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Michael Heniff's picture

Judge's Review: 88 Rating - Vieux Bois 3 Year Blend #2 by Bozeman Brewing Co.

February, 2020
Judges Rating: 
88
Aroma: 
20 / 24
Appearance: 
6 / 6
Flavor: 
35 / 40
Mouthfeel: 
10 / 10
Overall Impression: 
17 / 20

Vieux Bois Gueuze by Bozeman Brewing Co. is a Gueuze and is being evaluated as a Gueuze (category 23E in the 2015 BJCP Beer Style Guidelines). Gueuzes are unfruited lambics that are blends of one, two and three-year-old vintages. Gueuzes are traditionally spontaneously fermented leading to a complex wild character with flavors such as horse blanket, leather and barnyard and a pleasant, moderate sourness. This #2 version of the 2019 Gueuze is a blend of one, two and three-year-old “lambic-inspired” ales aged is French and American oak barrels. “Vieux Bois” translates as “old wood” in French.

Vieux Bois Gueuze pours golden in color with a slight haze and a small, quickly fading white head. The aroma is prominent lactic sourness with a light wild note of leather and a hint of tropical fruitiness. The body is medium-light and moderate in carbonation. The flavor has a moderate level of clean, lactic sourness with a tropical fruit note of pineapple. The finish is lightly bittered leaving a dry, sour, thirst-quenching beverage.

This is a pleasant, easy-drinking sour beer, but the wild character is restrained to a simple lactic sourness and a hint of leather; more prominent wild flavors are typical for the style. Seek this one out sour beer fans!