Hanssens Artisanaal

Microbrewery in Dworp, Flemish Brabant, Belgium 🇧🇪
Associated Venue: Hanssens Artisanaal

Established in 1871

Contact
Vroenenbosstraat 15, Dworp, 1653, Belgium
Description
Hanssens Artisanaal is the oldest independent geuze blender in the whole world. At Hanssens, no beer is actually brewed! Instead, they pursue a profession that was very important in the history of lambic style beers, they are solely blenders of beer.

Hanssens takes this a step further, and actually blends batches from different breweries in their area. This used to be a very common practice, but Hanssens is now the oldest remaining blender. They bring to this endeavor a variety of barrels, some up to one hundred years old, and a passion and a love for the tradition of Geuze and Lambics.

     Show


8.6/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 9 Texture 10 Overall 8.5
Cloudy red brown color, short pinkish head. Aroma is of a gueuze with a small hint of kriek. Taste is perfectly balance of sour lambics and some krieken, though i wouldn't mind if they had added some more krieken to make it a bit more fruity. Lasting palate. One of the better krieks i would say!
Tried on 28 Feb 2004 at 04:18

2.9/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 2 Flavor 2 Texture 4 Overall 2.5
I sampled this perhaps in hopes that it would change my mind about Lambics in general. It pours as a slightly cloudy light golden color with a small head. The aroma is an odd experience. Others said it was barnyard, but it didn't smell like any barnyard I've ever been in. The taste was battery acid sour. Only for those who have a taste for this stuff. If you've never had a Lambic, try one in a smaller bottle so you won't have to pour out the whole 750.
Tried from Bottle on 24 Feb 2004 at 06:39

3.4/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 1 Flavor 4 Texture 6 Overall 2.5
This beverage tried to kill me - the second I loosened the cage, the cork exploded from the bottle with enough force to escape the earth's gravity, ricocheted off of my kitchen ceiling, bounced off of my forehead (most likely giving some minor brain damage) and came to rest somewhere under my fridge - carbonation, whoa! - the sound it made when I poured it sounded less like fizzing and more like the tide coming in - aroma is an odd combo of tartness, perfume, and this faint, disgusting, musky, urine-like smell, but despite this, I attempted a sip - this should not be listed as a mead - I can taste no mead qualities in this at all - it pretty much tastes like straight up gueuze - damp, earthy, tart, some hints of grain, and maybe, just maybe a hint of honey flavor way in the back, which I guess is from the (supposed) 30% mead in this - a word to the wise, if you must try this, do not smell it, just hold your breath and drink - this wasn't worth the head injury at all.
Tried from Bottle on 14 Feb 2004 at 19:41

8.8/10 Appearance 10 Aroma 8 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 9
Horseblanket, citrus and vinegar aroma. Pours a lovely light amber with a lot of fine champagne bubbles and a low blanket head. Very sour baseline - but after getting used to that fruity (apples, peaches), especially citrus flavors appear. Straw and a bit mildew retronasal. Light body and dry mouthfeel with prickling carbonation. After drinking the first half solo I enjoyed the rest of the bottle together with a really nice spicy camenbert - highly recommended.
Tried from Bottle on 30 Jan 2004 at 13:56

8/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 9 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7
Bottled. Pale red. Nutty sweetish cherry aroma. Clean mouthfeel, less lively and sparkling than their regular gueuze. Woody and ashy, with some sweetness to balance the heavy acidity. A good kriek, no doubt, but lacks something to make it really great.
Tried from Bottle on 30 Jan 2004 at 01:58

9.5/10 Appearance 10 Aroma 9 Flavor 10 Texture 10 Overall 9
Bottled. Hazy pale amber, small head. Striking barnyard aroma. Citric with rounded maltiness and a superb light, sparkling mouthfeel. Acidic with concetrated berries dominating a complex flavour profile. An unbelievably fantastic beer, at least in the shape this bottle was in.
Tried from Bottle on 25 Jan 2004 at 09:40

7.9/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Typical oude gueuze, with the oak wood aroma and the sour and tart taste. Aroma is a bit weak though. Bit dry finish. Very nice!
Tried on 27 Dec 2003 at 05:27

8.5/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 9 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 8
First time I ever try a gueuze. Pourred a light beige/brown brew with a nice head. I can already smell the sourness coming out of my glass. Taste is very sour with a light sweet aftertaste. Alcohol is very subtle with a medium body. Very different from what I had experienced before but still very enjoyable.
Tried from Can on 26 Dec 2003 at 20:29

7.8/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 8
Vibrant orange-amber colour. Aroma of cherry, leather, dust. Starts sweet and soft, with cherry and a slight peach juice note. Gets tart in the middle, more traditional. The sweetness comes back in the finish, though, and lingers, taking the edge off the sourness but to my mind also the beer as well. I liked the sweetness at the start as a nice way to ease yourself into it, like the quiet intro on a really heavy song, but the sweet finish was definitely not required.
Tried on 01 Dec 2003 at 06:58

8.1/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
Cherry and wooden redwine aroma. Hazy brown, lowish head. Tart citric sour flavors, currant, leather, cobbwebbs. Bone-dry finish which makes you crave another sip.
Tried on 04 Nov 2003 at 14:41