Beer – #171 – Verhaeghe – Duchesse De Bourgogne

Sunday, I’ve just been to the movies, I’ve switched on the UFC, and I’ve decided to have a single beer – this on the Verhaeghe – Duchesse De Bourgogne.

Brewed by Verhaeghe in the style of a Sour Red/Brown and it’s made in Vichte, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Verhaeghe - Duchesse De Bourgogne

Duchesee de Bourgogne is the traditional top fermented reddish-brown ale from the West-Flanders region of Belgium. This refined ale also known as “The Burgundies of Belgium” is a blend of 8 and 18 months old ales following careful maturation in oak casks. 100% natural and unpasteurized.

250 ml bottle of a 6.2% ABV beer (1.2 standard drinks). And the last time I had a sour beer it was a long drink, and although not really my thing I rated it very well (the Lindemans Gueze)

Sour and Cidery on opening, dark red brown and very lively beer (like 50/50 beer head pour, but it’s settles back to a 70/30). Head holds itself too. Sour aroma remains, but tending to a more sweet note, sort of like a fruit chutney. (bet you never read something like that in a wine review, or possibly any other beer review)

It is sour, but not puckering up sour, and it’s somewhat refreshing on the palate. There is a lovely fruity base and plenty of carbonation to make this overall a pretty nice drink. I liked the last sour beer in a strange change of pace kind of way, and this is as good as if not better than that.

They’re a bit similar and dis-similar at the same time, this appears to have it’s roots in a fruit beer that aims to be sour other then a straight up sour beer. Fruity beer done punk rock. I like it.

The pdubyah-o-meter says 8 things in it’s scale, making it “very good” on the arbitrary scale of things. As a change of beers and as a exploration this is a nice find. It has many elements of other fruit typle beers and ciders. I’d easily go another