Oud Beersel Oude Gueze Vielle

“Green tobacco-like notes in the nose with hints of tar, wet hay, light fruit. Rustic and earthy with hints of smoke, leather, dried fruit, and a rich umami mushroom finish. Soft tartness lingers on the tongue as pineapple but blends well.”

Lemon and white grape up front with a bit of wet-hay funk coming in behind it. More barnyard funk comes through in the flavor with a bit of wet stone. Very well-balanced between the fruit character and the funk. Acidity is high up front but not harsh or overwhelming. It fades into a somewhat soft and dry finish. Complex in a nuanced way.

Aroma: “Funky and wild with some woody Brettanomyces that leads into light lactic sourness and some tropical pineapple fruit notes. With a touch of pepper and smoke character, this is interesting and intriguing.” Flavor: “Incredible depth of funk, with slight peppercorn character, light briny caper notes. Back-end acidity, with a nice citrus and peach component cleans up and rounds out the broad funk. Finish is soft, not overly dry and puckering, with a very pleasant lingering lemony sourness and a hint of white pepper.” Overall: “Understated complexity without the rough edges you often get from wilder fermentations. A recognizable ‘beer’ character that often gets lost in this style. Refreshing, complex, well-crafted, exquisite.”