Gueuze – sometimes spelled Geuze, and pronounced “gerz,” “gerz-ah,” or “gooze” – originated centuries ago in the Brussels/Senne Valley region of Belgium. This Belgian beer is produced by blending one-, two-, and three-year-old Lambic beers. Year-old (“young”) Lambic still has fermentable sugars, while two- and three-year-old Lambics are completely fermented and have all of the sour beer, barnyard, horsey aromas and flavors of straight or unblended Lambic.
Blending and bottle conditioning create a complex and relatively balanced sour, estery, acidic beer, with carbonation generally present from refermentation in the bottle. Non-traditional brewers sweeten their Gueuze after fermentation to appeal to a broader consumer audience. The word “oude,” “vieille” or “tradition” in product names indicates it is a traditional Gueuze with a dry finish.
Characteristics: Complex, sour, acidic, barnyard, light-bodied
ABV range: 4-8% IBU: 5-20
Popular Gueuze-style beers: Lindeman’s Gueuze Cuvée René, Oud Beersel Oude Gueuze Vieille, Cantillon Gueuze, Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze
Serving Temperature: Cool, 46-54°
Cheese Pairing Ideas: Blue, Brie, Gorgonzola, Havarti, Swiss
Food Pairing Ideas: Tomato salad with vinaigrette
