Pours a bright ruby, unfilterd red. I can smell it from a few feet away allready and as I bring it closer there is a sweet, heavy cherry and also a distinct woody, oak cask slant that almost takes away from a perfect first impression. Like the rasberry and peach from Lindemans. The only posibly negative here is that the smell is so strong that it suggests artifical flavorings. Its that pronounced. Head was only a momentary soda pop-like fiz and coinsequesntly the lacing was only ever a few mm from the top of the liquid. Taste is more sour than I expected but the sweet cherry comes charging through. Slightly dry trailer, but perfectly balanced with the sweetness. Barley perceptible alcohol content..as it warms a bit, I sense it a bit more. The palette is a nice balance, dry and a bit fizzy. This stuff is the "crack" of beer for me. Too bad it’s so dang expensive. r

Pours clear amber, like sparlking cider would. Lots of rising bubbles. A quickly dissipating small head. Smell is of old damp oak barrels and only faintly of Peach. Almost not recognizable as such if I didn’t know allready. The taste is fantastic though. I am a sucker for these Lambics. I thought it was a perfect mix of tart and sweet. Peach flavor was strong but not artifical. A bit fizzy like soda but seemed just right. The finish was just slightly dry. Couldn;t resist slugging the last half down and now I am going on memory. I am hooked on this stuff, but at over $5 for 12oz, I’ll need a nother job to support my new habbit.

A fascinating brew, without a doubt- but only if you enjoy raspberries. Brilliantly red, small head- lotsa carbonation. Sweet raspberry in the nose and mouth. Yum.

2001 bottle. 1/18/2004. If it was possible, I would have gone right back to the store, bought another bottle and drank it again, right there (store closed). Just amazing. Perfect balance, delightfully sour, yet I couldnt get sick of it if I drank a bathtub full. Full body, bottle conditioned, hazy golden-maize colored. Decent white head, perfect mouthfeel. Lightly bubbly to the last drop and bursting with complexity. Barns, shoes, farms, goats, cheese, wool blankets. . .Whatever descriptive words you wanna use, it’s probably there. So chewy. Aroma is amazingly full and in your face, sweet and sour, with lots of strong cobwebby yeast, sweet doughiness. Aftertaste lingers on and on, with a lovely juicy acidic leather/cheese flavor. Best gueuze I’ve had so far and man am I happy that I have a 94, 98, 99 and 02 bottle of this stuff.
2003 bottle sampled in June 04 with Bucknaked and GoldenSpunky(had the 01 with them as well). Right away, the extra fruitiness is apparent, same great mouthfeel and leather tannins. Sweeter due to the youngness of this, not as funky, but no doubt it will gain as it ages. Maybe a tad bit less acidic, very drinkable, a bit more doughiness in the finish of this one, and maybe a bit more mellow than the 01.
2002 Bottle. 6/28/2004This one was similar to the 01 in it’s more dry, yeasty profile, though I found this one to be significantly less tart and puckering than the 01 (most likely I’m just developing more of a palate for these). The flavors seemed a bit dull compared with the extra funky 01, but the finish came alive with tons of microbial taste. Good twang at the end and still loved every sip.
1998 bottle, sampled 11/04 Beautiful, just pure gueuze flavors, bright and mellow jumping out at you. Gone are the sweet, young fruity flavors and in place is a spectacular yeastiness, full of light blue cheese and leather. Dry and with a slight slight hint of caramel on the finish.
2004 bottle sampled 7/23/2005 I don’t know, I’ve heard all the talk, from many accredited sources, saying that this one has gone down hill in recent years. That certainly was not my experience. Stunning green apples and dirty barnyard feel to it, with bret emanating forth, it was a delicious, full-bodied (for the style) treat on the mouth. Tiny bubbles, tingling sensation with plenty of funkiness and lots of malt. It’s quite a change of pace, as I’ve been drinking Cantillon lately, but I remember why I love this stuff. Yes, the 2004 is still too young and is a bit sweet/syrupy, but no doubt that will fade in time. Loved it.

Having recently had a very good, but not outstanding 1994, a good 1998 and 2 drainpour 2002’s, I am going to lower the score a bit. I suspect the quality has gone downhill over the years, even if slightly. Still need to have some 2-3 year old bottles to really guage it.