Geuze Cuvée J&J (Joost En Jessie) Blauw (Blue) - Brouwerij Drie Fonteinen

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

reviews from notes

part of the mega sour tasting, i provided this gem which took me the better part of forever and my oldest son to acquire. none the less i made it and was thrilled to be able to bust it out.

Popped with a loud bang and was very active from the onset, that much was for sure. Tons of carbonation rippling through both the bottle and the glass throughout the sesssion, a huge carbonation explosion. Very nice bright amber color with a huge amount of white fizzy head on top. At least four inches of white foam topping off this one made it look wonderful, with a deep cloudy and hazy look to it, I knew it was aged well.

The aroma was so sour and bitter, I had a cheek to cheek grin immediatly. Simply a wonderful aroma here, tons of yeast coming through, lots of light sour grapes and tartness. The flavor was superb, really one of the best I have ever had. The first light notes of sour yeast roll across the tongue and just explode in your mouth, rippling and shredding taste buds all the way. Nice white grapes, light grains, and fresh grass all coming through. As it warmed some more subtle pear and apple characters were coming through now, this was astoundingly complex, so much so I did not really even know where to begin with this. I was floored by the flavor here. The carbonation was huge, keeping it light and airy and really letting every get to a depth that was confoundingly complex. Simply great. I easily threw done the whole bottle, as at only 6% this was simply outstanding. If I had more then one other bottle I would have reached for it immediatly. Long lingering dried out bitter finish had so much complex flavor that I was just letting linger on and on as I did not want to let it stop.

Overall easily one of the best beers, regardless of style that i have ever had the pleasure of drinking.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2011 01:16:20 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.38/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Another round of thanks to Jer for opening a ridiculous number of bottles.

A: The pour is orange/amber in color with a towering white head and a staggering level of carbonation.

S: Seems to be a bit more composed than the Roos. Lots of wet oak, hay, lemon, green apple, and grass. There's a nice acidity to the nose along with plenty of "green" funk.

T: The lemon, green apple, and lactic acidity is more pronounced on the palate than the nose lets on. Plenty of must, oak, along with hay and grass. A definite funkiness that I would put under the "barnyard" umbrella.

M: The body is medium with a high level of carbonation and a bone dry finish.

D: Again, the better of the two (Roos and Blauw), but one that I wish I had a bit more frame of reference on (meaning, I wish I'd tried them when they were younger). Still, a really great gueuze.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2011 01:25:23 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.6/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Incredible amount of thanks to Eric for sharing this bottle at Mike's bachelor-party tasting. I had been wanting to try this for quite some time now. Served in a Savor snifter.

Pours with a nice golden hue and a single-finger white head with some good retention as well as a good dose of lacing and a nice collar after that settles down. Light carbonation bubbles atop the beer throughout. How long they would have stayed, I'm not all that sure--try as I might to drink this slowly, I couldn't really help myself. The nose was quite funky with a bit of sourness. A nice oak presence and a lot of horse blanket. This was just extremely pungent.

The taste had some really nice lactic character as well as musty basement notes and some lemon. Good barnyard-y hay character and a slight woodiness. The mouthfeel was quite dry with just enough carbonation. Excellent funk presence throughout with a good amount of sourness to balance. Amazingly complex, this was a bottle I could have consumed all of, and am glad we opened this outside without losing any, especially given the fact that I believe the cork shot out a good 25 feet or more. Cheers, Eric.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2010 12:04:36 | More by Thorpe429

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle: Poured a dirty cloudy beige color lambic with a huge foamy head with great retention and some really good lacing. Aroma of oak with funky notes of wet leather and barnyard notes is quite sublime. Taste is a very nice complex mix between some acidity similar to what can be found in green apples as well as some oak and barn yard notes. Flavors are very well balanced with good carbonation even though bottle is 7 years old. Even though this is great it still feels to be slightly inferior to the regular Oude Gueuze from 1999 which in my book is still one of the best beer around the world.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2010 19:34:56 | More by Phyl21ca

drabmuh

Maryland

4.15/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served at a tasting, side by side, with the J&J Roos. First thing is first. The labels of these beers are great. Oil paintings of a silhouette of a nude female torso profile, its just such a pretty painting. I understand that these beers were originally brewed for the brewer's wedding and the roos was for the wife (naked woman on the label) and the Blau was for the husband (naked man on the label). Great concept.

Beer is yellow and hazy, just like the other one. Head is small bubbles, white to off white.

Aroma is a strong funk and completely sour. More funky than the Roos but still amazing smelling.

There is a lot of citric based sour in this beer. This reminds me a lot of a Cantillon Helena but totally different. Beer is tart and there is a slight sulfur taste really late. Overall this beer is very similar to the Roos, slightly less sour, slightly more funk, and there's some sulfur in the palate. I understand that most people like the Blau over the Roos but I'm the opposite. Both are great but the Roos is slightly better.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2010 17:36:22 | More by drabmuh

MasterSki

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sweet Jesus! There are gushers and then there was this beer - as soon as the cage came off the cork flew out and hit d0b in the face. We also managed to get gueuze on two computers, the cat, my DVD cabinet, and the cheese tray. Thankfully no one was permanently blinded and we didn't lose a ton of brew.

A - Once the beer makes it into the glass it looks awesome. Huge billowy foam that eventually dissipates and leaves total glass-coating lacing. Opaque dark apricot color. This is about as good as it gets!

S - OK - there's funky, and then there is this beer. I feel like I'm sniffing a horse in the middle of a musty barn filled with must, dirt, and god knows what else. There's also some lemon sourness, leather, and super tart granny smith apples but after six years this is funk city. I'm not sure where else gueuze can go from this point.

T - The taste is excellent, but not as mind-blowing as the ridiculous smell. There's tons of barnyard funk, must, leather, tart unripened apples, and a crazy persistent dry and tart finish.

M - This is also a "wee" bit overcarbonated - there's some tingly burn on the upper lip and top palate. The texture is surprisingly softer than I tought it would be, and the finish is crazy dry with some light stickiness.

D - While I'd drink one of these on my own I think I might end up with a tummy-ache considering the funkiness. Still, I'd love to do this one again along with the Roos.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2009 01:22:13 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.7/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Quite a gusher, half a second after popping the cork it starts to gush up and out. Luckily my glass was nearby so I didn't really lose any beer. I wasn't even able to get three fingers of beer into my tulip glass before it was full of foam though. The head is a light tan color and it sits on top of a lightly hazy, orangish tinged, light amber colored brew. As the head slowly subsides it produces spotty lacing patterns on the sides of my glass. The aroma is sharp and acidic with a substantial funkiness to it. The tart aromatics are certainly not one dimensional either, it is a mix of lactic, acetic and other funky acids. This smells of ripe cheese (more emmental than cheddar), plus it has a backdrop of funky, more farmhouse cheese notes. This has a substantial barnyard Brettanomyces influence here; goaty, sweaty, with lots of fungal woody notes. Speaking of wood, this seems to be much more wood influenced than your typical Lambic, it is spicy and almost has a cedar like note to it. If you really dig for them, there are still some noticeable grain notes here; these notes are in the finish and are dry, with a distinct character of fresh crushed wheat berries.

The beer is quite well carbonated, which adds a wonderful texture to this brew. It dances across the tongue in a light, airy manner, yet still has a fullness to it that keeps it from being anything near watery. Sharp and acidic, yet not over the top in it tartness; lactic acid notes form the larges component of the sourness, but there is flavors of lemons, sour grapefruit and a hint of acetic acid notes that help to round things out. In the finish there is a woody component that seems to provide some tannic structure as well as some light oaky spiciness. I like that body that this brew has, overall it is light and drinkable, but there is some influence here (tannins from the barrel seem the likely source) that provides this with a certain viscosity and heft that allows for a greater palate presence. The texture actually provides a really nice balance to the tartness, it almost mimics a sweetness in some ways, but most definitely keeps the sourness in check. The wild barnyard funkiness is not as noticeable as it was in the aroma, but still does contribute with notes of woody mushroom, lightly phenolic soaked cotton balls, some fermented bread like yeast character. Funky, phenolics & esters provide a sharpness to the middle of this brew all the while coupling with a substantive astringency. A flavor that is reminiscent of tart grapefruit becomes more noticeable as the beer warms up and overall the beer becomes much rounder and balanced.

This is eminently drinkable, the extra carbonation and slightly greater complexity (especially in the aroma), make me understand why this is better rated than its partner. I am especially relieved to get a Gueuze with actual Gueuze like carbonation levels, though this one might have been a wee bit overdone. The carbonation really is such a defining characteristic of a good Gueuze as it helps to bring to life so much of the aromas and flavors of the brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2008 23:05:05 | More by Gueuzedude

mdfb79

New York

4.85/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

From 04/14/12 notes. I believe Thorpe429 brought this one and Brad brough the Roos, but it could be the other way around. Either way, huge thanks to both fo you for sharing these side by side at the sour tasting; they've been huge wants of mine for a very long time.

a - Pours a murky dark orange-brown color with one inch of white head and moderate carbonation evident. Little bit darker then the Roos.

s - Smells of sour fruits, barnyard funk, oak, earthy notes, citrus, hay, light spice. Ton of sour fruits, very nice nose.

t - Tastes of barnyard funk, sour fruits, sour citrus, lemons, hay, earthy notes, spice, fruity malts, bread. More funk then the nose and even more sour fruits; amazing taste. One of the best tasting gueuzes at the tasting and I've ever had.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Crisp and easy to drink; perfect mouthfeel.

o - Overall this beer blew me away; one of the best beers I had at the tasting and one of the best sours I've had in general. I think everyone preferred this one to the Roos; I found this one funkier and the Roos with a little more spice. An Awesome beer I really hope I can have again.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 15:44:28 | More by mdfb79

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I have to give a huge thanks to Chris Lively at Ebeneezers for this one. I don't think I ever would have been able to try it without him. These are coming from my notes that were scribbled a little half-assed as I was too busy drowning in the pure awesomeness of this beer.

A: Pours a cloudy hazy peach-like yellow amber colored with a very light head that fades very quickly.

N: Pure awesomeness. A slight yeasty earthy funk is there, slight Brett like nose that doesn't overpower anything, and knows it's role very well. A slight citrus and sour and tart fruit as well. A slight chardonnay grape like aroma too.

T: OH man, my own tongue is melting into itself with pure joy. The light sour and tangy fruit plays really well with the definite but still held in content funk. It's got a slight barnyard funk with a little yeast and dryness, but nothing overpowering. The slight sour/tart fruit flavors just dance so nicely on the tongue. A little citrus, touch of lemon and I think pink grapefruit, as well as that definite chardonnay wine, which also comes with some oak flavors. I've never had Roos, but from what I've tasted before this is the epitome of what a sour/wild/gueze should be.

M: Lighter body with decent carbonation.

F: It finishes strong but light at the same time, almost like a shell of itself. The nice wild funk flavors slowly fade off the tongue and leave behind the really nice sour tart fruit flavors, but less tart at this point. The dryness that comes with it really makes your mouth water and beg for more. WIth each sip I want the next sip more and more, until alas, I'm staring at my last sip (which was about 10 minutes of staring). Nothing bad on the finish, it finishes basically perfectly.

I really have to thank Chris again for this beer, it was just so amazing, lived up to all the hype. Best sour I have ever had by far. All the people in my party (two of us beer enthusiasts and two non typical beer drinkers) all love this thing to death. If only I could get a good supply of this beer, life would be perfect!

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2010 21:51:56 | More by jlindros

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Much thanks to hopdog for sharing this. We had side by side next to the Pink bottle...
Appears a hazy, light orange with streams of carbon dioxide quickly rising to the top of the white cap. Scattered streaks are left around the glass.
Smell is of tart lemon, punchy, ripe, tropical fruit, along with grapes fill out the flavors.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas, along with vanilla, citrus, pumelo, and caramel.
Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated with balanced feel(though somewhat acidic) all in a solid, medium body.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2008 02:20:41 | More by weeare138

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to Chad(cpferris) for getting the hookup so we could have this atbout epic sour tasting.

Pours a very mirky dark golden orange /light copper color with Pours a dark golden orange color with dark hazy ripe banana hues when held to a light source and an insane frothy, pillory white head with the best retention I've ever seen, coating the glass with chunks of soapy lacing.

Very musty funky aroma with lots of horseblanket, barnyard and cobweb. Very subtle dark fruit presence with a lot of lactic creaminess and tart vinous notes. Slight oaky tannis along with some vanilla, vinegar and dark fruit.

Very dry tart sour funky medium body that is amazingly puckering without being acidic. I thought that this would be really harsh and painful in my stomach but it is incredibly drinkable with a lots of crisp lift fruit notes, especially apple and vinous grape as well as a strong vinegary puckering aftertaste that leaves me salivating for more. Subtle lactic creaminess and a nice dark berry presence. I love this damn beer and wish that I could try it again. Highly recommended!

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2010 05:12:58 | More by corby112

HopHead84

California

4.7/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottle consumed on 7/30/2010, thanks! Opened carefully outside and only lost a few ounces. This was my second (third, if you count the chaos that was Woodshop 5.0) encounter with the beer and I enjoyed it a lot more this time around. I poured it and allowed it to sit for a while, enjoying it over 2-3 hours. The beer really opened up and when the carbonation died down a bit the flavor was incredible. The tannins were more restrained in this bottle, but it is still a very woody and tannic Gueuze. Enjoyed with a Danish Bleu Cheese, I don't know what could possibly be better.

+.5 Taste
+.5 Mouthfeel
+.5 Drinkability

Bottle Consumed on 11/6/2009 and poured into a snifter. I'd heard that this one was a gusher so we opened it outside. When we popped the cork, foam rose at a moderate pace but there was no gushing. The beer pours very carbonated with an enormous fizzy, off white, three finger head. Retention is excellent and scattered lacing is left behind. The color is cloudy dull sun orange.

The nose opens with a nice balance of funk and citrus. There's a moderate tannic quality in the nose with noticeable wood. The Brett is expressive, imparting a goaty character and notes of wet leather, cheese, musty barnyard, and wet horse blanket. There's a distinct white grape note accompanied by lemon peel and an earthy quality. These various elements are superbly balanced.

The flavor opens with tart lemon peel, white grape skins, and lactic notes. It's very woody with a tannic dominance. The flavor isn't as funky as the nose suggested, but there are subtle notes of wet leather and barnyard mustiness. Lactic sourness increases with warming. The finish is tart citrus with wood notes and unbelievably tannic and dry. This might be the most tannic beer I've ever had. It's definitely the most tannic beer I can think of off the top of my head.

The beer is spritzy with a dry, tannic mouthfeel that turns your mouth into a desert wasteland. I'm not sure what I was expecting from this beer. I really enjoyed the aroma, but the flavor fell short of my expectations. I found that the extreme tannic quality detracted from the overall enjoyment.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2010 00:02:35 | More by HopHead84

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.63/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a 1/2 finger of off-white head. Great retention. Leaves some lace. Color is a hazed golden orange. Active carbonation.

Aroma: Sour and funky with some oak. Has a fresh fruit profile with some sour lemon zest. Horse blanket and barnyard funk. I get a hint of grapes as well.

Taste: Wow, it is spot on. A perfect amount of acidic, funk, and fruit. I get blueberries with a big amount of oak. Lemon zest and citrus. It has a barnyard funk and hay with some horseblanket.

Mouthfeel: Fizzy, sour, and tart. Light to medium body with a good amount of carbonation. Ends clean with a light funk.

Overall, probably the best gueuze I have had. Very drinkable. I cannot believe how better this is as compared to others. Wow, it is crazy drinkable. I am very happy with this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2010 22:50:17 | More by mothman

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Ditmier opened this whale a while back... Eric... Thanks, but my appreciation knows no bounds on this one.

Pours hazy yellow... big eggshell head dies back leaving traces of lace.

Nose is lemony and chock full of dank brett aromas... much more lactic than acetic... honestly, no vinegar is noticeable... dusty funk... My nose is not ready/trained enough for this one.

Flavor is like a punch in the palate... tons of sour and funky stuff going on, yet is very elegant throughout... the barnyard plays a bigger role than on the nose.. dirty earthy funk sorta move quickly into a lemony blast... vinous... hints of other fruit (skins) ... tannic apricot and green apple skins.. tart and musty all at the same time on the long lingering finish...

Good carbonation on the tongue but looks sorta flat in the glass... drys out the mouth with every sip... yet every sip makes me want more... Wonderful.

I am amazed that I had the rare opportunity to try this one.... and try and enjoy it numerous times.... Thanks again to one of the best BA's out there.

4/4.5/4.5/4/5

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2010 07:26:20 | More by JohnGalt1

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

5/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I had the chance to enjoy this sublime beer again last weekend. Wow, OMG, wow! Just ridiculously amazing, this beer stood out among a phenomenal list of gueuzes, fruit lambics, and wild ales. I simply can't imagine a beer being any better.

***
Original review: 25 January 2010

Thanks Brad!

Tasted along with the J&J Roos.

A: Gorgeous. Hazy orange. Pretty lacing.

S: Hay, straw, barnyard funk, citrus.

T: Sourness, balanced to perfection. Subtle lemons, grapefruit, a touch of wood. This is a seriously complex beer and a work of art. The beer seeps into your cheeks with a fine warming sensation and the sourness nestles in beautifully. Every aspect of the taste is simply right on the money.

M: Smooth, no bitterness or sharpness. Acidity is spot on. Lasting finish. Perfect carbonation.

D: Goes down so easy. I could drink this all night. I hope I get to try this again someday.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2010 02:13:28 | More by Huhzubendah

largadeer

California

4.83/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

7/15/2010:

Tried this again and enjoyed it much more. Might be bottle variation, additional age, or just my palate changing, but the strong oak character was very enjoyable this time. Raising my scores accordingly.

11/11/2009:

4.5/4.5/4/4/4.5

Thanks for sharing this one, Shane.

This beer gushed forth from the bottle immediately upon uncorking, though we didn't lose any beer or injure anyone in the process of opening it. In the glass it's a cloudy copper color with an enormous head that's fed by massive carbonation. Head retention is outstanding, the beer was topped by a big fluffy white cap of foam for a good 15 minutes.

The aroma is lemony (rotting lemons, specifically) and funky as hell, wet straw and wet dog coming to mind. It's also very woody - overly so maybe - and sharply sour.

On the palate it opens with moderate lactic sourness, bitter orange peel and drying oak. Carbonation is high, almost champagne-like. Flavors of lemon rind, quince and green grape come out mid-palate. The sourness is nicely balanced by the wood, but the finish comes across as overly tannic, slightly astringent even, with lingering bitterness. While I enjoyed this quite a bit, I wouldn't say it's one of Drie Fonteinen's best.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2009 18:20:43 | More by largadeer

gford217

Georgia

4.83/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Massive thanks to Jan for sharing this rarity and what better bottle to celebrate Fathers Day and review #900.

The cork pops with some serious power and we have a gusher! Not much lost, but I'm glad I had a glass ready to go as the foam started pouring out. It's a hazy orange with an initial head that's taller than the beer in the glass itself. The head recedes slowly, leaves very good lacing and stays on as a bubbly collar for the duration.

The aroma is massive and jumps out of the bottle. It's all about the funk in the nose - a combination of mustiness and barnyard aromas that dominates the nose. There are lighter sour apple and tart lemon notes but the funk is the major player in the nose.

The taste is nothing short of sublime. It extremely complex but very well-balanced. It starts with a tart lemony zing but also has more sweet fruits than the aroma, with apples and pears. On top of that is a yeast presence that I didn't get in the aroma which lends a slight spiciness to the proceedings. The funk comes back and leaves a big dry and musty finish.

Mouthfeel is very dry and wine-like with tons of carbonation and lots of tartness and funk that leaves the palate tingling throughout.

Well, I've been late to the sour craze and I have struggled sometimes to get the complexity and overall quality of some of the funky beers I've tasted. I didn't have that problem here. This is probably the best sour I've ever had and, without a doubt, the best tasting. It's got everything you'd want in a good sour - tartness, funk, fruit and in all the right doses. Outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2009 23:27:42 | More by gford217

stcules

Italy

4.47/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Side by side tasting with the Roos.
Bronze color, a bit darker than the Roos. A lot of foam, maybe even too much, but beautiful.
The smell is a bit lighter than the Roos, but more murky.
Then at the taste, definitely intense. Leather. Definitely more prickly, more raw, but absolutely interesting.
The Roos is delicate, tart, but very smooth. This one is more male, intense, prickly.
Great couple.
Full mouthfeel. Less Spicy than the Roos.
Anyway, great beer.
And great drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2008 11:32:30 | More by stcules

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.6/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: The afternoon of Saturday 26th March 2005 was spent at the excellent De Heeren van Liederkercke. Whenever I get the chance to visit this most excellent of establishments, I drink only one style……traditional lambics.

So imagine my surprise when I managed to get a bottle of each of the Wedding Geuze that was produced for the marriage of the owners. A “His” and “Hers” Geuze so to speak, but better known as the Roos (Rose) and Blauw (Blue). As far as I know this is only available at De Heeren van Liederkercke and it is a Limited Edition, at least whilst stocks last.


The second of the bottles, which arrived at my table in one of the traditional whicker baskets along with a Drie Fonteinen Tumbler, was the “His”, listed on the bottle as the Blauw, or Blue, but moreover the label has a light Blue background with a painting of a naked Man’s groin on it, with nothing left to the imagination!

The Blauw is properly labeled “Geuze Cuvée Joost en Jessie” [the names being rotated in order on the Blauw from the Roos]. It is dated 6-9-2003, which is September 2003 as this is a Euro-style date. The Blauw is blended with older lambics; 1 year old Lambiek Lindemans and 4 year old Lambiek Girardin, which is then aged & matured in Oak Barrels. Unfiltered and Refermented in 750ml bottles, Cork and Caged. The label, apart from the striking nature of the naked Penis, also refers to “Brouwerij Ambachtelijke Gueuzestekerij”, not sure to what this pertains but I do know that this was blended by Drie Fonteinen, which is I guess why it was served with a 3-F Gueuze Tumbler!


Appearance: Dark amber-orange body with some copper bronze hints. Large dirty white head quickly fills the 3-F Tumbler. It settles with an appearance of bone sans marrow, complex chambers interconnect as the frothy head rescinds. Thicker and deeper than the Roos, the head remains ½” thick at all times in the 3-F Tumbler. Moderately carbonated, yet a gentle swirl captures the thick smattered lacing and reabsorbs it into the body of the brew. Looks better than the Roos, which was surprising as I expected the older lambics in this Gueuze to detract from the head, guess I was wrong. Smoother presentation than the Roos, the Blauw looks fantastic in the Tumbler.

Nose: As with the Roos, yet again, the nose impresses immensely, another treat. The oak is still prevalent but the overwhelming charge is of old musty barns. Some horse blanket funk but it is in the background. The foreground has some grapefruit, pineapple and a light lemon zest. A light cold tea hint finishes with some yeasty sourness. Minimal tartness, the damp wood sourness lingers heavy above the Blauw in the end.

Taste: Damp, dank woody grain splices the fruity pineapple chunks, sour grapefruit and sharp lemon zing, the latter citric character fades quickly. Musty wet horse blanket occupies the middle, citric lemon fades, as does the minimal tartness that briefly appeared. The sourness rules in the Blauw. Tannin fills the finish along with a soaking wet vinegary oak wood. Complex, it tells a story, but I feel the tastes are dominated by the 4 year old Girardin, which is not exactly a bad thing, but it lends a heavier feel to this Gueuze.

Mouthfeel: I suspect the 1 year Lindemans Lambiek ably supports both the appearance with the smooth head and the mouthfeel with its young zesty character. The young conditioning of the Lindemans Lambiek is nicely balanced against the older feel of the tannin and dry vinegary wood from 4 year old Girardin Lambiek. Solid.

Drinkability: Unquestionably a great Gueuze for sure, if I had the opportunity to drink this one all day, I would, but if it was a choice between the Roos and Blauw, I think I would opt for the Roos, for the Blauw lacks a little vivaciousness that the Roos has.

Overall: I noted that it was a rather steep €11 for the 750ml Bottle…..but you know what, this was worth every single Euro-Cent. Sadly, I could only get the one bottle of each (Blauw & Roos) of these, and I shared them both with friends at the Pub.

I shouldn’t really compare the Blauw to the Roos, but it is hard not to do so, given that they are a “pair of Gueuze’s” of sorts. The Blauw is undoubtedly superb and well worth the coin, but I’m not sure that this will age as well as the Roos will, but what I wouldn’t give for the chance to find out!!!

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2005 22:07:38 | More by TheLongBeachBum

jrallen34

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottle graciously provided by Eric, redeeming my De Heeren experience that left me speechless and without a drop of their special nectars. Sadly the beer itself didn't redeem my experience, maybe too high of expectations on my part but based upon the seasoned palate of Alex and Sean who shared that their previous bottle was much better, it might be high time to drink these bad boys up. Especially considering this beer was about a month old straight ouf of De Heeren where you presume they are being stored at proper conditions and not waste deep in a flooded basement or off site completely. But I digress(if you want the full store just bm me)....As everyone mentioned, be prepared when opening, highly carbonated. Golden pour with a decent amount of head, not as much as you would expect though, a good thing. Good retention and lacing...A decent nose of funkyiness but it its weirdly acidic and stale to me. Lots of oak was surprising, sterile in a weird way for me...Taste was slightly better but still a sterile presence to it, inhibited in some way. Oak, lactic, sour horse blanket. The right players are there, just not working completely. Don't get me wrong this is still an excellent beer, but I was expecting in the range of Loerik and it was more in the range of Oude Gueze Vintage. The taste is more of a 4.25 but just can't give it a 4.5.

A beer worth trying for sure but starting down the wrong side of excellent.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2010 23:55:32 | More by jrallen34

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I bought a few of these after dinner at De Heeren Van Liedekerke last month, now breaking out the first one. After popping the cork I'm surprised and relieved that it made it home in my luggage without exploding. Huge appreciation for Alex's suggestion to open it outside. While unscrewing the cage the cork started hissing, like a ticking clock in a bomb. A few more turns and it shot like a gun, it may well have flown 20-25 ft to the street, I never heard it land. No lost beer though, glasses at the ready to catch the foam that started pushing through.

This is a classic gueuze, pale golden color with an orange hue, first pours were the clearest while later pours had more haze. Huge foam on top, dissipation leading to some nice lacing.

It smells tart with all kinds of funk. Maybe a little more refined than the 2007 Oude Gueuze Vintage we had afterwards, but it's not far from splitting hairs. A little more integrated, maybe a tad metallic in the nose but whatever, I could not stop inhaling this. Looking for barrel notes I came up with light cedar, probably I'm wrong and that's from some other thing in the beer.

Nice sour bite, some musk and dank basement, all kinds of descriptors that don't sound positive but are. Less wood than in the aroma, less metallic notes, more barnyard funk and dirt. My notes from the Roos I had in October mentioned more citric character than I'm getting from the Blauw. Too bad I didn't try them back to back. A little spicy, but it might be the more than adequate carbonation bubbling on my tongue.

What more to add, if you get a chance to try this I recommend it. If the supplies diminish to the point that it becomes too difficult to land I recommend slightly aged 3F gueuze, both are world class with only small nuances between them.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 19:29:37 | More by TurdFurgison

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.85/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Shane, you're just too generous.

Clear orange with great clarity, a large white head caps this gorgeous beer. Retention is outstanding, lasting till the end of my glass about 45 minutes after the pour, leaving some lace.

When cool, the nose has perfect balance of funk and sourness. Lemons blended with wet hay and wet dog very harmoniously. Beautiful citrus is present, with a mild acidity. As it warms up, it becomes increasingly woody and tannic, along with the lemony character. The wood character is reminiscent of wet wood/ forest floor. Beautifully balanced, I get a touch of dried tobacco and some vanilla

The flavors open tart, puckering and mildly tannic, this is one of the few overtly tannic beers that I've enjoyed. Plenty of lemon and citrus up front along with a potent citrus acidity. Mild white grape character is present, though not as strong as in the Crianza Helena. Incredibly drying on the finish with a ton of drying, woody tannins. Plenty of bitterness akin to unripened grapes is present as well. While not as funky as the nose suggests, there's still a great, complex musty, wet hay character. Light in body with a very high carbonation that results in an airy feel, this beer is great. The finish, however, is a little too tannic and astringent than I like, but still, this is very very drinkable, and I'm grateful for the chance to try this.

Note: The flavor is almost a 4.5, so I compromised by upping the appearance to a 5 to have the final score better represent my overall impression of this beer.

Note 2: Having revisited this beer twice since my review, I'm upping my scores to reflect my opinion.

**Edit 26 March 2011**
I feel very lucky to have had this beer 4 times now, and it keeps getting better. To be more accurate, my palate keeps getting more appreciative of this beer. Side by side with the 2002 Oude Gueuze vintage, this isn't as bright, but otherwise, this is very close to the Vintage. A little more fruit, with some mild fruit, mildly peachy, mild granny smith apple, some vanilla. The palate is also quite close, with this being quite sour, woody and again, a little more vanilla and fruity, peachy character. Despite being less bright, the fruitiness is does add a lighter dimension to this beer. That said, this has a little more body, and is a little heavier with more tannins. Exceptional stuff. I'm upping my T and O/D scores by 0.5

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2009 00:13:30 | More by DefenCorps

hopdog

Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

750ml bottle acquired in a couple trades. Tasted side x side with the Roze.

Major gusher alert! This guy prematurely spewed everywhere. Poured a medium and cloudy orangish color with a large sized off white head.

Aromas of funk, musty, tart, and sour.

Tastes of tart green apples, sour, lemons, and just all around tart.

My description really doesn't do this one justice This one was very nice and puckering.

Notes from and tasted on 6/27/08.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2008 05:26:02 | More by hopdog

AgentZero

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Big props to TurdFurgison for bringing this one out at my Bachelor Weekend Tasting.

A - Huge head, apparently this beer exploded (luckily some knowledgable BA's knew to open this outside. Some dragging lace on the sides. Head dissipated quickly to a partial cap.

S - Grass and barnyard up front. Sweet notes, also very light.

T - Great barnyard funk and horse blanket. Nice hay and farm smell. Not always a fan of these, but this is outstanding. Very light and sweet, great funk.

M - Super smooth, no bite on the backend like I was expecting. I think this is actually the highpoint of this beer, the complete lack of harshness.

D - So easy, even with the tartness. This is a great beer, not quite mindblowing, but doesn't disappoint on the hpye.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2010 21:55:02 | More by AgentZero

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.65/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle enjoyed at De Heeren van Liedekerke, poured into a 3F Geuze glass (of course). Review #800.

A: Hazy orange body with a towering, frothy head of chunky off-white foam. Ok retention, terrific lace. I'd like it a bit clearer, but otherwise fantastic.

S: Cheesy, earthy funk starts things off, with herbal, floral, and dandelion notes delicately following. Bready malt and crisp, citric acidity round things out. Balanced, unique, and amazing.

T: Funk is up front, with terrific earthy, cheesy, mossy, leafy, barnyardy complexity. Big, fruity acidity follows, closing things out with a supremely long, lemony finish. Terrific, but not quite as complex as the ineffable aroma.

M: Soft medium body with delicate, light carbonation. Crisp + luxurious at the same time. Heavenly.

O: What a beer. I had this the day after enjoying 3F Oude Geuze from 1997 and 2001, as well as Armand'4 Lente, and would put Blauw slightly above the older vintages but still a bit short of the perfection represented by the newest blend. It actually reminded me of a blend of the 1997 and 2001, with the former's funk and the latter's delicate floral notes. Drinking this in the back yard of De Heeren, split with my best friend (who thoroughly enjoyed it, despite having been introduced to Geuze just the night before and not liking it at first), was definitely high on the list of my favorite beer moments ever. Absolutely delicious, absolutely unforgettable.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 03:24:51 | More by woosterbill