Gueuze Tasting

Over the weekend I found some special beers that I was interested in tasting.  I've gotten interested in making sour beers for some reason or another and wanted to give a few a try to see which style made sense for me to try.  I found Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René at a local grocer, and thought I would give it a try.  Geuze is a Lambic beer made in Belgium, all true Lambic's have to be made in Belgium otherwise they are a Labmic Style beer.  Most Lambic's rely on spontaneous fermentation and the particular yeasts that are in the air of Belgium make these beers what they are.  What makes a Geuze different from other styles of the Lambic is it is a just a blend of an old (2-3year aged) Lambic and a young (6 months-1 year) Lambic with no fruit additives.

If you read about Lambic's and sour beer in general you will hear about various flavors that sound somewhat off-putting.  The hops used for Labmics are supposed to be aged for about a year and have a cheese "funk" to them, the yeasts used produce various flavors known as horse blanket and barnyard funk.  Having drank it I can see why people call the flavors by these names, but I cannot understate that they are not unpleasant in the way you would think they might be.  Above all the souring process gives the beer a crisp tartness that is the flavor you notice the most.  It leaves your mouth with a clean flavor, and has a very refreshing quality to it. I don't know how better to describe it, but if you like sour candy and know about that pucker you get.  You know how you cannot get enough of it, even after you have eaten enough it hurts your mouth?  That is the sensation that this soured beer gives you, and makes it very drinkable.

In case you couldn't guess from the way I'm writing about it I liked it.