Oude Gueuze - Hanssens Artisanaal bvba

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.35/5  rDev -21%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A harsh style to share, though the mouthfeel impact was muted. Smelled like vinegar and cider, and barnyard as well, so not pleasing to novices. Acidic, sour, with yeast mildly playing on the taste buds. Didn't work that well for me, even with food.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2005 19:12:23 | More by northyorksammy

mikesgroove

South Carolina

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

hazy and cloudy bright golden yellow with a ton of carbonation riddled throughout it. Very nice three finger high head of white foam appeared over the top and stayed around for a good few minutes before settling down to a one finger high pillow that lasted throughout the entire session. Very nice thick side glass lace throughout the entire session and there was a good little bit of sedimentation present on the bottom of the glass. Very nice look and I was morethen excited to dive into this one.

The aroma was strong, pungent and very sour. Ahh the lovely aroma of Brett in full force here. Pungent aromas of grapes just all over this one. A nice fruity vibe as it warms, with hints of peaches, and apples, light fruit in general were all lying deep underneath, however the real story was the gorgeous amounts of sour notes that were all over this one. Really quite beautiful. The flavor followed along perfectly. With a light airy body, this was an ideal beer for the evening.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 01:08:31 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: The usual cloudy, sparkling, yellow-gold liquid with a bit of white foam on top that dissipates somewhat quickly.

S: You can tell this one is going to be great just from the nose. Tart lemon and lactic acid, along with a nice musty and earthy quality.

T: This one starts off with a tongue buckling sourness to it. Wonderful lemon and green apple flavors, in terms of the fruit. There is a slight bit of oak and a dry funkiness.

M: Very effervescent and medium in body with that wonderful dryness.

D: There's only so much of this stuff you can drink before it burns a hole in your stomach, but even then, I'd probably keep drinking it. One of the better Gueuzes I've had, and at the price, you can't beat it.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2010 18:28:11 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Pours a bright yellow with a towering white head and a good amount of lacing. Nose is incredibly funky, near the most funk and earth that I've ever encountered. No need for sourness when there's this much barnyard going on. The taste is a bit overwhelming, even though I love this stuff. Just super raw and pungent. Nice dry mouthfeel with good carbonation. Drinkability is a bit toward the low end given the sheer magnitude of the flavor and the fact that it's fairly one dimensional.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2010 11:45:51 | More by Thorpe429

brentk56

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Arrives with a hazy pale amber color with just a film of foam on top; no lacing

Smell: Very tart on the nose, with a range of green apple, muscadine, pear and lemon elements

Taste: Sour, oaky and funky, at the outset, with the fruit flavors developing, in the middle - green apple, lemon, pear and muscadine; the fruit flavors mingle with the wood and the funk, into the finish

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body and rather delicate on the tongue, given the lack of carbonation but, overall, a rather puckery experience

Overall: A very nice Geuze, for those who like the style

Serving type: cask

12-01-2012 19:33:43 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a murky honey orange with a 1/2 inch foamy off-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. There is a small amount of sediment that is floating around in the glass after the pour. Small chunks of lace stick to the sides of the glass on the drink down. Smell is extremely tart, sour, and funky with lots of wild, earthy, and woody aromas. Taste is much like the smell with some fruity flavors that I can't quite put my finger on. There is definitely a lemon-like presence I am picking up. There is a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is the best Hanssens beer I have had so far and also the first one to have noticeable carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 06:13:18 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

First time I ever try a gueuze. Pourred a light beige/brown brew with a nice head. I can already smell the sourness coming out of my glass. Taste is very sour with a light sweet aftertaste. Alcohol is very subtle with a medium body. Very different from what I had experienced before but still very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2003 02:32:04 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.03/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A very robust but balanced Gueuze with new intrigue and variety with each sip. The descriptor words for this beer are endless.

The pour delivers the hue of burnt/bruised peaches, deep golden highlights and a rather rusty appearance. Very low carbonation gives a better impression of unblended Lambics than a Gueuze. Obviously no notes on head formation, retention or lacing are needed; but the beer seems to want to leave legs on the sides of the glass.

Bruised fruits/muddled fruit combined with leathery, tobacco, lemons, and cider begin to scratch the surface of aromas. The lactic tartness offers a very pithy, limey acidity while the Brett character gives musty/dusty, horsey scents of sandlewood or old oak barrels.

Flavors forego the more earth and pungent characteristics but put well on display the more fruity and acidic flavors. Lemons, bruised peaches, apples, appricots all leave a mark; but the acidity and light malt/grain character give the sharper woodier flavors that balance the fruit flavors well. Cidery taste and acidity gives a lightness and crispness to flavor in the finish but the beer still holds onto a lot of ester and malt character.

Moderate, maybe light early on because of the lack of carbonation but the beer has a somewhat oily feel that makes the body feel bigger. No creaminess or effervesence leads to a duller feel that relies only on the acidity and woodsy tanic quality for balance. Lightly astringent in the finish.

This particular example has 20+ years of aging and may have lost its carbonation and the cork could have imparted much more flavor than the brewer intends. It'll be nice to compare a new one to see.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2010 01:37:22 | More by BEERchitect

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Hanssens Artisanaal, sinds 1896, Oud Gueuze Lambic (each bottle matured for over three years) Ale, product of Belgium. Brewed and bottled in Dworp, Begium.

I woke up this morning with a craving for the funk. I had to have something lambic-y, something sour, something gueuze-y. Haven't had this one in a little bit, so away we go, with Hanssens.

Straw yellow color, hazed, under a slim, white head.

Aroma: it's all there, the barnyard, the horseblanket, the urine-soaked hay. All that delightful sensory assemblage in the nose. Ahhh….sour, lactic, and weird.

Tasting it…ooo, pucker, pucker, ow, sour, sour, lemon, and piss and vinegar, mmm, mmm. This is lambic in it's rawest, no fruit, no barrels, nothing, straight-up and undiluted, wild, weird, and utterly refreshing. Sour as heck, and with just a tingle of bitterness. Malt is there to do it's job, it's the yeast that drives the amazingly uncommon flavor of this thing. It's an experience above all, not for the week, not for the timid, not for the mild or unadventurous. Strap in tight for this one.

This one grips the tongue and palate, grabs hold, delivers what is an unusual deliciousness, a long, and quite refreshing finish, and a flavor experience not found anywhere else in the world of beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2011 05:54:40 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Review #2000

The beer pours a golden color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a nice pale malt scent that is completely soured; very nice. It's so tart it makes my toes curl. The taste is awesome! This is the most sour beer I've ever tried. The recipe is basic:pale malt and lambic yeast. There is no hop character at all. It has a woody component to it that really comes through in the finish. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a low/medium bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a kick ass beer. It makes my face pucker after even the tiniest sip. Highly recommended!

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2008 01:01:06 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.8/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Beer is yellow and is completely hazy. There is a white head of medium and large bubbles that leaves a lot of lacing on the glass.

The aroma is super strong, really strong. Really punches you in the face. Strong sulfur, strong funk, strong yeasty / lemon sour.

Beer is thin with great carbonation in the mouth. Drinkability is high. Lots of citric not so much acetic its really really great. I love this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2010 22:34:20 | More by drabmuh

zeff80

Missouri

4.05/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out a clear, golden orange color with almost no head. It left some sudsy residue on the glass.

S - It smelled sour with some funkiness. There was a touch of fruitiness, too.

T - It tasted of sour fruits like dark cherries and plum. It was funky with some subtle sweetness.

M - It was crisp and sharp with a subtle puckering bite. A light to medium bodied gueuze.

O - This is a very tasty gueuze. What it lacked in appearance, it delivered big time in aroma and flavor.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 23:31:45 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer poured clear golden yellow in color with a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface. A very light amount of carbonation is visible from the rising bubbles.
S: There are lots of sour aromas in the nose along with notes of yeast and barnyard funkiness.
T: The taste has a moderate amount of sourness and is somewhat vinous with notes of apples, grapes, lemons, oak, vinegar and yeast. The taste becomes more complex as the beer warms up.
M: It feels light-bodied and very smooth on the palate. A little bit of viscosity is evident because of the minimal amount of carbonation.
D: The beer is very drinkable for the style because the sourness is not very overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2010 18:34:25 | More by metter98

MasterSki

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A rare cask of of Oude Gueuze on hand-pump at Fountainhead. Served in a tulip glass.

A - Served with a persistent of finger of foam that lingers as the entire glass is consumed, leaving behind spotty lace. The body is a lightly hazed golden color. Quite attractive.

S - Very acetic, with tons of tart appleskins, funky blue cheese and feet, and white wine vinegar. There's some wet oak flavor that I don't generally get from other gueuze.

T - The taste is less funky and more sour, with plenty of tart appleskins and lemons. Some sweet malted grain and oaky vanilla character in the finish keeps this from going off the map in terms of flavor balance.

M - Low carbonation but a little higher than I expected, smooth medium body, and a ridiculous moisture-obliterating dry finish. Some tannic character as well.

D - I had two glasses, and other than the fact that my stomach was melting by the end I would have had more. Too expensive in the US for drinking all night, but if this was at a Belgian bar for a few euros I'd definitely indulge.

Serving type: cask

04-26-2011 15:27:52 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.47/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Consistently the most balanced of the Gueuzes. Has a wonderful subtle (for a gueuze) citrusy acidity. Quite complex, with changing notes of barnyard, oak, and a funky mushroom type flavor. The beer is quite dry, but still has a subtle sweetness that adds to the overall aroma. Musty and sour, with hints of enteric. At first it is sourly citrusy, then the mustiness and enteric comes through. There is almost a hint of orange in the taste. It finishes with a bit of astringency (think of black tea).

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2003 16:59:46 | More by Gueuzedude

Halcyondays

California

4.7/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12.7 oz. bottle, review #1700, something special, haven't had this in about 4 years, classic medieval label,

A: Pours a light orange with a light white head, good retention.

S: Fantastic notes of citrus and horse blanket. Heavily Bretty, lots of complexity.

T: Big lemon notes with the complex Brett tastes, wet wool. Tastes like a really musty funky cider, great green apple notes, absolutely delicious, wonderful lactic acid flavours.

M: Moderately high acidity but not over the top, brisk and crisp, very nice feel on the palate.

D: A delicious beer, easy drinking, I definitely wanted some runny soft cheese while I was drinking it. A shame this is $8.50 for a small bottle, but well worth it. If you're going to charge that much, I better get a 5 on taste, and this beer delivers. Hanssens is a classic, I'm glad to see them back on the shelves in the Southland, now only if we could get Cantillon back, we'd be in business.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2010 06:19:24 | More by Halcyondays

emerge077

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Rare cask serving at Map Room, 10 oz. pour into a Sam Smith glass. Bright orange with a light haze, a surprising puffy head that rises above the rim for a few minutes. Miniscule traces of carbonation rise to the surface. Mildly pungent and sharp, wet wood, with a vegetal note like wildflower and lemon peel compost. Tastes much the same, a moderately citric lemon sourness: 6/10 scale, very soft and supple feel with little carbonation. The woody element seems to dominate, with some bitter tannin in the aftertaste. A few of these would be really great, but I had to limit myself to one. The novelty of the cask serving made me daydream of what it must be like to drink in the rare Lambic cafes found in Belgium. Also, thanks to quinnsi who shared a bottle recently at Sheffields!

Serving type: cask

03-23-2009 18:05:57 | More by emerge077

Gavage

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: pours a pale orange color with a short 1/2" white head that falls quickly.

Smell: loads of sour lemons, tart grapefruit, and some fruit sweetness.

Taste: this one has a sharp initial citric tartness / sourness that moves towards a mildly fruity and very dry finish. Little bitterness here.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied. Crisp and lip puckering to start, crisp and very dry at the finish. Aftertaste is long as the sourness of the citrus lingers on the tongue.

Drinkability: this bottle was shared with a friend which provided just enough enjoyment over a slow sipping period. This is not a beer to quaff all night long.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2009 13:53:50 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Cage-corked bottle, poured into tulip glass:

Pours deep orange amber with a large off-white head that settles to an almost one-finger, lasting creamy cover, leaving lacing.

The smell is an explosions of barnyard musty funk - Now that's a gueuze! Tart with sour vinegary vinuous notes. Some citric-ish fruitiness and earthy notes. Very complex nose once the wonderfully pungent barnyard/ horseblanket settles.

The taste is funky, sour and sweettart. Near-puckering lemon leads the way with sweetness underneath that comes together to form a sweettart finish.

Champagne-like effervescence makes the beer glide along the palate, lending a lightness to a medium body.

A powerhouse gueuze for sure! Near the end of it, I took a slice of creamy Chimay cheese from my fridge and ate it with it. It made a great pairing!

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2008 01:23:52 | More by jwc215

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had a bottle in Ghent and was quite pleased. Poured a hazy amber gold and thick white head. The big character here is the toasted oak barrel flavor. After that is more of typical (of great oude guezes) ripping sour tang that hits the back of your cheekbones with lemon, lime, and earthy spice. Delicious. I'll have another.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2009 23:53:44 | More by tempest

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

(Served in a stubby chalice)

A- This beer pours a very slight hazy orange with a thick head of big bubbles that are soon gone. There is no real sign of carbonation noticed.

S- The aroma of white wine vinegar has a soft stone fruit note to it and an overripe fruit and mayonnaise note to follow. There are some brie rind notes in the finish that grow as this beer opens up.

T- The tart red wine vinegar taste is bright with some tannins and stone fruit notes to follow. There is a phenolic plastic note in the finish with a full brie rind flavor with softer notes of grapefruit rind and a bitter note. The tartness coats the mouth after each sip.

M- The light mouthfeel has a tart but not to astringent quality that burns the back of the throat after each sip but doesn't make my jaw lock shut. There is an alcohol burn along with the tartness in the finish.

O- I think this is one beer that doesn't benefit from being on cask. The sour character is to sharp in the aftertaste an the alcohol burn on enhances that. There is no a lot of depth of flavors but the cheese rind brett notes are really pronounced.

Serving type: cask

06-24-2011 19:42:53 | More by rhoadsrage

Jason

Massachusetts

4.72/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

An exceptional brew to say the least, big earthy and herbal flavours jump out on to the palate first ... then quickly to the tartness. A nuttiness from middle to end keeps you thinking.

Fruity and tart with a complex dryness, throughly enjoyed this brew with a cheese and bread snack in Brugge.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2001 00:46:04 | More by Jason

Billolick

New York

4.2/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Large green Belgian style bottle, caged and corked. Pours semi cloudy, medium apricot amber, minor and short lived, medium tan head. Morphs down to a thin film and leaves next to no lacing. Tart, green apple nose. Sourness is the story here. Horse blanket, barnyard funk in all its artisinal glory. Funk quite prominent and showing its puckering muscles. Surely not a crowd pleaser, but sour beer lovers will be all over this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2007 00:30:39 | More by Billolick

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cask at novare res to start their Belgian beer-fest.

No real head peach orange hazy color.

Nose nice light barnyard funk, sour fruit, tart cherry, some sweet malt, great sour fruit.

Taste semi sweet creamy and toasty malts surrounded by great tart fruit, light lactic acid, tart cherry, light funk, juicy, fruity, mouth watering, finishes with a light barnyard dry funk, light tart fruit and light flemmy.

Mouth is med bodied, light but decent carb.

Overall great, great fruit and sour flavors, nice wild funk, dry finish, keeps you coming back for more.

Serving type: cask

05-02-2011 00:55:49 | More by jlindros

mdfb79

New York

3.95/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 375 ML bottle into a flute.

a - Pours a golden color with high carbonation evident. About half an inch of white head.

s - Lots of funk here. Also some tart, apples, pears, and little citrus.

t - Taste has a lot of tart, apples, pears, funk. Little bit like champagne or sparkling white wine with a kick.

m - Medium body with high carbonation that stings the tongue.

d - A very enjoyable lambic if you like tart and funk. Feels like champagne almost with a kick. Would try again.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2010 22:04:49 | More by mdfb79