Duchesse De Bourgogne - Brouwerij Verhaeghe

Fatehunter

Oregon

4.45/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Into a snifter. Ruby colored with a two solid fingers of head.
Smells like cider vinegar, cherry and pear.
Fruity taste: cherry and pear again. A little malty sweet at the end with some lemon.
Champagne texture, lots of bubbles but not overly carbonated. Light body.
The vinegar smell actually fit well and thankfully didn't transfer into the taste. Top shelf here. An excellent all-around drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 17:51:27 | More by Fatehunter

goodbeerallday

Australia

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

A: appearance is a dark royal cherry red with a with a nice amount of carbonation bubbling to meet an off white film of head consisting of about 1 fingers depth.

S: large sour notes. again cherry, some raspberry maybe and also a slight detection of a grassy characteristic. extremely sweet. aged woody oak character as imagined.

T: really complex! sour, dark, nutty, fruitful. almost like putting a sugar cube into your mouth, residing into cherries, grapes and a woody note that splinters onto your lips and across your tongue. maybe the minor detection of alcohol.

M: very sticky, covering teeth and all sides of mouth. an extremely dry finish resulting in a line of excess sugar across lips.

O: a different outcome than expected of this beer. something i could sit and have with a home cooked meal for sure but not something to have more than one bottle of i feel. loving the woody characters arising and as always the dark fruits. recommend to try

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 21:24:13 | More by goodbeerallday

Jamesthebrit

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Ruby red with lots of bubbles. Good lacing.

S: A good sweet and sour but also some woody cinnamon note or so. Maybe like fig and grape as well. It's a little hard to decipher.

T: As the smell a good sweet and sour. Great fruit notes and a good musty finish. A little bitterness helps on the finish. Very complex and defined.

M: Musty bitterness comes through and the large amount of carbonation really makes it difficult to rest on the palate. It seems like the mustyness is really brought out while it rests on the palate.... Mmmmm quite...

O: A very nice beer. Great fruit notes but still has some malty and hoppy notes. I would recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 22:55:55 | More by Jamesthebrit

heygeebee

Australia

3.95/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

BB 2013. From Platinum.

Pours a deep brown mahogany. Lovely fluffy head looks like it wil stay but doesn't. Spotty lace.

Aromas of balsamic vinegar, sour cherries.

Taste is tart, sour cherries, malt backbone. Some vinegar on back palate to finish dry. Very refreshing, but not in a hot-summer-day beer kind of way.

Mouthfeel light. Lightly but definitely carbonated.

Well made beer, and nicely complex without being a flavour bomb.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 10:39:47 | More by heygeebee

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

3.93/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark mahogany with white head. Dissipates to ring around edge of glass.

Smell is peppery, worchestire sauce, tart fruits, ripe plums.

Taste is very tart up front. Ripe fruit (plums and banana) belgian character comes through. Very mild bitterness. Dry.

Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied and dry.

Overall this was weird but enjoyable. I would definitely try again. A very slow sipper for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 22:39:45 | More by TrappistJohnMD

spokeydonkey

New York

3.85/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a snifter.
A-A deep, clear red. Some very light head on the beer.
S - Vinegar and cherry.
T - sweet and tart up front, but in good balance. Nicely effervescent. Finishes with a lingering spicy bitterness that lasts.
M - medium bodied. Sweet, but the acidity and carbonation keeps it from being syrupy.
O - a nicely balanced and drinkable sour.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 03:24:37 | More by spokeydonkey

Spilly09

4.63/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a snifter and left to settle for a few minutes.
Pours a dark cola color--a reddish brown. Highly carbonated, with a head that settles into a thin layer soon after pouring but maintains a nice lacing.
Nose is a pungent vinegar and a bit of cola. You know what you're about to taste when you smell this one.
Mouthfeel is big and smooth. So much going on here. Terrific.
Initially there is a huge hit of carbonation and sourness on the front of the tongue. It then moves into a big hit of balsamic vinegar, finishing with an awesome "Dr. Pepper-esque" cherry sweetness and a long, residual aftertaste. Just lovely.
This one is not for everyone, but if you would buy a balsamic flavored cola, this one’s for you. Excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 01:42:07 | More by Spilly09

SHODriver

California

4.5/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: poured into a champagne flute. pours a nice reddish brown with a three finger light tan head with decent retention
S: smells of sour cherries, acetic acid and some nice woody oak and vanilla
T: tart cherry, a bit of oak and vanilla, residual sugary sweetness, vinegar sourness. swallow brings more oak and vanilla with a bit of tartness toward the end
M: medium with soft carbonation, very nice in the mouth but slightly chalky and a little drying on the swallow
O: a very nice and tasty beer. good complexity, true to style and very well made. well worth the money and quite enjoyable

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 00:31:49 | More by SHODriver

srandycarter

California

4.3/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Was happy to find this one at the Main Tap Tavern in El Cajon.

A - Clear ruby, nice liw white head, some lace.

S - Sour, tart fruit. Bright sour cherry.

T - Wonderful cooked and sour cherry. Nice malt aspect.

M - Medium body, good balance. Clean finish.

D - Would drink this one all night.

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2012 17:37:44 | More by srandycarter

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a wine glass at Burp Castle.

Duchesse de Bourgogne pours a deep chestnut brown, with a few scant ruby highlights apparent when the beer is backlit. There's a smattering of khaki colored foam atop the beer. Not enough for any real lacing or head retention though. The nose is very nice, with aromas of sweet cherry acidic tartness, and a bit of woody oak all intermingling and taking turns standing out. The flavor profile manages to be even more complex. Cherries and a definite vinous sour note are what immediately make an impression. The farther I get down the glass, the more some of background notes begin to come through. In addition to the oak, some biscuit and light caramel maltiness add another layer to the beer. The mouthfeel isn't quite to the same level as the aroma and flavor. Tje.body is alright, but the carbonation dies off at the front of the palate, leaving the rest of the sip to coat my palate a little too much. Still, Duchesse is a great beer, and I'm almost embarrassed it took me this long to try it.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2012 23:49:37 | More by axeman9182

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked this up at Julio's a long time ago, poured into my Dogfish Head chalice.

A - Pours a cherry amber hue with a large, off-white, 2 finger head with a good retention and a light lacing.

S - Light sourness with some faint vinegar notes along with some slight earthyness qualities.

T - Lots of nice oak barrel with this, quite prominant and mingles nicely with the good sour vinegar notes and faint cherries. Nicely complex as well.

M - Nice carbonation for this style, keeps it up off the tongue.

O - Super refreshing and delicious. Quite enjoyable and a solid brew for the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 22:05:57 | More by rudzud

danieelol

Australia

3.4/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from Leura.

Pours brown-red with nice head and ok lacing.

Smell is nice. Huge amounts of cherry syrup, very vinous also. Big, big charred oak/tar flavour. Like a very aromatic red. Balanced and subtle vinegar note. Some rainforest character, just smells alive.

Taste has more of that charred Jack Daniel's like character. Unfortunately this beer carries a lot of sweetness with it and it's a little bit too much for my tastes in sours. I can see why it comes in a 250mL. The charred aftertaste isn't quite enough to counteract all that sweet taste-bud stimulation when it's in the mouth. Some rose character but really just more Jack Daniel's.

Sweet, sweet mouthfeel with highly carbed body.

Overall an enjoyable and unique beer which could do with less sweetness and Jack Daniel's in its profile.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 14:01:28 | More by danieelol

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.23/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from 8/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a dark red amber, moderate long lasting head and lacing. Fruit and sour aroma. Nice dark fruits with a rush of cherry, sour and sweetness in a well blended flavor. Sour and fruit finish. Wow. Sours aren't my favorite style, but this is excellent and beautifully made. I will buy again.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 18:29:22 | More by LiquidAmber

jmaharaj

Maryland

4.28/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- a burning deep red. white foam lingers around the edge of the glass. this beer looks beautiful.

S- Sour. not an overpowering tart, but it feels deep. slight cherry, maybe un-ripe apple.

T- amazing. you feel the tartness right away. its a wonderfully complicated tartness that tastes of cherries and apple skin. theres a little malt that carries the tartness until a puckering dry finnish that fades into a light woodsy spiciness. this beer is complicated, long, and all those elements dance together beautifully.

M- thin, an almost passive-aggressive carbonation. carries the flavors well and then leaves you wanting more

O- love it. nothing about this beer tastes forced or artificial. its cohesive while being incredibly dynamic. one of the best flemish style beers ive had.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 03:30:53 | More by jmaharaj

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle acquired form the MLCC, BB 13/04/2014. Poured ~5C into a Perfect Pint glass.

Ruby red and seemingly crystal clear beer with a tan head of one finger that drops to a cap and laces surprisingly well. Tons of cherry pie filling in the nose off the hop, then a bit of buttered corn and earthiness come through along with a slight acidity. The body is a bit of a battle between the cherry and fruit with the malt. A surprisingly thick malt body that is hard to discern, but gives away a bit of a caramel sweetness that plays interestingly with the fruit notes. A hint of sourness develops, though much less than I had expected. Once again a bit of a butter note comes through oddly enough, which takes away from the beer's taste and mouthfeel.

Enjoyable. Would have been a much better beer without that buttery slickness, but worth buying a few more before they disappear to see how it evolves.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 03:22:52 | More by kjyost

devilben02

North Carolina

3.85/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep medium brown, with a dense beige head that leaves tremendous lacing. The aroma is pleasant but muted, with a faint, musty/herbal hop character that is reminiscent of old, wet grass (in a good way), which is contrasted by a light, fruity combination of berries and citrus. The flavor is more vibrant, with a bright and fruity combination of mixed berries and sour cherries that is not overly sweet, especially when cut by a kind of aged vinegar character. The fine, soft carbonation elevates rather than distracts from the sweet/tart flavor. Overall, the sweet and only gently sour profile of this beer makes it quite drinkable but still flavorful.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 15:49:21 | More by devilben02

duracell

Quebec (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

330mL bottle into a tulip glass. 6.2% ABV

A - Pours a cherry color with amber hues. Large, off-white, 4-finger head with a good retention and a limited lacing.

S - Sour, spicy, fruity, white wine like. The yeast is present with some earthy character.

T - I pick out wood, cherry, dark fruits. Very interesting and complex blend of sour and sweet notes. Some spiciness is noticeable at the end.

M - Active carbonation with a medium body. Slightly acidic, this beer is very smooth and lingers pretty well.

O - Very refreshing drink featuring a good complexity and a perfect balance. Definitely a must try!

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 12:22:44 | More by duracell

Evan_Duncan

2.68/5  rDev -35.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Ruby red with quickly receding sandy head. Medium lacing, and this looks wonderful.

S - Vinegar, tart sourness, stone fruits (is that plumb I smell?), the aroma is not as complex as I thought it would be; everything seems to be muddled and flat. :(

T - some funkiness, metallic, sharp sourness but pleasant. a slight stone fruit note (cherries, plumbs).

M - medium light mouth feel, somewhat thin, good carbonation.

O - The metallic flavor ruined it for me to the point where I couldn't finish it. I was really disappointed with this one. I had high hopes and it fell flat. I will try it again, but this one just did not hold up to its reputation.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 14:15:30 | More by Evan_Duncan

jda007

Florida

4.93/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Absolutely stunning!

Had on tap at Proof in Tallahassee, FL. They consistently keep it on tap and the popularity has grown quite a bit.

On tap is far superior to bottled.

Head is just right, aroma is sweet with a hint of sour cherry. Color is a nice crimson to amber. Mouthfeel is light and fragrant with a tart, crisp flavor. Finishes smooth and the lightly sour aftertaste remains right on the tongue beckoning for more.

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2012 01:22:36 | More by jda007

t420o

California

4.08/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Duchesse de Bourgogne 

A- pour produces a 1-1/2 finger tan head resting on a deep amber/copper colored body. Great retention and good lacing. Strange for a beer that's a mix of 8 and 18 month barrel aged base beers. 4.5

S- tart cherry, sherry, vinegar, light alcohol 4

T- very interesting. Upfront it's tart and slightly sour cherry, slight vinegar follows, these are quickly met by a sweetness that washes all tart and sour aspects away. Wish the sweetness didn't hit so quick. 4 

M- excellent mouthfeel. Great carbonation and body. 4.5

O- a very fine beer. I'd like it a little more sour though 4

A-

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 02:11:49 | More by t420o

UCLABrewN84

California

3.93/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Lucky Baldwin's Delirium Cafe in Sierra Madre, CA.

Pours a murky crimson brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Tiny dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is slightly sour and tart with some malt, sour fruit, red wine vinegar, and woody aromas. Taste is much the same with a woody and slightly acidic flavor on the finish. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer but it's definitely not as sour as I remember it being from the bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2012 19:48:46 | More by UCLABrewN84

tut2528

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours with very low viscosity, ½ fingers worth of head formation but actually leaves a very fine film around the edge of the glass. Decent carbonation is noticed upon swirling the beer. Color is more on the opaque side resembling a syrupy/maple color with slight touches of red. Moderate lacing.

S: Oak is very dominant, and smell resembles a red wine. There are strong fruits present and I don’t get as much sour character as I have with sours (limited at this point personally). This one is very complex as I feel that the aromas are changing by the minute.

T: This one does not have a strong sour taste. The oaky aspect is present and it is in a nice balance with other flavors. Lot of different flavors come out, especially as this one warms up. Molasses comes to mind along with an apple aspect. I also get a bready note as well and a slight tartness to it. After taste consists of brown sugar and cherries.

M: High carbonation on the mouth feel. Goes down rather quickly and decently smooth. The mouth literally salivates while drinking this one enticing you to drink more.

O:I thought the balance was decent and it drinks very much like a wine or champagne.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 05:38:07 | More by tut2528

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.68/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Tart fruit (especially cherries), wood, funk, sourness all swirling around in an orgy of aromas. Quite nice.
Pretty beer. Darker body of closer to brown than red, but clear with lots of bubble action. Dense tan head with great stability.
A little sweeter than other Flanders I've had. with a "Fizzies" taste (the baby boomer members of BA might remember them) with the sweet and sugary fruit flavors, but it's not overbalanced towards sweetness, as all the elements in the aroma appear in the taste too. Even with the shot of sweetness up front this finishes with a moderately dry and woody finish that is absolutely delightful.
The perfect refreshing and light yet full carbonation on this is wonderful and delicate and enhances the drink.
Boy this is quite an exceptional beer.

Gift from my 2nd for father's day. What a nice guy. :0)

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 00:37:15 | More by garymuchow

BeardedBoffin

New Mexico

4.58/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I enjoyed this beer on draft at the Muddy Pig in St. Paul, MN. The waiter delivered the stemmed glass of mahogany colored elixir. The aroma immediately made itself known. The fruity, woody, funky mixture elicited pleasant memories of the good side of Worchestire sauce without losing its beer distinctness. The flavor expands on the palate into a fruity, cherry-like, sour, oak-laden profile filled with complexity. The waves keep coming, all complementing the central them of sourness. This is deep wonderful beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2012 22:44:04 | More by BeardedBoffin

BostonHops

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

11.2oz bottle served in a snifter.
best before date: 04/29/2012

pours a mahogany tone while yielding a creamy 1" or so of beige colored head; middling retention, fades to a thin, lasting cap. decent lacing. a decent amount going on the nose, which is one of the more unique aromas i've encountered recently. notes of caramel, brown sugar, belgian yeast, cherries, funk, and cider vinegar.

the taste is an unexpected treat. not being the biggest fan of sours i'm pleasantly surprised by the flavor profile: cherry, apple, and sweet malt lead the way. nice balance between sweet and tart. it has a nice sour component that doesn't go too far. very tasty. toward the lighter side of medium-bodied in the mouth with some lively carbonation.

overall i'm enjoying this. was admittedly a bit apprehensive at the outset but keeping an open mind has paid off. great beer.

(originally reviewed: 06-21-2011)

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 21:52:20 | More by BostonHops