Liefmans Goudenband

Brewed by Liefmans (Moortgat)
Style: Sour Ale
Oudenaarde, Belgium

2004: Cork taste and staleness detract form the beer. It has the shortest cork I have ever seen. Mildly sour with notes of cork, wood, caramelied sugar, banana, and yeast. After drinking Cuvee de Tomme silver foil, this is hard to get used to. Very nice appearance with a lingering foam that leaves a lasting coat on the entire glass.

2005 vintage according to the cork stamp-Dark brown color with some hints of ruby in there when held up to the light.There was very nearly no head at all,and what little was there faded quickly leaving nothing behind.The aroma is faint with just a hint of fruit possibly some cherry almost cherry coke-ish in a way.Very nice flavor,starts out with a nice light flavor of cherry and a mild sourness,theressome other flavors that i’m not really sure of,maybe a little barny or possibly grassy notes hard to say,but for sure i have to say i really like this one and could see myself enjoying this on a hot summer day in session mode.Very easy to drink and has a nice flavor.Well worth trying again.

Nice body-color: a rich, dark reddish brown with a faint head, yet some floaties (that I’m not fond of). Heavy cherried aroma, with a dose of woodiness/earthiness and a bit of malts. The flavor matches the aroma, except that it is a little on the thin side. A mild tartness. Overall decent, and I’d have it again.

2000 bottle - dark amber with significant floaties - only a mild sourness in the nose, along with plum, raisin, cherry and vinous notes - some apparent oxidation in the aroma - a mild sourness in the flavor - red wine flavors, along with a mild honey sweetness - a tiny bit of brett-like funk/cheesiness, but the sweetness is actually a bit more prevalent - pretty good, but I was expecting more sourness - probably a good intro to the style for the uninitiated.

Bottled 2002 – Red-brown body, with a small but beautiful head; Only very little sourness left in the nose, where you also find a very little raspberry and cherry if you look close. Iron and salt is still very apparent together with a mix of pineapple and yoghurt, further on peanuts and almonds appear. After a long time in the glass it becomes more fruity, but not really sour; The body is almost non existing, very soft and a little creamy/oily; The sourness appears in the finish which is still great and very long, again with clear notes of iron and salt, but also quite a lot of oxidation. This beer has changed a lot in only 4 years, I find it much better when young!

Thanks to hopdog for this ’92 version. Dickinsonbeer provided an ’03 version but I passed on most of it and worked with this one. Appears a mild brown with a small white head that refuses to fade. Smell is of sour cherries, mild oak, and toffee. Taste is of malty caramel, toffee, and some oak. Mouthfeel is smooth with mild tartness.

Tasted a ’03 and a ’92 bottle side by side. The ’92 was oxidized and past its prime so I’ll write the notes up on the ’03 vintage. Poured a deeper ruby-red color with a smaller sized head. Aromas and tastes of cherries, light citrus, fruity, some caramel and a little vinous. The sourness was on the tame side.

Sampled two of these side by side. Hopdog provided the 2003, Dickinsonbeer provided the 1992. Pours a red amber with with no head. The 2003 had lots of small floaties. For the flavor and aroma I’m going off the 2003 since the 1992 bottle was kind of tame. Aroma of tart cherries, light sourness, the older version had more of woodyness coming through (maybe from the cork?). Flavor was tart sourness a little sweet and malty with some vanilla.