Oud Beersel Oude Geuze

Brewed by Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Style: Lambic - Gueuze
Beersel, Belgium

BB 2022 (=> bottled 2002?) Clear pale gold with a very good dimply head (excellent for the style). Massive bretty aroma quite similar to Orval but more intense - fetta, nappies, cider, pineapple, toasty, cheesy, stale hops, sesame seeds. leather and vomit. The aroma in particular is absolutely amazing - I can’t imagine a beer smelling any better. The flavour takes a little longer to open up as the beer comes to room temperature - starts with (again) Orvalesque river stones, soda water and grassiness. No sweetness shows through but it’s apparent that some malt is left behind in the way everything balances, a light sourness is countered by a beautiful leafy, cheesy bitterness. As it warms the sourness comes through more but never dominates - it’s more the quality or character of the sourness, rather than the intensity, which really does it. It’s fizzy initially but when that dies down it reveals a relatively full body. Sensational stuff. It couldn’t have been easier to drink. I would have taken better notes only I wanted to just enjoy the experience and not think about it too much. Not the crazy-sour stuff I usually go for, but this is even better. I was shocked how similar this is to Orval, actually, only this is far more intense. Amazing (did I already say that?) I can’t believe this brewery is no more...

Bottle. Hazy amber colour with a large white head. Huge aroma of sour champagne, with some cheese/barnyard in the background. Flavours are sour, fruity, some sweetness - it’s like an idealised form of champagne - although one shouldn’t cheapen this magnificent beer by comparison to that inferior offering. Complex and well balanced. Outstanding.

Glorious. Amazing. Balanced. Why did they stop brewing? A truly tragic loss. I have to go buy their kriek now.

Had a bottle of this at In De Wildeman. This is an amazing beer. I have a bottle of ’99 laying down which I plan to open in 2010 if both I and the planet still exist. It’s very sad that this brewery has closed but I hear rumors that it may reopen. Nice copper color; nice creamy head; nice tart/sour fruit taste. I don’t know that it get’s much better than this.

Sampled 45-50 deg in flute. Another outstanding sampling from this brewery, but not as lovely as the kriek. A near perfect beer but I think I prefer the added complexity of the fruit in the kriek. Marvelous fruity aroma in this one though, a touch of peach and apricot and perfume. I told my fiance that if she had a perfume the smelled like this, I'd kiss her all the time. Refreshing effervescence in a lightly tart, lightly sweet flavor with light fruitiness. Pale goldish color with medium fading head.

Pale yellow, hazy. Vinuous aroma. Very dry with well balanced acidity. Complex, subtle flavours, including a hint of blue cheese. An outstandingly well balanced example of the style. Sheer world class!

3/19/03: bottle. nice full champagne-like head. yellow-orange colored body. cloudy and very active. minimal lacing-if any. sweet and sour fruity nose, with hints of cherries. tastes similar to champagne with a sour and very clean finish. as it warms there is a heavier evidence of yeast. sensational.

Bottle from Only Fine Beer (Bottles’ website). Deep, blooming orange, with a towering, cloud-like white head. One of the best looking beers I’ve ever seen. Superb aroma - tart, fresh, sour and malty sweet. Marvellously, deliciously brilliant beer!! Hits the tastebuds with a fruity, flavour packed burst: orange, pineapple, then a sour wave, which slides over the tongue, and into the throat letting go before the onset of any harshness. Perfectly balanced. The best gueuze (or geuze) I’ve had.