De Troch Oude Gueuze
I’ve seen and cracked open a few bottles of Brouwerij De Troch’s Chapeau brand of beers, but this is my first encounter with the company’s Oude Gueuze. This particular bottle was packaged in 2014 and shows signs that it would have been happy sitting in the bottle for another dozen years. It’s also a beer that is far superior to the cloying sweetness that the brewery’s Chapeau brand usually presents.
The level of tartness is right up there with some of the more potent that I’ve encountered and light woody notes persist from start to finish. There’s an old vinous-like trait in the mix that I particularly, as well as a good bit of funkiness in the background and a touch of sweetness on the lips. It’s all wrapped up on a champagne-like mouthfeel — crisp and light on the palate.
De Troch Oude Gueuze is a fairly complex example of the style with an overall refined character. I have since purchased and enjoyed a couple of more bottles since taking these notes back in late January. Each bottle has been just as tasty and refined as this first encounter. Hopefully, the remaining bottles I have will last a while in the cellar.