Oude Gueuze - Hanssens Artisanaal bvba

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.73/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 375ml green bottle into a Hanssens Gueuze-Kriek branded gueuze glass

Pours a beautiful golden amber with a one and half finger bright white fizzy head. Superb retention and some splotchy lacing is left behind as the brew is consumed. The aroma has hard cider and champagne notes. Perfect level of tart and sour, fruit notes that resemble apple and pear peel as well very light citrus accents and grassy notes. Finishes dry and lip puckeringly sour. An elite top tier gueuze.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 04:11:02 | More by chanokokoro

fields336

North Carolina

4.15/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750 mL cork and cage bottle. Notched Lotnr: D

A: Light gold to orange with little head, but a slight off white ring around the glass. bubbles are present

S: barnyard, acetic, tart, funky, huge brett notes, sweat, feet, lactic, vanilla, sweetness, lemon peel, apple skin.

T: Tart acidic, funky, brett, green apple skin, lemon, vanilla, earthy, citrus, slight sweetness, vinegar sourness, a tart funkiness that does not leave your tongue

M: Effervescent and dry as a bone, whets your palate for more

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 01:54:51 | More by fields336

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12.7 oz green bottle with a LOTNR G notch.

A - Pours a hazy golden honey color with a white head that forms a nice collar.

S - Funkadelic! Sour cheese comes to mind, sour lacto, vinegar, earthy basement musk, rotten wood.

T - Bright lemons, peaches, apples, a puckering and salty sourness begins to come through full force and turns to a sharp acidic apple cider vinegar character. A sharp orange citrus bite rides to the end finishing crisply acidic and slightly astringent.

M - Medium body, low carbonation, puckering sour, crisp.

By far the funkiest aroma I have ever smelled from a beer. Bright tangy sourness with a serious musky funk. The acidity almost burns the throat. This was a joy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 02:24:01 | More by StaveHooks

dbossman

Nebraska

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

A: Apricot hue and hazy with a fairly thick head that eventually fades to a thin steady head and great lacing

S: Obviously tart with lots of apples, cider, vinegar, cherries, lactic acid, grainy and delicious smelling

T: So tart and dry with fruity nuances; some apples and grassy grains; but mostly just a super tart beer--not too much funk--though a little of that cheesy funk in the finish

F: Fairly light bodied and dry but it's just what this beer should be

O: Such a delicious sour beer; so seemingly simple and yet there is a beautiful complexity underneath

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 18:46:35 | More by dbossman

bashiba

Iowa

3.68/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a deep and hazy golden orange with a huge pillowy off white head, nice lacing.

The smell is heavy lactic acid sourness with a hint of oak.

The flavor is not as sour as I expected, just a nice light clean lactic sourness with a heavy tannic oak flavor lingering long into the finish. Has a mild bit of an herbal quality sneaking through a bit as well.

The mouthfeel has nice carbonation with a very dry finish.

A solid Gueuze, but could be a touch more sour.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 23:28:00 | More by bashiba

Jamesthebrit

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Bottle with a champagne cork. Pours a very bold clear amber with a light tan head.

S: Fruity and sour. More fruity than other gueuze styles I've had.

T: Very sour but it fades after the first couple sips into something more fruity. Hints of strawberrys some yeasty notes as well.

M: Sits very sour a bit of alcohol comes through. Lots of carbonation.

Overall pretty good. Decently light but it still has some good flavors and a good fruitiness.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 22:12:37 | More by Jamesthebrit

Damian

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Drank from a 750 ml/1 pint 10,4 fl. oz corked and caged bottle purchased at Berman's Wine & Spirits, Lexington, MA
Lotnr: B
Served in a traditional Belgian tumbler

The beer poured a remarkably clear, medium amber color. A one-finger head of creamy, eggshell colored foam topped the liquid. Small chunks of lacing clung to the glass.

The aroma was crisp and snappy. Powdery and dry initially. Strong vinegar notes. Lots of Brett. Somewhat musty. Quite sour overall. Definitely more tart than funky. I was prepared for this beer to be a whopper. The sourness seemed to intensify as the beer warmed.

The flavor profile was tart and refreshing, but not as sour as the nose lead me to anticipate it being. Moderately acidic. Tons of lemon. Lots of white vinegar. Some wheatiness came through in the center. The finish was very tart, acidic and vinegar-like, but surprisingly balanced. It seemed that there was enough sweetness from the malts to keep things in check. Some earthy notes came through as well.

The liquid was medium bodied with a very fine and mild effervescence. This felt more like an unblended lambic than a typical gueuze.

Hanssens Oude Gueuze may not be the funkiest or most complex gueuze on the market, but it is still an enjoyable treat. This is an ideal beer to enjoy on a hot summer night.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 03:27:31 | More by Damian

zac16125

South Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

375mL bottle poured into a tulip
no date but Lotnr: H

A: Pours a golden yellow with 1 fingers width of sea foam white head, which dissipates down fairly quickly to only an outer ring and inner whisp.  A steady stream of fine bubbles can be seen racing to the top of the glass.  Leaves only traces of spotty lacing.  

S: Sours apple, pear, banana, a hint of funk but not much, sour white grape, a swirl of the glass brings out oaky notes.  

T: So sour, and I like it! Sour fruits in the form of apples, white grapes, cherry, and lime.  Oak notes on the backend, and  beligum yeast banana in the aftertaste.  A little  bit of spice and bitterness is noted towards the end of the glass.  Really delicious.

M/D: High carbonation, medium bodied, with a quick drying finish.  Drinkability is good.

O: I am not very well versed in the style, in fact I believe this is only my second Gueuze (the other one being Girardin 1882), but look out wallet, I think Ive found something here!  This could be the start of a new obsession.  I love the huge tart/sour characteristics, which is what I also look for in Saisons and Wild Ales.  With only having tried a couple, the jury is still out, but if this beer is representative of gueuze's then they could quickly become one of my favorite styles.  

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 00:49:03 | More by zac16125

snaotheus

Washington

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

bottle split into samplers

Pours a light, nearly clear amber with little head and lots of carbonation. Smell dry, sour, plummy, mild.

Taste is mild, but clearly sour and fruity, I get some dry white wine flavor and some dry plum flavor.

Mouthfeel is dry and smooth. Overall, I think it's pretty good. I like the Lindeman's Cuvee Rene better, though.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 19:00:34 | More by snaotheus

Reaper16

Alabama

3.98/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750mL 2009 bottle served into a tulip glass

Pours a murky goldenrod color, like a stoneground mustard almost. Maybe half a finger of white head at most.

Unlike my favorite shelf gueuze (Cantillon Classic Gueuze), the nose on Hanssens Oude Gueuze is much less funky. The sheer tartness is the dominant aroma: waves of lemon juice and white vinegar. You can pick up on wheat malt, and some of the oak (but not too much). And there is a bit of funk -- more on the ends of a musty/mildewy basement type aroma; cobwebs and water-stained paper.

The taste follows the nose. This is an incredibly sour beer. Lemon juice and vinegar and fermented citrus and etc. Trace elements of Brett funk are present in the form of sweat and decaying plant life. Astringent oak tannins attack your cheeks, priming them for the burn of the beer's acidity.

It's tasty. Not all that complex, as the Brettanomyces doesn't hold up to the sourness here. But tasty. I'd never turn down a bottle of this gueuze, but I prefer a funkier beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 21:37:53 | More by Reaper16

larryi86

Delaware

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

375 mL bottle poured into a snifter

A- A hazy orange color with a very small white head.

S- Horse blanket, funk, sour lemons, oak.

T- Sour lemons, very sour, getting some apples, some vinegar, funky finish with some oak.

M- Crisp, medium body, sourness coats your month.

O- A solid gueuze that I will pick up again. Very sour.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 02:17:08 | More by larryi86

jaasen64

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml corked bottle

A- Pours a hazy brownish golden. About a half finger of white foamy head that quickly recedes. About average carbonation.

S- Musty basement funk, sour fruits, lemons. Decent aroma strength, not as strong as a lot of the better sours though.

T- Sour citrus fruits mainly tart lemons, a little bit bitter on the finish, citrusy lemon aftertaste.

M- Fairly light, crisp, nice amount of carbonation, easily drinkable.

O- This was a good geuze, but not as good as some of the better sours I've had. It had a nice amount of sour, funk, and tart lemony flavor with a good feel. Not nearly as good as the Beatification that I had last night though. Overall not a bad beer, that I recommend picking out if you like geuzes. Not bad for the price + availability.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 23:20:16 | More by jaasen64

jtingue

New York

4.1/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a wine glass.

Appearance. Slightly hazy straw in color. Pours with a finger of head which quickly dissipates to a ring around the glass. Bubbles constantly rise from the bottom of the glass hinting at the carbonation.

Smell. Very powerful. A mix and combination between 3 different aromas. The first is lemon like tartness. The second is a sort of mustiness. The third is a sweet honey like aroma.

Taste. Starts out very sour, but a subdued maltiness emerges with a dry crisp cracker quality. Joining this is some lemongrass and delicate floral quality. The sourness cuts this again and leads into a more musty and funky quality, but not overly so. A sharpness reminiscent of cheese evolves from the funk. This is cut again by lemon sourness, which ushers in a long, bone dry, floral finish.

Mouthfeel. A creamy body is joined by a high, but not dense carbonation.

Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 22:43:20 | More by jtingue

LeeryLeprechaun

Colorado

3.7/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The cork came flying out of the little green bottle as it was opened.

The beer is rather brilliant in clarity with a golden orange hue. Although the cork would leave you with the impression that the bear was highly carbonated there was no head on the beer once it was poured.

The aroma was tart and cidery.

The beer was mostly just a mess of tart cider. I could not make out many other flavors.

Overall I was not all the impressed with my first Gueuze. There was just not complexity for a beer that has been aging for so long.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 01:10:07 | More by LeeryLeprechaun

jethrodium

California

3.73/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle. No date, but I suspect it was bottled fairly recently. Pours a slightly hazy golden amber with a small white head that has decent retention and leaves close to no lacing on the glass. The aroma has a strong minerally note, a slight sulfur note, and some light lemon. The initial taste has some sweetness with lemon, mineral, brett, and some light apple. The finish is tart with some brett. Medium body. Low carbonation. This was drank with 3F Oude Geuze and Cantillon Classic Geuze. This was the worst of the three, but was still enjoyable. It isn't quite as complex and has a bit more sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 02:01:21 | More by jethrodium

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Not really much of a pop was heard when the cork was popped. Poured from small format C&C bottle in duvel tulip.

Appearance: Really nice looking gueuze! Pale straw yellow bodied beer with 2 fingers of solid white head. Head drops down to a nice full cap with decent lacing that sticks to side of glass.

Smell: tart lemons and super mellow funk. Has a grainy wheat smell to it as well. The nose is pleasant, but it seems a little weak to me.

Taste: This beer is moderately tart. Lemons and hint of grass and fruitiness. Granny smith apples, pears and maybe a hint of white grapes. A really mild apple cider vinegar note to this beer as well. This is honestly the first sour beer that has a really enjoyable vinegary note to it. Surprised and impressed by this quality of the beer! Finishes with a more lemons that seem a bit musty, salty, and earthy. Its got really nice balance to it.

Mouthfeel: light bodied beer with moderate carbonation. This beer is sharp and dry, but its also smooth and mellow at the same time. I really appreciate the nicely blended and balanced flavors coming from this beer.

Overall: This is the best gueuze that I have ever drank! Most of time I like my sour beers with fruit, but I prefer this beer over the Oude Kriek, it far better than the Oude Kriek. This beer is so solid it does need the fruit which I really enjoy in sour beers. This is a really elegant gueuze!

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 05:04:37 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

falloutsnow

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL
Lot number E, but no bottled on date.
Poured into a Drie Fonteinen gueuze glass

Hannssens' oude gueuze is a strongly sour, excellent gueuze that emphasizes waves of acid-inspired flavors over milder oak-like complexity that other guezeries impart in their versions. This is a highly satisfactory gueuze and one that should be highly sought-after. My only disappointment, really, was that it was acrid enough to leave a lingering burn on the back of my throat, not the greatest of mouthfeels.

Bottle pops open as I remove the cork. I put my nose to the bottle's opening and inhale, bringing in the slightly sweetened lemon juice-meets diluted vinegar aroma. I put down the bottle, then regrip it and pour, careful to avoid sediment on the first half of the bottle.

Poured a 1cm head of off-white bubbles, mainly appearing small and large in size, creating a slightly swiss-cheese like effect. Head descends within two minutes to thin cap atop the beer with a few small holes. Lacing is sparse, a few small streaks and lines. Body is a light caramel orange-brown color, with hints of orange-yellow around the edges as highlights. Body is transparent, with some modest carbonation visibly floating to the top.

I swirl the beer, put the glass to my nose, and inhale. This is a strong-smelling gueuze, I immediately suggest to myself, with definite lemon-vinegar, acetone, tangy human sweat odor, more than a bit of damp cellar, and slight sweetened horsedung compost (as if something like that could exist). Not really sweet at all, strongly pungent, some might even say harsh (but not me), definitely acrid. Really, one of the most expressive aromatic profiles I've had out of a gueuze.
Swirling in the sediment reduces the aroma considerably, putting an emphasis on toasted malt and muted lemon citrus. Probably would avoid this going forward.

Swirling again, I take my first sip, and the sour, slightly salty flavors flow over my tongue. More specific analysis has my senses telling me that lemon-like tartness, slight vinegar, and slight malt sweetness are noticeable on the front of the tongue. Stronger sourness emerges mid-palate, very much influenced by lactic and acetic acid. Also emergent at mid-palate are acetone-like qualities, a bit of apple cider flavor, acrid (or concentrated) human sweat (or barnyard, whatever your taste buds pick it up to be), a bit of pineapple, continued lemon citrus and vinegar. Aftertaste is of malt sweetness melded to lingering lemon tartness, mildly puckering. Hanssens seems to be going for a focus on the sourness of the gueuze style, which I certainly don't mind at all. There are enough layers of shifting sourness here to please my palate, despite the relative lack of too many other flavors in Drie Fonteinen, Cantillon, Girardin gueuzes.
Adding the sediment in does not seem to change the intensity of sourness or spectrum of flavors appreciably; the beer may become slightly more sour.

Beer is medium-bodied, with moderately high carbonation that foams this up quickly on the palate. Resultant mouthfeel very quickly becomes smooth and somewhat creamy. Close is dry with a slight stickiness around the edges of the lips and a lingering acid burn in the throat that can actually be a bit unpleasant.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 21:50:10 | More by falloutsnow

rangerred

Tennessee

4.2/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12.7oz bottle into a tulip.

Pours a hazy orange with a tiny ring of bubbles along the top of the beer. Really lacking in carbonation.

Aroma has moderate amounts of barnyard funk but not as much as some other examples of the style. Also a little bit of fruit.

Tons of sourness at first leading to a moderate earthiness with the barnyard notes somewhat muted. I am also picking up some fruit, mainly cherries, throughout but becoming more noticeable towards the finish.

I thought this was a decent gueuze but somewhat lacking in the funk/barnyard area. The sourness is quite puckering but I would have liked more funk. I would drink it again, though.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 18:57:44 | More by rangerred

orangesol

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First time trying this one, served alongside the Raspberry and Kriek.

A - Pours murky golden yellow with a nice one finger tall white head, quickly dissipating down to a small ring around the outside of the glass, leaving light trails of lace down parts of the glass.

S - Smells of the typical barnyard funk, light sourness, wet leather, lemon and some damp basement must. I prefer a little more fruitiness in my gueuze nose but this one was still pretty good.

T - Starts off with quite a bit of lactic sourness but it fades rather quickly leaving hints of musty earth, barnyard funk, leather and a bit of lemon twang. The flavors work really well together and it was very easy to drink. Finish is pretty dry, lingering on the pallet for quite awhile after consumption.

M - Slick feel like the others but the flavors are more mild, helping keep everything in check. Still a little light on the carbonation but it isn't as big of a deal as with the other two.

O - The best of the bunch for sure. Where the Kriek and Raspberry fail, this one excels. Tone down the overly aggressive sourness and this one could be great. As it stands now, a solid gueuze that is definitely worth the lower than average price tag.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 17:53:12 | More by orangesol

UCLABrewN84

California

4.1/5  rDev -3.1%
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

matt20102

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Flavour: Tart- very tart. Reminds me quite a bit of crab apples. With such a little head as was present, could be mistaken for a tart cider rather than a beer. There is no discernible flavor of hops and little of malt; the lambic nature shines through without subtlety. Certainly a one-bottle and done variety or, were one open to suggestions, a superior digestif.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 00:13:50 | More by matt20102

lanamj

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

330ml bottle served in a Belgian Independence Day tulip.

A- Clear amber color with an active 1/2 in head the fades fast and has a strong lacing that sticks nicely.

S- Lemon, grass, slight hints of dirt, pear, green apple and vinegar. Lots of nice sour aromas with slight hints of earthy funk and oak to help balance it all out. Very nice.

T- Follows the nose but lacks some of the complexity. Like all Hanssens lambics, it's sour... real sour. Which I like, although the earthy funk is somewhat lacking. I do pick up the dry oak finish. I like it.

M- Smooth and puckering. It seems a little watery but it is very easy drinking for a lambic that is so sour.

O- I really enjoy this beer and it has always been one of my go-to gueuze that I can always find at a decent price.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 18:39:26 | More by lanamj

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

375ml bottle into a flute glass

A: Pours a brilliantly clear golden color with about a half finger of head that quickly recedes to a few bubbles, then to none.

S: Strong lemon and barnyard funk with a mixture of equal amounts of acetic and lactic acid smells. The funk is more cheesy than it is musty.

T: Puckering sourness, balanced between acetic and lactic sourness again. I also get a good amount of oak and a bit of cheesy funk. This is quite sour, but not terribly complex.

M: On the thick side with little to no carbonation.

O: After reviewing 3F Oude Geuze a couple days ago, this seems to be on the opposite end of the spectrum. Very sour and not terribly complex. Certainly not bad, but not great.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 01:30:43 | More by coreyfmcdonald

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle, poured into a tulip

Pours a bright orange, tremendously clear, with a stray bubble or two. A fizzy, off white cap rose quickly and settled to a thin collar around the edges of the glass.

The aroma is of sour apples, acedic cider vinegar, oak, with an underlying funk that is almost cheese-like. As it warms, some barnyard type funk becomes more apparent.

On the palate, the flavors follow the nose. Lemons and sour apples lay down tartness before some cider vinegar and funk take hold. The finish is funky and sour, but really clean and dry.

On the lighter side of medium bodied with a bit of prickly carbonation. Tart/sour up front, funky through the middle, with a nice oak dryness that lingers.

This is a fine gueuze that is easy to drink without a ton of funk or sourness to overwhelm. Solid on all fronts.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 19:02:03 | More by ColForbinBC

cavedave

New York

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Lotnr A

A nearly clear beautiful golden beer, capped with stiff lather, just off white, three fingers and lasting. Slather finally gives way to sticky lace and fifteen minute cap.

Beautiful aroma, really rounded in the tart, lots of yeast going on here, but the other bugbuddies def letting a bit of their acetoperfume enter, candi syrup sweet around the edges, some sweet grain in there joined to a spicy green apple, sweet lemon, and malt vinegar bouquet, with just a hint of some really hormonal funk way in back of it all.

Sharp taste, man that's good, for a vinegary pop from the top, right away some other unripe fruit gets in, apple grape and lemon, some dry white wine, some sweet soothes it off, nice candy sweet that holds. There is a very small funky note to this, it is okay for style from what I've tasted, but it is inadequate for what a beer so full of the buggy flavors and plenty enough fruit and sweet needs IMHO. End of the sip is a nice tart and tangy tingle, crisp, mmm.

Mouthfeel is perhaps best feature here, and really does help this beer. Perfect low/med. carb. despite look, just right, easy drinking, interesting, dry fantastic finish, pleasant cling between sips.

Quite an excellent beer though I prefer the more funkified takes on this style. Definitely recommend.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 21:29:24 | More by cavedave