Girardin Gueuze 1882 (Black Label) - Brouwerij Girardin

SaucyA

Michigan

4.3/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Into a big snifter... this brew pours a beautiful hazy golden orange with ample bubbles. The head dissapates rather quickly into a foamy crown. No lacing.

S - Fantastic. Sour yeast, sour fruits, unripe fruit. The fruit aisle of a super-market... complete with the slightly rotten, overripe affects. Metallic, mineral undertones. Not as funky as I may have been led to believe.

T - Rather tart throughout, but not overly so like some other offerings. Bathes the tongue in sour apple/lemon, all together, but none in particular. Very acidic and dry. Oak BARELY comes through... much different than JP or Rodenbach oakiness.

M - Slightly thicker body, sparkly carbonation but not a ton of it. Expected it to be lighter from the looks but definitely has character to it. For 5% abv, it's no slouch in the mouthfeel department.

D - Tartness the only limiter here. I could put down a few of these and not really notice anything except the mouth-puckering sourness.

Notes: It's exactly what I had anticipated and hoped, and for the price, it's a really solid gueuze. One I'd definitely pick up if I wanted to introduce someone to the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2008 20:09:46 | More by SaucyA

beerloverofbham

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

06-11-2013 16:34:13 | More by beerloverofbham

JammyV

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

06-10-2013 23:30:57 | More by JammyV

JRdaSconnie

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

06-10-2013 11:27:36 | More by JRdaSconnie

jdklks

Nevada

4/5  rDev -7.2%

06-08-2013 15:04:44 | More by jdklks

AdamP

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

06-06-2013 15:56:55 | More by AdamP

JellyJacket

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -13%

06-05-2013 17:16:14 | More by JellyJacket

DRBiser

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

06-04-2013 15:57:52 | More by DRBiser

Dactrius

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -13%

06-03-2013 01:37:56 | More by Dactrius

maxwelldeux

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -7.2%

06-03-2013 01:06:25 | More by maxwelldeux

acurtis

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

06-02-2013 02:10:39 | More by acurtis

djrn2

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

06-02-2013 01:59:43 | More by djrn2

Anonymous1

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

06-01-2013 04:39:38 | More by Anonymous1

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Beer is clear golden with a good-sized snow white head. Lots of bubbles zipping up through the beer. Good retention.

As gueuzes go, smell is only lightly funky, but is very nice. A bright lemon scent mixed in with some funky barnyard. Some other fruit scents (apple). I think this is fairly young which may explain the low funk level, but despite that it is quite a nice nose.

Taste is similar to the nose. Very nice, but not super tart or funky. Again, likely because it is fairly young. Nice funky flavours, tart lemon, yeast and oak. At least at this age, a very balanced gueuze. Quite dry on the finish. Yum.

Medium bodied, strongly carbonated but in a very gently way- small champagne like bubbles. A bit puckery.

Overall, very good, but I am sure it gets better with some age. Look forward to trying it again in some time. Anyway, still a really nice gueuze at this stage!

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2013 01:48:49 | More by jrenihan

inlimbo77

Delaware

4/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

375ml, 2013
HF wine glass

A: Cloudy yellow orange color. Half finger of bright white head. Nice little pop on cork. Good carbonation still (young Lambic). Leaving some lacing.

S: First and foremost, you smell that barnyard funk. Lemon. Crisp white grape. Acidic notes.

T: Tip of the tongue, you get that prickle of tart acidic sourness. It's not as mouth puckering as I was expecting. Getting some of that tart lemon that you pulled off the nose. Sort if falls flat in the middle to back end of the palate. Finish us as expecting, nearly bone dry. Still some sweetness. This could stand for more cellaring.

M: Lighter side of medium.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2013 14:46:14 | More by inlimbo77

notchucknorris

California

4.48/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Gave this a try at Toronados the other day.

A: Slightly hazy golden in color with a bone white head.

S: A big blast of cheesy funk right away. As that fades, some notes of oak, lemon, vinegar, tart red cherry and light spice begin to emerge.

T: Starts a touch sweet, almost like a lemon hard candy. Then hits with a good punch of sourness, funk and vinegar. Finish brings some vanilla, lemon curd and green apple. The flavors are really well balanced and, despite the smell, this is far less funky than a lot of gueuzes out there. Really tasty stuff.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2013 14:27:12 | More by notchucknorris

mtrog313

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

05-27-2013 23:34:40 | More by mtrog313

SocalKicks

California

4/5  rDev -7.2%

05-27-2013 07:11:47 | More by SocalKicks

lpayette

Vermont

4/5  rDev -7.2%

05-25-2013 22:09:55 | More by lpayette

jtladner

District of Columbia

3.5/5  rDev -18.8%

05-25-2013 11:38:34 | More by jtladner

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

05-21-2013 18:54:55 | More by Slatetank

HardyGeneraL

Netherlands

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

05-21-2013 12:23:28 | More by HardyGeneraL

Jordantb313

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

05-21-2013 04:15:03 | More by Jordantb313

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.05/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Picked up a 2013 bottle in DC

The beer pours a hazy golden yellow-amber with a thin, loose white head that dissipates down into a white halo without lacing. There appears to be ample carbonation without much visible sediment. The nose is mildly sour, non-skunky, with a very slight fruitiness reminiscent of tart cherries. The taste is just as mild mannered and drinkable as the nose packing in an initial malty, grainy sweetness, some back-end funk, and finishes with a semi-dry, tart, bitterness. This is certainly one of the most drinkable gueuzes I've had, and I'm liking how approachable and balanced this is compared to some of the funk-bomb gueuzes I'm used to drinking. Its mouthfeel is initially sweet, well carbonated, slightly funky and bitter in the finish. As the beer warms it packs in a bit more bitterness in the finish, which contributes to the beer's crisp, refreshing mouthfeel. I'm impressed with this $10/375mL shelf-gueuze over Hanssens and Tilquin alternatives and due to its superior drinkability. However, I'm not sure I'll try too hard to acquire more bottles (i.e. trade for more). If it were available in my area I'd gladly indulge.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 00:41:54 | More by ThePorterSorter

nataku00

California

4/5  rDev -7.2%

05-19-2013 18:20:09 | More by nataku00