Geus Genereus By Devillé

Hapukas, kuiv, tammene, funky, puuviljane, sidrun, alks, suht mahe. Ok, huvitav.

Special new Herberg geuze blended with only old lambics (the youngest four years old, the oldest seven years), launched at this year's Toer de Geuze. The label mentions the old practice - from before bottles were labelled - of drawing a line of white chalk along the bottle before putting it down to age, as a marking of the upper side of the bottle, something I have seen only rarely and obviously only on very old bottles. Initially only some small, off-white, quickly disappearing bubbles form during pouring but further into the bottle, a medium thick, partially opening, snow white and eventually relatively stable head is formed, on a hazy peach blonde robe with vaguely ochre-ish tinge. Aroma initially marred by very odd solventy odours (burnt rubber, chlorine, gasoline even) but this seems to be the case only in the beginning, as later on, it luckily shifts into the more trusted impressions of very old dry sherry (clearly very old lambic indeed), oxidized red wine, unripe peach, medlar, lots of old wet oak wood, wood glue, preserved apricots, pickled lemon peel, bergamot, hints of chicken stock, old wrinkled apples and still some background chlorine (something I typically associate with Boon lambic). Tart onset with preserved apricots, old apples and pickled lemons returning in a 'malse' way, something balsamic as well but nowhere sharp, some umami-like notes of green olive and chicken broth, relatively softly carbonated for a geuze with full, very vinous mouthfeel, like a very dry wine - or indeed very old lambic; bready core, lactic acidity and woody tannins ensue, the latter becoming very strong and even astringent in the end, when oxidation effects of old dry sherry or very old white wine set in, with hints of preserved stone fruit and dried lemon peel persisting. Very vinous, very notably 'old' with indeed a full-fledged old lambic character - and knowing how lambic flavours can start to move in all kinds of directions when aged for this long, the initial off-flavours are easily forgiven, as the remainder of the bottle proved very enjoyable. Tannic, oxidized or even maderized, sherry-like, yet still fruity geuze; as a whole it tastes like a bottle that has been resting in someone's cellar for literally decades, as these flavours typify very aged lambic indeed. Perhaps a spark of young lambic could have brought some liveliness, better head retention and playful fruitiness, but given the intentions, this is at least an interesting offering, very distinct from anything else I tasted from Herberg so far. Usable as an example of old lambic flavours to those learning about this unique category of beers... I have to deduct some points for those initial off-flavours, alas, but I remain very much fascinated by this one, and it is definitely one I may revisit later (and perhaps update my rating here).