Ballast Point Hout Series - Gueuze

Brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company
Style: Sour Ale
San Diego, California USA

Stone Sour Fest 2009 Poured a slightly hazy gold color. Nose was very fruity, orange and lemon zest, grapefruit, pineapple, and hints of funk and acid. Taste was very bright and refreshing, lots of lemon, pineapple acidity, green grape peels, quite sour, tart from beginning to end, and finishes with a nice funk with very little vinegar heat. IMO, this one was best in show at the sour fest, a russian river label would get this beer in the top 50 for sure.

Tap @ Stone Sour Fest 2009. This was one of the big surprises of the fest for me (in a good way). Pours a hazy soft orange color with a small white ring. Lots of tart citrus with some apricot and other flesh fruits. Flavors of tart lemon peel, tangerine, and some light funk on the back end. Finish begins tart then turns very crisp and refreshing, amazing stuff!

on tap at the SD Brewers Guild Fest. I had two tasters and went back for a third but the keg had already blown. This was all from memory. Appearance was golden hay colored, slightly hazy with a small white head. Aroma is sour, tart, lemony, funk (burnt rubber/hair). Flavor is amazing. Sour, tart fruit, lemon, unripe plums and apricots, and the funkiness of burnt rubber/hair. The best domestic gueuze I’ve tasted. Palate is perfect for a gueuze, carbonation is spot on. Overall, I love sours and could drink this beer alone all night. My girlfriend had about four of these and wanted more but they ran out. Great job BP, now just bottle it!

Textbook Gueuze, big sour, funk, awesome appearance. Ballast’s 13th anny, beautiful sunny day and this beer was a perfect fit for the day. Very complex and very drinkable. Had to have a 2nd 5oz pour. Wish the Hout’s were available all the time. World class effort here. Loved all 3 Houts.

On tap at San Diego brewer’s guild festival: This was the first beer I went after and I was surprised to see the Ballast Point booth empty especially since it was the VIP session. Extremely sour and tart with a crushed black berry/ blue berry taste along with a squeeze of lemon. This was a true delight to have tasted first before everyone else and made the VIP cover charge worth it.

Lucky seventh rating. Tap at Stone Sour 09. Smells like a creamy mustard with light grassy/celery notes and briney tartness - in other words, smells like potato salad. Color is a plain golden with moderate white head - fluffy. Flavor is as good as US geuezes get - no mold or funk but a great diverse sourness that covers wood, grass, and even hugely unripe fruit rind. Could have used more balance, but I liked it.

1st rating. Tap during the VIP session of the san diego brewer’s guild fest. Pours orange with a tan ring. Nose is sour and tart and excellent. Taste is full of puckering goodness, awesome delicious potent sour. Not a true gueze but a great sour beer.

On tap at 2009 Stone Sour Fest. Orange amber color. Nice traditional gueuze. Easy to drink. Dry. Nice.