St-Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition

St-Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition is brewed by Castle Brewery Van Honsebrouck in Ingelmunser, Belgium. This lambic beer is sold in a foil topped 375mL green bottle and contains 5% alcohol. It's a brownish gold beer that has a quickly thinning layer of eggshell head.

Not surprisingly, the nose is very tart. There is a touch of fruit and some rowdy yeasts. Flavour-wise, this is a considerably sour brew. There are notes of lemon, apple, and, particularly, cranberry. I addition, there's a vaguely salty brine and a hearty yeast streak running through this stuff.

I'm still learning about lambics, gueuzes, and other sour ales, but compared to others that I've tried, Gueuze Fond Tradition rates well, though I'd have liked a bit more body and something different in the finish. If you feel compelled to try a sour beer, this is a pretty fair starting point. It's mouth-puckeringly tart and quite flavourful, without being completely inaccessible.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.