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Oude Quetsche Tilquin à L'Ancienne
Gueuzerie Tilquin
- From:
- Gueuzerie Tilquin
- Belgium
- Style:
- Fruit Lambic
Ranked #18 - ABV:
- 6.4%
- Score:
- 97
Ranked #606 - Avg:
- 4.38 | pDev: 6.62%
- Reviews:
- 152
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 06, 2024
- Added:
- Oct 01, 2012
- Wants:
- 148
- Gots:
- 269
Beer of spontaneous fermentation, the Old Quetsche Tilquin is made from the fermentation of a minimum of 260 gr of purple plums by liter of lambic. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, this beer is refermented in the bottle.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by sweemzander:
Reviewed by sweemzander from Illinois
4.38/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.38/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
375mL bottle poured into a lambic tumbler.
(A)- Pours a cloudy orang-ish amber color. A solid head of off-white froth. Decent retention.
(S)- An intense acidity meets some very dry oak. Some chessy funk meets subtle plum fruits.
(T)- A nice sour acidity level. A great oaky funk dryness as well. Plum fruits are extremely subtle. Finishes ever so slightly sweet and fruity.
(M)- A great carbonation level and balance. Everything is right where it should, I just wish the plums showed up more I guess, but the base is excellent.
(O)- Easily a great lambic for sure, just not as fruit forward as I had hoped it could be. Nonetheless, the base is superb and has a great balance to it.
Dec 09, 2013(A)- Pours a cloudy orang-ish amber color. A solid head of off-white froth. Decent retention.
(S)- An intense acidity meets some very dry oak. Some chessy funk meets subtle plum fruits.
(T)- A nice sour acidity level. A great oaky funk dryness as well. Plum fruits are extremely subtle. Finishes ever so slightly sweet and fruity.
(M)- A great carbonation level and balance. Everything is right where it should, I just wish the plums showed up more I guess, but the base is excellent.
(O)- Easily a great lambic for sure, just not as fruit forward as I had hoped it could be. Nonetheless, the base is superb and has a great balance to it.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Roy_Hobbs from Connecticut
4.23/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
2018 / 2019 vintage
Pours a bright, translucent orange with plenty of fizzy, short-lived head. While it's a good looking beer, the appearance takes a back seat to the aroma, which is spectacular. A funky, earthy aroma bursts from the glass in waves, with what I can only assume is the plums adding a nice fruity component. Just a really good smelling beer.
Taste is very much in line with the aroma. The fruit works really well with the funk, and it's very well balanced with just the right amount of tartness. Very light bodied.
Overall, this exceeded my expectations. Excellent beer.
Oct 22, 2023Pours a bright, translucent orange with plenty of fizzy, short-lived head. While it's a good looking beer, the appearance takes a back seat to the aroma, which is spectacular. A funky, earthy aroma bursts from the glass in waves, with what I can only assume is the plums adding a nice fruity component. Just a really good smelling beer.
Taste is very much in line with the aroma. The fruit works really well with the funk, and it's very well balanced with just the right amount of tartness. Very light bodied.
Overall, this exceeded my expectations. Excellent beer.
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina
4.32/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.32/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
2019-2020 bottling
Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy Cantaloupe color with a few bubbles that quicly fade; no lacing
Smell: Sweet and tart plum aromatics with oak, funk and a hint of lemon zest
Taste: Sweet and tat plum flavors forward with the tart lemon zest aspect building; oak and funk develop into the finish
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with no carbonation
Overall: Sorry that the carbonation has faded but this otherwise was terrific
Aug 13, 2023Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy Cantaloupe color with a few bubbles that quicly fade; no lacing
Smell: Sweet and tart plum aromatics with oak, funk and a hint of lemon zest
Taste: Sweet and tat plum flavors forward with the tart lemon zest aspect building; oak and funk develop into the finish
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with no carbonation
Overall: Sorry that the carbonation has faded but this otherwise was terrific
Rated by Sludgeman from District of Columbia
3.97/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.97/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
On tap at Brasserie Beck/DC.
Jun 02, 2023Reviewed by wisrarebeer from Wisconsin
4.38/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.38/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured with slight head that quickly dissipated. Cloudy deep orange/red hue. Nice, clean traditional nose with some fruitiness. Well-balanced, quenching, a bit leaning towards sweet side
Jan 25, 2023Reviewed by nickb2000 from New Hampshire
3.73/5 rDev -14.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.73/5 rDev -14.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Imperial Pint 2020-2021
Look: Slightly opaque rust-orange, pouring a thin cap head which disappeared into light lacing
Smell: trad sour smell, with med-light yeast funk, and stone fruit, hint of oak
Taste: Very tart, med-light yeast funk, fresh stone fruit sweetness, light oak tannins
Feel: gentle carbonation, light-moderate body, semi-crisp finish
Overall: Its alright, super tart though. The plums have a light influence on overall taste, but its noticeable
Dec 05, 2022Look: Slightly opaque rust-orange, pouring a thin cap head which disappeared into light lacing
Smell: trad sour smell, with med-light yeast funk, and stone fruit, hint of oak
Taste: Very tart, med-light yeast funk, fresh stone fruit sweetness, light oak tannins
Feel: gentle carbonation, light-moderate body, semi-crisp finish
Overall: Its alright, super tart though. The plums have a light influence on overall taste, but its noticeable
Reviewed by kitch from Hong Kong
4.49/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.49/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A 750ml corked and caged bottle, with a neck label of 2020-2021, and a best before date of 23rd December 2030. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden orange colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Sweet and tart, plum, oak, funk, with notes of lemon zest.
Taste: Much like the aroma, tart, sweet and sour, plum, oak, funk, with notes of lemon and stone fruit.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with light to moderate carbonation.
Overall: This combination of fruit, sweet, tart and sour is candy like, and the excellent balanced aroma and flavours make this super enjoyable and easy to drink.
Jul 10, 2022Appearance: A hazy golden orange colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Sweet and tart, plum, oak, funk, with notes of lemon zest.
Taste: Much like the aroma, tart, sweet and sour, plum, oak, funk, with notes of lemon and stone fruit.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with light to moderate carbonation.
Overall: This combination of fruit, sweet, tart and sour is candy like, and the excellent balanced aroma and flavours make this super enjoyable and easy to drink.
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
3.82/5 rDev -12.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.82/5 rDev -12.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Sample from 750 ml bottle at ASKO-messe. Cloudy golden colour, small white head. Aroma of lemons, sour plums, farmhouse and dust. VERY sour flavour, lemons, sour plumskins and brettanomyces galore.
Apr 12, 2022Reviewed by cbutova from Massachusetts
4.42/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
4.42/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
2019-2020 bottle.
A- Opens without any noise when removing the cork and pours with a pretty hazy (for the style) pinkish amber hue. No head with just a bit of foam around the edges and a tiny ring of bubbles around the beer. Some legs temporarily stick on the glass but no lacing. The nice color kinda saves it here.
S- The lack of carbonation makes it a bit of a struggle to pick up much in the aroma. Getting hints of the usual funk, lactic sourness, musty barnyard and fruits but not as easy as usual to really pick out individual things. Certainly ripe and sour stone fruits and plums for sure. Opens up with time and you get nice funky gueuze notes topped off with extra stone fruit.
T- Plums are on the swole, if you will. Plums front and center with massive notes of plum flesh, juice and plenty of that semi-bitter skin. These are some fresh, beautiful plum vibes and it makes me think of the orchard I go to every summer, wonderfully captured. The plums do not drown out the base beer and its complexities, thankfully. Moderately strong lactic acid, musty vinous oak, funk, sour apple, nectarine and lemon. Strength of aroma lost due to flatness made up for here.
MF- As expected and seen in other comments on this vintage, basically flat with the very minimal slight touch of bubbles. Slick and oily acidity throughout without much texture due to lack of bubbles. Medium bodied.
On one hand I am disappointed by the body and lack of carbonation but on the other hand the taste is so on point that honestly it doesn't bother me that much. Will seek out another vintage at some point because the plum flavor is seriously perfect, and I love plums. Maybe my favorite Tilquin so far.
Jan 15, 2022A- Opens without any noise when removing the cork and pours with a pretty hazy (for the style) pinkish amber hue. No head with just a bit of foam around the edges and a tiny ring of bubbles around the beer. Some legs temporarily stick on the glass but no lacing. The nice color kinda saves it here.
S- The lack of carbonation makes it a bit of a struggle to pick up much in the aroma. Getting hints of the usual funk, lactic sourness, musty barnyard and fruits but not as easy as usual to really pick out individual things. Certainly ripe and sour stone fruits and plums for sure. Opens up with time and you get nice funky gueuze notes topped off with extra stone fruit.
T- Plums are on the swole, if you will. Plums front and center with massive notes of plum flesh, juice and plenty of that semi-bitter skin. These are some fresh, beautiful plum vibes and it makes me think of the orchard I go to every summer, wonderfully captured. The plums do not drown out the base beer and its complexities, thankfully. Moderately strong lactic acid, musty vinous oak, funk, sour apple, nectarine and lemon. Strength of aroma lost due to flatness made up for here.
MF- As expected and seen in other comments on this vintage, basically flat with the very minimal slight touch of bubbles. Slick and oily acidity throughout without much texture due to lack of bubbles. Medium bodied.
On one hand I am disappointed by the body and lack of carbonation but on the other hand the taste is so on point that honestly it doesn't bother me that much. Will seek out another vintage at some point because the plum flavor is seriously perfect, and I love plums. Maybe my favorite Tilquin so far.
Reviewed by VABA from Virginia
4.44/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.44/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A nice light hazy roses amber color with a slight head and lacing.
Aroma has plums hints
The taste follows the nose with a very well balanced tart plum flavor
A light bodied well carbonated beer
A nicely balanced easy drinking Lambic
Dec 22, 2021Aroma has plums hints
The taste follows the nose with a very well balanced tart plum flavor
A light bodied well carbonated beer
A nicely balanced easy drinking Lambic
Reviewed by UrbanCaveman from Ohio
4.31/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.31/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12.7 oz bottle, poured into a tulip at ~40 degrees F.
L: Poured a thoroughly opaque ruddy peach-amber, not unlike what you might expect if you were to puree peeled plum flesh. Formed no head whatsoever, with little to no carbonation visible.
S: Soured plums and acetic acidity, with an odd mineral tinge.
T: Sharp and tart right out the gate, which does not relent until after the swallow. Plummy indeed, with notes reminiscent of unripe nectarine. Some white grape emerges as it moves along the palate, alongside a minerality that reminds me of licking freshly broken quartz-studded feldspar as a tiny child. The bleu mold quality is manifest throughout the entire tasting process, of course, along with some subtle tones of damp black mildew. After the finish, a metallic tinge lingers, alongside the ghost of the black mildew and the soured plums.
F: Fairly still, yet nonetheless medium-bodied.
O: Quite tasty. I did just try Cantillon offerings for the first time on the Zwanze Day that fell not even a full week before this review, so I may be scoring sours a tad more harshly than I used to. This is nonetheless quite a tasty Tilquin offering.
Sep 29, 2021L: Poured a thoroughly opaque ruddy peach-amber, not unlike what you might expect if you were to puree peeled plum flesh. Formed no head whatsoever, with little to no carbonation visible.
S: Soured plums and acetic acidity, with an odd mineral tinge.
T: Sharp and tart right out the gate, which does not relent until after the swallow. Plummy indeed, with notes reminiscent of unripe nectarine. Some white grape emerges as it moves along the palate, alongside a minerality that reminds me of licking freshly broken quartz-studded feldspar as a tiny child. The bleu mold quality is manifest throughout the entire tasting process, of course, along with some subtle tones of damp black mildew. After the finish, a metallic tinge lingers, alongside the ghost of the black mildew and the soured plums.
F: Fairly still, yet nonetheless medium-bodied.
O: Quite tasty. I did just try Cantillon offerings for the first time on the Zwanze Day that fell not even a full week before this review, so I may be scoring sours a tad more harshly than I used to. This is nonetheless quite a tasty Tilquin offering.
Oude Quetsche Tilquin à L'Ancienne from Gueuzerie Tilquin
Beer rating:
97 out of
100 with
1118 ratings
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