Cassis Rullquin
Gueuzerie Tilquin

Cellared 3 years. Purplish magenta body with a pinkish cap. Playful aromas f sour black currant with barrel funk and general dark berries with a hint of sliced apple. Taste has really satisfying sour and sweeter black currant, supported by dark oak with jammy dark fruit and musty funk. Sour and funky in equal manner, hint of vinegar like tang in the middle.

 

 

2020-2021 bottle.

Pours a dark russet brown, with an ample head of tan foam and lasting lace around the edges. Could stand to use a little more deep color from the blackcurrant, which has that nice vinous quality.

Aroma is a bit muted, slightly toasted malt from the Rulles Brune, slightly earthy and vinous dark fruit.

Taste allows the blackcurrant to peek through slightly, definitely tannic and vinous but less defined fruit flavors. Malty and tart, finishes dry. Moderate supple carb level, medium bodied.

I love Tilquin Oude Cassis, the blend here is a bit less fruity at only 1/8 Cassis to 7/8 Brune. It drinks more like a mellow Oud Bruin as a result.

Bottle

Despite being a fraction of the blend, the black currant dominates the nose, earthy, jammy, mildly medicinal. The base Rulles has warm Belgian yeast character, spicy, earthy, along with nice brown sugar. The palate is also nicely focused, a confident blend of fruit and Belgian brown. Creamy, a blend of tart fruit, mild lemon and spicy brown sugar.

Bottle: Poured a deep amber color ale with a large deep off-white foamy head with limited retention and some lacing. Aroma of funky ester with some caramel malt notes as well as tart notes, funky ester and blackberry. Taste is a nice mix of oak and caramel notes with some tartness with some blackberry and funky ester. Body is about average with good carbonation. Nice complex wild ale with good drinkability and balance with nice use of caramel malt notes.

A 750ml corked and caged bottle, with a neck label of 2020-2021, and a best before date of 16th March 2031. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.

Appearance: Dark brown in colour with a slight purple tint, with a two and a half finger fluffy tanned head that had excellent retention and left lots of nice lacing.

Aroma: Funky, damp wood, blackcurrant, mixed dark berries, very light roast, with notes of apple peel.

Taste: Lightly sour, tart, blackcurrant, mixed dark berries, green apple, dried cherry, coffee, caramel, oak, with a very light roasty note.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Overall: This worked well as the cassis blended well with the brune and in my opinion was an improvement over the original Rullquin. Drinks really easy and is enjoyable.