Duchesse De Bourgogne - Brouwerij Verhaeghe

gbarron

Georgia

4.35/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Brickstore Pub.

A - served in a nice tulip glass emblazoned with Duchesse de Bourgogne written upon it. Orangish, almost brown, large billowy head of thick bubbles, outstanding head retention and lacing.

S - candy sugar aroma, hints of tangy sourness. Little or no hop aroma. Tons of rich, sweet malty esters and some hints of alcohol.

T - incredible mix of sweet sugary smells and tangy sourness. Lots of fruity esters, dark grapes, plums, over-ripe apples. Great balance with tart sourness, but not overwhelming. Sweet and sour. Little hop presence.

M - medium to light bodied, a little fluffy. Carbonation is average. Slightly sweet finish.

D - great, great beer. Perfect balance of sweet and sour and bittnerness. One of the best sour Flanders ales I've ever had.

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2006 01:07:45 | More by gbarron

JellyJacket

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

05-19-2013 11:33:56 | More by JellyJacket

terence

California

4/5  rDev -3.1%

05-19-2013 04:44:34 | More by terence

pathman

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +9%

05-19-2013 04:24:01 | More by pathman

Cabbage_pants1

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +9%

05-18-2013 00:41:46 | More by Cabbage_pants1

EROCK75

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

05-17-2013 17:05:14 | More by EROCK75

papajorgio

California

4.5/5  rDev +9%

05-16-2013 23:42:01 | More by papajorgio

GinsuDave

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +15%

05-16-2013 10:31:27 | More by GinsuDave

aLenwell

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -15.3%

05-15-2013 00:52:25 | More by aLenwell

GimmeGumballHead

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

05-14-2013 16:10:03 | More by GimmeGumballHead

Caudalie

Quebec (Canada)

2.75/5  rDev -33.4%

05-14-2013 15:54:36 | More by Caudalie

aty11b

Texas

3/5  rDev -27.4%

05-14-2013 01:09:51 | More by aty11b

jkball01

Kentucky

3/5  rDev -27.4%

05-13-2013 16:29:55 | More by jkball01

crosenkrantz

Switzerland

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

05-12-2013 21:30:49 | More by crosenkrantz

BartMcStout

Belgium

4/5  rDev -3.1%

05-12-2013 21:02:00 | More by BartMcStout

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -3.1%

05-12-2013 18:02:07 | More by mikeburd1128

pointone

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

05-12-2013 02:43:43 | More by pointone

510a

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +9%

05-11-2013 05:44:34 | More by 510a

next_imaginaut

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +9%

05-10-2013 11:01:19 | More by next_imaginaut

piecar

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -15.3%

05-10-2013 06:17:03 | More by piecar

derkfromwi

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -3.1%

05-10-2013 03:14:35 | More by derkfromwi

rickyleepotts

Arizona

4.73/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Today is special. Well, sort of. This is beer #200 for us! We have drank a lot of beers over the last two years, but this is a milestone I am excited about. I am also excited about a beer trade we got in the mail today thanks to Andy Crow, a craft beer lover from Iowa. He sent a ton of bottles we haven't had before, including a bottle of KBS from Founders. Thanks for the trade, Andy!

This beer sits on the shelf at Total Wine, but no one ever buys it. I was excited to see this bottle appear in a recent beer class at Total Wine, and was BLOWN away with the flavor. I remember nothing but sour flavors; lip sucking sour flavors in this bottle. You know me and sours. Also, I love the label. The duchess looks so proper sitting there. OK, let's drink. I can't wait!!!

In the Glass: The beer pours reddish-brown; almost looks like a brown ale to be honest. It leaves a nice thin tan head on top that just sits there. Not thick, but according to the label, you are to drink this beer cold. The beer also leaves a nice thin lace.

Nose: This beer even smells sour. Actually, to be honest, the beer stinks. It is so sour that it smells gross! But that is what a Flanders red is supposed to smell like. This is also a smaller bottle, so there isn't much in my glass. I wish they sold thees in bombers. Especially with such a low ABV. A second whiff leaves me those same sour fruity notes I was getting as I poured the beer. Let's drink!

Flavor: Oh. My. GOD! That isn't beer… that is heaven in a glass. Holy crap, that is good. I mean, GREAT. It starts almost mellow and boring, then the sour flavors hit and you are stuck sucking your lips for five minutes. Then, as the beer sits on the palate, it settles to a sweet drying finish. I just looked at the brewery on Google Maps. This place is TINY. The next time we are in Belgium I want to visit the brewery and see them making this stuff in person. I do have another week of vacation this year… maybe I will go to Belgium and get lost bouncing from brewery to brewery! This is a GREAT beer if you like sours.

Mouthfeel: The front of my palate is bored to tears, but the back of my tongue is dancing with flavor. The beer is not thick, but has a nice fluffy mouthfeel. One thing I find enjoyable with sour beers are their tendency to lose that powerful sour flavor as you drink. Not sure if my palate is getting used to the flavor or what, but it allows me to enjoy a sour beer with several different flavors throughout the course of a bottle. Like I said, I just wish the bottle was bigger!

Aftertaste: The aftertaste is great on this bottle. The sour flavor is there for a few swallows, but then a sweetness begins to set in and it becomes dry. With such a low ABV you could drink a ton of this stuff and never know you were drinking beer. I bet this, room temperature, would be amazing. Or, I just thought of this, with a splash of soda water. Make it a Sunday afternoon spritzer by the pool. Yummy!

I knew I was going to like this… and I like it more now than I did when I tried it in the beer class. Bravo to Brouwerij Verhaeghe. This is the only bottle from them on our list… I wonder what other beers they produce. Has anyone tried anything else from them? Oh well, this one is good enough for me to buy over and over again!!! Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 20:56:41 | More by rickyleepotts

Andonato

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +15%

05-09-2013 05:58:48 | More by Andonato

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance – The beer pours a chestnut color with some ruby highlights seen shinning throughout. Upon pouring there is a small white head that fades relatively quickly leaving only a trace of lace.

Smell- The aroma is of dark fruit and sourness. The dark fruits are mainly of a cherry aroma, but have hints of raisin and prune mixed within. Along with these sweeter smells comes a good dose of a sour and tart aroma of a mix of apple cider vinegar mixed with some sour lemon.

Taste – The flavor of the brew is a nice blending of sweet and sour/tart. Upfront there is a good showing of a sweeter cherry flavor mixed with some lighter notes of sour grapes. As the flavor advances the sweetness fades slightly while the sour grape flavor grows stronger. Some hints of a yeasty taste begin coming to the tongue as well as a more sour and tart vinegar taste. In the end a rather balanced sweet and sour fruited vinegar flavor is left to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel- The body of the brew is on the thinner side with a carbonation level that is rather average to slightly below average. The thinner body and moderate carbonation are fantastic for keeping the brew on the more drinkable side, but while still providing enough body to support the sour and sweet flavors of the brew.

Overall – A very nice sour that is extremely drinkable and very tasty. One of the most balanced and enjoyable sours I have ever had.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 00:41:56 | More by Darkmagus82

beernads

Florida

4/5  rDev -3.1%

05-08-2013 08:15:23 | More by beernads