Old Sourpuss Gueuze
Lancaster Brewing Company

 

This arrived a cloudy, dark-orange beer in color with a thin head and almost no evidence of carbonation. There was a very sour vinegar scent on the nose. The tartness is prevalent in the mouth, but it seems more muted than it probably was originally. The brewer tells me that it has been aged for seven (7) years (!). That just seems too long, to me. There is a cheesy aftertaste, which is not unpleasant, but it is more muted than I would have liked. Still, I can envision this this beer as a nice accompaniment to some aged, sharp cheddar or some other sharp cheese.

Despite its surprisingly dark, amber/reddish appearance, this is a most impressive attempt at a Belgian-style lambic. And I don't say gueuze, because it never really reaches that sour-complexity, but it would surely fit in very nicely with a bit of fruit added as a Flander's Red or Framboise.

It's basically flat (as expected), and it leaves little more than transient spotty lace. The nose remains intact, but subtle. It's clearly waving the Brettanomyces flag, and it has some fruit and a vinous character as well, but all in all, it's surprisingly clean! Malt is evident, which is a bit odd, but we can overlook that. And it's also slightly fuller bodied than one might expect; but again, it would fit in quite easily as an Oud Bruin. There's a subtle carbonation to it that's nice - it's just enough to perk up the tastebuds; and it's quite fine and natural. The flavor is complex enough to keep it interesting, yet mainstream enough to make it widely accessible. It's a touch fruity and vinous with an earthy edge; followed by some slightly grainy maltiness (read as sublime sweetness and cereal character) with a leafy, cheesy, and mineral note from some crusty, old hops. It finishes quite dry with some residual Brett character.

The numbers I have listed here are in comparison to other brands of gueuze, and as such, are pretty good for an American interperetation of the style. But on a totally hedonistic scale without guidelines (just 1-5), I'd give it a 4.4! This is a great introduction to lambics that will hopefully interest people at their brewpub into taking another step towards great Belgian beer. And even as a beer aficianado, it's certainly worth trying!!!