Duchesse De Bourgogne - Brouwerij Verhaeghe

insaneshow

Minnesota

4.88/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I love this beer, I want to drink more of it and it has opened up a whole new style of beer to me; Sour Beer / Flander's Red Ale.

The beer was sweet with rich malt flavors, I remember noticing some cherry. It was not over carbonated and tasted like it was almost half wine and half beer. The mouth feel was thick and sweet, but not grainy. The appearance in the glass was a deep dark rich red with a nice creamy head.

I would strongly suggest this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2007 18:26:14 | More by insaneshow

phirleh

Ontario (Canada)

4.88/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is the first of this style that I've really tried, I bought it in January in Quebec. Poured an amber red colour, and the head was minimal but very long lasting. The first taste was very sour and almost wine like, further drinking revealed a much more complex flavour profile, sweet and sour, almost like grape juice with hints of green apple and cherry. The carbonation is slightly prickly, very Belgian. Very drinkable and well deserved of its high rating. I have another bottle in my basement. Always buy 2 to avoid disappointment!

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2009 03:05:01 | More by phirleh

Honza

Czech Republic

4.88/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Great beer, sour sweet balance. Enjoyable for a long drink. Best in Vichte where it comes from. Verhaeghe brewery is very lovely little building, family business...just great! I was lucky enough to visit it several times. I liked their other beers too, but this is one is exceptional. i saw more beers from wooden casks lately in the US, but this is a bit different...

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2009 17:48:02 | More by Honza

danielofthedale

Georgia

4.88/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A-A dark red color. Nice foamy head that retains well. A good amount of carbonation bubbles streaming up to the head.

S-Vinegar smell is what I got fist but also tart apples. The funky aroma that one would expect from a Belgian beer.

T-An upfront tartness. Good blend of sour and sweet. Pleasant apple taste. And just when you think the sweetness is over powering you get a good and lighting fast bitterness that leaves just as fast to cut through the sweetness.

M-Very foamy and full of zest from the carbonation. Slightly chew but still light.

D-Extremely drinkable. I think it would be perfect to have on a nice summer day sitting out on the deck or proch to end the day.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2011 03:14:38 | More by danielofthedale

SundaySour

California

4.88/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: A misty deep red like the skies above Mordor with a thin white head and some fabulous lacing. You know this beer is about to get real.

S: The smell is distinctly a cherry covered in dust. It sounds gross, but it isn't. Think of all the highly romantic and yummy smelling dusty places; like a haunted house or the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. You love that smell.

T: By far the most delicious, life-changing sour I've ever had. Tart cherries blowing up in my mouth like the Grand Finale on the 4th of July. Uncooked pie dough crust, raspberries, and pomegranate all come through. It has a lightly sweet finish, and things got a little weird when I tasted angel kisses and sunbeams. HOW CAN BEER TASTE LIKE THIS? O wild yeast, my Lord and Master!

M: Crisp and tart, like new money.

O: This is currently my favorite pick for a sour, beer, AND a beverage. It never lets me down with it's crispy tart holiness and mouth-watering goody goodness. Sometimes I wake up in the night and cry out for a glass of Duchesse, screaming until the dawn. "Duchesse! Duchesse!" It must be tasted to be believed.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2011 02:45:20 | More by SundaySour

tlazaroff

Virginia

4.88/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: This pours a very deep deep and ultra clear burgundy red. It's head is a slight off-white color. This beer is breathtaking to look at.

S: As I opened and poured the beer a huge almost cherry-like aroma almost over-took me. Upon closer inspection I was able to confirm this. There are many different dark fruits on the nose, but cherry takes the cake here. There is a noticeable sourness to the smell.

T: Huge sour cherry notes here in a background of light plum. The sourness is there, but not extreme and not subtle either. This beer tastes perfect and it is quite a religious experience.

M: This is so smooth, with low carbonation and a nice medium body. The sourness doesn't detract from the mouthfeel either.

D: To me, this has such low drinkability because I want to enjoy it. That said, it's extremely drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2011 00:33:56 | More by tlazaroff

lastauss

Washington

4.9/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Tart, tangy, gorgeous to look at, this has got to be one of my all-time favorites. Notes of sour, sour cherry interlude to delicate oakiness. My only [minor] complaint is that its faint smell totally belies the explosive flavor of this beauty. Truly, a sexy beer, by all counts.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2004 04:05:30 | More by lastauss

soulgrowl

United Kingdom (England)

4.9/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Very deep, dark, cola red-brown. Decent-sized head with mediocre retention.

Smell: Oaky barrels of red wine, bursting with blackberry-esque tartness and undercurrents of of tobacco, burnt sugar, and slight lactic acid. Unique and extremely sumptuous, an aroma that really enlivens the senses and gets the old salivary glands a-pumpin'.

Taste: Beautifully tart through-and-through but not at all puckering, a sourness of juicy green apples and green strawberries. Well-balanced and refreshing with a tart and bittersweet finish; very vinous, complex, and delicious.

Mouthfeel: Zippy and sharp to match the sourness, but smooth and silky at the same time.

Drinkability: This is just so damn good, I could drink it all night.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2006 23:06:24 | More by soulgrowl

donotknowme

Pennsylvania

4.9/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This poured a deep reddish-brown with a thin lacy head that quickly faded. The nose was dominated by a sour smell with hints of berries and maybe some oak. One of the best mouthfeels I have ever had in a beer. At the end it got a little thick and sticky from the sweetness but the tartness cleared it up nicely. Easily my favorite beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2006 21:58:10 | More by donotknowme

AleDrinkToThat

Tennessee

4.9/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Beautiful burgundy hue under a perfect creamy beige head.

Smell: Oh, such a delicious smell of cherries and malt. I can tell just by the smell that there's more going on here.

Taste: Good thing I'm only typing about this, 'cause my mouth just exploded. Seriously, wow. This is excellent. The tart cherry is much more subtle than, say, a Kriek Lambic, and is so well balanced with delicious roasted malt.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, devilishly so, and the tartness danced all over my mouth, puckering all inner surfaces in its path (I'll leave you to picture that). The malt definitely rounded things back out, and the result is a heavenly complexity.

Drinkability: Go get one. Now.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2008 05:37:09 | More by AleDrinkToThat

ironarrow42

Ohio

4.9/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pure joy finding this on tap! It was served in the appropriate stemware and appeared deep red with slight cloudiness and a dense off-white head. The aroma was tart, fruity, and quite appetizing, with a hint of balsamic vinegar.

Very fine carboination tingle on the tongue. The head adds some creamy texture to the mouthfeel. Lots of tart fruit with a sour lactic character. Notes of cherry and gooseberry. Great apperitif; refreshing and drinkable. Went great with a salad of spring greens and grape tomatoes with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Left some nice Belgian lace on the glass.

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2009 03:29:16 | More by ironarrow42

bnieman

Wisconsin

4.9/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

750 ml
Expiration Date 08/2012

A - Delicate small bubble Belgian lace. Red orange glow.

S - Sour apple and grapes. Akin to a fine dry white wine. Faint oak aroma.

T - Sour with a perfect balance of sweet sensation. White grapes. Delicious delicious funk.

M - Perfectly carbonated. Decadent.

D - Brilliant. I could drink this for hours until I succumb to a happiness comatose state.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2011 22:25:15 | More by bnieman

AronVietti

California

4.9/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

From a bottle that has a best by date of 29/10/2012 poured into a wine glass. Gave a nice hiss when the bottle was opened at 48 degrees.

Appearance: White puffy billowing head with a mixture of small and large bottles. Head dies down to half the hight quickly with strong lacing on the glass but the rest remains intact. Deep brownish red hue and absolute clear, like an aged Pinot Noir.

Smell: Fruity with a strong smell of Sour Cherries or unripe plums, new leather and a subtle amount of malt. The aroma is strong but not over powering.

Taste: Starts with a fruity sweetness that is soon balanced by a slight acidity and nice Plum flavor with a hint of spice. The acidity lingers with a bit of bitterness that further helps the balance with the original sweetness and carries the spice notes.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation is balanced for the style, and the body of the beer is very full though not heavy. The finish is long, and the taste overall is as reminiscent of wine as the color was, which is perfectly within the style.

Drinkability: This beer is extremely drinkable, at only 6% there are no hints of alcohol for me, and though the mouthfeel is full the beer doesn't seem heavy. I would have one of these with a rich meal, relying on the acidity to cut through cream or cheese heavy dishes and the fruitiness to add to the experience. And afterwards I would have one with a cheese plate for the sheer enjoyment of it.

I would like to try a bottle of this just before the 'Best Before' date to see if there is a difference

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2011 04:12:45 | More by AronVietti

SirWalkAbout

Texas

4.9/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a snifter. Very dark red color, almost black. Nice head, 1/4" - 1/2", which stays around nicely.

Smells fruity like a champagin. Smells a bit tart and dry.

Taste is very pleasant. Very fruity, grapes. Good, strong carbonation. Nice and light.

Leaves the pallet quickly without any aftertaste, which I like.

I try not throw out a high score without justification, but I don't know how this beer can be improved for what it is. I find the look, lightness, and taste spot on. Not a beer I would drink all night, but used in place of a dessert wine or a sweet treat, look no further.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2012 03:47:46 | More by SirWalkAbout

Shultzerdugen

Missouri

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

11.2 oz. bottle with best before date of 22-4-06.

Pours a deep red- dark copper with a large tan head comprised of big bubbles that quickly dissipates.

The aroma is very complex, very tempting. Fresh tart cherries, musty earth tones, bourbon.

Easily one of the most complex brews I've drank. Cherry juice. At first light and refreshing, I had a hard time not slamming this down. Very tangy, very sour. Even at 6.2% abv the alchohol is warming down the gullet. Slight metallic taste, but it adds rather than distracts to the beer's awsomeness. Lime. Hershey's cocoa from the tin towards the end. The finish doesn't finish, with sour malt going and going.

I could easily drink this every day, but it would be like eating steak and lobster every day. Speaking of which this beer begs to tried with a wide range of food. Say thankya!

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2005 14:19:25 | More by Shultzerdugen

grdahl

Florida

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

A: rich red and Brown in color.

S: Champangne like

T: Tart sourness but very smooth.

M: Nice crispy, bubbly with meium body.

D: Very drinkable.I could drink this all night.

Serving type: large corked bottle

My first Flanders Red. Not my last. This is inspiring me to brew my own Flanders. Very different, very wine like in both smaell and taste.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2009 18:38:24 | More by grdahl

stealth

Minnesota

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

Beautiful beer. Deep ruby red (in the light) pour, thick pillowy, slightly off-white head that lasts forever. Intense lacing down the entire glass. Sticky. The nose is wonderful. Funky vinous notes with sweet fruit, and the tartness comes out in the aroma.

Nice soft and smooth mouthfeel - like silk in your mouth. Citrusy, with ripe cherry fruits, acidic, very tart and sour. Some funk at the onset. Finishes sweet with a metallic note. Ends dry and leaves the palate without any bitterness or lingering traces. Mouth salivate and puckers, waiting that next drink. So much going on in this one it's hard to describe...

Overall, a near perfect flanders. I can't give it a perfect 5 because that belongs to Consecration.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 08:55:08 | More by stealth

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

DarrellK

Florida

4.95/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appreciating Flanders Red Ale style is one that is not of the uninitiated and takes some experience to understand it's value. The Duchesse is probably the premier example of the style and gets my highest rating.

The ale pours to a beautiful fine head that leaves a lovely lace. Being color-blind mt color descriptions can be a bit off, but looks like a clear dark ruby to me.

The aroma promotes a sour prelude to the first sip that is sure to challenge those that think Bud Light is Nirvana. The mouth is of medium viscosity and despite the bubbles from the head is quite still in nature. The finish is raisiny at first and moves to dates later and of course in sour, and just sour enough to be refreshing.

The beer should be tried in two ways, first on the cool end of the specrtrum 45 deg or so and then again at the higher end maybe 55. The Cooler end brings out the sourness more and the higher end the fruity side.

One other point is that it is only 6.2% abv and which is on the low end of the Belgian scale.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2006 22:38:23 | More by DarrellK

nriech

Virginia

4.95/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had on tap at Capital Ale House in Richmond, also in bottle at home with very similar results.

This beer is amazing and has become one of my all time favorite brews. The flavors are so complex and intense that I dont even want food to come near me for the chance to interrupt the experience.

Slight head with good carbonation. The color is similar to a subdued red wine. Be sure to serve this at the correct temp, I believe somewere around 50F. The inital sip is like a sour wine but becomes complex extremely quickly as it warms. The oak aging is very obvious. It adds so much to this brew.

This is extremely drinkable, very hard to not give into drinking this quickly. One sidepoint is that the one on tap seemed to be a bit more oaky and sour than the bottled version. Not sure on the dates of either.

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2006 17:00:22 | More by nriech

ColoradoBobs

Colorado

4.95/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at the Falling Rock Tap House, Denver, CO, March 16, 2007, served in a lovely brandy-snifter sized tulip glass.

Appearance: Minimal head over a dark burgundy body. Pretty. Crimson highlights around the edge. Even though the head is smallish, it lasts and lasts and lasts. A bit of lacing.

Lovely sour-cherry and cardamom smell, with a candy-sugar background. Some sweet maltiness is there as well. Smells great. Hope it tastes this good!

Taste does not disappoint, although it's bit sweeter than the smell. Like a light red sparkling wine, with a malty backbone. Wow. What a delight. Sour, but not mouth-puckering. Delightful cherry notes, with some clove and cardamom. Very complex, and the sweetness advances as the beer warms a bit. Wonderful taste! Not quite a 5.0, but more like a 4.9!

Mouthfeel is surprisingly chewy for a 6.2% beer. Nice tingly carbonation -- makes you want to swirl and chew before swallowing.

Really very drinkable. I was surprised. This is only the second Flanders Red I've had (the first being LaFolie, which was so exceedingly sour it was like vinegar -- way too sour for me!), and I was very pleased. Now that I've had this on tap, I'll be looking for it in the bottle to compare.

Oddly enough, I found the sometimes rotten service at FRTH to be exceptionally cordial and efficient. I was sitting at the bar, and was just finishing a Hercules DIPA (ON CASK!), and asked the guy to recommend something at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Hercules, and he gave me a 3-ounce sample of this, which motivated purchasing a 12 ounce glass. What a great beer!

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2007 19:52:52 | More by ColoradoBobs

Rezzin

California

4.97/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Poured into a tulip glass. 1/4" tan head that doesn't hang out long. Color is a deep mahogany red and it's crystal clear. I expected it to be bottle conditioned but I didn't notice any trace yeast in the bottle. Looks quite appealing.

S - Wow, the aroma is incredible. Complex with fruity notes. Cherries, plums, some tartness in the nose. Slight barnyard character - sweet caramal.

T - This is an excellent flanders red - the sweet and tart is perfectly balanced. There's that a ever so slight barnyard character that just perfectly compliments the flavors in my mouth. You have to search for the barnyard - it's very slight. Sour cherries, raspberries, maybe even some plum with a nice balanced sweetness. I'm loving these sour beers right now!

M - Medium to light body with a nice acidic crispness. Moderately carbonated.

D - I've died and gone to sour beer heaven. I love this beer. I'm looking forward to trying other examples of this style to see what i'm missing. If this is not one of the better ones then I'm in for a real treat!

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2008 05:14:14 | More by Rezzin

RuinationPress

Texas

4.97/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I've had this one before, but never reviewed it. Recently a friend from San Diego had occasion to try this one and fell in love. As i had a couple of them in the fridge, I decided there was no better time to have and review one.

This one is labeled a a reddish-brown ale, although the overall style is known as a Flanders Red Ale. They are typically brews that range from red to brown in color. The style often uses a Lactobacillus yeast strain producing a high lactic acid and giving a sour taste, also sometimes a Tannic acid producing that lip puckering feeling. Often aged for long periods in oak barrels, aged batches are sometimes mixed with younger ones to balance them out. The often have distinct and sharp fruit flavors that that set them apart from other Belgians.

Produced by the Brouwerij Verhaeghe Brewery in Vichte, Belgium.

This one has quite an appearance. Similar in some ways to new Belgiums La Folie, poured into a tulip glass, it has a deep brown, almost molasses, color with a faint hint hint of red when held up to the sunlight. Very cloudy and with a modest amount of carbonation, it produced a small, but sustainable thin head. The lacing left behind was nice and lite, perfect for this style.

Take a whiff of this one and you are immediately overpowered with the scent of caramel, banana, bread and a faint hint our sour apple. The caramel malt mixed with the banana is what served to really balance out the apple and bread.

As I took my first sip, I immediately tasted the sour apple I smelled earlier with the banana not far behind. Another sip brought the bead and caramel malt and this time a hint of a as yet to be determined spice. Works well with the bread, banana and apple. I felt like I was being treated to dessert! The Lactobacillus yeast really works well on this one, as it was sour, but not too tart and not overpowering.

I really liked this one overall. Not only does it do what the style intends, it just down right pleases! Don't get me wrong, this one is all beer, but may also be one that can pull those who usually shun beer over to the dark side! I had some cheesecake cake around, and really enjoyed the Duchesse as it complimented the cheesecake perfectly. Since it weighs in at around 6% ABV, if you want another you can.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2009 07:38:57 | More by RuinationPress

hooligan

Florida

5/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Beautiful ruby-red color with a wispy lace head. The oaken cask conditioning of this beer give the drinker hints of balsamic and red wine vinegar, with some sweetness and floral notes of wine. While you are trying to put a finger on all the flavors, you start tasting the sweet and "chewier" texture of the malt. This beer is slightly sour and very highly carbonated, pleasantly so, similar to a lambic... this is bottled happiness.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2001 09:35:43 | More by hooligan

oelergud

Virginia

5/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Deep clear ruby and mahogany body. Very low carbonation. Big tan butte head. Good retention and great lace.
Strong scents of both sweet and sour notes, very well balanced. Interesting and complex with cherries and dark malts.
Taste is amazing, perfect balance of sweet and sour, very strong. Cherries, prunes and sour characters all very powerful and delicious. Great aftertaste.
Hydrating mouthfeel that is slightly puckering and mouthwatering.
Great drinkability.

-Oelergud

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2007 16:21:30 | More by oelergud