3 Fonteinen Doesjel

Brewed by 3 Fonteinen
Style: Lambic - Gueuze
Beersel, Belgium

Strong yellow color. Low carbonation in body, very tart but not sour. Acidic, yet somewhat clean and refreshing. Bud-light + musty aroma. Somewhat thick palate, but not sugary. Then just lots of good ol’ gueuzeyness. Fine but not great.

Verre de 4 oz, d’une bouteille au Mondial 08. Arômes de pommes vertes avec une légère touche sucrée. Robe abricot trouble, fine effervescence. Les pommes vertes sont présentes en bouche mais adoucies par une touche sucrée et fruitée. En comparaison avec la Oude Gueuze, cette bière est un peu moins acide, plus douce et un peu plus sûre. Finale relativement amère.

375 bottle. Horsey, tart and zesty on the nose. Plenty of barnyard and dirt with some tart lemon zest undercurrents. Malted apple vinegar as well. Pours a still dark copper. Nearly lifeless looking. Flavor is quite nice. Not nearly as acidic and a complex as I had hoped but nice nonetheless. Dirty, earthy with hints of aged cheddar and carrot soup (?). A decent wood presence announces itself as the beer opens. Slightly rubbery with essences of band aid as well. Slick and oily on the tongue with a fairly acidic and dirty finish. Unique and fulfilling.

My Bottom Line:
A farmy lambic nose announces its colours before lemony fruitiness and wild yeast lead to a long, puckering sourness. This Gueuze is not the usually wondrous blend I expect from Drie Fonteinen, but it’s sure to please the lambic lover in you anyway.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-Headless, the cloudy orange blond looks like a glass of grapefruit juice.
-The body is rather slender, an impression enhanced by the low carbonation.
-A more active carbonation might have made this more enjoyable a lambic; as is, it is all you expect from the style, but it’s not as drinkable as the regular DF Gueuze.
-Even though the flavor profile is off-the-wall (like most lambics), this one did appear more linear than usual.

Bottle.

Bière #13 au Mondial 08 (29/5/08), bouteille. Jaune vaseuse, pas de collet. Arome d’agrumes très sûrette, un peu de céréal malté. Goût très sûrette, agrumes légés, aucune effeversance et très peu d’arrière-goût. Pas assez de goût!

Bottle Feb, 2006 dating. Amber beer with a thin white head. Tart, oaky aroma with some malt. Tart, light fruit flavor with malt, light wheat. Lighter bodied and very drinkable. Almost a rubbery note to mouthfeel. Lingering tartness and a bit of malt. Not overly sour - has a light acetic background note.

Very lovely light honey yellow color pour with not a sign of head or carbonation. Nose is sharp and tart. Tart grapes, apple juice, some leathery funk and oak burried beneath the tart overtones. Flavor is much of the same, tart and grapey/appley with some nice dry wood tones. Ends dry and clean. Body is a little beefier than a lot of gueuzes. My only complaint is the total lack of carbonation. A little fizz would add a lot to this delicious beer.

Bottle at tasting at Chris Fischer’s (from Liars Club) house. Pours with a deep golden body topped by a thin head with a little lacing left behind. It’s sour and tart with a touch of underlying sweetness and a nice funk. Light bodied, crisp and dry.