Zoetzuur Flemish Ale - De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)

DoubleJ

California

2.9/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Let's go sweet and sour tonight. On to the beer:

Poured into an oversized wine glass, this beer features a clouded light brown/tanned color. Average head retention, with polka-dot lacing sticking to the glass initially. The beer has both that sweet and sour aroma. Strawberries and caramel is the best way to put it. The grain is a little bit musty.

Very mild flavor. The flavor intensity on this one is very low to my surprise. There is a touch of that vinegary sour flavor, but it's not going to make you think it's salad dressing. Very lighty tart. A little sweet. Faint strawberry, hint of those caramel chews. Watermelon is hinted as well. I wish the flavor were more intense. Well, at loeast it feels like a Flanders Red...it has a good body, firm bubbles....no overcarbonation or thin feel. The aftertaste seems musty, and doesn't amount to anything exciting. It's drinkable, but not interesting...but I got 750 ml to drink, so away I go...

Why are you still reading this? Give this a pass.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2010 06:18:51 | More by DoubleJ

Aggy360

Alaska

2.83/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a hazy reddish brown with nice beige head. Leaves a light web-like lace on the glass

A: Slightly sour aroma. Sweet peaches and some bacteria (Lacto & Brett, I believe).

T: Tart. Sweet malts, and it seem like there is some wheaty flavors. Very mild sour cherries and some peaches.

M: Medium light body. Dry finish.

O: A well balenced Fanders Red. Easy drinker for the style, there are other sour ales that will blow it away on the pucker rating. As the beer warms more complexities come through. I would recommend this to someone who has not tried a sour ale, before introducing them to more "in-your-face" sour beers.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2010 08:07:14 | More by Aggy360

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

snaotheus

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle split into pint glasses. Got it at Binny's in Orland Park

Pours a dark reddish brown with a fast fading beige head. Cloudy beer, slight lacing. Smells very sour, mostly cherries.

Taste is sweet-tart, cherry and strawberry, very pleasant.

Mouthfeel is light and smooth. Very drinkable as a sour ale. I like it.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2009 03:28:13 | More by snaotheus

wspscott

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml in Duvel tulip

A: Dark reddish brown color with a little bit of haze, pours with a huge fluffy white head that drops quickly, but leaves a ton of lace.
S: Relatively muted when cold, just a hint of sweet/sour notes. As it warms, there are hints of fruits (cherries) and wood.
T: Tart and sour, but a lot of sweetness underneath. Lots of cherries, both sour and sweet. As it warms it gets a little astrigent, but not in a bad way.
M: On the mouth filling side vs. the over-attenuated side (Duvel). Highly carbed, but not crisp, comes across as thin and "rich" at the same time. Even as it warms, it still has a "creaminess" to it, but doesn't come across as heavy.
D: My first sip was awesome, the next weren't so awe-inspiring, but this is a great beer. I am having no problem finishing this 750, not sure I would reach for another right now, but I would happily drink this again. Well worth seeking out, highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2009 22:34:44 | More by wspscott

Onibubba

Kentucky

3.83/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

No noticable sound as the cork is pulled. Tawny port color, slight beige head. Good retention, but nothing sticky. Initial aroma is all sweet tart sour. This dies down a bit once the beer has had a chance to relax. Taste is most similar to Victinaar, but nowhere near as rich. This is more earthy. I pick up more raisons than tart apple or cherry. Slight funkiness, slight sour edge.

Not my favorite of the style, but this beer does become more appealing as it warms. The complexities make themselves more appearant. That also makes this beer more of a sipper than its counterparts.

All in all, a good beer, but not a repeat purchase for me, and not a substitute for my poor missing Rodenbach.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2009 22:55:59 | More by Onibubba

dza360

Kansas

4.53/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a muddy opaque copper, thin white head lingers throughout the glass.

Smell immediately leaves a sour and musty funk impression which leaves my mouth watering. Beyond the initial funk is some earthy and metallic notes.

The beer tastes outstanding... having tried 3 or 4 different takes on the style this one stands out as the most balanced I have come across. The sour is present for sure, but it has so much more to offer compared to the other examples of the style I have tried. Their is a distinct dryness coupled with a green apple bite like you might find in a white wine. Nothing is overbearing and I am just enjoying the bottle more and more as it warms. The carbonation is moderate to low and just fine for this brew.

I would rate the drink ability high for this style because of the great balance achieved. With other sours I have had a hard time finishing a bottle, but this one keeps me wanting more.

Can't say enough about how much I admire this brew from a fine brewery. De Proef has been a great find for me so far and this brew is at the top of the list.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2009 05:46:54 | More by dza360

davexisxrabid

California

4.13/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into my Bruery tulip. Nice copper/amber color, cloudy when held up to the light. Nice fluffy inch tall head, lots of lacing, good retention.

Aroma is typically sour, lemon rind, sweet and sour sauce aroma.

Light wheat bread taste at first, then hits with a sour twist. There seems to be a citrus hop bitterness in there as well. Not too tart and a slightly sweet flavor finishes up at the end.

Light to medium bodied. Well carbonated but not overdone. The lingering sweet and sour flavor is interesting; doesn't seem sour enough to give you heartburn or anything.

Good flavor all around and a nice presentation. A nice flemish ale that I would have again if the opportunity presented itself.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2009 05:05:10 | More by davexisxrabid

Billolick

New York

4.22/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Large bottle, typical Belgian broad shouldered bottle. Pours tequilla sunrise red, the head is soft, fluffy head a dull shade of medium khaki, that leaves thick sheeting and reveals an earthy nose, with some funky components. This a spiced up and warming brew. Spices seem to be in the neighborhood of mild holiday. Tasty and complex, with notes of ripe cherries and other fruits as it warms and opens up. Delicious brew. Interesting and different. Eclectic Belgian lovers will surely enjoy this one

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2009 04:29:12 | More by Billolick

rtepiak

Poland

4.28/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

a nice balanced flemish red with a mild sour and a unique mild bitter earthy finish of tobacco and fruit. not as dark as most but still not to off the wall. really nice head. nose of floral cherry and a some alcohol. not too yeasty. earthiness is almost a mildly burnt clove that blend wonderfully with the oak and cherry and soft sweet. not metallic in mineral nature. very nice. very good example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2009 06:20:02 | More by rtepiak

Mitchster

Michigan

4.47/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

$9.99 for a 750ml bottle, corked and caged. Mixed fermentation "sweet and sour". 7% ABV.

Pours out to a moderately cloudy dark brown, forming a modest off-yellow head with good retention and lacing. Carbonation is medium, not effervescent like alot of belgians can get when naturally fermented in the bottle. The aroma is mouth watering...at first black walnuts, then sour cherries, then distant malt vinegar and basement must and dust. Definitely Brett in there with the barnyard funk going on. The mouthfeel is moderately dry with a medium body Taste is tart and fruity, with a touch of bitterness akin to a sour cherry, with some metals in the finish, like someone left a penny in the bottle. There is some definite oakines and tannic woodiness throughout and leaves the taste of wood in the mouth for the aftertaste. Alcohol is imperceptable in taste or nose.

I wish this were a tad sweeter. The tartness is wonderful but needs to be balanced by more sweetness. I'd still have to go with Rodenbach, Duchesse, or Goudenband over this, but it's still a very enjoyable brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2009 21:34:15 | More by Mitchster

madtowndmb1

Wisconsin

3.35/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This poured the classic mahogany color with almost no head and a little fizz rising up. The smell was nice, mildly fruity with a dry hint in there. The taste was lacking in my opinion. Not much depth, the up front kriek was there from them adding "cherry juice", but no dryness to back it up. It was drinkable but I probably wouldn't go after it again. Monk's Cafe is a decent amount better as an entry in to the style for some.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2009 00:04:33 | More by madtowndmb1

socalde

California

4.45/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a bottle of this at Stone Sour Fest '09. I would highly recommend this beer to friends and connoisseurs alike.

A- Cloudy, dark tan in color. No residual head, but poured a beautiful white marshmallow.

S- Slightly tart smelling, obvious acidity with notes of fruit (cranberry?). It has a some other notes that I couldn't quite identify, giving the beer a kind of mysterious quality.

T- Very tart and a tantalizing punch of sour. However, nothing overpowers. This beer had an earthy feel and taste to it, with light but noticeable hop bitterness and a subtle fruity characteristic, something like the cranberries I detected in the nose. A very tasty beer indeed!

M- Consistent mouthfeel, a great example of the Flanders Red style.

D- Very drinkable considering the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2009 22:10:15 | More by socalde

timtim

District of Columbia

4.03/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

this one seemed to be on the mild side of flanders red, but balance seemed to be the name of the game. gorgeous dark red with a pink tan tint to the head. very good retention and lace. don't normally see that in flemish reds. nose and taste exhibit wood plank, earthy worm casting, dark fruit and a touch of cider. not extreme, but extremely pleasant. silky smooth and yummy. unique and traditional at the same time to me for this style.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2009 15:25:38 | More by timtim

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.8/5  rDev +21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark copper color with a fine-bubbled, fluffy light tan head. Very good retention and lacing.

Smell is perfectly funky and wild with equal parts rotting wood and sour berry tartness. Raspberry puree with maybe a bit of blackberry and cherry notes. Not much malt or hops on the nose, but that is ok with me for this style. This beer smells delicious, a joy to sniff!

Mouth puckering sour tartness takes the lead by a slim margin over the brettomyces funk and cedar plank flavors. Some lighter berry notes come through with some strawberries and sour cherries. Earthy in it's own way with some of the caramely malt sweetness making an appearance as it warms a bit. Wonderful sour beer, one of my favorites.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2009 14:30:44 | More by twiggamortis420

TheNapkin

Texas

3.98/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Amber, almost a light soda color. Very thin head, visible effervescence, dark sedimentation that sifts to the bottom of the glass.

S: Sour raspberries, whiffs of cider, sniff of red grapes. Sort of like Lindemann Framboise's lighter brother (smell is not nearly as intensely jammy as Lindemann's Framboise). Slightly metallic, coppery smell if you're not careful and pour too big a head.

T: Same as the smell, but just a notch sweeter. It should be noted that even though the beer tastes sour, vaguely lambic-like, and has strong raspberry notes, it doesn't deliver the overwhelming sugar bomb that certain fruit-fortified lambics do. This beer serves as a nice substitute for those who find these lambics thick, cloying and hardly satisfying when you want a beer that tastes like a beer (it's also cheaper than a lot of lambics too; bargain, Win!). If you want a beer masquerading as a soda, reach for a Lindemann's; if you want a beer that tastes like a beer, has hints of fruit, and moderate sourness, get this De Proef. It has a nice dryness on the front of the tongue and the back and would pair nicely with foods you'd normally drink a dry white wine with.

M: Light and bubbly on the tongue. A real treat.

D: In terms of De Proef beers, the funk element here is hardly detectable, which makes the beer very drinkable. Good balance of sourness and the malts.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2009 03:48:45 | More by TheNapkin

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.3/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of joe1510. Thanks Joe!

A big pop when I removed the faux cork, it pours a clear ruby red with a one finger head of foam and shows a ton of nice lacing.

The smell is fruity sour with big notes of cherries and a very light note of something sweet. Maybe I'll figure that out when I taste it.

The taste starts off tart with the cherries and green apples but quickly is matched head to head with a nice honey like and maybe fruity sweetness. Man, this one is sweet & sour but neither wants to take center stage and for me, that works very damn well for my palate, not so much for what I'd expect for the style. It sure is easy to drink though so I can't complain all that much. Heck, now I'm tasting a bit of funk that I didn't notice when the beer was a bit colder. A plus in my book.

Medium bodied with medium carbonation, it finishes decidedly on the sweet side. Head rention seemed to get better with every pour and the lacing is just outstanding.

Drinkability? No problems with the abv, plenty of flavour, I'll have no problem finishing the last pour from the bottle which, btw, is decidely cloudy now. A very enjoyable brew and I again thank Joe for his generosity and spirit of adventure as I don't think that I'd have ever sought this beer out on my own. When I visit a beer store with a lot of Belgians, I get overwhelmed! ;^)

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2009 16:35:32 | More by Bitterbill

xmorgan

California

4.13/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

750ml Bottle form Bev-Mo.

Poured into chalice, 1 inch white head, that does not completly go away. Leaves some foamy lacing. Color is Brownish red, more brown then red. The head remains similar to a stout, in the sense that it's color and ability to hang around.

Has a lambic-like acidic fruit nose.

the taste is much more complex then the nose.

It is sour and fruity, with a not to dry after taste. If you aerate the beer in your mouth, it really releases the CO2.

It would do well as a beer to server with medium to strong cheese.

I would buy it again, to share. I polished the 750 myself and was not sorry.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2009 03:09:25 | More by xmorgan

SeattleAdam

Washington

2.6/5  rDev -34.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

A- Finger of off white head. Red at bottom of glass and gets lighter towards the top. The rocky head dissipates just a bit and clears way for bubbles.

S- Grape soda, rasberry jam, sour, fruity lambic.

T- Hoppy burn but sour. Hits back of tounge and washes/settles to the front. Kind of a backwards effect! Very fizzy and grape. This beer will hit your nose as much as your mouth. Tastes like acidic, citrus fruit juices after brushing your teeth. Very interesting but not too pleasant.

M- I think this is a little too carbonated...to the point of fizzy. This settles in the weirdest, backwards way. Thin mouth feel.

D- I don't think I will be purchasing this again. It's drinkable in the sense that you can't taste any booze at all but it's not drinkable in the sense that it's fizzy and too acidic.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2009 04:31:43 | More by SeattleAdam

nickfl

Florida

4.22/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - One finger of off-white head that settles quickly but leaves excellent lace. The body is dark reddish brown and very hazy.

S - Strongly acidic with notes of caramel and dark, sour cherries. Subtle vanilla oak note with noticeable, cheesy brett funk.

T - Dramatically sour with a brown, malty flavor to balance. Carmel and balsamic vinegar notes in the middle with very intense woodiness taking over in the finish. Quite a lot of wild funk in the finish along with a powerful tannic bite from the wood.

M - Medium-high carbonation, medium body, and a very dry, tannic finish.

D - Very nice overall with a great sweet and sour interplay, especially in the nose. The tannins are a bit excessive for my palate, and the funk might be overdone as well, but all in all, one of the best Flemmish Reds I have come across.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2009 01:09:57 | More by nickfl

roblowther

Texas

3.73/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml rubber corked & caged. Poured into a chalice glass, its an opaque tan brown with no real head. Smells sugary, like black cherries. Sweet only while you hold it in the front of your mouth, then instant sour tartness. The cherry taste predominates. Not much complexity, it just has the same flavor characteristics throughout, with which it beats you. Mouthfeel has a nice slight carbonation & nice slickness, but is a bit thin in the end. Drinkability is not bad, the sourness leaves you with a shadow of its sweet counterpart. Good to try but I'd stick with the Duchess de Bourgone if I was to stick.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2009 21:14:54 | More by roblowther

bowersdm

Ohio

3.03/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

750mL faux-corked and caged bottle, a portion of which was poured into a 22oz brandy snifter.

A - pours the color of tea with some reddish hues. it's hard to describe it because I'm not big into art. i'll go with ruby/brown. a head that was just barely bigger than 0cm formed. not enough to determine the color effectively.

S - strawberry banana yogurt, lactic acid, sour cherries, strawberries, leather, musty attic

T - when i first tried this beer, I though it was sweet and sour at the same time, which would seem to go against the style. (I thought my palate was messing with me.) After looking through a few reviews I realized that it is indeed sweet and sour, so here goes: tart lactic acid (subtle) and fruit (cherries, strawberries, grapes, cranberries) that starts out sweet but then starts to go sour. the finish is of...hops? at least, it's a slightly citrus-zest like finish, so I'm going to guess hops. there was a musty attic/leather flavor throughout, but it became more prominent in the finish. I'm going to go out on a limb here, but this beer seems more like an oud Bruin than a Red Ale.

M - pretty thin body. adequately carbonated. it was like drinking flat seltzer water

D - definitely not worth the $10.99 per bottle considered that Duchesse de Bourgogne was the same price. I feel constantly let down by this style because Duchesse was the first one that I tried and I'm always expecting that level of acetic acid character. This isn't your typical Flanders Red because it's sweet, while also being sour. If you're interested in the style, try this, but otherwise, don't waste your money. Buy some Duchesse de Bourgogne instead.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2009 21:54:38 | More by bowersdm

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

djeucalyptus

Oregon

4.13/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a hazy yet glowing mahogany and cherry juice hue, with caramel and gold highlights. A beautiful fluffy three-finger head of a cherry-tinged off-white sticks around for a good while, eventually leaving some impressive lacing to the bottom of the glass.

Cherries, a bit of funky and spicy yeast, apples, a bit of golden raspberry and muscat grape. a bit more barnyard spice and a bit of fresh oak and earthiness, mixing with some caramelized cherries. smells intoxicating.

Taste follows aroma for the most part, with the brett funk and sour cherry notes showing strongly up front. A citric tartness and vanilla-oak woodiness smooth out the fruit. muscat grapes, a hint of white port, and more wet straw and earthiness. sour, almost unripe acidic raspberry sourness intermingles with more woody drying cherry notes.

mouthfeel is clean, especially given the accompanying funky flavors. a crisp, woody drying throughout with a nice dry tart finish. Silky and smooth, it's a hair lighter than I'd prefer... a bit thicker/fuller/slightly higher carbonation and this would be absolutely perfect.

the smoothness in the mouthfeel creates a pretty palatable brew with good drinkability for the style... but like any Flanders, this one's a sipper. A bit heavy on the funk, but the strength of the cherry notes really wins me over and the perfectly drying body with just a slight warming quality works beautifully. Definitely a must try.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2009 06:33:48 | More by djeucalyptus

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