The Brewery: Brouwerij Verhaeghe (Belgium)
The Brew: Duchesse De Bourgogne (Flanders Red Ale)
Availability: Bottles, draft
ABV: 6.0%
Rating: 9.4/10
Location: Victoire
The Story? Second Belgian down at Victoire! On first glance, I initially thought I read "Deschutes" Flanders Red Ale, which would have been fantastic. However, I haven't run across Duchesse De Bourgogne from Brouwerij Verhaeghe on draft before, so that was equally exciting. This Flanders blends 8 and 18 month old beers, matured in oak casks.
The Beer? The fizzy head quickly dispersed, too fast for my camera in fact, but left a leggy ring and thin remnants atop the deep, translucent brown liquid. Sweet and sour notes on the nose are compelling, but subtle and the rest of the nose is otherwise transparent.
The taste is beautifully tart and effortlessly smooth. Flavors of cherry, passion fruit, mild apple, and hint of chocolate rise, meld, and settle. Duchesse De Bourgogne's shining point comes in the superb balance of sour and sweet. There's a distinct dark, sweet malt element to the beer along with sweet fruit notes that softens the sourness, but is never sugary. An oaky dryness builds further through the glass, claiming some of the aforementioned sweet aspects.
Overall a wonderful, complex ride through an excellent sour blend.
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