R&D Gueuze
Presentment - One bottle, received as a gift. I like the old fashioned, hand-numbered bottle. This beer was available for only a very limited time, and I was very fortunate to get a bottle from a friend. A - Cloudy. Presents nice in the old fashioned brown bottle. S - Wonderful sour funk. Not as strong as the best Belgian geuzes, but very terrific by American standards. Just one whiff tells me it's a geuze. T - My favorite thing about this beer was the taste. Sour without being overwhelming. Not as complicated as an authentic European geuze, but very close -- and way superior to almost all domestic American sour beers I've tasted. (Off the top of my head, only Russian River has better.) M - Just a bit thinner than it should be. But otherwise goes down nice. This geuze (were it still available) would be an excellent choice for when I want a delicious sour beer just goes down quickly -- such as while watching football. D - Overall, this is one of the best domestic american sours I've ever had. Everything about the experience was delightful. From the feel of the old fashioned bottle, to the sour funk, to the taste in my mouth, it was all perfect. I'm quite surprised that even a good brewer like New Glarus got this one so right on the first try. I hope they make it again, and perhaps consider adding it to their seasonal lineup.