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Verhaeghe Vichtenaar 3.62 421

Verhaeghe Vichtenaar

Percentile
93
overall
Brewed by Verhaeghe
Style: Sour Ale

Vichte, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreABVStyle PctlServe in
4213.64/5.03.62/5.05.1%59.2Snifter, Tulip, Tumbler
Commercial Description:
“Vichtenaar” is a beer, brewed with roasted malts, spicey hops, fruity yeast and soft water, pumped up from a 172 m deep well, guaranteeing constant quality and pureness of the liquor. After primary and secondary lagering, “Vichtenaar” gets a ternary fermentation in oak vessels during 8 months. These oak pipes are big tuns with a capacity varying between 500 and 2500 hectolitres. “Vichtenaar” is a traditional and specific Western Flemish beer, from the northwest of Belgium. Its taste can be described as mild-sourish and suitably complex, thanks to the long lagering on oak. This tart flavour makes it eminently suitable for the hot summer months. “Vichtenaar” is one of the last Flemish “Oud bruins” that are really lagered in the oak tuns, and are as such appreciated by the connoisseur, looking for authenticity. As early as 1958 “Vichtenaar” was crowned as the top in an international concours in Gent.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 mkofron (155), St. Louis, Missouri, USA
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/56/103/514/20
Apr 24, 2007  
Reddish brown in color. Tastes of cherry and vinegar. Strength of vinegar distracting making me question whether I have a bad bottle. Need to re-rate after finding another sample.


 TChrome (1303), Bedford, Texas, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/105/516/20
Apr 22, 2007  
Beer pours dark reddish brown with a beige colored head that somewhat dissipates. Aroma is really nice with lots of cherries and vinegar and wet wood. Mouthfeel is very nice, lively carbonation, yet very soft. Flavors of cherries, moderately sour and wet wood. Finish is dry and and carbonated like ginger ale. Quite an enjoyable beverage.


 omhper (12305), Stockholm, Sweden
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/59/105/516/20
Apr 17, 2007    Updated: Jun 26, 2007
Bottled at Belgobaren, Stockholm. Deep ruby, almost clear, airy head. Tart aroma of black cherries. Intensely citric with notes of wood. Light bodied with spritzy mouthfeel and lots of freshening acidity. Lightly earthy with notes of blueberries and tart cherries. Excellent!


 JoeinUccle (911), Brussels, Belgium
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/104/516/20
Apr 17, 2007  
Reddish-brown, thin but lasting head. Sour, coppery, cherry aroma. Flavor is fruity and vinous with cherries and red grape. Lively mouthfeel--bubbly. The tartness is the highlight, but it’s controlled, and there’s a dry, musty finish. Refreshing and far from simple.


 Bart (1670), Brussels, Belgium
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/104/513/20
Apr 15, 2007  
Brown redish coloured with an average off-white head. Very fruity aroma, with some sourish touches. Mediumto full palate. Finish is sweet sour balanced. Very nice sour ale.


 Wim (1321), Turnhout, Belgium
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/103/513/20
Apr 15, 2007  
darkbrown black body with light brown diminishing head a light fruity malty aroma a fruity taste with a short sweet finish


BrendanC (31), Rochester, New York, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/515/20
Apr 14, 2007  
Pours a ruby reddish brown, thin head. Very strong aroma, but smelled vinegary behind the initial blast of cherry scents. Great strong tart cherry and apple flavors. Like a cider at first, but not so sicky sweet. Nice tight fine carbonation. Long tangy finish that warms the throat a bit. But very refreshing. Really an outstanding drink.


 PhillyBeer2112 (2093), Orange Park, Florida, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/517/20
Mar 30, 2007  
Now that’s an aroma! Plainly acetic, it smells like a weak balsamic vinegar, although there’s also a touch of apple cider vinegar, also lightly oaky, I wanna say there’s some fruit in there but I can’t really isolate it, perhaps plum. Purply brown color, minimal head and effervescence. Weird, it tastes a touch acetic, with a vinous note that kinda reminds me of grape soda, or wine made from concord grapes. Actually it reminds me of the sangria soda - yes thats it, it has the combination of mild tartness, astringency/tannins, and carbonation of the sangria grape sodas sold around here in latin-american groceries. I guess its a good thing I like those! There’s a lingering oakiness in the finish, alongwith a lip smacking sugary sweetness. Not the most complex, nor sour, flemish sour ale, but it is light and easy drinking.



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