Zoetzuur Flemish Ale - De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)

shbobdb

Indiana

3.38/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

After experiencing some members of the Flemish Primitive series, I was expecting this beer to be funky-as-hell.

Raised expectations caused the French Revolution.

I guess my problem is that when I think 'Flanders Red' I think of Rodenbach Grand Cru and La Folie -- two incredibly acidic, nail-polish remover-like beers as opposed to the softer offerings such as Monk Cafe and Duchess. This beer definately belongs to the latter catagory.

Why is that bad? Well, the Flanders Red is supposed to be a very quaffable, thirst-quenching style but this beer sits in an awkward sweet-sour area. There is enough malt flavour present to be sweet and not enough acid to create a crisp, clean finish. So, instead you get a wishy-washy undecided ending to the beer that lingers and lingers.

Neither the malt nor the acid managed to really find a quorum and instead the beer sits in an strange limbo between the two. Perhaps if some hops were included to help balance out the fight, or if one side were simply allowed to 'win' that would be OK.

I like sour beers, I like sweet beers . . . but this half-and-half isn't to my liking.

To make matters worse, the mouthfeel is strangely cloying, so I can't really even say this beer is an easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2006 06:05:41 | More by shbobdb

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.38/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle sampled on 09/26/08 at Night of the Funk. Pours a clear orange/brown with a small white head. Aroma of light tartness and melon and other sweet fruits. Flavor is tart with a bitter finish and also some stale wheat malt. Just kinda meh. Not terribly bad but not something I'd seek out again.
7/4/7/3/14 (3.5/5)

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2008 19:50:58 | More by LilBeerDoctor

pinotboy007

Virginia

3.43/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Root beer-like color with a decent antique white head that fades slowly with some modest lacing; very attractive Flemish ale.

S - Sour red fruit with barnyard-like aroma and a tinge of what I would call pewter, but not in a negative way. Unique.

T - Off sour cherry/wine as if this ale had been aged in a barrel that used to hold red wine. Has a nice malt backbone.

M - Light fizz mingles with the creaminess in a nice but refreshing way.

D - With food - absolutely. I'm thinking venison or some sort of meat that has a fruit-laden reduction sauce. Drinking it solo isn't really inspiring for me, but to each his own!

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2008 22:10:12 | More by pinotboy007

RoyalT

Ohio

3.45/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance –The head here was off-white and about a half-inch high on an easy pour. It sat on a very dark, almost brown liquid body.

Smell – The sharp yeasty sourness sticks the nose sharply. It smells like pure lemon in there with a tad of malt.

Taste – The lemon isn’t as big on the tongue as it is in the bouquet, but it’s pretty hefty. The malts are lightly-toasted but not bready in any way. It’s more of a barley-type of flavor.

Mouthfeel – The exciting carbonation and light body in the mouth help the flavors along nicely.

Drinkability – This was fun to drink, but a one on one with a bomber of Zoetzuur is asking a lot of the palate.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2006 03:11:40 | More by RoyalT

champ103

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Pours an opaque ruby/brown color. A one finger tan head forms. Some sticky lace is left behind.
S: A sweet fruity aroma. Some cherries and apples with funky barnyard aromas. A light dry, wood aroma.
T: This is very sweet and tart. Cherries and apples that follow the nose. As this warms up, the tartness/sourness mellows out a bit.
M/D: A medium body, but over carbonated. A little thin. Dry. The sweetness, tartness and alcohol are a bit much. Its hard to finish the 750 ml bottle.

This is interesting, but just does not do it for me. Fairly simple for the style, and not very subtle. This is not my favorite De Proef offering.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2009 20:14:16 | More by champ103

cocoapuph

California

3.48/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had a hard time uncorking this one... poured a rich ruby red-copper color with a thick head. Smelled of tart cherries and grapes. A hint of raisin and sugar sweetness comes through. Almost sunblock smelling too.

Tasted of tart cherries and a bit of metallic flavors. A little nit of coconut and vinegar come through as well. Mouth feel was tangy and smooth.

Decent but definitely had better. May drink again if given a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 03:04:07 | More by cocoapuph

kojevergas

California

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml brown glass bottle with hood and wire cap over a cork served into a Guinness goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are high given the style and to an extent the brewery. I know Mikkeller brews at De Proef a lot, and I'm quite fond of his work, but I do think that this brewery might be a bit too scientific and clinical to pull off a proper sour.

Served refrigerator cold and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a 1.5 finger head of some limited cream, pretty good thickness, and great retention for the above average ABV. Colour is nontransparent non-opaque caramel-red. Generally appealing, but far from ideal for the style. No floating yeast particles are visible - perhaps due to the nontransparency.

Sm: Brett yeast - lending it some complex funkiness, other yeast, some cream, hints of bacteria, and tart fruit. A moderate strength aroma. Both complex and subtle. I'm excited to try it; it's certainly alive. I'm hoping the taste lives up to the promise of the aroma.

T: Pleasant cream opens it up to the nicely brett-laden flavour profile, complete with bacteria, tart cherry, and yeasty notes that manage to add complexity and a light spicy character without feeling overly biscuity. Cream resurges on the climax. The cherry juice might mute the profile a bit; it feels a bit timid. No alcohol comes through - not a bad feat given the 7.00% ABV. Balanced nicely. I'd like it to trust its flavours more and really bring the boldness, but it's pretty mellow - to its detriment. Complex, layered, and subtle. The malts don't come through hardly at all even as an aspect of the foundation, which I think is to its benefit but also lends it a certain emptiness that detracts from the body; consequently it comes off a bit weak and not nearly as full-bodied as I'd like.

Mf: Light on the palate, delicate, and silky smooth, with some cream throughout as an undertone. Perfectly carbonated. It's thin, but this strangely works for the beer. That said, it just doesn't have a strong impact on the palate, a characteristic amplified by its weak body.

Dr: Very drinkable, especially for the relatively high ABV. I could easily drink this all night - and would want to, if not for the somewhat limited quality and high price. I had high hopes for this beer and while it didn't meet them, I wouldn't call it a disappointment. I wouldn't purchase it again without some age on it, but I might recommend it to fans of this specific style. As sours go, it's far from exemplary.

Drank fine out of me goblet.

Would pair well with a vinaigrette black olive salad.

High B-

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 07:15:52 | More by kojevergas

dnichols

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I poured a 750 ml caged and corked bottle into a challis. The bottle label asserted that this was a “brew master’s reserve.”

A: It poured a bright strawberry red with a dark tan head of about half a finger. The head receded shortly after the pour resulting in a modest layer covering the beer and collaring the glass. There was a moderate lacing that followed the emptying of the glass.

S: When I popped the cork there was the distinct aroma of caramels and sweet roasted malts. As I began to sample the brew I picked up the aroma of sweet cherries, tart raspberries, and sour green apples.

T: Wow..the first sip was quite a surprise. I was not expecting the dominate taste of sweet and sour fruit. The fruity flavor is followed and complemented by a smoky earthy taste that adds character to the fruits. There is a tangy almost citrusy flavor toward the back end and this is the dominant aftertaste.

M: Medium bodied with a zesty fruity sweetness. A citrus aftertaste that is both sour and sweet.

D: This is a good one and out brew that is entertaining, interesting, but too fruit heavy to drink more than one in a session.

Comment: I enjoyed the experience but doubt I will purchase this brew again. I enjoy the Flemish Ales but this one strained my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2007 01:44:50 | More by dnichols

meeekyh

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a fin du monde glass.

Really nice head and amber-ruby color. Lacing abounds as the head dissipates.

The smell is tangy cherry and apricot and funk.

Tangy, tangy. I have not tried this style before but it reminds me of a lambic with its tartness and acid tang. There is a bit of sweetness and tart cherry seems to predominate the palate.

Mouthfeel is thin and light. Finish is dry.

I would say not the most drinkable thing out there due to the acidic nature and dryness in the finish.

Not too bad. I expect it reflects the style and that I will be trying more of the same as the chance arises.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2010 05:17:10 | More by meeekyh

SFLpunk

Vermont

3.55/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Shawn Dunn for this one!

750mL brown glass fake-cork finished. No date.

Appearance: A medium reddish brown with thin bone-white head.

Nose: Cherry skins, raw beef, leafy veg, plum.

Palate: Low carbonation, moderately tart (not sour) up front, but swings to slightly sweet with flavors of dried berries and dates. There's a brightness that comes from that "redeeming" sweetness. Lots of sweet and sour cherry notes. Medium-length finish shows a little, tiny, inkling really of that "funky" texture.

Notes: A nice, very drinkable "sour" beer. The texture is smooth and round, not overly funky, not really sour, just tart. Nicely made, not great. Might drink again if the chance arises.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2009 01:22:54 | More by SFLpunk

mlazzaro

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Hazed rose hued body with fluffy white head. Decent head retention. Somewhat larger sized bubbles here and there and very bizarre looking lacing. Yeast at bottom of bottle. Light on carbonation. Smells like cherries (sweet). Slight lactic yeast/bacteria to the smell. Mild aroma.

Flavor is very fruity. Cherry juice is still a touch sweet. Tastes very young. It does have a sourness to it, distinctly Brett. flavors. Super mild though. Malt character is light, what is there is caramelized malts. Bitterness is suiting to the rest of the beer. As advertized sweet and sour flavor. Mouthfeel is mild on acidity and light-medium bodied.

I was a little disappointed at first because I like outrageously sour beers. This is way drinkable, just very tame for my palate. Might be a good beer for folks gettin' their toes wet with sour beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 01:18:35 | More by mlazzaro

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.58/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Split a 750ml with my wife.

A: Beautiful ruby color with a whipped meringue head that lingers for several minutes, leaving big lacing. Awesome appearance!

S: Sweet cherries and wild yeast, definitely in that order

T: SWEET! sour. This is beer is much sweeter than it is sour. I was really expecting and hoping for a better balance between the two. Sweet cherries and cherry juice dominate the flavors, so much so that I feel I may be missing out on other complexities in this beer. There is only a hint of sourness, along with a yeasty, bread-like quality. The flavor is tasty and done well, but heavily favoring sweet cherry.

M: Sweet and smooth. Average feel.

D: I couldn't even finish my glass. The sweetness becomes very cloying, and quickly.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2010 03:54:35 | More by Huhzubendah

RockyTopHeel

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy red-brown with a thin, beige head. Aroma is sweet and sour.

Decent sourness up front, with a sweet, cloying element. I was pretty excited for this beer, and it leaves a bit to be desired. Not enough sour, too sweet, and no real complexity.

I like it fine, but I don't think I'll be making a return trip.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2008 23:54:59 | More by RockyTopHeel

Rayek

Colorado

3.6/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This deep garnet beer was had back to back with Duchesse De Bourgogne. It didn't hold up that well against what I consider to be the benchmark for this style, but is decent in own right.

The cherries in this carry the sweetness burden, along with some raisins and currants. Bitterness is mild and peppery. Overall the flavor comes across a bit thin to me. Like most beers of this style, I'm getting a red wine message that I like quite a bit.

If I hadn't drank this against Duchesse, I probably would have liked it more. Overall it's nice, but not great.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 04:03:45 | More by Rayek

magictrokini

California

3.65/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle. Pours reddish amber with a thick cream-colored head. Aroma of apples and cherries, with some stinky cheese. Taste vastly improves as the beer warms. Cherry, caramel, and malt up front that turns sour quickly when cold, but smoothly when warmer. A tart, sweet finish. Definitely a sipper.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2008 22:59:49 | More by magictrokini

vandemonian

Maryland

3.65/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Zoetzuur has a cloudy red-amber colour and a a huge foamy head that lasts forever. It has a strong smell of sweet cherries and hops.
The strongest taste is the sour cherries and some hops. There is a good balance between the maltiness and the hops though. Fruity alcohol and sourness was evident in the aftertaste. There is very little carbonation so it was a little flat in the mouth. As I drank more of this, the sourness became too strong.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2010 01:29:19 | More by vandemonian

BeerImmediately

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

25oz into Dupont widemouth glass.

Murky, cloudy brown body with just a faint off-white film. Quite still.

Aromas are great - lots of sweetness, with notes of brown sugar, cinnamon, candied cherries, and a fair amount of spice. Decent amount of red wine vinegar in the finish.

Flavors unfortunately end up being a bit of a disappointment after that aroma. Dull, overripened dark fruits - plum primarily. Lots of sweetness from the aroma, and has a fair amount of earth/dirt and funk. Gym sneakers come through as it warms. Could've used a bit more vinegar quality.

Mouthfeel is pretty dull, but not off the mark. No carbonation, and just a slight pull on the palate.

Overall, this one was a bit too sweet for my liking, but is a decent representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 00:33:45 | More by BeerImmediately

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.65/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip. 2012 vintage. Lovin' the classy synthetic cork.

4.5 A: Hazed plum color. Three fingers of pillowy pinkish tinted white head. Retention is very good and tons of lacing is left.

4.0 S: Holy shit! This is now the second beer I've had that smells just like Pez candy. The other one was a winter warmer. There's some funk underneath, but this is dominated by the Pez. No need to describe this any further.

3.5 T: While the nose was straigh up Pez, the taste is like Pez flavored beeer. Pez dominates giving a pleasant fruity, sugary sweetness. There's much more funk than in the nose. Barnyard notes with apple and apple orchard funk. Definitely more sweet than sour. There's just a touch of acetic with more lactic acid presenting. In any case, not bad.

3.5 M: Lighter to lighter medium body. Carbonation level is fine, but it's not as spritzy or as creamy as I'd like.

3.5 D: Decent beer. Nothing to write home about though. It costs about as much as Rodenbach, though, so I don't see a reason to buy this one again.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 22:21:39 | More by DavoleBomb

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at The Map Room in Chicago. Cloudy dark copper, with some red hues. White fluffy head disappears quickly, however it did leave behind some very nice lace.

Sour berry, leathery, earthy and horsey aroma. Pretty complex here.

Not overly sour, but tart. Lots of fruits and berries. A bit of grain following. Sweet, but well balanced. Not much bitterness, just a bit of earthy flavor at the end.

Light to medium body, with a good amount of carbonation. Very easy to drink, but still a bit complex. Nice.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2007 01:17:53 | More by Bierguy5

Patrick

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: A deep brown/ murky red color with an off white head that leaves quite a bit of bubbly lacing.

S: I only get a bit of cherries and acetic acid on the nose, and not much else. Pretty lackluster.

T: Not much acidity at all, very disappointing. I was expecting a Flanders Red Ale not an Oud Bruin. A malty sweetness lingers after the initial and brief taste of vinegar. The after taste is that of cherries.

M: Pretty dry, well carbonated, almost bread like aftertaste.

D: I could drink this beer easily, but if I wanted something of this style I am going to drink Rodenbach Grand Cru before this. Rodenbach is cheaper and tastes a lot better.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2008 23:05:07 | More by Patrick

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

750ml corked & caged bottle poured into a chimay goblet twice. picked this up at state line not to long ago.

A- Zoetzuur is a dark red color with rusty qualities bordering on brown. A 1/2 finger off white sticky head comes forth with some moderate lacing. A bit more head retention would be nice.

S- A mix of sweet and sour goodness. I'm getting a lot of sour cherry and apples and barnyard funk. Other fruits such as raspberries come to mind. some oak and vinegar as expected.

T- The huge apple taste in this flemish is in the forefront with sour cherries to follow. Oak and wood follow with a touch of plum. I'm picking up some sweet malt(very slight) with the more prevelent vinegar bland taste. Some spices emerge as the beer warms and the sourness develops further.

M- A tad thinner that i'm used to and could use some work. Over all this is pretty mellow with good carbonation. The flavors do not stick around forever making it an easy drinker even though it's not my favorite flanders red.

D- Pretty good drinkability on this even though i was not too impressed by it. The flavors were there but the over all vinegar blandness keeps me from loving it. A thicker mouthfeel would of helped smooth things out. I probably would have enjoyed this more in the spring. One bottle is plenty.

Overall a good job by De Proef but not mindblowing, a good choice to introduce a newbie to the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2009 05:37:44 | More by onix1agr

froghop

Washington

3.68/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

pours a cloudy brown with a red tint, a small off-white head, and some lacing.

smell is of sour malt, wild yeast, a touch of caramel, and spice.

taste is sour, wild yeast, fruit, and some caramel, ends nicely tart, and dry.

overall a nice red ale, maybe more of a sour ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2010 00:18:15 | More by froghop

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.7/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

25.4oz bottle picked up at the Village Pump in College Park a while back. Into my trusty Duvel tulip

A: The first pour is a gorgeous clear crimson with a dense beige head with excellent retention that leaves some lacing as it slowly recedes

S: Sweet and fruity (cherries) with a good deal of bready notes. Doesn't smell very sour at all. Oak is subtle. Not very complex.

T: Light bodied, this beer starts off with fruity with cherries and red plums before developing a mild acetic sourness. Oak is present with a definite woody presence. The finish is a mixture of dry and sweet.

M: Carbonation is great and the mildly tart finish make for a very refreshing beer. Unfortunately, it's a little watery on the finish.

D: This is fairly drinkable and I'm enjoying this.

Notes: This is a good beer in its own right but in the past two weeks, I've had decidedly better beers, the Ommengang Rouge and Rodenbach Grand Cru. This doesn't stack up too well against them, though.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2008 20:40:57 | More by DefenCorps

TVolt1

Minnesota

3.7/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: reddish brown with small amount of white head.

S: Great cherry wine smell. Very sweet and sour and excited to try it.

T: OK taste. Little funky tasting with a cherry flavor. Wanted it a little crisper and sour.

M: OK medium mouth feel but not as bubbly/crisp as I would like

O: overall, I have had better but not terrible.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 02:48:23 | More by TVolt1

vobr0002

Minnesota

3.7/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- reddish brown with good head that fades quickly.

S- sour cherry, Brett funkyness, some sweetness.

T- cherry fruit flavor, little bit of sourness, getting a slight amount of sweet.

M- lighter feel with a medium amount of carbonation.

O- its a decent beer but I like a bit more sour.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 02:51:12 | More by vobr0002