Duchess de Bourgogne (Summer of Sours)

Here is another installment in the Summer of Sours series of reviews.  This Gold Medal Winner of the World Beer Cup is brewed in Belgium and weighs in at 6% abv.  I really like how this beer has that traditional sour nose and flavor.  And at a tolerable and nicely drinkable 6% abv, it has already won me over more so than some other sours.

This beer has a nice deep copper color and an "expansive" mouthfeel.  It seems to seek out and find every last nook and cranny of my tastebuds.  I find it to be crisp, and refreshing, with just enough sour flavor.  It is well-balanced and refreshing.  It scores a 91 on Beer Advocate, and I would definitely place it in one of my "top tier" lists of beers.  This is very nice.

Something about the bottle, its label, its shape, perhaps, and maybe the price, which in NJ was about $9 and change, give this beer a luxurious and classy style.  From SpecialtyBeer.com:

DUCHESSE DE BOURGOGNEfrom Brouwerij Verhaeghe is the traditional Flemish red ale. This refreshing ale is matured in oak casks; smooth with a rich texture and interplay of passion fruit, and chocolate, and a long, dry and acidic finish. After the first and secondary fermentation, the beer goes for maturation into the oak barrels for 18 months. The final product is a blend of younger 8 months old beer with 18 months old beer. The average age of the Duchesse de Bourgogne before being bottled is 12 months. [See their page]

Like Petrus, this beer is aged in oak barrels.  I see a trend here, a trend I like.