Monk's Cafe Cuvee De Monk's Gueuze
Brasserie Cantillon

mothman from Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Had this back in 2010. Review somehow got deleted. Saved from notes.

Golden yellow color. A little bit of white head. Funky and lemon acidity. Earthy with some citrus. A bit of oak. Very similar to classic.

I liked this one, but for how much easier classic is to get, I'd probably go that route. A treat to have, nonetheless.

Jul 21, 2016

Rifugium from North Dakota

4.41/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

First had: on tap at Monk's, Philly, PA

The final keg of this beer, served at the end of Philly Beer Week 2013.

Not being a fan of the original Cantillon gueuze, I must say this one is markedly better in almost every aspect. Cloudy golden pour, with a thin layer of white bubbles for a head; minimal retention, random spots of lacing. Nice aroma of earthy funk, citrus tartness, mildly acetic, nice oak profile. Taste was very pleasant, crisp and lemony, barnyard funk, tart with a slight acetic quality making the salivary glands fire up a bit, very little of the uncomfortable wood/cork/cardboard flavor that pervades the original version, though there was a distinct clean oaky character that came through. Light-medium body, dry, moderate carbonation, enjoyable. Aged nicely. Very good overall.

Jun 10, 2013

vicsju1991 from Pennsylvania

4.59/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

my 500th beer! Its beenan awesome year and a half craft beer journey, and this was an awesome one to have for my 500th beer and for the end of my first philly beer week I actually participated in.
A - cloudy golden-yellow colour, small white head that stays for a little bit,
S - straw, kind of funky, light sour smell
T - mildly tart, not as sour a I expected but still very good, has a citrusy after taste
M - nice and crisp, very easily drinkable
O - very excellent beer, and very happy I got to try what I've heard was the last keg.

Jun 09, 2013

fdig23 from Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Monk's Cafe on New Year's Day

Appearance: Cloudy orange with a small pure-white head.

Nose: Sour lemon, orange zest, and funky hay-bale with some floral, piney hop aromas, acetic acid, and a hint of toasty oak.

Taste: Nice, bright, sour lemon balanced by over-ripe orange sweetness and more of a hay and grains barnyard undertone. Almost perfect amount of sourness. Some pineapple-y hop flavors are present along with a nice, subtle vanilla oak finish and lingering acetic acid.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, just about perfect.

Overall: Great balance, very easy to drink. An excellent beer. A little bit more depth and complexity could be had, but this could easily be an every-day sipper if it wasn't so expensive and limited.

Jan 03, 2013

WillCarrera from Ohio

4.39/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle, bottled on November 14, 2008, split this with Abe and Lauren at Belgian Cafe, poured into a gueuze glass.

A- Pours a slightly cloudy golden yellow color with a rapidly dissipating white head, leaves little lacing.

S- The aroma is just insane. Lots of citrusy acidity along with a complex funk that's a combination of barnyard/horseblanket notes along with an almost moist earthiness. There's also musty wood and a bit of very lightly sweet honey aroma. This is seriously one of the best smelling gueuzes I've had in a long time.

T- Similar to the nose, very sour with a solid dose of lemony and mild grapefruit tartness. Also a big earthy funkiness with barnyard and wet oak flavors. Some white grape fruitiness and dry grass/herbal flavors. Very tasty and complex.

M- Light-bodied, low carbonation and a smooth feel, bone dry finish.

O- Another really excellent gueuze from Cantillon, the flavors are delicious and complex and the aroma is just incredible, I think I slightly prefer this to the regular 100% gueuze, which is saying quite a bit. Great stuff.

Dec 06, 2012

woosterbill from Kentucky

4.14/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle from '08, served in a Cantillon tulip. Huge thanks to Tony for sharing this.

A: Hazy orange body with a thin but persistent head of fine white foam that settles into a solid ring and leaves delicate lace. Ok.

S: Funkier than usual Cantillon, with lots of earthiness and mustiness on top of the usual lemony, mustardy acidity. Some grassiness, too. Great.

T: More sour than the nose promised, with the crazy musty sourness funkiness pushed back to the very dry, lightly astringent finish. So, so dry.

M: Light, creamy, lively medium body. Great.

O: Yet another solid offering from Cantillon, although I don't think it's much better than the regular. Really glad I got to try this!

Cheers!

Nov 18, 2012

mdaschaf from Indiana

4.35/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Shared at Monk's with BeerThursday. Review from notes. 2008 Vintage, served in a gueuze glass.

A: Pours a very hazy golden yellow color with a small white head on top that leaves a small cap on top. Sporadic lacing down the sides.

S: Very subdued, but in a good way. Not in your face tart, but certainly there. Some nice citrus fruits, lemon, a little apricot, a hint of peach. Underneath a faint hay/funk.

T: Again, not in your face sour, but very even making it extremely drinkable and smooth. Similar fruit notes to the aroma with some lemon zest, apricot, and pear. Slight funk in the middle as well and a bit of oak coming through.

M: Medium bodied with even carbonation. Very smooth and easy drinking, not overly sour/tart, but seems just about right for this beer.

O: Another great gueuze from Cantillon. Was very happy to have shared this bottle with Jay.

Jul 19, 2012

islandboi8204 from New York

4.17/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750mL split two ways at Belgium Cafe. Bottled November 14, 2008.

Pours amber color with a big white head and plenty of carbonation. Doesn't leave much on the glass.

Smells funky right right away, must, lemons, wet oak, and green apples. Also a pronounced dry hop are earthy quality.

Tastes less funky than the nose, but a good earthiness, wet oak, and a lot of sour lemons and green apples. Sour, and not quite as balanced as the Classic gueuze. Lacking some peach sweetness.

Plentiful carbonation, crisp, sour, and a dry tannic finish.

Overall, a solid beer from Cantillon but I like the classic gueuze better. We're lucky to have this one in Philly.

Apr 15, 2012

hooliganlife from Missouri

3.9/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

thanks to xnicknj for this one.

vintage 2008.

pours a beautiful bright golden yellow with subtle hints of orange. color is amazing, a total 5 but the lack of head knocks this to a 4.

heavy oak, old musty dank basement,

flavor is also oak heavy. very dominant. some light lemon citrus hidden beneath. very musty and old tasting.

carbonation i very low. does not really take away from it though.

overall not bad but not nearly on the same level as classic gueuze. however glad this is indeed different. i dig the old musty flavor. however for the trouble this is to land, stick to classic.

Apr 07, 2012

BeerCon5 from Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a cloudy golden yellow color with a small amount of white head, not much lacing.

The scent is of sour citrus, some spice also.

The taste is very tart, there is very noticeable orange and notes of lemon, a little vinegary taste, some grassy notes, and some peppery spice.

Medium body, very smooth, moderate to high carbonation.

This was a pretty decent beer, a new style for me but something I definitely want to experience more of.

Mar 19, 2012

Gueuzedude from Arizona

4.17/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

2008 cork date; Sampled December 2011
A steady pour into my large Tripel Karmeliet tulip produces a one-finger thick, pale tan colored head. The beer is a pale amber color that shows a clear, bright orange-gold hue when held up to the light. The aroma smells quite tart / sour with lots of lactic and even a touch of urea notes; it is backed by a dried grassy, sort of herbal, dried wild flower like note; there is a substantial, musky, quite musty, slightly woody, almost medicinal mushroom like funkiness here that also plays a large role. The aroma is quite complex, but seems to lean towards woody and dried grass / dried herbal notes in the end. As the beer warms up a touch of orange aromatics towards the finish becomes noticeable that at times can have quite a bright fruitiness to it.

The flavor is a bit flat, or really it is the texture as the beer is a little flat for a Gueuze; there is some effervescence here, it just is not very substantial like a good Gueuze should have. The lactic tartness accentuates a soft, orange like citrus character that lingers on the palate with a sort of floral essence. Woody, herbal / straw-like notes linger on the palate almost like an aroma rather than a flavor. The finish has a woody, almost astringency to it, as well as a lingering lactic tartness (almost grapefruit like in some way). This has lots of rounded, smooth, phenolic notes to it that provide a mustiness, some muskiness, and a not really plastic or medicinal note, but something a bit on the sharp side without leaving the smooth part of the range. This has an almost menthol, definitely herbaceous, quite woody quality to it that seems distinct from your typical Gueuze; I can only guess that this is from the dry hopping, and there even seems a touch of hop-bitterness and bite to the finish.

Definitely an interesting Gueuze, the hop character ends up playing quite a big role here; it adds some interesting, not very typical flavors to this brew & because of that I am intrigued a bit more by this beer than I would be if I was drinking a standard Gueuze. I really do wish this had been a touch more carbonated, but really the hop character kept me distracted / interested enough that I mostly forgot about the lower carbonation.

Feb 18, 2012

xnicknj from Pennsylvania

4.42/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

on tap at monks in philly - 06 vintage

Pours a hazy golden straw yellow with a thin layering of white head. Wispy film and a few spots of lacing on the glass.

Funky barnyard notes in the nose with biting tartness. Orange peel and lemon pith with a touch of peppery spice. Sour acidity and soft sweetness.

Biting tartness up front splashed with lemony zest and orange citrus notes. Faint sweetness from the citrus juiciness, swept away with an earthy funk. Touches of oak, straw, and barnyard funk. Fairly acidic but not vinegary, sour and lingering on the palate. Finishes dry and funky.

Medium body, higher carbonation, dry and lasting on the tongue. Another awesome beer from Cantillon - I wish this was on tap more often!

Dec 17, 2011

zhanson88 from California

3.69/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

375mL bottle, believe Monk's Cafe had just received a new shipment of this. Poured into a gueuze glass.

Appearance: Pours a pale, mostly clear straw color. Not the liveliest geueze. Not much carbonation is present, and the white cap of head is short lived.

Smell: Aroma is fairly floral to start with hints of pale fruits, quickly turning more tart, with hay, funk and lactic sourness.

Taste: Very floral and a touch sweet up front, followed by grassiness, horseblanket flavors and puckering sourness. The florals create some notes that I find more sweet that I find interesting.

Mouthfeel/Overall: Light bodied, without much carbonation. Fairly still and bland. Finish is puckering but not really drying. It could definitely use more carbonation. Overall, a nice gueuze but not something I was completely in love with. Glad I got to try it though.

Oct 29, 2011

orangesol from Pennsylvania

4.17/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at Monk's on two separate occasions. Vintage 2006 keg both times.

A - Pours hazy golden yellow with a pillowy one and a half finger tall white head leaving light lace down the glass.

S - Smells of dank basement funk, strong citric fruit, wet hay, dry oak, and strong lactic sourness. Very nice nose overall, very nice balance.

T - Starts off with quite a bit of musty funk and strong lactic sourness slowly giving way to bright citric notes; mostly lemon and other tropical fruits; a touch of hop bitterness, and some wet earth. The oak tannins begin to creep in toward the end and they really dominate the finish.

M - Medium body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Crisp, tart, feel with a good amount of dryness creeping in toward the end of the finish.

O - When I had this beer the first time I was a little rushed and I liked it but I didn't think it was great. When I had it a second time I had more time to sit down and really enjoy it and I really started to like it more and more. Not as good as some of the other beers from Cantillon but still very nice none the less.

Oct 12, 2011

spdyfire83 from Ireland

4.33/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

23rd Review
Draft at Monk's Cafe - served in flute glass
Vintage 2006

L: Hard to say as it was quite dark in Monk's at the front bar; however, I'll go with opaque peach - almost a bit murky. 1.0 fingernail head that almost instantly disappeared.

S: Dried apricot with hint of sweetness. Funky overtones that are very inviting. I'm excited!

T: Hidden sweetness upfront which goes straight to tart. Hint of oak that fades slowly - this is quite nice.

M: Crisp and refreshing. Light/medium body with a very dry finish.

O: Beautiful blend of beer here that was very, very enjoyable. Well-done!

Sep 23, 2011

stakem from Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

2008, 750ml bottle split with friends after lunch at Monks. Poured into a tumbler, this brew appears a hazed golden color topped with a creamy white cap. A light swirl brings back a froth and produces some spotty to leggy lacing patterns on the glass.

The smell is funky with notes of cheese and vinegar. There is plenty of raw oak quality and a bit if spice. Some notes of mildew and moldy cork are in the back mixed with a bit of stinky blue cheese. The warmer this brew gets, the more it smells like a damn cork.

The taste is funky with wet cork quality and raw oak tannins. Some spices that are herbal run throughout. It is acidic but not overdone. Some lemony fruit quality comes into play with more fruits like rinds and a bit of earthy bitterness breaks it up and gives the flavor a depth.

This is medium bodied and lightly carbonated. Very drinkable, the alcohol is masked/integrated quite well. Very funky with a bit too much focus specifically on damp wood and wet cork. While I enjoyed it, it's not my favorite Cantillon offering.

Sep 21, 2011

corby112 from Pennsylvania

4.87/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Draft at Monk's Cafe.

Pours a cloudy, dark golden orange color with tangerine hues and a one finger frothy white head that slowly fades into a thin ring.  Sporadic spots of lace left behind.

Funky, earthy aroma with some musty, earthy bugs.  Lots of earthy oak, musty barnyard horsey funk and acetic vinegary sweetness along with a strong citrus fruit presence.  Amazing nose.  

Medium bodied with a tart puckering mouthfeel and dry, tart sourness that lingers throughout into a slightly acetic, sweet vinegary finish.  Not harsh or overly acidic with a ton of sweet citrus, especially lemon, and a lingering vinegar flavor that has me salivating for more.  Extremely complex and quaffable.  Highly recommended!

Sep 11, 2011

oline73 from Maryland

4.2/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a Cantillon glass. I had this at Monk's.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy orangish straw color with a layer of white head that went away completely.

Smell: Sour and light. Some citrus and mostly vinegar. Mild funk with an herbal component as well.

Taste: Not as much funk as I expected, but super sour. Tart and acidic like citrus. Some herbal notes and a bit of a hop bitterness. The finish is sour.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with mild carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: I really enjoyed this. It was quite refreshing and crisp. Not as funky as I would have expected, but that didn't take away from my experience.

Jun 26, 2011

mikesgroove from South Carolina

4.72/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

lightly hazed golden yellow color and a small puff of light head that seemed to come out of no where and settle down with medium lacing.

Aroma was so sour it tickled the nose hairs. deep horse funk, vinegar, sour fruits and a touch of lacto. really nice put together. As i take the first sip the ripe sour and rich apple vinegar dominate everything and leave no room for error subtle is not a word here as it shreds the palate. warming lets you find apricot and other light fruits buried in there and the age really starts to show as it really is just sublimely drinakble.

Jun 26, 2011

AleWatcher from Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

375 bottle into tulip.
Sampled side by side with a Cantillon Classic Gueuze.

Nice clear, golden color. White head was a fluffy finger before it disappeared.
Smells much less musty than the classic, but the funky oak notes are there. Some light fruity notes come through.
The taste has everything I'd expect from a Cantillon gueuze: oak, funk, some light fruit notes with pears and apricots hitting softly.
Nice and sour... Pretty dry. Good carbonation.
Overall--- this is good, but not as good as the trouble it seems people go through to get a bottle. The classic gueuze is quite probably better, and certainly easier to obtain.

Jun 25, 2011

ArrogantB from Colorado

2.96/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

750ml bottle courtesy of a trader here but I forgot your name, thanks! Hazy yellow even though it had settled for months and I poured carefully. Smells a lot like the regular Cantillon gueuze, sour, a bit of funk, something is off however and I couldn;t tell what until I tasted it. The flavor is similar to the classic gueuze but the finish has a vegetal green taste, almost reminds me of milk thistle or weeds, unpleasant to say the least. Maybe I could not taste the "rare" but this really sucked compared to the 2008 classic gueuze which is a fantastic gueuze. Disappointing.

Jun 15, 2011

PittBeerGirl from Ohio

4/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased this at Monks in Philly in April. Very excited to try this although it was very expensive. Bottled in 2008

A- Body is a medium translucent blonde color. Pours with a 1-2 finger head that quickly fades to a thick collar with very little lacing left behind in the glass.

S- Nose is mild and guezelike. A mild acidic tartness comes through as well as some lemon and vinegar. A very mild hint of oak barrel in the background.

T- Flavor is very similar to the nose. Mild vinegar tarness upfront with a hint of lemon. The finish borders on the sour/bitter side but is mild to moderate in strength as lemon really comes through. A hint of smooth oak barrel in the background. Left to linger is a mild hint of lemon.

M- Low to medium carbonation and A light thin moderate body.

D- This is a good, classic gueze overall. Definately worth a try but not my absolute favorite of the style.

Jun 02, 2011

mdfb79 from New York

4.22/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From 05/28/11 notes. Got a 375ml bottle of this at Monk's Cafe in Philly, PA. Served ina Cantillon tumbler glass.

a - Pours a slightly hazy dark golden color with almost no head or carbonation evident.

s - Smells of cheese, funk, tart fruits, oak, acedic notes, and light citrus and lemon. Nice and funky, really liking the nose.

t - Tastes of cheese, fruit, funk, oak, lemon, acedic and lactic notes. Not too sour, but some nice funk again here.

m - Light to medium body and low carbonation, smooth and easy to drink.

o - Overall another nice beer from Cantillon. Not the sourest Cantillon beer or gueuze, but I still enojoyed it quite a bit. Nose is great with that distinct Cantillon funk to it. Would definitely have it again sometime.

May 29, 2011

cpetrone84 from Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Monk's Cafe Cuvee Version

A-pours a semi cloudy golden orange with a slightly off white head.

S-the nose has notes of funk and leather, nice notes of appricot with some vinegar underneath.

T-notes of funk, salty, dry leather, hints of vinegar, faint touch of appricot with light sourness.

M-medium creamy body, lively carbonation in the back with a dry crisp finish.

D-light on fruits compared to the nose with the salty leathery funk not really working together. not bad, fairly complex, but falls short of the typical cantillon brew.

Apr 25, 2011

NittanyBeerFan from Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up at Monk's Cafe, opened it tonight at home and split it two ways. Poured into a tumbler to allow the full flavor of the beer to develop. According to Dyan, this is a blend of barrels hand selected by Tom Peters and Tomme Arthur, dry hopped and bottled, much to the chagrin of Jean Van Roy, which is why the traditional Cantillon font does not appear on this bottle.

The color is a crystal clear amber that when it is fully poured is orange-hued. Carbonation is extremely light, as the body is fairly still. Very pretty looking.

The aroma brings out some evidence of the dry hopping with some light floral notes. These are accompanied by an earthy and dry funkiness. Almost no sourness, though the citrus notes from the lactobacillus is still present in the form of lemon zest and some orangey notes. The flavor is again not as sour as most Cantillons that I have enjoyed, though the citrusy funk and is really interesting. Slightly briny, in a nod to the geuze flavors of Girardin and 3F, this is a bit brighter than other Cantillon lambics that I have tried.

Low carbonation, though it IS carbonated, this is a solid beer, but not my favorite geuze. While enjoyable, I would choose Girardin over this based both on price point and flavor. Well balanced, I wish there was more sourness, though the dry finish is certainly a winning component of this brew.

Apr 09, 2011