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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 RoyalT:
Reviewed by RoyalT from Michigan
4/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance - The body was nothing special, brown and clear with orangish-red tints, but the head was magnificent. It rose up mightily and lasted a lifetime. It came down lacing on the sides first while the middle held fast, so that in a few minutes I had a glass that was half beer half head, and the head was big but had pulled away from the edges while leaving a thick film. Awesome!
Smell - The light malt is dominated by a strong (but not sharp) sour aroma. The smell is very sophisticated and complex, though, and is mixed with clove and some cinnamon.
Taste - This is more balanced at the taste. The mild malt flavor stands a little firmer here, and the tartness is still strong but not as dominant. There's also a light sweet taste here and a tea-like quality that was very nice.
Mouthfeel - Medium-bodied and mild in its sweetness, this one was great to hold in the cheeks for a while.
Drinkability - I'm not a huge fan of the style, but this was great to sip on during the day.
Update - My original review was written off a 2003 vintage so I thought I'd delve into this delicacy again in 2009. The head didn't come up the way it did before but otherwise it was pretty much spot on. I am always taken aback when drinking this ale as to the sophisticated manner in which they bring in the cloves. They are not small, but the flavor and aroma both manage to sneak in unnoticed at first then halfway through the bottle you pick it up.
Dec 31, 2003Smell - The light malt is dominated by a strong (but not sharp) sour aroma. The smell is very sophisticated and complex, though, and is mixed with clove and some cinnamon.
Taste - This is more balanced at the taste. The mild malt flavor stands a little firmer here, and the tartness is still strong but not as dominant. There's also a light sweet taste here and a tea-like quality that was very nice.
Mouthfeel - Medium-bodied and mild in its sweetness, this one was great to hold in the cheeks for a while.
Drinkability - I'm not a huge fan of the style, but this was great to sip on during the day.
Update - My original review was written off a 2003 vintage so I thought I'd delve into this delicacy again in 2009. The head didn't come up the way it did before but otherwise it was pretty much spot on. I am always taken aback when drinking this ale as to the sophisticated manner in which they bring in the cloves. They are not small, but the flavor and aroma both manage to sneak in unnoticed at first then halfway through the bottle you pick it up.
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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