Eylenbosch Gueuze

Formerly brewed at Mort Subite (Alken-Maes / Scottish & Newcastle)
Style: Lambic - Gueuze
Kobbegem, Belgium

Bottled. Gueuze Cuvée Speciale, vintage 1984. Strange aroma. It is rather chemical at first, but luckily the unpleasant notes fade away as you work through the glass. The flavour has no unpleasant side flavours at all. Very sour and acidic with all the complexity you want to find in an aged gueuze. Great.

(2/29/08) A bottle shared by an Italian guy called Alex (thanks Alex!) at In de Verzekering tegen de Grote Dorst during De Nacht van de Grote Dorst in Eizeringen. 1984 vintage. Hazy golden with a white head. Complex woody and citric aroma with some barnayard. An amazing dry sour, fruity, citrusy flavor. Exactly the right mouthfeel. An outstanding Gueuze.

Rating for the unrateable Eylenbosch Faro Extra:
(2/29/08) A bottle shared by an Italian guy called Alex (thanks Alex!) at In de Verzekering tegen de Grote Dorst during De Nacht van de Grote Dorst in Eizeringen. 1988 vintage. Amber color with a medium off-white head. Aroma of wood, fruits and sugar. Flavor is sourish with some sugar sweetness and some wood. Medium-bodied. Enjoyable but still somehow too sweet after all these years and something is a bit off-putting in the aroma. 6/3/7/3/13

We had vintage 1984, at the Verzekering tegen grote dorst, in Eizingen. Beautiful beer, has not lost any flavour in its great age. Or, if it did, it must have been even more marvelous. Slightly orangy yellow. Head disappears instantly, but logically it is not poored in such a way that it can develop a good one either. Lemony citrus aroma, bread and some apples. Very dry finish. Great way to start a day!

Bottle at the Weekend of Spontaneous Fermentation 2008. 1988 vintage: Cloudy amber with a thin film of bubbles that run to the sides of the glass. Aromas seem a bit subdued but very nice. Normal barnyardy funk with lactic acid, tart fruits, some white wine vinegar. Good musty earthiness and a touch of cork. Slightly grassy, or hay. Possibly a touch of malt in the back? Smooth is definitely the word! Once tasted you see how well this beer has aged. No negative effects from oxidation. Good tight sourness that is well blended into all the complex flavors. Fruity tartness. Apples. Mouth watering. Earthy. Finishes with a long dry acetic nature. Light sherry build-up towards end. Fantastic!

Bottle (1988 vintage - still from the old Eylenbosch factory)
Hazy amber to copper body. Nicely coloured. Sour aroma of wood and barnyard: very complex and no hints whatsoever of age. Harshly sour flavour of fruit (apple, pear, ...): quite complex and very well balanced. Surpringly it has a lot of carbonation for its age. This is a sublime beer!!

Bottle 75 cl. Taste this 1988 vintage - old Eylenbosch factory- with Marc and Steven the day before Vilvordia ’08) Hazy almost amber color, no head. Aroma very woordy, sourness and complex. Medium body. Taste you don’t have the idae this beer is 20 years old: sour, malts, fruits, complex. NICE !

1988 vintage, thanks to beastiefan2k. Aroma of luscious strawberry-raspberry-lemon complexities, oak, horsey funk, some almost gasoline-like funk. Flavor of tart, sour fruits, lemon juice. Lacked that fulfilling funk in the mouth. Still, delicious.

1988 bottle made by Eylenbosch, not de Keersmaeker. Murky. Head fizzed up but promptly disappeared. Light tannic, leathery character with a hint of tartness. Some peach notes, plus pear. Tannic, but quite rounded and refined at this point. Fresh acidity and a long finish with a hint of sweetness. Light nutty character with lots of lemon at the end. Crazy - what a blast to drink this 21-year-old original.

Eylenbosch Faro, 1988 bottle. Hazy light amber. The aroma is sugary with some caramelly notes. Maybe a bit smoked - these phenols are coming from yeast degradation though. A hint of tartness late, and some apple skins, but this is clearly too old. 4-2-5-2-10.