Cantillon Lou Pepe Gueuze

I promise I will write about beers other than lambics at some point. I'm just not sure when that point will come. I do know that it has not yet arrived, as evidenced by this post, but it will some day. Enough useless posturing. On to the beer. 

A few days ago I reviewed Cantillon's Classic Gueuze. As such, I thought it would be prudent to go ahead and compare their vintage gueuze, which is part of the Lou Pepe series. 

Beer: Lou Pepe

Brewery: Cantillon

Style: Gueuze

Notes: 2005 vintage. Bottled in 2007. Poured from a green, corked 750ml bottle into a Unibroue tulip glass. Upon opening the bottle I notice some dry, brown sediment around the lip. Pours a hazy, golden honey color with a thin, soapy head that soon vanishes. Tiny carbonation bubbles (usually the smaller the bubbles the better the quality the drink, at least for champagne) rise to the top. The bubbles are few in number, indicating minimal carbonation. It has an aroma that is more tame than the Classic Gueuze. Sour lemon is pronounced on the nose along with a yeastiness. Sour apple is there as well. The signature funk remains, but it's not as domineering as it was on the Classic Gueuze. I still detect the wet dog, but all these aromas are very nicely balanced. The taste follows suit with sour citrus and sour apple. The sour fruit reminds me of the initial bite one gets with sour candy. It has a dry, delicate finish. The finish is very long, whereas with the Classic Gueuze the dryness harshly cuts everything off. Wonderfully tart and refreshing. Light mouthfeel with limited carbonation. Highly drinkable. 

The Classic Gueuze is an outstanding beer, but the Lou Pepe Gueuze is in a class all by itself. It is just more delicately balanced with respect to all the flavors and wild yeast. With all due respect to the self-professed champagne of beers, I believe the Lou Pepe Gueuze is the beer truly suited to lay claim to that moniker.

Bottom Line: A