Hanssens Oude Gueuze

Brewed by Hanssens Artisanaal
Style: Lambic - Gueuze
Dworp, Belgium

Corked and caged 750ml bottle. Popped the cork and was hit with this fruity sour aroma. The pour was an orange with white fluffy head that lasted for quite a while. Very well carbonated even after the three years of aging. Very strong sour flavor that was strangely refreshing. Tart and fruity that makes my mouth want to pucker. Dry finish that leaves no bad tastes in my mouth. Enjoyed every sip as I selfishly savored the entire bottle.

Bottled @ ’t Brugs Beertje: Light amber coloured. Unclear. Off white dense head. Lasting. Earht, sourness and some acidic notes in the aroma. Flavour not as vivid as the aroma, but still quite delicious. Sourness, some light sweetness and some tarty and earthy flavours that pass into a fruity aftertaste. Quite good without beeing ostentatious.

Orange amber color, not much of a head, just a ring of foam. Amazing funky horse blanket aroma with fruits. Again the funky horse blanket is felt in the flavor wit fruits and persistent acidity. Full body, dry and dusty mouthfeel. This gem is a tribute to belgian funkiness and what a small artisanal brewery can achieve.

750 mL, corked & caged: Exploding pop as the cork slides easily out of the bottle. . . the released sour funk forces me into a hazy opaque, rosy-peach dream. I float into a beehive and a funky, sour honeycomb aroma fills my head. I nod to the queen, who is lounging on a huge stack of honeycomb. For some reason I get the impression that she seems delighted to see me again. A slight mustiness urges me toward one of the honeycomb cells. After traversing the long bittersweet corridor, I fall out into a damp, cold cellar. A wild, sourness consumes my whole body and mind giving me a wicked jerk back into reality, I wake up to find my nose lodged in my glass, my eyes watering, my tongue dripping with saliva, and my lips puckered into a strange scowl . . . wow what a beer.

Clear, amber body. Off-white head, mostly diminishing and fairly lacing. Sour barnyard aroma, as a real gueuze should smell. Complex sour flavour. Long fizzy finish.

Golden yellow with a frothy white head. Nose is sour and cheesey. Flavour is sour and complex.

Nice big ol' 750 ml green bottle. Cork is removed with a modest "pop" and no massive foam rush. Pours murky into an Orval glass, and looks almost like a German Hefe-Weizen with its full compliment of yeast. The head on top is rather thin, yet complete and white. One can simply say that the brew has a sour aroma, but no, it is much more than that. I cannot say how many Gueuze reviews I have read here and have seen the ubiquitous "barnyard, but without the shit" and "lots of stinky cheese" type aroma comments, but that matches this brew's character perfectly. The flavor of this one is big and complex, lingering almost like a slow motion replay that is trying to figure out if that darned puck crossed the line or not. Starts malty, then explodes with that Jolly Rancher sweet and sour type candi flavor. The palate is creamy and smooth, and just mashes the senses into a pulp. A rather fun experience, and enjoyable for those who have progressed to the point of enjoying such a complex experience in something like a brew...

Aroma: vinegar, wood, floral scents, and photographic chemicals (i.e. a "darkroom" smell). smells strong and bad at first, then grows on you.
Appearance: cloudy yellow
Flavor: overwhelming tartness--like a pickle or a sweet tart--slight medicine flavors
Palate: apart from the tartness--very smooth. If swallowed very fast one feels alot of abrasiveness on the back of the throat.