The Bruery Rueuze (2014) Gueuze at 6% ABV (US$21.99 at Total Wines & More, Henderson NV, 750 ml, packaged on 15-Jul-2014, acquired 1-Jun-2015, reviewed 30-Dec-2017)
Appearance: clear medium gold with one finger of white head diminishing rapidly to nothing, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: lemon zest, stone fruit, vinous white grape, light woody funk. (8/10) Taste: high tart, moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: light body, lively carbonation, off-dry tart lightly funky finish. (3/5)
This is my second crack at this one – I had a 2015 vintage fairly fresh, and decided to cellar this 2014 to see if it would improve. (It didn’t.) I’m getting a little peeved with The Bruery: they’ve gone more than a little nuts releasing a torrent of new, generally high-gravity (and generally higher-priced!) beers that are a challenge to keep up with. I don’t dispute that this is among the best, if not the absolute best, American-made Gueuze I’ve ever had, but I do find it hard to accept that it needs to be three times the price of a true Belgian Gueuze in Belgium, and right about the same price as a Belgian Gueuze in North America. That, I think, is the core of my current objection to The Bruery: they seem to feel that they can continue to charge a premium for a product line that includes an awful lot of pedestrian brews. Of course, I’ve got another fifteen or so of theirs on hand, so it’s gonna take a while for me to work through my issues… (15/20)
7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
