750mL, bottled in 2002 and shared by Muzzlehatch on 3/10/06 at cellar temp.
Rusty copper, quite deep for a gueuze. Immense, off-white head, is quite frothy, not overly dense and is retained very well thanks in part to the large amount of bottle refermentation. Some light haziness and quite a layered appearance, with pencil-yellows and bright golds all swirling about. Lacing is quite prominent in strands, all down the glass.
The nose begins with a predictable Cantillon funkiness. Large helpings of raw, old cheese; complex lactobacillus bi-products and a lovely rustic "farmy" quality. But dusty...very dusty (dry, bland-like yeasts) and an emergent plant-like note (celery, broccoli and/or rhubarb stalks). Even forgiving that, what I find, as it warms is a large amount of "powderiness" that I find in poor examples of the style (though this can be anything but). Powderiness like you are smelling powdered sugar mixed in heavy mineral water. It really gets up front in the aroma, and though there is a delicious acidity and funky quality lying behind, I can not help but be turned off by this plant-like and powdery note. Due to this, the usual strikingly clear pedio/brett nose that I love from this brewer is not there, or at least, very interrupted.
The flavor follows suit, with a powdery/plant-like note that is disconcerting and really rears its ugly head. Behind this is the lovely, musty, oily/oaky and dry yeast note, both sour and refreshing. Invigorating carbonation, a bit too lively at first, but easily becoming appropriate and engaging upon breathing. Texture ranges from creamy to oily, and the malic acid and such is in full bloom. No alcohol, of course, and little wheat noticeable.

I am fairly convinced that the sugar addition to the bottle accounts for the flavor/aroma note of powder/plant. It is just seems like too much of a coincidence that ALL of the lambics I have had that have a sugar addition have this note. And though I understand that the sugar is fermented out, there still can be a residual flavor (though not sweet). That said, it is difficult to score the beer. As the beer is not "flawed" or "poorly brewed", I just don’t feel it is appropriate to add sugar to a gueuze in any shape or form. Other than this, it is a fully refreshing, funky, sour gueuze. I have also noted this powder/plant note in the Lou Pepe Kriek samples that I have had.

Geprobeerd met LiekevdV op feest bij Keukeman. Het is een troebel geel bier. Het heeft een zure gistachtige geur. De smaak is fris zuur, marsepein en grassig.