Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck St. Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition

**Aroma:** “Moderate sulfur, moderately high sharp Brett funk up front with lem- on zest and some farm-like notes. Light pear and pineapple, moderate apricot, touch of plum. Earthy, floral, tart, and slightly citrusy.” **Flavor:** “Sharp, bordering on harsh acidity/tartness up front, which comes through as lemon zest with a high pucker factor. Lemon fades to the finish. Strong, sharp Brett. Taste of lemon water in the finish keeps this beer refreshing. The beer sits on your tongue and is sticky after the finish.” **Overall:** “The acidity is the dominant flavor characteristic and is out of balance with the rest of the beer. Lemon zest seems to stick around with acidity, making it hard to discern much complex- ity from the flavor or tartness. Tasty, but not as delicate as other aged lambics/ gueuzes. The boldness of the lactic and sharpness of the acidity overshadow other complexities in the beer.”

**Aroma:** “Nice honey up front with ap- ples, some cinnamon, vanilla, spice, and a bit of alcohol warming. Like brandy apply pie, it’s bready, crackery, sugary, spiced vanilla cookie over moderately perfumy alcohol. Big bourbon character with vanilla and molasses.” **Flavor:** “Apples up front with graham crackers, vanilla, nutmeg, wood tannins, and a touch of marshmallow sweetness leads to a slightly astringent, off-dry finish. Nice body and moderate acidity accented by light chocolate notes with a touch of leather (in a good way). The bourbon is ever-present, pushing any honey character to the background.” **Overall:** “It’s a bit drier than aroma suggests, with a hot alcohol flavor. Wood and bourbon flavors dominate—this is like drinking a delightful pastry. Despite the high alcohol content, the the sweet pie spices cover it beautifully. It’s not a mead for traditionalists, but anyone who enjoys barrel-aged beer will get it.”

**Aroma:** “Moderately strong malt, light acidity, notes of pineapple, peach, apri- cot, strawberry, and plum with a slightly sharp Brett. Fruit jumps out along with the acidity—so much fruit character that it’s hard to imagine no fruit was added. Incredibly complex aroma.” **Flavor:** “Tons of peach notes along with a nice tartness that carries through. Hints of raspberry along with a subtle citrus note. Fruity notes throughout— orange, lemon, pineapple, and peach. Moderate sharp Brett, moderate acidity, light pepper notes, moderate apricot, light coconut. High carbonation presents all the flavors and aromas. **Overall:** “Big fruity fun! There’s even a bit of coconut coming through that works well with the big fruit and touch of bitter-zest Brett. Incredible complexity between the tartness and fruitiness and a fantastic fresh peach character that really shines. High carbonation keeps it light and drinkable.”