Cuvée Jeun'homme
Brouwerij De Leite

 

 

ive been intrigued by the few beers ive had from these guys so i was stoked to have a friend share this bottle with me that he scored in his travels, nothing like interesting beers with old friends! this is cool stuff, they describe it as bitter and hoppy, which it might be by belgian standards, but it doesnt strike me as such, its the sourness and the oak that dominate to my palate, nice and complex and cohesive, a little more raw than expected both with its murky but not quite sedimented and dullish fuller look, and with its big body and overt yeastiness in the mouth, not as polished as anticipated, but that does not diminish our enjoyment, it also seems quite old, like the sourness is really running, some oxidation is coming in, and a somewhat fuller malt complexion than i would usually consider to be "blond" which is what they call this, but the beer is light amber in color and retains body and sweetness from the grain the entire drink. copperish looking with a short lived white foam head. the nose is light apple cider vinegar, definitely in that almost acetic flanders type sour range, some herbal hops in play too, baked richness, strong white wine character, almost a fortified wine thing too, some alcohol for a beer thats not that strong, light belgian yeast spiciness too, coriander and maybe anise, golden raisin fruitiness, sharp and mouthwatering. lots of oak, wine tannins, and dried fruitiness in the flavor, consistent sweetness from start to finish, a little heavy from that and the wood, light vanilla, tons of sourness and just a bit of funk to round it out, hits flemish to me, vinegar sourness, past lemon but light citrus here with the hops and some late bitterness too which is not out of place. a ton of flavor and texture movement in this, unique in that its really not a red, but its also not really like any "blond" i have had before, quite mature, a little oxidized, a kalamata olive linger, very interesting stuff that warms up well. this brewery continues to hold my attention.

Jan. 2018: 330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.5%. Deep golden colour, slightly hazy. Moderate white head. Aroma of oak, vinegar, wine and farmhouse. Medium sour flavour, notes of oak, wine and vinegar. Moderate hops.

 

 

Brouwerij De Leite "Cuvée Jeun'homme"
11.2 Fl. oz. brown glass bottle coded "Batch N˚ 9
$4.95 @ State Line Liquors, Elkton, MD

Look: Hazy deep amber-orange body. Creamy head of white.
Smell: The oak is clear in it but it's also vinegar-like. Fruity and vinous with green apple, tart berries, grapes. Berttanomyces lends some wet straw, leather, and "barnyard".
Taste: The flavor follows with a sharp, slightly metallic acidity. It's leathery, grassy, a touch herbal, mildly mineralish, and subtly metallic. All of the fruit found in the nose remains with a strong addition of raspberry. The malt is grainy, wheat-like, and sweetish. There's a very low bitterness but it's not needed as the acidity balances and dries it.
Feel: Medium-light in body and remarkably smooth given the acidity. It has a moderate, very fine-bubbled, natural carbonation.
Overall: Complex but not overwhelming, and surprisingly accessible.
Review #7,598

 

L: Hazy amber color, one finger white head. Ok lacing, good carbonation.

S: Sour, oak.

T: Sour, slightly malty. Not bad at all.

F: Medium bodied, lots of flavor.

O: Very decent oak aged cuvée.

Almost no carbonation, barley sour, more cidery than anything. Green apple and grain on the nose with some diacetyl, mild tartness, apple, and grass on the palate. Weak on all fronts.

 

I consider this a Belgium sour Ale. Personally not a fan of sours, however, for a sour this was excellent. You can really taste the oak barrel, the sour was not over powering, and the smell was very light and clearly oak and sour blend. Smooth and surprisingly refreshing finish. Not a bad sour at all, probably the best I've ever had.

 

There's a natural soft haze to its medium amber body. The off-white head on top is very much Belgian - thick, and pillowy, painting lace with a brush along the walls of the glass.

Its lively acidity is the first thing that pulls through with a leading sweet, tangy granny smith vibe. As it warms, its punch softens with puffy oak and honey. A stone-y dry minerality mimics a dry white wine.

A kick of Brett born funk, reminiscent of blue cheese, comes with a limey snap. Apple skins, grape skins, and lemon juice stew at the back, and are thankfully kept at bay. A chewy, spicy malt character acts as the glue holding this together. It's much more tangy than it is a straight shooting sour. The more it warms, the more earthiness comes through.

The dryness stems from its acidity versus a very well attenuated body, which this doesn't have. I find it a tad wet and needing some additional structure. It sits well at light to medium in weight.

This was a refreshing break from kettle sours and interesting in its own right. I enjoyed the white wine influence and the Brett imparted funk. Merry Christmas Eve!

Super tart, drinks like a cider. Lots of apple flavour, grain and oak as well. Gets its funk on. Short-lived head, foggy amber. Gotta drink it slow to work out all the flavours and aromas.

 

330 mL bottle from the LCBO; best before Feb 5 2022 and served slightly chilled.

Pours a foggy golden-amber colour, crowned with one finger of foamy white head that seeps off within the next couple of minutes. A wide, creamy-looking collar remains in place, surrounding some bubbly islets floating upon the surface, with a modest band of lace also having been deposited. The aroma is moderately tart and vinous, including notes of green apple, white wine and subtle hints of funk & vinegar, as well as some oak. Maybe a hint of tropical and/or stone fruit, too, but I'd be lying if I said I could pick out anything more specific than that.

Flavourful and unique - this one's sour, funky qualities won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I found this beer very compelling to analyse. Grainy flavours start things off, with green apple, white wine and oak also joining in early on in the sip; from there, hints of citrus and sour peach develop, with funky barnyard aspects coming through towards the finish. White wine, vanilla, acetic acidity and oak tannins persist into a tart finish that fades to vinous & fruity before dissipating. Medium in body, with low-ish carbonation levels that gently prickle the palate, frothing up in the mouth just a tad; feels smooth on the tongue. Limited drinkability; the combination of tart and funky does not lend itself to mass consumption IMO, but I still made it to the bottom of my glass pretty quickly... I just don't think I'd want another one right away.

Final Grade: 4.30, an A grade. De Leite's Cuvée Jeun'homme is one of the better funky Belgian beers that has shown up at the LCBO in recent times. I like this a bit better than their Cuvée Mam'Zelle (which I reviewed a couple of days ago), but I wouldn't say Jeun'homme runs away with the competition - they're both very nice beers, with this one being the more sour/wild of the two by far. At just over $4 per bottle, it's not exactly cheap, but I think I'll pick up another bottle or two for safe-keeping - this seems like the type of beer that would hold up just fine in the cellar for a few years, and I wouldn't mind being able to crack open another when the mood hits me.

 

Enticing, light amber body, shining but slightly hazy, with a faded white head, good retention.
Getting a lot of apple cider on the nose; clean river water; pale malt.
Bracing acidity, funky, yeasty - in a vinegar sort of way. Apple cider vinegar. A pronounced tartness, like an unripe peach. There's a fatty quality to the mouthfeel, lingering in the finish, carrying the flavour through.

It's tastes wild for sure, unpredictable and curious. The flavour really drew me in, though wouldn't mind some extra carbonation. Not for everyone.