Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5

2 twelve oz bottles consumed at the brewpub on 3/21/06 from a tulip ranging between refrigerator temperature and near-room temperature.
The first thing I note upon pouring is the deep red color. However, I don’t think it ever gets rusty, brown or too dark. It was a red ale base, so you can hardly fault the brewer points for making a darkish gueuze. Especially since the introduction of the dark saison. What it does have is a lovely clarity, with only light sediment at the bottom after a careful pour. Gentle, but full, moderately well-retained head is an old-ivory color and eventually fades to cover, but never disappears altogether. However, there is no lacing left on either of the two glasses I had. Bubbles rising in the liquid are tiny and numerous.
The aroma beckons with oily pediococcus and yet, vibrant, deep brett. Sour, cedary almost, with some light sawdust, definite barnyard/old blanket sort of effect, and I’m proud to say, it practically screams forth, you don’t have to sit and strain to pretend you are smelling these things. As the beer warms, the pediococcus wanes while the brett seems to be amplified, perhaps carried hand in hand with hallertauer or styrian goldings. More overtly aromatic here than in a lambic from Belgian, but decidedly complementary to the brett, evoking images of Orval.
The flavor. Mmmmmm. It takes a few sips to get my bearings. It is certainly one to ponder. For sure there is diacetyl that the pediococcus has thrown off, though it’s not forceful or terribly disruptive. More or less the same effect as having a bottle of Supplication that has diacetyl that has not broken down. Minor, in fact, because the palate accustoms itself to it, and while I’m never able to completely get around it, it just melds in as a lightly buttery/nutty flavor. The main force of the beer is consumed by a sour, pedio note nearly on par with Cantillon products in flavor, though it doesnt have the truly souring or lasting effect of that one. Still, it’s far more sour than any other American example I’ve seen. Brett adds light tartness on the end, a more easy (for the style) flavor that is tart (limes, lilacs) and dry. Another strong point here, is the near perfect level of attenuation. This isnt any more or less sweet/dry (significantly so) than a Belgian lambic, nor does the malt have much influence, other than to add light texture and some minor flavors seen in a red ale. The carbonation is perfect as well, tight and engaging, very expressive, with light wateriness on the tail end. Hops are quite prevalent in the flavor, especially upon warming, as in the aroma, but are tastefully done and lend yet one more layer of complexity.
All in all, aside from the diacetyl and light sawdust notes, this is a Grand success for American brewing. If someone slapped a glass of this down in front of me blind, I would actually be able to identify it as a gueuze style beer. An American gueuze with a Flanders red flare to it. Bravo!