Beer Review: R&D Gueuze

Reviewing the R&D Gueuze from New Glarus Brewing Company out of New Glarus, Wisconsin.

Score: 90

Brewed 03/24/09, bottled 08/06/10. Served in a Firestone Walker reserve series mini snifter and enjoyed on 01/24/14. Sampled side-by-side with New Glarus R&D Bourbon Barrel Kriek, R&D Sour Ale and R&D Very Sour Blackberry. Review is from iPhone notes.

Appearance: Pours a translucent, pale golden color with a thin fizzy layer of head that settle to a ring around the head. Poor lacing, average retention. 3/5

Smell: Straw grain, light barnyard funk, sweet malt, brown sugar, lemon rind, apple and faint peach. This might be the best smelling bottle of this I have had yet, with others being much funkier, grainier and less citrusy in the smell/taste. 4.25/5

Taste: A light kick of wet wood flavor upfront, followed by sour lemon, sweet apple juice, white wine and a hint of cherry. The lemon flavor lingers nicely. Not very complex or tart as hoped, but more so than the R&D Bourbon Barrel Kriek. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, low carbonation. Quire juicy on palate. Very muted tartness. Dry finish 4/5

Overall: The previous two times I tried this beer, it lacked any tartness and was overly funky, but this was a surprisingly good bottle for whatever reason. 

Cost: $8 for a 500 ml bottle.