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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 #3,949 - 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 goatgoat:
Reviewed by goatgoat from Arizona
3.83/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
3.83/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Best before 8/14/09.
This is my introduction to sours, let's see how it goes.
Pours a clear, dazzling dark garnet. A fizzy tan head falls fairly quickly to a few mounding islands. Some frilly lace along the glass. The color is mesmerizing...
Aroma is woody sour. Strong wine-like astringency with a hint of wine vinegar. I expected the vinegar but not so much the wine.
Flavor is sweetly tart, if that makes sense. Very fruity almost candy like sweetness paired with a wine-like astringency and vinegar tartness. Finish is sweet up front, sour in the back and puckering all over. A lot of stuff is going on that I can't pin down.
Body is light during the sip, but coating on the finish. More carbonation than expected, a little prickly.
Lots of conflicting sensations that end up magically working together. Very complex but approachable. Sort of like going to the aquarium... I get to dip my hand in to touch some friendly critters while looking at all the dangers and extremes of sour-land. Though it's very inviting, it's just doesn't compare to my favorite styles.
Apr 19, 2009This is my introduction to sours, let's see how it goes.
Pours a clear, dazzling dark garnet. A fizzy tan head falls fairly quickly to a few mounding islands. Some frilly lace along the glass. The color is mesmerizing...
Aroma is woody sour. Strong wine-like astringency with a hint of wine vinegar. I expected the vinegar but not so much the wine.
Flavor is sweetly tart, if that makes sense. Very fruity almost candy like sweetness paired with a wine-like astringency and vinegar tartness. Finish is sweet up front, sour in the back and puckering all over. A lot of stuff is going on that I can't pin down.
Body is light during the sip, but coating on the finish. More carbonation than expected, a little prickly.
Lots of conflicting sensations that end up magically working together. Very complex but approachable. Sort of like going to the aquarium... I get to dip my hand in to touch some friendly critters while looking at all the dangers and extremes of sour-land. Though it's very inviting, it's just doesn't compare to my favorite styles.
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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