Liefmans Goudenband 11.2 oz

Belgian Brown Strong Sour

Brewed by: Liefmans (Duvel-Moortgat)
Country: Belgium
Style: Sour
Color: Brown
Cellaring: Yes

ABV: 8.0%
Ratebeer.com rating: 97
BeerAdvocate.com rating: 93

Liefmans Goudenband (ABV 8%) is a sour ale that pours dark brown with reddish highlights and a frothy beige head. Though not a lambic, the ale is top fermented initially in open air to take advantage of wild airborne bacteria and yeasts specific to the brewery's locale on the banks of the River Schelt in Oudenaarde, Belgium. It is then matured up to a year in coated or stainless steel tanks, after which the brew is carefully and painstakingly blended with younger, fresher beer to spark additional fermentation.

Aromas include tart red fruits, malt, raisin, toffee and vinegar, with notes of wood, almond, vanilla and earth. Taste charts a similar course - including notes of red wine, spice, cocoa, and green apple - and the brew strikes a perfect balance between sour and sweet. The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with a gentle effervescence; the finish is dry and tart with a warming but otherwise well hidden ABV at 8.0%. May be cellared.

Food Pairings

Liefmans Goudenband is great as an aperitif or paired with grilled beef, ham, calf's liver, oysters or pizza; try with sharp cheeses like cheddar, blue or camembert, or pair with salads that include balsamic vinegar dressings; works equally well with dark chocolate desserts, cherry pie, berry crisps, or spicy cakes. Ideal serving temperature is 42 - 50 degrees F.

Brewery Information:

Liefmans Brewery was founded in 1679 when Jacobus Liefmans began a brew business on the banks of the River Scheldt in Oudenaarde, Belgium. Successful in perfecting a sour brown ale, the brewery remained stable and family owned for the next two centuries, quietly producing mixed-fermentation ales that have been called iconic.

In the early 1900s, Liefmans added to its repertoire by taking advantage of a local overabundance of black (krieken) cherries, adding them to the brew process to create a popular kriek-beer.

The brewery then changed hands several times over the course of the twentieth century, and in 2008, the brewery was acquired by Duvel Moortgat. Liefmans ales however, are still brewed and fermented on-site in Oudenaarde.