Duchesse de Bourgogne Sour Ale 11.2 oz

Belgian Brown Oak-Aged Sour

Brewed by: Verhaeghe Brewery
Country: Belgium
Style: Sour Red/Brown
Color: Brown

ABV: 6.0%
Ratebeer.com rating: 96
BeerAdvocate.com rating: 93

The current flagship of the Verhaeghe Brewery, Duchesse De Bourgogne (Duchess of Burgundy in English) is a bottle conditioned blend of mature and young sour ales matured in oak barrels for 18 months.

The brew pours a dark brown color with a thin tan head and a 6.0% ABV.

Aromas of dark fruit, bread, apple, toffee, vanilla, and tart sour cherries herald a flavor profile that charts a similar course and also includes vinous notes of red wine, oak, malt and chocolate.

The mouthfeel is smooth and medium-bodied while the finish is crisp, bittersweet, and dry.

Ratebeer.com rating: 98 (out of 100) 11.2 oz capped bottle.

Brewery Information:

The Verhaeghe Brewery was founded in 1885 by Paul Verhaeghe in the village of Vichte in the West Flanders region of Belgium.

It was a commercial success until the outbreak of the First World War, but when Verhaeghe refused to cooperate with the occupying German forces and simply ceased brewery production, the Germans responded by dismantling the brewery.

It would take decades after the war for the brewery to find its footing again. With the resurgence in popularity of artisanal craft beers in the 1970s and 1980s the brewery began to see success in the modern era.

Still owned and operated by the Verhaeghe family, the brewery now distributes its traditional ales to a number of countries in Europe as well as the United States, Canada, Italy and Japan.

Food Pairings

Pair with buttery cheeses, spicy peppers, roasted turkey, venison, lamb, or prime rib. It would be the perfect beer to match with (or feature in) a sorbet; also goes well with rich and dense desserts.