Oude Gueuze Tilquin à L'Ancienne - Gueuzerie Tilquin

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.71/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750ml green bottle purchased from Slowbeer in Melbourne. I'd tried the draft version of this in Belgium, and I was extremely excited to see the bottled version make it to our shores. Shared with my brother Sam.

Pours a clear orange hue with a fluffy white head that stays pretty persistently. Lacing streaks across the glass as the beer goes down. Body is light but vibrant, and the carbonation is pleasantly fine. It looks the picture of a gueuze.

Nose is wonderful, clean crisp apricot characters, sharp Gueuze-like pungent funk. Some of that classic overtone that reminds me of plastic, but which Sam just pointed out is also quite akin to roasted sesame. It's so classic, so fresh, so funky and so perfect. I love a good gueuze, and Tilquin is really pumping out the good gueuze.

Taste is everything I remember. Clear direct gueuze-like funk, solid but not overwhelming acidity, and more fresh apricot flavours which really provide some depth and structure to it. It's also light and crisp, with a sharp uptick in the acidity towards the end, which gives it a moreish bite that makes you want to take another sip. It's really, truly remarkably lovely.

Feel is crisp, bright and refreshing. It absolutely backs up the flavour and aroma in every way.

Overall, this is most definitely one of my favourite and certainly most drinkable Gueuzes. It's a style I love already, and when someone does it as well as this, I feel right in being effusive. This is just an absolutely fucking brilliant beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 06:31:25 | More by lacqueredmouse

ESPNman

California

4.49/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip glass. Relatively new bottle (best by 2022)

A - Pours a lazy, cloudy orange. Very little visible carbonation, resulting in a halfhearted foamy head that disappeared quickly, leaving little lacing.

S - Tart apple, fruit esters, a bit of funk, and some yeast. The nose is overwhelmingly sour, without smelling rotten or acrid. There's a decided lack of "off"-smell, for the amount of sour and tart that is present in the smell.

T - Much like the nose, this beer is bursting with juicy sour flavors. Grape, apple, and a bit of citrus dominate the taste. There's a hint of barnyard funk in there as well, but it's not a dominant flavor.

M - For the way the beer looks, the mouthfeel is surprising. It's lively, well-carbonated, and really lends to the overall experience of the beer. It finishes quite dry, and has a nice tangy aftertaste.

O - A near-perfect example of the Gueuze style. Sour, well-balanced, malty, and fruity. This is a great beer to start with if you're unfamiliar with the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 04:49:58 | More by ESPNman

jvillefan

California

4.53/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: A very slightly hazy golden yellow body with a one finger very white head that disappears very quickly.

S: There is a yeasty musty aroma. There is some tart bite with some sour apples.

T: There is a very dry apple and tart flavors. There is a pleasant amount of musty yeasty flavors that bring the gueuze together.

M: A nice body for a gueuze with some very nice and sharp carbonation.

O: Great gueuze and sour. Not the best but still well worth picking up if you can.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 05:57:08 | More by jvillefan

avalon07

South Carolina

4.26/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had an bright amber color and a hazy consistency. There was an inch of foamy head that lasted an average amount of time. Fair lacing.

S: A very nice aroma of fruit, malt, yeast, and a sour quality.

T: Tasted of citrus, apple, a little bit of malt, and Belgian yeast. Sour and tart, to be sure, but not overwhelmingly so. A focused and lively flavor.

M: A pretty good amount of carbonation with a vibrant finish. Medium-bodied.

O: This is a well made, easy to drink beer. Definitely one of the better gueuzes you'll find. Drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 22:29:01 | More by avalon07

srhoadsy

Florida

4.18/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured chilled into a fluted tulip

Pours a hazy blonde with an inch of airy white head that quickly recedes leaving no surface layer and very little lacing.

Aromas of sour green apple and spice.

Flavors of the afforementioned sour green apple along with lemongrass and some barnayrd funk from the yeast.

Light to medium bodied with a surprisingly crisp finish considering the lack of lacing.

Overall a well balanced and drinkable beer. Would definitely try again.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 01:28:33 | More by srhoadsy

IKR

California

4.43/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2011 Vintage

Appearance: Cloudy amber-yellow with a moderate white head that subsides to a thin white cap. Nothing to change here.

Smell: Upfront barnyard funk with some sour citrus, and grassy hay notes.

Taste: Grapefruit/citrus notes, hay notes, mild barnyard funk and mild black pepper notes come through in the taste. The beer finishes very clean.

Mouth-feel: Light to medium bodied with a fairly generous level of carbonation. A satisfying mouthful.

Overall: A very good gueuze in my opinion. I'll take this one over the majority of the gueuzes I've had with the exception of my favorite (Cantillon) and a few of the rarer, more expensive ones.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 04:30:34 | More by IKR

ColdPoncho

Ohio

4.31/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A - slightly clouded straw yellow body, nice and big white head.

S - Very pungent, sharp citrus, earthy notes, a touch of vanilla?

T - Tart, fruity, dry. Not too puckering, but there is a real intensity to the sour features.

M - Dry, smooth, and it attacks the tongue a bit

O - This is a really nice gueuze. I will buy more for cellaring and to get a better idea of it.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 03:05:48 | More by ColdPoncho

olfolxholme

California

3.95/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

39

375ml bottle into a Duvel tulip... 2011-2012 batch(?)

A - nice golden color, decent amount of head retention. a little lacing. kinda hazy, but that's ok.

S - pretty much what i was looking for. beautiful tart aroma from the wild yeast. reminiscent of fresh pungent citrus rind.

T - beautiful sour flavor with just a bit of golden malt sweetness. reminds me of sanctification from russian river. faint fruity notes. very drinkable.

M - very nice astringency. pleasing foam texture.

O - really enjoyed this. highly recommend it to fans of the style. i guess i'm still sort of a beginner when it comes to geuze, but i thought this was really accessible while still being sophisticated to my palate. shared this with a friend who is newer to geuze than i am and he said that the aroma was maybe too much for him, but it tasted great.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 01:53:46 | More by olfolxholme

jgammoniv

Maine

1.83/5  rDev -58%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25

Thin head. hazy amber gold with small chunks of floatsum.
Sour apple nose.
Green unripe apple bite. kumbucha backed up with cider vinegar.
Sour/bitter finish. very similar to eating very small green apples.
Instant hartburn. I don't think i can finish this beer. considering the only beer i dumped in the last couple years had shards of broken glass in it, that's saying alot. by far one of the worst 'great' beers i have had in a while. starting to wonder if every beer is c+ or better on beer advocate.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 05:22:29 | More by jgammoniv

LambicPentameter

Kansas

4.33/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Served out of a 12.7 oz bottle into a classic Belgian tulip glass. Best by date of sometime in 2021, so clearly this can be aged. Spoiler alert: based on how much I enjoyed it, I may buy some more to cellar and see how it changes.

Appearance - A cloudy apricot with hints of orange flesh highlights. The head is silky and comes on slowly to a mere 3/4th-finger head, which dissipates to just a quarter-finger head quickly and remains.

Smell - Aroma of pickled citrus, some phenols, and a hint of grains.

Taste - It starts out like a diluted citrusy taste, almost like watered-down orange juice, the it explodes with sour. If you could actually be smacked in the mouth by your beer, and in a good way, that is what happened to me. My mouth puckers and starts to generate saliva from the tartness. If you like really tart lemonade, then you'll probably like this beer too. I did.

Mouthfeel - Very intense and the only complaint I would have is that the carbonation needs to be a bit more aggressive to cut through how staggeringly sour it is. Otherwise a quite drinkable beer, and leaves a pleasant lingering aftertaste once the sour punch has faded.

Overall, a fantastic representative of the blended lambic genre.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 00:53:57 | More by LambicPentameter

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.1/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

375ml bottle opened on 1.24.13.
Best Before 05/03/2021

A - Pours a fizzy, clear light orange with an active cream-colored head that fades fast.

S - Funky, horseblanket, lemon citrus, old socks, light wheat.

T - Funky citrus, cheesey, horseblanket, tart, lemons.

D - Good carbonation with a light body. Dry finish.

O - All kinds of funk, citrus flavors smooth this one out.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 05:51:56 | More by HuskyinPDX

notchucknorris

California

4.63/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a slightly hazy apple cider color with a thin bone white head.

S: Tart green apple, pear, lemon curd, some slight barnyard funk, apple pie filling, rhubarb and some faint cedar on the back end. Smells pretty incredible.

T: Opens with a nice vinegar snap of tartness. Green apple and sour white grapes followed by a slight hint of grain and a very tart, lingering, slightly dry finish that leaves you wanting a lot more. Lemon comes in on the finish as well. Mouthfeel is light and the carbonation is pretty lively without being overwhelming. A pretty fantastic gueuze.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 21:21:10 | More by notchucknorris

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.35/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2011-2012 bottle, 12.7 oz. Best Before 21/03/2022

A: Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a short-lived head

S: Funky and slightly sour, with some sweetness and barnyard character. As expected, pretty much

T: Follows the nose. Starts off with a mix of tart and sour funk that goes into more of a barnyard character with some natural light sweet fruitiness. Finishes with more tart notes

M: Medium bodied with moderate-high carbonation

O: Pretty much what you would expect from a gueuze. The blending of the different worts definitely works, and provides some nice complexity and balance. Fairly averagely priced, too. Worth a try

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 03:25:30 | More by BEERMILER12

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.19/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2011-2012 version, best by 03/16/2022

The beer pours a cloudy orange-yellow with an effervescent white head that settles down into a thin blanketing. The nose is sweet and sour with a touch of tangy citrus. Its taste presents an initial sweetness which soon transitions into a potent, saliva inducing sourness, and finishes with a slightly herbal, champagne-like dryness. The herbal characteristic is so subtle I'm wondering if it's just my imagination... The beer is light bodied and drinkable with ample carbonation and sweetness to counter its immense sourness. Honestly, this beer gives cantillon and 3F a serious run for their money and for the price it is definitely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 01:55:56 | More by ThePorterSorter

MadScientist

New York

4.46/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: A light amber with good clarity and a lot of fine bubbles. The long lasting head is made of rocky off-white bubbles.

S: Moderately strong grapefruit hits your nose just after you pop the cork. Once you get it in the glass you can smell a balance moderate sour aroma with an earthiness. There is a light bit of rhubarb.

T: A clean refreshing, moderately-strong tart sourness that is in balance with the malt. There a light touch of honey and oak. The balance is pretty tart, although there are a few that are more sour. The finish is very dry with a linger grapefruit tartness.

M: A medium-light body with strong carbonation.

O: The beer initially makes your mouth water then dries it out. This is a well balanced Gueuze that is refreshing and tart.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 21:47:05 | More by MadScientist

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.48/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Bottle shared by Steve, 375ml into a tulip.

Clear orangeish, with a light white head, film of retention and some lacing. Nose of dill, lemons, green apples, grains, barnyard, sweaty socks and butthole (srs, but a clean one). Some earthy tones as well and light barrel. Taste has more lemons, apples, barn-y funk, acetic but sweeter malt character. Not as sour as I expected, and it's awesome for this. Medium high carbonation, and excellent balance. Awesome.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 18:33:16 | More by liamt07

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.99/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a vintage 2011-2012 bottle into a Kriek Belle-Vue tulip. Served around 55 degrees.

Appearance- Almost clear copper/red color with a half fingered foamy white head. Left leaving no lacing.

Smell- Incredible. Immediately I get vanilla (presumably from the oak aging), lemon, tobacco, some vinegar and earthy smells.

Taste- Lemon, tart apples, vinegar. Yeasty/ earthy flavors with a mild bitterness at the end.

Mouthfeel- Very carbonated. Tart mouth puckering actions.

Overall- This is incredible. Damn near perfect gueze.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 03:36:17 | More by Seanniek91

Hopbrizio

California

4.24/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a corked/caged bottle into a Bruery tulip glass. Let bottle warm slightly after taking out of fridge and pouring.

A - Light hazy golden orange with very little head (about a quarter finger, if that).

S - Apples, funky barnyard (that good stank), slight citrus.

T - More apples and other fruit, some vinegary sourness, some bitterness too that sticks around with finish.

M - Smooth and good carbonation. Sour and bitter.

O - Very drinkable gueuze. Solid, true to form, and accessible.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 09:02:28 | More by Hopbrizio

popery

California

4.4/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2011 bottle. Pours a pale, orange-shaded gold color. Quite cloudy. Small white head, lots of little bubbles. Aroma has lots of earth, sour lemons and a pleasant mineral tone. Lots of musty fruit - apples, berries, grapes. Medium vinegar and oak. Taste is sour lemons upfront, then some fruity malt flavor and back to more sourness that follows through into a long-lasting finish. Fairly dry. Solid pucker. Nice tannic oak flavor. Mouthfeel is a light sparkle on top of a relatively full body for a lambic. This is an excellent beer, and it's wonderful to have another traditional lambic brewer available in local stores. I hope to see more lambics available from Tilquin in the future.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 04:44:54 | More by popery

Offa

California

4.14/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This is an excellent, characterful gueuze, although a bit more on the sour/tart citric side and weaker on the earthy side than my favourites.

Slightly hazy deep gold, it has a med-big off-white head slowly shrinking to frothy ring.

Aroma is wonderful gueuze character, rich rustic fruit, fermented apples and plums, hint of vinegar, pungent bread dough and flowers.

Taste is juicy citric character, but not too tart or sour but almost, some grassy herb bitterness, lightly tart/bitter fruit skins. It needs more rustic earthiness, though, to be truly great in my book. It has a nice, engaging and lively feel.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 19:07:29 | More by Offa

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

4.08/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Momar42 for all three gueuzes (and the kriek surprise afterwards!) This was part of the gueuze showdown, pitting Tilquin's gueuze against the juggernaut duo known as Cantillon Gueuze and Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze. Part of a 750mL bottle poured into a Cantillon tulip. Notes from last night's Skins/Cowboys game.

A: Pours a cloudy dark amber color. The head is a one finger white shade, with the best texture and retention of the three.

S: Tons of tartness, a lesser white wine-esque fruitiness, and some buried earthy funk. The most seemingly sour of the three.

T: First thing that comes through initially is the combination of pear/apple esters and white wine tartness. The tart sourness breaks through more aggressively through the midtaste, while the finish is mild brett funk. Out of the three, this was the most sour, the least earthy - and the least subtle. Certainly a nice beer, however.

M: Super dry and puckering. Lots of carbonation, too. It lacks the delicate touch of the Cantiloon/3F gueuzes, though it's softer than, say, a run of the mill Flemish red.

O: It's a nice sour ale. I wouldn't call it beginner friendly at all, though, due to the tartness. I would point fans of Flanders sours to this one, however. Shame it had compete against the two titans of the style - even though it came in third in the gueuze showdown, I reckon it would be superior to any other gueuze on the market (not from Cantiloon or 3F, that is).

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 16:58:21 | More by ThisWangsChung

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.95/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Part of the epic nine gueuze lineup a few days back. Too bad only Doopie was around to see it. Got this one at De Bierkoning in Amsterdam.

From a 37,5cl corked and caged bottle into a snifter.
Vintage: 2010-2011
Best before 4 March 2021

APPEARANCE: Pours a small, one finger, medium-thin, white head with good retention. Fades to a good foam cap. Hazy gamboge orange, though more amber when held to the light, with medium levels of carbonation. Head fades to a decent cap that sticks around for the ride.

SMELL: Funky for sure, with lots of lemon and green apple tartness. Light cheese notes, with plenty of green grapes and white wine on the nose. Very acidic as well.

TASTE: Funky notes with plenty of tart lemon, green apples and pears. Very sour, sporting a heavy green grape and white wine flavors through the middle into the finish. Acidic and very vinegary after the swallow, with plenty of sour white wine, tart lemon and apples, and plenty of puckering sourness. Hints of floral bitterness as well, but this is all about the acidity, vinegar, and tart estery sourness.

PALATE: Medium body and medium levels of carbonation. Smooth on the palate, goes down fine and finishes slightly dry and puckering.

OVERALL: This was a good and challenging gueuze, thought the vinegar and acidity was perhaps a touch too much to really make it an enjoyable drink. A full bottle might be rough. That said, this was one of my favorites of the evening, and is definitely more my style. It also mixed really well with the Cantillon once I started belnding myself. Well worth checking out. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 19:48:33 | More by Jeffo

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

375ml corked and caged bottle poured into tulip 15/12/12

A hazy golden orange liquid with lots of tiny bubbles and a thumbs width of fast falling foam, looks like its glowing, just a few spots of lace

S smells like a dried up field with some earth and dried hay and grass, quite funky with some lemon and wet wood, there's some orange marmalade without the sweetness, I'm liking the earthy funk it works very well

T quite tart and sour, more sour lemon and a little less of the funk, some cereal and its very dry, I preferred the nose but it still tastes pretty good

M has quite the pucker to it, quite sour and pretty slick, pin prick bubbles work well and it almost turned my mouth inside out, works well for the style

O nice sour going on here, I love the smell and don't have anything to complain about elsewhere

not cheap but not ridiculous, I might grab a few more for trading and aging depending on what hits the market here in Alberta as I've already spent my beer budget for the year... next year that is

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 07:21:32 | More by wordemupg

cbeer88

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Tasted blindly in Blind BIF #7 as 1 of 5 gueuzes. Poured into snifter.

A: Golden, small head, more cloudy than others, spotted lacing

S: Hay dominates, wheat, lemon, and funk

T: Very sour, citrus flavor, wheat on backend.

M: Medium bodied and medium carbed.

O: Great gueuze. Very tart, but still nicely balanced and complex. This beer was a close 2nd place in the blind tasting of the 5 gueuzes.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 04:18:16 | More by cbeer88

tehzachatak

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

375 mL 2012 bottle poured into my Allagash chalice. bottle definitely gets a little angry when i open, not QUITE a gusher though.

A - pours a translucent orange-gold with a couple finger of fluffy head that recedes a bit but still hangs on pretty well.

S - get a lot of orange, lemon, and green apple in the nose, a little bit of barnyard funk (but not very much - this is not a particularly stinky gueuze), and a little bit of straight acetic acid...

T - really nice sourness with a lot of what seems like lacto. very dry. some very light apricot/stonefruit notes. some dried citrus peel flavors, with a little pithy bitterness. minerally/briny notes toward the end, in a really wonderful way.

M - mouthfeel is nothing short of perfect. incredibly perfect carbonation, body is somehow not too thin despite how dry the beer is. incredibly quaffable.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 01:26:24 | More by tehzachatak