly hazy golden with orange hue body. Flavor is very fruity, somewhat spicey with hints if grain and club soda. Flavor has a nice tart and sour citrus throughout with a wild and funky presence and nice yeast flavoring. Light to medium body and moderate carbonation. Definitely sharper and more flavorful than others I have had in the style. Excellent wild and sour presence.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2013 21:16:01 | More by kylehay2004

Nutwood

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%

04-15-2013 17:37:16 | More by Nutwood

DerekMorgan

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

04-15-2013 02:38:05 | More by DerekMorgan

Pinknuggets

Vermont

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

04-14-2013 00:39:46 | More by Pinknuggets

MarvinSnyder

West Virginia

4/5  rDev +1.5%

04-12-2013 17:02:27 | More by MarvinSnyder

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

4.15/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottled on 4/26/12. Poured into a chalice

A - Poured a dark gold/amber, slightly cloudy (cause I poured the sediment) with a white rocky half-finger head which quickly disipates. Well carbonated. Minimal lacing.

S - Yeasty, slightly sour, lemon, some sweetness.

T - Medium citric sour and lactic

MF - Bright, fizzy, a little fiz into my nose.

O - Refreshing in the only way a sour can, a little like a shanty.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 01:33:34 | More by Sludgeman

Lurkerson

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

04-11-2013 18:52:23 | More by Lurkerson

NOLANDMAN

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

04-10-2013 04:42:07 | More by NOLANDMAN

Gibonow

California

3.29/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

This was crisp and tart, and had the perfect amount of carbonation. I noticed a high amount of floating yeast but this does not bother me- it is unfiltered after all. Enjoyed super cold from a tulip glass. Overall, this is an above average sour at a reasonable price. Paid $9.00 for 12.7 oz.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 22:42:32 | More by Gibonow

bostonryan

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -23.9%

04-06-2013 21:38:40 | More by bostonryan