Oudbeitje Lambic - Hanssens Artisanaal bvba

Suds

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The label reads “limited edition 2000.” The cork is removed with a notable “pop,” and the brew pours a light gold color with a bit of haze and virtually no head. What an amazing aroma: musty and earthy with a serious acidic note. A very nice strawberry nose comes through almost immediately, and was far stronger than I expected. It smelled vaguely like small wild strawberries, not the plump farm variety. The taste is very nice: sour and earthy. Musty, funky, mouth-puckering, and dry. The strawberry flavor is very prominent in the taste as well. Medium mouthfeel, dry and tart finish. This is an interested beer. I was impressed with the strength of the strawberries and how they worked well with flavor of the brew. The lambic qualities could have been a little more pronounced (sourness and that earthy-funky-wildness). It’s certainty worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2006 12:17:37 | More by Suds

ArrogantB

Colorado

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2006 375ml bottle $4.99. This is a very still beer, no carbonation and zero head, tangerine orange-color. It smells slightly funky, sweaty, manure and mud actually, with a bit of fruit hiding out. It tastes like sour strawberries. The smell really has a stink about it and if you like funk then you will not be disappointed. The sourness is light and doesn't make my mouth pucker (much).

update 08/12/09

label claims "year 2000" but the label, bottle, cork and contents look young. It smells quite funky, fantastic. The taste is tart lambic with a noticeable strawberry component. Nice lambic even if it is a little acidic.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2008 02:46:40 | More by ArrogantB

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.53/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a cloudy murky orange color with barely a bubble from a very vigorous pour. The nose is very pleasant with lots of strawberries, a lactic sourness, a touch of oak, and a hint of barnyard. Taste is quite tart with lemons and some vinegar. The strawberry comes in to only partially sweeten the sour. Earthy funky musty come through before once again turning tart and lingering on the palette long after every sip. Almost non-existent carbonation, medium body, with a tart mouth puckering feel. I would have loved some carbonation in this bad boy! As is its decent but probably something I wouldn't purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2011 00:09:23 | More by johnnnniee

Overlord

California

4.15/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours an orangeish (..???...), clear-ish color with a bit of brown. No head. Flat.

Smells faintly of strawberries, and strongly of funk, horse blanket, oak, and ... whoa, this will be sour.

Surprisingly sour. The strawberries are there, but are overlaid on a big blanket of sour horse blanket-iness and oakiness. Musty, barnyard leather and a hint of leprechaun tears round out the presentation.

Yeah, it's flat, but still a pretty good sour. Pretty sure it will never cross my path again.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2010 10:11:37 | More by Overlord

nickd717

California

3.13/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

375ml bottle thanks to Sandstone. Vintage 2000.

Pours clear light golden with minimal head.

Aroma is pretty unpleasant. Definitely some fart/diaper in there, along with sweaty gym socks and sweaty horseblanket or elephant coverer. Oh yeah, some tart strawberry in there too.

Flavor is much better, but still not great. Lots of strawberry and even a little sweat malt. Barnyard and ever so slight diaper. Yes I have actually eaten all of these things, so don't doubt me on this. Only mildly tart.

Medium bodied and a little flat on the palate.

Drinkability is above average. Overall, still not the biggest fan of Hanssens.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2010 04:51:39 | More by nickd717

rarbring

Sweden

3.8/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A clouded orange brew with no head to mention, very small curtains.

Smelling of stable and overripe strawberries. Very "bretty".

A fructose strawberry start, then a sharp acidity that covers any funky nuances from the aroma.

Nearly no carbonation, a fresh and cleansing feeling, a dry acid finish.

A difficult one, very sour, big difference between smell and taste. But in all good.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 11:28:16 | More by rarbring

illidurit

California

4.03/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy peach color with zero head whatsoever. Perfumey sour aroma with lemons and freeze-dried strawberries. It's got that deep, refreshing tartness that you only smell in the best lambics. Flavor packs a nice sour wallop with ultra-tart strawberry notes and that dried strawberry sweetness. A little unripe stone fruit at times and a bit of hay bale as well. Once the tongue acclimates to the sourness, some honeyed malts come through to provide a touch of balance. A completely still beer, but the sourness acts in place of CO2 to refresh the palate. Very dry despite a body medium in heft.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 09:07:22 | More by illidurit

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

4.38/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Wonderful farmyard stench and strawberries, some public toilet smells (but in a good way). Flavour is tart and sour, some subtle sweetness from the strawberries, its more the seeds than the actual flesh. Dry, sour and refreshing. Love it. So refreshing and lovely to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2003 00:52:06 | More by rastaman

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.63/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Big thanks to Beersack for hooking me up with this and so many other brews.

A - It pours with a daunting appearance: peach, hazy and still, suggesting a ruggedly acidic character.

S - Big tart and lactic notes, vinegar-y oak, sulfur, char and mineral make up the very impressive nose. Fruit is no where to be found, this is closer to an unblended Lambic or Gueuze in the nose.

T - The ghost of strawberry is buried deeply beneath a very dry Lambic. Starts quite tart; sweet flavor, like ripe strawberry, appears briefly. It is not actually sweet, but it is a flavor associated with sweetness so it lends the impression. Very nice stuff, actually one of the best Lambics I've had in a while.

M - Puckering, dry, drying, and then mouthwatering on the totally clean finish. Awesome.

D - I'll drink this anytime, anywhere.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 03:45:06 | More by ktrillionaire

sweemzander

Illinois

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

375mL corked and caged bottle poured into a stemmed glass. Year 2000 version.

(A)- Pours a hazy brilliant golden orange color that produced some white and transparent bubbles.

(S)- Very dry hay funk with a light tartness. Some ripe delicious smelling strawberries in the background.

(T)- Very similar to the smell. A big sourness in the middle with subtle strawberry-like fruits. Has some funk, but minimal.

(M)- A prickly carbonation level that feels higher than it is due to its high acidity level. A good balance of fruit and funk, but the acidic sourness has them all beat.

(D)- A good lambic. Not extraordinary, but an easy drinking one with a nice freshness to it.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2010 13:14:35 | More by sweemzander

mcallister

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reminiscent of apple cider with a hue of red. Orange juice viscosity and density with no head except for a few floating bubbles.

Wonderful aromas. Very sour and pungent, funky, light strawberry and berry aromas, iodine, horse blanket, earthy esters. Tart and tingles my nose hairs. Hard to quit smelling this lambic.

Very nice, huge acidity in the middle and lightens slightly in the finish. Funk galore, horse blanket throughout, cereal type malts on deep in the finish. Tongue puckering body. Fruity and earthy at the front and middle with wood tones everywhere. Hints of strawberry, earth, and other tart fruits. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2011 19:29:19 | More by mcallister

rye726

Colorado

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice copper brown color and no head. The nose has tart strawberries, funky manure, and sweet fruity malts. The taste has a sour funk up front and finishes with sour strawberries. Nice crisp body goes down well. A powerfull lambic, but well balanced. However I think using raspberries or cherries would make a better brew. I'll have to keep an eye out for the Oude Kriek.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2008 04:24:41 | More by rye726

Arbitrator

California

2.13/5  rDev -43%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

First review: 3.0 / 4.0 / 4.0 / 3.5 / 3.5. A very generous extra from boatshoes.

Second review is here, off a bottle shared by Sandstone. Thanks, Roger.

A: Pours a cloudy apricot-gold body in the glass. The head is nonexistent; it's flat, like a lambic. Points for the color, mainly.

S: Sulfur, like the pungent stench of a rancid fart. Honestly, it was just unpleasant and tough to get past. I'd call it an odor instead of an aroma. Tart strawberries as well. Maybe some sourness.

T: The first bottle I had reflected a lot of lactic sourness and brett funk / leather / earth, with light berry. This bottle, by contrast, is beautifully fruit-forward with a generous helping of tart strawberry. The funk is restrained; it's barnyard and some, uh, fecal nastiness, with very light sourness.

M: Medium-bodied. It's still and just lightly dry, with lingering strawberry tartness.

D: Between the stench of this bottle and a lackluster experience with my first, I'm not convinced this is a beer I really need to try again. Lambics are hard to find, and I'm sure they're hard to make, but this isn't a compelling example.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2010 07:34:42 | More by Arbitrator

harrymel

Washington

2.05/5  rDev -45.2%
look: 1 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

375ml c&c without a lot notched.

The cork came out of this one easily and free of audible carbonation. In fact, I'm surprised the beer doesn't leak out, as easily as the cork popped out and easily I was able replace it... The beer is golden with a twinge of pink. Free from any visible signs of carbonation and pretty much looks like still chicken broth to be honest. Not attractive.

Smells of lemons, grass, hints of manure and mung bean sprouts. Nothing particularly special, does smell sour, which makes me happy.

Quite sour indeed, a tightening of my masticating muscles indicate as much. Indeed there is a slight sweet strawberry I didn't anticipate. Some notes of lemon and metal. A little soil in there as well.

Not even what I would classify as an effervescence. This beer is flat, thin and has a wet finish. It is better as it warms, then it takes on a buttery feeling.

This was an interesting experience. The highest beer I've ever rated was a straight unblended lambic from the barrel; completely flat. Although I found that experience to be outstanding, this one is far from that. The beer is ugly, and feels awkward. I expected carbonation, where previously I had not, that totally flavored my experience. Although thrown off, I was not completely disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 02:14:10 | More by harrymel

aerozeppl

New York

4.1/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The girlfriend loves this beer. We have had a few bottles now and the bottle to bottle variation can be massive. This was the 2nd best bottle we had.

A: Hazy golden color with minimal white head. The carbonation was there and strong not bad for a 9 year old beer.

S: The strawberries are up front and smelled really nice. After than the lacto sour really kicks in hard. It worked with the berries though. I never thought it would have but it did.

T: Very sour up front. Then the sour backs down and you have the vinegar lacto assault. The strawberries are in there the whole way and really does balance things out quite a bit.

M: Light refreshing mouthfeel. Perfect for the style.

D: Super drinkable. The lacto is really strong and you can feel it in your gut after a while. That never stopped me though.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2009 23:01:18 | More by aerozeppl

crossovert

Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

2006 Vintage. 12.7 oz green bottle.

Pours with a minuscule head that had big soapy bubble. The beer is a vibrant orange/peach/apricot color. There are white things floating on the surface.

The smell is fantastic, with nice ripe strawberry, a pinch of sour, and a tiny tiny hint of funk, not much at all though.

The taste is a lot more sour than the nose would suggest, it starts out with a burst of lemon sourness but then ends with delightful strawberry flavor. It isn't sweet at all like I expected, it is an awful like a straight up lambic with a hint of strawberry in there. Very nice.

I'm not a huge fan of the nearly still mouthfeel with only the slightest hint of carbonation, it is hard to control the carbonation these gueuze type lambics though. But I woudl like a bit more.

It is a pretty good beer with a very nice smell.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2010 22:29:10 | More by crossovert

marc77

California

4.35/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Hazy light orange in hue, w/ a thin ring of bubbles around the rim of the glass. Akin to unfiltered sparkling cider in appearance. Sweet, ripe, sugary strawberries hit the nose at first, then are ceded by notes of yeast must, bready grain, and lactic tartness, with hints of wet horse and trace aged, cheesy hops emerging towards the end of the aroma. In flavor, the initial snap of fruit sweetness is quickly overrun by a nearly puckering tartness. Fruit flavor is not lost amongst the tart character, and strawberry persists throughout, albeit in an unripe fashion. The hint of diacetyl adds a creamy, buttery undertone that supplements the lactic tartness and prevents it from being overbearing and one dimensional. "Wild" Brettanomyces yeast emerges as mild notes of wet hay. As my palate becomes accustomed to the tartness, fruitiness reverts to a freshly picked strawberry nature. Spot on in body-- light, somewhat spritzy, but not at all weak or watery. Finishes simultaneously sweet, tart and dry. Oudbeitje is a complex and delicious lambic. The interplay of sweet fruitiness and lactic tartness teases the palate in a capricious way. The real deal.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2002 18:40:40 | More by marc77

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Vintage circa 1999

Opens with a light "pop", and pours lightly carbonated.
Hazy, with no sediment otherwise, gold in color with orange shades, and a pinkish hue.
A humble white head barely coats the surface for the duration of the pour, leaving behind a halo of tight and dense foam.
Aromatics are fruity and tart, with an earthy dryness.
Wet boards and straw with dried berries and dandilion oils.
Strawberry seeds crushed with diluted sherry vinegar and puckering grapeskins.
Light to medium in body, crisp and tart. Appetizing and refreshing.
Pallet is smoothish for a lambic, rather mellowed and approachable.
Fruit character is well integrated with the dry, tart flavor profile.
Strawberries not screaming for the lead, but rather playing a role along with hints of orange pith and sour grapes.
A bit astringent on the back of the throat, and acidic on the tongue, but not harsh.
Woody dryness balances a slightly sweet note from the fruit, along with barnyard hints.
Finishes with a peppery warmth, and drying with a lactic twang.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2006 00:22:55 | More by brewandbbq

Phatz

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks a million to yinzer for hooking me up with this beer. I had the opportunity to share it with phnphilly, Slatetank, Risser09, and gottajiboo2.

This was a great way to start off and evening of sours; following my home brew of course.

Appearance: Pours a hazed orange color with fizz but little resemblance of a head.

Smell: wood wood wood, and earthy musty yeasty funk. Is there supposed to be strawberry in there? There is a picture of a strawberry next to the name I can't say =) but I can't say I got much strawberry through the nose, other than the horse blanket funk.

Taste: The had maybe a hint of sour ripe strawberry but only a drop through the bold sour wood rotten fruit, and yet a touch of sweet before the lingering pucker finish. Risser09 thought of funky cheese, and I can definitely see that attribute as well.

Mouthfeel: It has a typical feel I get in the traditional Lambics, it is light but warm with acidity, dryness and sour flavors left on the palate long after the finish.

Drinkability: Lambics are not a chugging beer to begin with. This one is rather drinkable for the style, but I certainly liked sipping it with some of the cheeses gottajiboo2 brought to our tasting.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2007 02:02:14 | More by Phatz

jsanford

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Corked-and-caged 350ml bottle poured into a Rodenbach flute. Lot B.

A - Pours a hazy gold with an ever-so-slight pinkish hue to it. No head, but there's some small bubbles that gather on the sides of the glass.
S - Super sour and funky, with a good amount of acidity and straw. Slight aromas of unripe strawberry and lemon juice.
T - More lemon juice and acidity, with a faint wisp of berries. Don't know if I'd guess strawberries if I wasn't told, but there's a definite "red berry" flavor in there. Pleasantly musty and dry finish, slightly moldy, like a good cheese.
M - Slick, with a medium body and low carbonation. Really would have liked to see more carbonation, not nearly "sharp" enough for my taste.
D - Despite the carbonation, I'm really enjoying this one. Very tart and complex, another great Lambic from Hanssens.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2011 00:35:10 | More by jsanford

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

3.83/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2006 version

A - Hazy golden orange with no head, even with a vigorous pour.

S - Acetic acid, oak, cider vinegar, hint of barnyard and overripe strawberries.

T - Big dose of overripe tart strawberries, almost verging on rotting strawberries. Acidic bite followed by sour grapes and tart green apples.

M - Still with a medium body and dry finish.

D - Needs some carbonation but not bad. Strawberry is stronger than I expected.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2010 01:27:36 | More by brewcrew76

Gobzilla

California

4.45/5  rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: poued a golden yellow with no head an absolutely no lacing.

S: strong tart strawberry aromas with vinegar acidic funk.

T: nice sour punch with strawberry, vinegar, and acidic flavors.

M: meduim body with ghost carbonation.

D: I could drink this stuff all day but will probably pay for it with heart burn. Not a bad offering from the hanssens blenders.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2010 07:08:31 | More by Gobzilla

aasher

Indiana

3.4/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I've been eyeing this one for a long time now. It pours a light bodied bright gold in color with a slightly pinkish hue, slightly cloudy and with no head or bubbles. The nose is what I expected from Hannsens, nice acidity, moderate funk, and a strawberry juice aspect that offers a touch of berry sweetness. The flavors are interested. Of course there is the acid and funky yeast but it has an odd juicy strawberry sweetness. It's kind of earthy and vinous. The mouthfeel is also a little flat. It's ok. I know there aren't many strawberry lambics out there but to me this tastes like a Geueze with Strawberry juice added. It's ok but being more expensive than their gueuze or kriek, I would prefer one of those any day.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 21:57:19 | More by aasher

kbutler1

Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bottle. Year 2000 edition. $8.99 for a 12.7oz bottle. Pours an opaque deep honey orange flavor with zero head and no real carbonation to speak of. Strong aroma of sourness mixed with fruit, in this case strawberry. Some vinegar noted in the nose. Tart and dry are the 2 words that come to mind after my first sip. Some acetone flavors as well. The zero carbonation doesn't help really although I realize that no carbonation is typical of this age and maybe style. The more I have it the more I kind of like it. Probably not a "beer" for everyone but for those that like dry, sour beers, its fairly decent. I'll probably end up with a bottle or 2 to put in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2010 13:37:51 | More by kbutler1

UnionMade

Colorado

3.13/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Pours a clear copper color with no head at all.
Aroma is strawberry, some kind of wierd dirt smell, and a pervasive tart sourness, like moldy lemons.
Flavor is strange. Fruity, with a moldy sharpness all the way through, finishing very very dry. I'm not really sure I like this stuff. A still beer, with an odd semi-effervescence in the middle. I've never had carbonation like this before. It's so interesting that it keeps asking for another sip.
The beer started to irritate my stomach about half way through, and i couldn't finish it. It felt too acidic. I got my girlfriend to drink as much of it as I could pawn off, and we had to pour the rest. I felt terrible, considering that it's such a hard to find (expensive) beer, but I don't think I'm ready for stuff like this, and neither is my digestive system.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2003 03:52:01 | More by UnionMade