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

magictacosinus

California

4.38/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured out of a 350ml green bottle into a tulip glass. Bottle states it was packed on "4/26/2012," so nearly 6 months old!

Produces a cloudy, dark amber and yellowish color, with a decent half finger of head (even with help from the Duvel tulip glass). Carbonation seems decent, yet not too excessive overall. Head quickly dissipates, but the yeast continues to gently glide across the glass, as well as provide a thick and full body overall.

As expected, there's a sourish, tarty, fully funky aroma that I'm used to finding in gueuzes whenever I have the privilege to try them. I'm picking up overall extreme notes of lemon rind, fruits I'm having trouble placing (maybe apricots or sour pineapple?), as well as a an everlasting woodiness. Underneath all this, there's a backbone that resembles thick, slightly roasted bread, as well as some zestiness which is no doubt aided by the hops and yeast. Pretty balanced overall, yet quite complex.

Upon a first gulp, there is an immediate explosion of sourness and yeastiness that I hoped to find. The citrus flavors are immense here, but it's really the woody and excessive yeasty notes that truly shine. Upon every gulp I find myself adjusting my tongue and licking my lips, particularly during the aftertaste, in which the sour flavors descend and an acidic, hoppy rises. While there's not much carbonation, the delicious roasted malts and thickened yeastiness provide a full-bodied experience. If anything, this should be tried simply for the experience in which the soured yeast lingers on the tongue for several minutes at a time in a rather dazzling and smooth manner.

A excellent gueuze here, and definitely good to find around these parts while I still wait for Cantillon to show up someday. Definitely not as exaggerated as their Lambics though, and this is a really good one for beginners getting into the gueuze style. This balanced enough, which makes it easy to drink, yet complex enough to attract wowed reactions from beer fans of all kinds, particularly sours. Hoorah!

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 04:37:41 | More by magictacosinus

CowsandBeer

Kansas

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

05-19-2013 17:16:36 | More by CowsandBeer

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