Duchesse De Bourgogne - Brouwerij Verhaeghe

hopsaplenty

Virginia

3.38/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On draft at Rustico, and served in Chimay chalice.

Arrives a deep garnet with cordovan highlights. Topped with a modest head of fine sand colored bubbles that slowly settles to a thick coating leaving big clots of foam floating. A few active carbonation streams are visible. The smell is tart, dry, sharp and of balsamic vinegar. Sweet and with a pleasing, slightly woody tartness. Sweet up front, and almost sugary. The balsamic notes ride through the middle into the finish where the tart bite shows up, but is then completely dominated by a syrupy sweet flavor. Fine, but active carbonation, rich and medium bodied slightly, ever so, dry. This has a bit of a soda feel about it. I kept coming back to the chalice hoping that it had changed somewhat, maybe dried out a bit, or that the tartness a fought its way to the front, or that at least the sweetness had dissipated. Alas, the chalice was empty and the sweet, cloying taste lingered. I had hoped for more. My wife enjoyed it more than I.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2006 01:06:59 | More by hopsaplenty

audiojon

California

3.93/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

This tasted a bit like fermented grape soda upon first sip. By the end of the glass i had grown a taste for it. Very tart, very dry, but verrry different and pretty damned tasty. I couldn't see drinking more than one or two tho.

Poured on tap at O'Brien's in San Diego. Appearance was nice, smell was very sweet and fruity, lots of grape and cherry. Effervescent mouthfeel, extremely fizzy. The taste is sweet at first, then rapidly shifts to extremely sour. From there it's a contrast of the dry tartness and a refreshing sweetness.

Recommended, but only for sour beer lovers.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2006 07:50:01 | More by audiojon

Stimack

New York

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had this on tap the other night while at Marhars. The brew was dark brown with a red like tinge to the color. Had a smallish head of tan bubbles that clung to the sides of the glass leaving some fain lacing down the sides of the brew. Before I really even try to take a whiff of the brew I can notice a sour like smell to it. On a deeper whiff of the brew, I notice fruit like smells that seem to blend or lead to the sour aroma. I believe that the fruit smell is of apple and/ or cherries but am not 100% positive. The taste is somewhat sweet with a clear sour flavor that goes nice with the malt backbone and spicy finish. Over all this is a great brew for people that like this type. For me I can usually handle about one before the sourness starts to get to me but I would and will get this brew again

Serving type: on-tap

11-05-2005 17:40:00 | More by Stimack

GreenWBush

Oregon

3.45/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Blood red in the glass with dark brown highlights. A modest head.

Slightly vinegary on the nose with hints of cherries and sour apple. Oak characteristics appear later.

The taste of this beer is understandably devisive. Sour, funky, and amazingly champaign-like in alot of ways. Sourness builds up in the bottom of the palate in a strangely addictive way. Oak is strong by the end.

A tasty detour from my usual...

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2005 19:49:15 | More by GreenWBush

OStrungT

California

3.98/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a ruby red with out much head at all. I saw a little off white head for just a second, but then nothing. This beer looks sort of like wine. This beer smells of sour fruit. Cranberries, cherries, and even a slight hint of apples. This beer smells very much like wine. This beer tastes sour, with strong fruit flavors. Like the aroma suggeste, I taste cranberries, and cherries. I dont detect too much in the way of hops. This beer is not very carbonated at all. It goes down smooth leaving a sour fruity aftertaste. This beer tastes slightly like wine. I think this beer would be a good session beer, if you can handle all the sour fruit. I am glad to have had the opportunity to try this unique ale.

EDIT 9 NOV 2007

Wow, after over 2 years, I am surprised at my review. I love this beer now, and I love the style. How could I have given it such a low review. I am going to rereview it once I drink another one.

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2005 22:12:39 | More by OStrungT

JohnfromDublin

Ireland

4.2/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted on tap in Café Gollem, Amsterdam on 16th October 2005.
Saw this on tap, and had to try it.

I have reviewed a Flanders red ale before (Bourgogne des Flandres) and quite liked it, but this offering surpassed it. Appearance was typical red/brown ale with a little haze and a thin off-white head.

Smell was fairly complex; lots of things going on. Taste was less sweet and sour than BdesF and much more complex. This was a very enjoyable experience, so I repeated it!

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2005 18:25:51 | More by JohnfromDublin

Beertracker

Oklahoma

4.72/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Duchesse de Bourgogne should be served at (47-53F) from a traditional tumbler or logo goblet. This lady has plenty to offer even the pickiest of beer lovers. DDB pours up very nicely with plenty of Belgian lace. The translucent burgundy-brown body is offset beautifully by a fluffy, cream colored head. The nose is full of fruity complexity and sweet malty undertones. The classic Flanders aroma also has a subtle oak character, some oxidation and lots of noteable sourness. Hints of aged Balsamic vinegar, cordial cherries, fresh green apples, hot caramel fudge and creamy vanilla pudding come to mind. The first sip creates an initial sourness upon the palate that seems to shock every taste bud on the tongue! Once the acidity fades, then sweet caramel, roasted almond, spiced rum, and raisiny malt flavors emerge intermingled with the sourness. The finish is decidely tart, dry (oaky & tannic) and slightly spicy. The medium-full body is alive with a zesty carbonation that creates a creamy texture despite itself. This Flanders Red Ale is surprisingly smooth & drinkable. I highly recommend that you seek out some of this "Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry" of the beer world on tap. Enjoy DDB as an apertif or as a after dinner treat paired with bread pudding, cheesecake, creme brulee, flan or fresh orchard fruit & nuts.

CHEERS! Beertracker

Serving type: on-tap

09-05-2005 05:10:29 | More by Beertracker

mynie

Indiana

3.9/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Sampled ontap at Old Capitol in Iowa City.

This is the first Flanders Red I've ever sampled and to tell the truth I had no idea what to expect.

It poured like a nice Strong ale. A dark, dark brown with ruby hues.

The smell took me aback. Strong acidic fruit with a harsh twang of alcohol. It took a moment to get used to, but I began to really enjoy it.

Tasted acidic like vinegar mixed with OJ, hints of melon and lemon and a harsh, sweet cherry. It's like all of your favorite fruits tossed with a light and pleasant vinaigrette. The flavor remains constant throughout, from start to finish, and it leaves a sour taste in your mouth after it's swallowed.

My only knock on this beer is that it's not easy to drink. I mean, for as strong as it tastes and smells it does go down pretty easily--but it's a very, very strong taste.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2005 18:05:18 | More by mynie

UncleFlip

Alabama

4.22/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It's definitely not an everyday beer- yet right now, I think this beer is my favourite. A friend commented that the flavour of this beer is going in 1000 different directions at once- and that's a fair assessment.

It arrived in a glass that bore its name...As I put my nose close to the short fat goblet, I picked up a vinegary smell- it made me think just a bit of a beer that was infected....however, not in an unpleasant way. The deep ruby colour was hard to pick up on, as the upstairs bar at the Brick Store was somewhat dimly lit (as was I, at the moment). First taste was not quite what I expected- though it matched the smell very well. The vinegar overtones and infection-taste were there, but again, not unpleasantly. There was a bit of citrus-acid tang to it as well, the type that in large doses can give you a pang of slight pain just where your jaw meets your neck. Yet there was also a dark, malty sweetness that was carried on a thinner body than I expected.

Take this one slowly, and let it caress you. You don't want to take things to fast with this formidable woman.

(edit: since this review I have found better beers in this style, and this one is not as appealing as it once was- though it will always have a special place for me, being my first of the style...)

-UF

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2005 01:31:41 | More by UncleFlip

FLAbeergutinMASS

Massachusetts

2.9/5  rDev -29.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Now I'll admit that I am not a huge fan of this beer, even though this is my first and probably last time I'll try this style. I don't have anything to compare it too, so I'll be as objective as possible.

Served in what seemed to be red wine glass. Not much activity in terms of carbonation, or head. Brandywine red color.

Smell like malt vinegar. Really.

Tasted like malt vinegar. Really.

This was one beer that I could not wait to finish. One of the least drinkable beers I have ever had. I simply did not enjoy this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-09-2005 16:25:31 | More by FLAbeergutinMASS

NEhophead

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Moan and Dove.

Very faint off white head that holds as a thin sheet for a moment. Some spotted and thin lace throughout the glass. A glowing raspberry in color.

Very complex alcohol-induced aromas. A touch of vinegar with a strong tartness: sour grape, apple, and even raspberry. Very vinous and strong alcohol presence.

This flanders is tart from beginning to end, but not overpowering. A touch of vinegar, mustard seed, and horseradish add to the green apple, raspberry, lime, and sour grape flavors. The alcohol presence is evident from the aroma until the end of the sip. I wouldn't characterize the alcohol as warming nor abrasive, but just very present. The aftertaste is a sour with a hint of the mustard seed spice.

Medium bodied; slick and somewhat vinous on the palate. The mouthfeel is very indicative of this version's complex flavors.

This flanders is a real treat especially on tap. For an ale that is only 6.2% abv, the alcohol is noticeable at every turn, making this one a tough choice for a session beer. I don't think I could drink more than one of these per sitting due to the onslaught of flavors this has on my tastebuds.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2005 14:51:57 | More by NEhophead

kmpitz2

Tennessee

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

From notes. I enjoyed this brew a few times at the Blind Pig in Champaign, IL. It poured a deep ruby color with a finger of head that fell to a healthy coat over the beer. The nose was beautiful, with a slight sour cherry balanced with a slight sweet cherry over top of a woody, almost tanniny, character. The flavor gave me an initial sourness that moved to a sour cherry that was slightly creamy. I really liked it. The feel was moderate wtih a moderate carb. I felt the sum of the beer was better than its parts. Very smooth and super-easy to drink. I could have enjoyed it all night.

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2005 02:21:37 | More by kmpitz2

counselor

Connecticut

4.22/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

pours a dark glimmering maroonish brown with a tight white head. Smells of tart cherries, woodsy, mild citrus. Smells sweet and tart soured fruit and sugary sweet mixture. Well balanced flavors run from sweet on the touge to tart and mildly sour in the cheeks. The mouthfeel was awesome with silky smooth liquid and superb carbonation. The aftertaste was slightly tart, fruity and begged for another mouthful. Super beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2005 18:07:36 | More by counselor

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sampled at The Sunset in Boston.

This beer poured a clear, dark brown color with creamy, tan foam that settled flat. The smell was a modest but pleasant lightly tart aroma. The taste had a mild tartness with some fruitiness (cherries) and a bit of dried fruit. There was a hint of tangy sweetness and some sour caramel flavor in the finish. The mouthfeel was tart and crisp with medium body and modest carbonation. The flavor lingered only briefly. This was a decent Flanders Red ale, but I expected more from it. The flavor and aroma seemed somewhat muted compared to others of this style. I will have to give this one a try out of a bottle sometime soon.

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2005 07:24:41 | More by UncleJimbo

ReindeerFlotilla

Illinois

4.68/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I tried this at the Hopleaf, a pub on the north side of Chicago. Got it on tap, and it poured deep brown with a small head, which dissipated quickly. The aroma was somewhat fruity with a hint of hops. The beer looked hearty, but the mouthfeel was actually a bit on the thin side. The flavor was incredible. It has characteristics similar to something like a Lindeman's Kriek, but the sweetness was not as pronounced and there was more of an oak characteristic to the flavor and it tasted more "ale-like" than a sweet lambic. The finish was wonderful -- a bit fruity with a hint of cherry. Overall, an outstanding beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2004 15:49:48 | More by ReindeerFlotilla

PatandDavid

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Anam Cara, and I enjoyed this one. I am liking this style! Anyway, pour when served was the dark burgundy, no head. It had a rather muted aroma, although I thought there were some kriek like notes. I found it easy to drink, more sweet than sour, with some cinnamon powder like taste and texture in the finish. I am intrigued by the sweet vs sour experiences of the other reviewers when trying this beer. Maybe it has an evil twin? I liked this, and would get again.

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2004 19:48:23 | More by PatandDavid

bultrey

New York

4.18/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This was a pleasant little surprise to find on draft at the Ginger Man in New York .Unofrtunately, it was served to me in an imperial pint glass instead of a proper tulip glass or wine glass, but I still enjoyed this interesting beer.
This beer has a beautiful deep red color, with a very wispy head and moderate lacing. The nose is very aromatic -- woodsy, minty, cherry, a little funky. Upon first sip, a sweet-tartness explodes on the palate like Smarties candies, only refined. Fresh cherries come to mind instantly, but there's something else too: a very vinous characteristic, bordering on vinegary, that appears but doesn't overwhelm at any point. There is also the feel as if this were aged in some sort of wood -- almost like cedar. The mouthfeel is a little thin, but very much like sparkling wine. The finish is dry and refreshing, with a wisp of tartness and bitterness. This beer is very refreshing. It's ironic that this is considered a "challenging" or rare style of beer in the US, when in fact, I would recommend something like this first and foremost to a wine lover that wants to get into beers. My first Flanders red, and certainly not my last.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2004 20:20:18 | More by bultrey

GClarkage

California

4.4/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this beer on tap at the Toronado in San Francisco in September, 2004. Served in a authentic Duchesse glass. Watched as it poured with a small head that didn't remain for long. A very opaque, mahoganey color. Almost like blackcurrant juice. A beautiful hue to it. Tons of lace that just stuck to the side and didn't disipate. Smelled both sweet and sour at the same time. A typical Flemish stlye taste but better. Not too sour as I expected. Maybe a cranberry taste or even something nutty in the background. Aftertaste is good as well. A definite great beer that I will have again.

Serving type: on-tap

09-21-2004 23:33:12 | More by GClarkage

rdrummer

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I had this on tap twice at two different locations, and it is consistently good. It pours a clear dark reddish-brown with a small tan head. The smell is one that is predominantly sour malt. I love that smell but have brother BAs that hate it. The flavor has an initial hit of sweetness but is quickly drowned by the sour malt taste. My wife calls it vinegar but I love it. It has a medium-bodied feel on the palate and is very acidic. I really like the beer but one is my limit. The ascerbic taste is too much for prolonged drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

09-18-2004 22:28:57 | More by rdrummer

PorterLambic

Florida

4.85/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pouring produces a a dark, reddish brown with a big head that falls evenly to cover and some lacing.
Smell is sweet, a bit musty, earthy.
Taste is very complex, malty, sweet, sour, fruity, tart, a light effervescence, a little earthy with some alcohol showing up in the aftertaste. An extremely well balanced brew.
Mouthfeel was nice and smooth and somewhat creamy.
This is one of my Top Ten favorite beers. This is a great beer, not just in this style. Extremely drinkable. An absolute "must try" beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2004 05:44:30 | More by PorterLambic

sulldaddy

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Well, I went back to Delaney's tonite and found this brew on tap in the tap-room. Cool!
The beer is served in a flute glass and is rather cold. The color is a rich mahogany with dark ruby tints. A soft creamy beige head rests gently on the top of the beer.
Aroma is mostly sour cherries and some spicy yeast hits as well, cloves for sure and some others.
First sip gives an average bodied brew with almost non-existent carbonation. A slighty syrupyness in texture. The flavor is very tart with sour cherries and granny smith apples coming out. The cherries dominate though. The finish is very sour and slightly drying. I really enjoyed this beer and wish there were some other examples of this style floating around CT.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2004 13:51:27 | More by sulldaddy

jcalabre

California

3.95/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Originally sampled on draught 20 March 2002. This is one of the most unique beers I've ever tasted. It is dark reddish brown in color, but light in body. The balance between sweet & tart is excellent. I would have it again. It has a wonderful, fruity aroma. I wouldn't recommend it for any novice beer drinkers, but it's a must try for any serious beer drinker.

Serving type: on-tap

05-28-2003 08:12:25 | More by jcalabre

sponberg

New York

4.65/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Whoaaa, Nelly! Starts out malty with a gently lactic tang, then the flavors start flooding in - sour cherries, an oaky dryness, sweet prune/plum, a sweetness I can't describe (almost like a cherry dipped in caramel, but better), and hints of chocolate & biscuit towards the finish. The flavor is like a round ball with a point sticking out - the round ball being the malty character, the pointy part the lactic, sour tang. Then it all gently wafts away. Hugely entertaining if you're an Oud Bruin fan. I may like this slightly more than I like Rodenbach Grand Cru, which says a LOT.

The publican, when I ordered a pint, said "You remember the first time you had sex? This is better." It's not, but it's still one outstanding brew.

Serving type: on-tap

09-18-2002 07:05:35 | More by sponberg