Belle-Vue Sélection Lambic

Formerly brewed at Belle-Vue (InBev)
Style: Lambic - Gueuze
Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium

Rating #1000!!! This is my big one, I’m getting this in just under my two year mark. 750 ml bottle 1999 vintage thanks to a trade last summer with ygtbsm. IThe touch of rust on the cork cage shows this puppy has spent some time waiting to be emptied and I’ve spent a long time to fill my mouth with this sour beer.

Pops with a very quiet pff. Very little carbonation is moving with the pour. Orange in color with a head like a single fading plane streak in the sky. The nose is phenomenal. I was so close to giving it a 10. Sour vinegar, oak, cheese, a touch of grain and funk. Abundant and inviting. Smooth mouthfeel. First sip .. sour and acidic. As it slides down my throat I feel the acidity on my teeth. I have sensitive teeth, but they actually hurt a little. This is the sourest thing I’ve ever drank and every corner of my mouth knows it. A little sugarry sweetness is under that sour blanket. As it warms the subtler notes of oak, barnyard, lemons, vanilla, and green grape skins show themselves. I’m either becoming used to the sour/acidic notes or this is getting better and better as it warms up.

I like sour beers and I really liked this one, but its not for the average beer drinker. I’m really surprised that this didn’t mellow out at 8-9 years, but it was still really tasty. The world needs more gueuze like this. Cheers.

750ml bottle shared by the most gracious Holdenn in celebration of his 1000th rating.... yoiu know, i didn’t think it looked all the great but it has been sitting around for 8-9 years so i really shouldn’t knock it too much. it poured a dark apricot orange-brown, which allowed a little light to pass through. the head was minimal overall with only some white remnants lingering around the edges.....lovely nose coming from this one. tart, light vinegar, some funk and cheesy qualities, and just in your face tart and sour.... onto flavor, man this was like a liquid warhead sour candy. almost puckering but still enjoyable. the tart and soury finish just sits in the back of your throat and doesn’t want to leave. there was little carbonation which added just enough to not seem flat..... this by far is the most tart/sour brew that i’ve ever tried. that said, i’d like another one please. big thanks again to matt for sharing this!

Bottle shared with HogTownHarry, blankboy, jerc, mabel & tupalev - courtesy of jerc & mabel. 1999 Vintage, No. 05171. Man, I’ve wanted to try this beer for ages, and never thought I’d get the chance. Pours a hazy and very still dark orange. Complex aroma of funk, wood, vanilla, orange, soured wine, band-aids, citrus and more. Flavour is ridiculously sour and complex, aggressively citric, pleasantly yeasty - just really friggin’ good. A fantastic treat, and easily one of the best lambics I’ve ever tried.

Bottle (750ml) shared with HogTownHarry, GregClow, jerc, mabel & tupalev -- courtesy of jerc & mabel. 1999 Vintage, No. 05171. Pours a very hazy peach colour with a spare diminishing white head. Aroma: Wow, that’s nice! Funky yeast, sour fruit, citrus and barnyard. Flavour’s also nice, it’s sour and citrusy along with some spices and sweetness. Sooo sour and acidic yet a joy to drink. Medium bodied. Fan-friggin-tastic! Thanks for sharing this rare gem!

2008-03-28. Headless hazy orange body. (3+) Good amount of barnyard aroma, hints at cow manure, light musty hay. (7+) Swift sour kick to the gonads on first sip produces hilarious mouth puckering faces around the table. Sour lemons, something thats not pickle juice but reminds me of it nonetheless. Sufficiently aggressive sourness that it is hard to decipher and categorize some of the finer points, and honestly makes it a bit tough to drink. Average palate. Wow! This is honestly just insane for such an old beer. The sour knocks my tongue around too much for any of the more nuanced complexity to sink in, but its definitely an experience. Bottle, 1999 vintage, brought back from De Heeren Van De Liedekercke

Bottle shared with Hogtown Harry, GregClow, Blankboy, Mabel, and Jerc, courtesy of Jer and Mabel. Fiery yellow, small white head - that might be the most amazing shade of yellow I have seen in a beer. Pretty pungent acidic and sour aroma - my nostrils are still thanking me. Amazing taste -s o pungently sour, so acidic, so complex. I’ll give up trying to explain it further - this beer aged incredibly well and is one of the best lambics, aged at that, that i will ever try. Thank you thank you thank you Jerc and Mabel for sharing this one!!!

Bottle (750ml). Shared with blankboy, GregClow, jerc, mabel and tupalev - jerc’s bottle. 1999 bottle - yee-ha!!!! Cloudy orange, minimal head. Pungent woody sour malt, raw wool, wet dog, rubber and yeast bitterness - lemon zest acidity and damn I’m drooling .... Taste: sour- smooth, complex yeast/sour malt sourness, long bitter sour finish and sonofabitch this is awesome. Syrupy, sour, acidic body, long puckering finish, makes me want to cry - thanks Jer!

At Aarschots Bierfestivn, Belgium, on March 23, 2008. (75 cl bottle) Number 05332. Shared with two more. 1999 vintage. BB December 2005. Shady amber color, small white head. Acidic, stable scent. Rather dry. Acidic, sour, lemon taste. Very long sour aftertaste. Smooth mouthpuckering sour mouthfeel. Low to no bitterness.