Worried about Brouwerij Drie Fonteinen Shelf Life....?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by backbaybrewer, May 21, 2013.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. backbaybrewer

    backbaybrewer Zealot (700) Feb 26, 2010 Massachusetts
    Trader

    So, my local shop has a fantastic selection of beers right now, including a few bottles of Golden Blend by Brouwerij Drie Fonteinen (2011). My concern however is that it may not be good in the bottle. Drei Fonteinen uses green bottles, and the shop has the bottles out on a shelf, very close to the exterior window. I am thinking that the beers may have the effects of being lightstruck from the often intense UV light they are subjected to.

    Really want to give this beer a try, but at $30 for a 375ml bottle, I don't want to waste my money on a "skunked" beer.

    What do you guys think? Will the beer hold up, or is it likely ruined?

    Cheers.
     
  2. Knifestyles

    Knifestyles Initiate (0) Jun 7, 2005 New York

    It's a gueuze. It's already skunked.
     
  3. tectactoe

    tectactoe Pooh-Bah (2,386) Mar 20, 2012 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Gueuze is indestructible.
     
  4. bramsdell

    bramsdell Initiate (0) May 27, 2011 North Carolina

    Since there are pretty much negligible hops in gueuze, skunking isn't really an issue.

    Drie Fonteinen will last a mighty long time.
     
    backbaybrewer and tehzachatak like this.
  5. a74gent

    a74gent Pundit (981) Mar 16, 2010 Massachusetts
    Trader

    I'm sure someone knows a hardline technical answer here, but I didn't think there was any issue with these sitting on the shelf. I normally consider it a blessing!
     
  6. backbaybrewer

    backbaybrewer Zealot (700) Feb 26, 2010 Massachusetts
    Trader

    I agree. Finding them aged is wonderful. I was just worried about the UV light. But I agree with the other replies that this is a non-issue becuase of the lack of hops, or more specifically, the lack of isohumulone, in gueze. I should have been able to put that reasoning together, but thanks for the input from all.

    Cheers.
     
  7. smartassboiler

    smartassboiler Pooh-Bah (2,506) Apr 9, 2012 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Now purchase and enjoy! :slight_smile:
     
  8. Smakawhat

    Smakawhat Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,099) Mar 18, 2008 Maryland
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    It's going to be fine, it's a stunning beer, the shelf life on those go into 2021...
     
  9. Danny1217

    Danny1217 Initiate (0) Jul 15, 2011 Florida

    It really is a miracle that I found Golden Blend for 9 euro in Brugges. It's so expensive here. Such a good beer though.
     
  10. Michigan

    Michigan Initiate (0) Oct 24, 2012 Michigan

    I believe Armand would disagree with you after the May 2009 thermostat incident....
     
    Rempo, BrettHead and GrindFatherBob like this.
  11. GuzzLah

    GuzzLah Initiate (0) Mar 2, 2013 Illinois

    It will be a little skunky, but you will convince yourself it tastes awesome because of 3F, $30 and the ratings.
     
  12. BearsOnAcid

    BearsOnAcid Pooh-Bah (2,227) Mar 17, 2009 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    I doubt you would notice skunkiness unless you were incredibly sensitive to it.
     
  13. tbadiuk

    tbadiuk Pundit (802) Feb 9, 2009 Canada (MB)
    Trader

    I've had Cantillon Classic skunk, as well as Girardin Black Label. I have no clue on the storage conditions previously as I bought them from an online retailer, but I can only assume they must have sat out on the shelf for a long time.
     
  14. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam


    There have been at least three confirmed reports of skunked Gueuze by fellow BAs who actually know enough about gueuze and skunking to know what they are talking about.

    Claims that it is already skunked because it is gueuze or that it can't skunk because they don't use enough hops to skunk either confuse skunk with funk or show a lack of knowledge about gueuze is made. E.g, there are hops in gueuze but they are aged and so don't have strong flavoring or bittering effects.

    If the bottles have been exposed to UV it's a gamble to buy one.

    Shelf life estimates into the future assume proper storage.
     
    stupac2 and Michigan like this.
  15. Pnell316

    Pnell316 Initiate (0) Aug 16, 2010 Pennsylvania

    http://imgur.com/fBXRjxs
    Nope industructible
     
    Rempo and Michigan like this.
  16. Michigan

    Michigan Initiate (0) Oct 24, 2012 Michigan

    Pnell316 likes this.
  17. backbaybrewer

    backbaybrewer Zealot (700) Feb 26, 2010 Massachusetts
    Trader

    It is logical that Gueze would be less susseptible to skunking than other beers. It is true the Guezes have hops, and alos true that they are typically aged hops. That, however is precisely why skunking should not be a concern. Skunking is a result of UV light cleaving isohumulone molecules in the beer. Isohumulone is a product of isomerization during the boil of primarily alpha acids present in hops. However, aged hops have little to no alpha acids in them, and therefore the beer will have little to no isohumulone. It therefore logically follows that the beer should not be subject to becoming lightstruck (skunked).

    My original post was because I failed to make the connection that Gueze uses aged hops. Once that was pointed out to me, the rest kinda falls into place.
     
  18. woosterbill

    woosterbill Pooh-Bah (2,807) Apr 6, 2009 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    I've only had a skunked Geuze once, but it was most definitely skunked - Oude Geuze De Cam at the De Lambiek museum just down the road from 3F. I think it had been sitting right in front of the fridge's light, for who knows how long. Armand gave me and a couple other beer nerds a ride to the museum from the brewery, and we were the only patrons.

    I do think, though, that this was a genuinely isolated incident and that the style holds up against skunking far better than most. I remember cringing when Yves held the bottle of '84 Eylenbosch I was purchasing at In de Verzekering tegen de Grote Dorst up in direct sunlight to show off the sediment that had collected over decades in his cellar - but the beer was flawlessly delicious when I opened it a couple months later.

    TL/DR - Lambic can indeed skunk, but it's rare. Buy at your own risk.
     
    drtth likes this.
  19. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    Right. Less likely but not impossible. I'd guess if the stuff you found is pretty fresh it could be a good gamble.

    I'd buy one to try. If it was still OK I'd get more for the cellar.
     
  20. GuzzLah

    GuzzLah Initiate (0) Mar 2, 2013 Illinois


    The last two bottles of 3F Gueuze I had were skunked. They weren't the Golden blend.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.