Welcome to Getting a Woody. In this article we will dive into the funky world of sour beers and oak barrels. Oak barrels provide a prominent role in developing the deep and complex flavors that are found in different types of sours. The oak barrels can contain different wild yeast and microbes that help aid in producing the sour and funky flavors. Some great examples that have gone through this process are New Belgium La Folie, Petrus Aged Pale, Russian River Supplication, Today, we look Drie Fonteinen Oude Gueze Golden Blend.

Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze Golden Blend
Style: Geuze
ABV: 6.0%

Background

Drie Fonteinen was founded in about 1887 as a café and geuzestekerij, a place where geuze is produced by blending old and new lambics, acquired from other breweries. 1998 was the first year that beer was actually brewed at Drie Fonteinen and not just sourced for blending. Oude Geuze Golden Blend is a geuze that is made up of a 4 year old Lambic that accounts for 25 % of it’s contents and the rest of the blend is made up by a “secret” combination of 1, 2 and 3 year old lambic that is aged in oak barrels. Due to the extended aging process a large amount of the 4 year old lambic is lost to “angles share” making this beer a time intensive rare treat.

Tasting

Oude Gueze Golden Blend pours a hazy golden amber with a white loose head that dissipates quickly. Leaping from the glass are hints of sour lemon, musty funk, and hints for bready maltiness. The smell finishes with a light hint of oak and white grapes. Initially the beer has a sharp acidity with hints of ripe apples. The beer slowly mellows into a very pleasant maltiness with a hints of white grapes and lemon. The beer finishes dry and tart with a pleasant oakiness.

Aging

This beer has already been aged but has the potential to continue to develop in the bottle for up to 10 years.

Recommendation

WillyD Approved. Drie Fontein has done an amazing job at creating a wonderful geuze that showcase the brewer and the blender. This beer will make you want to start planning that Belgium vacation you have always wanted to take.