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Duchesse De Bourgogne
Brouwerij Verhaeghe
- From:
- Brouwerij Verhaeghe
- Belgium
- Style:
- Flanders Red Ale
Ranked #21 - ABV:
- 6.2%
- Score:
- 93
Ranked #3,947 - Avg:
- 4.16 | pDev: 13.94%
- Reviews:
- 1,664
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Friday at 07:56 PM
- Added:
- Oct 15, 2001
- Wants:
- 297
- Gots:
- 1,066
Belgian top-fermented reddish-brown ale, a blend of 8 and 18 months old beers following the careful maturation in oak casks.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BEERchitect:
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky
4.27/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.27/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
In the honor of the Duchess of Burgundy, a unique sweet and sour taste emerges in ale form- an unfailing choice for the curious palate to venture into the sour family, but with the malty-sweet support and a rich fruit flavor to balance its acidity. Its utmost complexity and refreshment is reserved for those who refine their palate but are tentative about sourness.
This Flanders red ale's tawny pour of browns, reds, and haze carry an inherent wine-like, cognac appearance that's shyly adorned with the daintiest of foam stance which It's similar to delicate coffee-like creme.
The nose is met with complex and succulent character that remind that strikes the olfactory senses with balsamic, chocolate, black cherry, weathered wood, soy sauce, red wine, and sherry wine. The sweet and sour interplay seems something much more of French reductions or Chinese cuisine than it does of beer.
Flavors are a dynamic sweet and sour interplay of to tart berries, mild toast but more so of vinous wine, savory umami character, lemon-like acidity,- its sour and savory combination can go on and on. Every point of flavor has a counterpart to balance, which carry the beer across the palate with a multitude of intrigue and wonderment.
Medium bodied, but the beer's tepid but acidic sourness makes the beer seem somberly tart while the succulent cherry and cocoa allow for a soft weight to be felt. Its moderate carbonation allows the beer to seep into the softer mouth tissues for fuller flavor but also ushers in a dry woodsy finish of crab apples with mild vinegary astringency.
Well balanced throughout, but the beer's sweeter and fruitier side buffers against any abrupt sourness which gives it a restrained property that not only challenges the palate, but soothes it with ample wine sweetness and toasty malts.
Aug 25, 2005This Flanders red ale's tawny pour of browns, reds, and haze carry an inherent wine-like, cognac appearance that's shyly adorned with the daintiest of foam stance which It's similar to delicate coffee-like creme.
The nose is met with complex and succulent character that remind that strikes the olfactory senses with balsamic, chocolate, black cherry, weathered wood, soy sauce, red wine, and sherry wine. The sweet and sour interplay seems something much more of French reductions or Chinese cuisine than it does of beer.
Flavors are a dynamic sweet and sour interplay of to tart berries, mild toast but more so of vinous wine, savory umami character, lemon-like acidity,- its sour and savory combination can go on and on. Every point of flavor has a counterpart to balance, which carry the beer across the palate with a multitude of intrigue and wonderment.
Medium bodied, but the beer's tepid but acidic sourness makes the beer seem somberly tart while the succulent cherry and cocoa allow for a soft weight to be felt. Its moderate carbonation allows the beer to seep into the softer mouth tissues for fuller flavor but also ushers in a dry woodsy finish of crab apples with mild vinegary astringency.
Well balanced throughout, but the beer's sweeter and fruitier side buffers against any abrupt sourness which gives it a restrained property that not only challenges the palate, but soothes it with ample wine sweetness and toasty malts.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Scotchboy from Idaho
3.53/5 rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.53/5 rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottled in 2019, pours out an effervescent dull reddish-brown with ample off-khaki head. More sweet than most Flanders Reds I've had...certainly there is some vinegar-y tartness and impressions of lemon, but the caramel and dark sugary malt sweetness leads. Interesting.
Jan 30, 2024Reviewed by Larryken from Massachusetts
4.81/5 rDev +15.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.81/5 rDev +15.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Wonderful cherry aroma, smooth and well balanced flavor. I am a Rodenbach fan and this brew reminds me of Alexander. Very dark red color and this is a beer worth seeking out. Been enjoying on tap from my local.
Nov 09, 2023Reviewed by Shiredave from New York
4.3/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.3/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The Duchess is the refined Grand Dame of sours.
Dark and still with a faint wisps of foam.
Rich dark fruit aromas of cherries and pear mix with sour apple cider vinegar sharpness.
The flavor follows - tart and fruity with a malt depth underneath that carries the sour character giving it heft and balance.
Finish is dry and tart with lingering apple rind notes.
When "fresh" ie. properly conditioned this can be stellar.
Oct 26, 2023Dark and still with a faint wisps of foam.
Rich dark fruit aromas of cherries and pear mix with sour apple cider vinegar sharpness.
The flavor follows - tart and fruity with a malt depth underneath that carries the sour character giving it heft and balance.
Finish is dry and tart with lingering apple rind notes.
When "fresh" ie. properly conditioned this can be stellar.
Reviewed by Bobbisu245
2.18/5 rDev -47.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 4 | overall: 2
2.18/5 rDev -47.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 4 | overall: 2
I wanted to love it. Love sours and all kinds of fruit beers but this was not my cup of tea. Looked wonderful but one whiff of the rotten apple smell put me off. Thought OK smell isn’t great but taste had to be better. NOPE! As bad as I didn’t like the smell I liked that more than the taste. To me tasted like what I would envision nail polish remover tasting like. Hubby didn’t agree with my acetone comparison, but he too thought that it was just not good.
Aug 26, 2023Reviewed by Drop_The_L
4.74/5 rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.74/5 rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Opulent.
Bright acidity balanced with medium carbonation make this beautiful palette cleansing opener. Bright cherry and balsamic vinegar on the nose wish a dash of barnyard funk. Tart cherry notes evolve into a sweet (but not overly so) balsamic vinegar finish that just begs for another sip. Those who resist will enjoy the long, lavish finish.
Enjoy with wild game or short ribs.
Served in a Burgundy glass at around 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Aug 11, 2023Bright acidity balanced with medium carbonation make this beautiful palette cleansing opener. Bright cherry and balsamic vinegar on the nose wish a dash of barnyard funk. Tart cherry notes evolve into a sweet (but not overly so) balsamic vinegar finish that just begs for another sip. Those who resist will enjoy the long, lavish finish.
Enjoy with wild game or short ribs.
Served in a Burgundy glass at around 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Duchesse De Bourgogne from Brouwerij Verhaeghe
Beer rating:
93 out of
100 with
4676 ratings
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