Oude La Ruche - Vintage 2018
Side Project Brewing in Maplewood, Missouri, United States 🇺🇸
Farmhouse - Saison Rotating Out of Production|
Score
7.65
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Wine Barrel Fermented Old Saison.
After La Ruche had been fermented in and aged in Missouri Oak for several months, we then took the mature La Ruche and racked it to two, fresh French Oak Burgundy barrels from Saint Aubin and allowed our alfalfa-honey Saison to continue the oak-aging. This added deep layers of complexity and soft, rounded oak nuances to Oude La Ruche which was aged for 24 months in oak before its release.
After La Ruche had been fermented in and aged in Missouri Oak for several months, we then took the mature La Ruche and racked it to two, fresh French Oak Burgundy barrels from Saint Aubin and allowed our alfalfa-honey Saison to continue the oak-aging. This added deep layers of complexity and soft, rounded oak nuances to Oude La Ruche which was aged for 24 months in oak before its release.
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8.8/10
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Appearance 9
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 9
Overall 9
375mL bottle drunk 4/9/26.
Big, rich, slightly funky, slightly musty, tastefully oaky nose with plentiful malt still remaining to balance the dryness and acid. Good fruitiness, with no sign of acetic nor any heavy lactic acidity. Everything seems nicely integrated and even the white wine is mild, tasteful. Still retains a good deal of Sacch. character, which is surprising and welcome. Lingering orange rind and floral notes.
Big and bold with an oakiness that isn't too tannic or toasted. Right away there is a soft, gently syrupy, gently sweet unfermented honey character that helps to balance the dryness and acid from wood and culture. Definitely little, if any, honey fermentation character, which I really appreciate, not finding it to be all that enjoyable or complementary to most beers. 8 years on and this has just as much body as you'd expect from a fresh beer of its nature. Elegant butter and white wine with exceptional malt depth and yet still properly attenuated. Acidity present in a very balanced way. For every couple Side Project sours/BA saisons that you open and they're just cringingly acidic, you get one of these and it makes it all worth it.
Big, rich, slightly funky, slightly musty, tastefully oaky nose with plentiful malt still remaining to balance the dryness and acid. Good fruitiness, with no sign of acetic nor any heavy lactic acidity. Everything seems nicely integrated and even the white wine is mild, tasteful. Still retains a good deal of Sacch. character, which is surprising and welcome. Lingering orange rind and floral notes.
Big and bold with an oakiness that isn't too tannic or toasted. Right away there is a soft, gently syrupy, gently sweet unfermented honey character that helps to balance the dryness and acid from wood and culture. Definitely little, if any, honey fermentation character, which I really appreciate, not finding it to be all that enjoyable or complementary to most beers. 8 years on and this has just as much body as you'd expect from a fresh beer of its nature. Elegant butter and white wine with exceptional malt depth and yet still properly attenuated. Acidity present in a very balanced way. For every couple Side Project sours/BA saisons that you open and they're just cringingly acidic, you get one of these and it makes it all worth it.
Tried
from Bottle
at
Side Project Brewing
on 09 Apr 2026
at 23:50
9.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 10
Texture 10
Overall 9.5
2018 Vintage. Pours a cloudy gold with small white head that lasts. The aroma is strong oak, apple skin, grape, funk. Slick body, funky, grape, apple, citrus, oak, nice tartness, very juicy, enjoyed this.
Tried
on 28 Jan 2022
at 06:53