Very few bottlings are available, not just in the U.S., but anywhere. That process, known in Champagne, France as methode champenoise, is the reason for the sustained effervescence. Bottle aging for Gueuze sometimes lasts as long as 6 to 9 months. It also has an abnormally long shelf life, upwards of five years in some cases. An under appreciated ale style in the U.S. which can at its best offer sublime, moderately bitter aromas and flavors of flowery hops and ripe red fruit.
Appearance ranges from honey gold to rust.
This wonderful variety more often than not survived the journey. The most common types of fruit employed include raspberries, peaches, red cherries, plums, and even cranberries. In a departure from all other types of beer, no yeast is injected into the wort. Natural airborn yeasts initiate fermentation. The brewing of Lambics can, in some cases, take years.