BJCP 23E · European Sour Ale

Gueuze

A blend of one-, two- and three-year-old lambics refermented in the bottle: sour, highly sparkling, dry and complex. The Champagne of Brussels beers.

Gueuze by the numbers

Alcohol (ABV): 5.0 – 8.0%on a scale of 2.0 to 14.0
Bitterness: 0 – 10 IBUon a scale of 0 to 100
Color: 5 – 6 SRM10–12 EBCon a scale of 1 to 40
Original gravity: 1.040 – 1.054on a scale of 1.026 to 1.130
Final gravity: 1.000 – 1.006on a scale of 0.990 to 1.040

From the palest to the darkest shade the style allows.

What Gueuze is like

A sour, complex, highly sparkling beer made by blending young and old lambics and letting them referment in the bottle. It's dry, with a marked wild character, but more harmonious than an unblended lambic.

Appearance

Deep gold, clear or slightly hazy. Dense, long-lasting white head thanks to the high carbonation.

Aroma

Lactic sourness with Brett notes: barnyard, leather, hay, citrus, grapefruit, apple or honey. There may be oak notes and some restrained acetic. No hop aroma.

Flavor

Intense but rounded sourness, with citrus and pome fruit and an earthy wild background. Very dry finish, with nil or nearly nil bitterness. The complexity should be greater than in an unblended lambic.

Mouthfeel

Light to medium-light body, high carbonation, almost like sparkling wine. It can be somewhat astringent from the acidity.

Where Gueuze comes from

Blends of lambics of different ages have been bottled with the intention of refermenting them since the 19th century in the Brussels area. The young lambics provide the leftover sugars that create carbonation in the bottle, and the old ones provide complexity. Traditional versions are labeled oude gueuze.

Ingredients

The same as lambic: Pilsner malt, unmalted wheat, aged hops and spontaneous fermentation with yeasts and bacteria. The key is the blend of one-, two- and three-year-old lambics.

Brew it yourself

How to brew Gueuze at home

You need lambic batches of different ages, so it's a multi-year project: many homebrewers brew one batch a year and start blending in the third year. Blend to taste, add priming sugar or a portion of young lambic, and bottle in heavy bottles (sparkling wine or Belgian beer bottles) because the carbonation is very high. Let it referment in the bottle for several months before judging it.

Food pairing

Mussels and fries, oysters or Belgian washed-rind cheeses.

Glassware: tulip glass, it concentrates the aroma and holds the head.

Classic examples

Boon Oude Geuze
Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze
Cantillon Gueuze

Frequently asked questions

How strong is Gueuze?

Between 5.0% and 8.0% ABV, according to the BJCP 2021 Style Guidelines. That is a high strength.

How bitter is Gueuze?

It has 0 to 10 IBUs, a very low bitterness. For reference, a mass-market lager is around 10 IBUs.

What color is Gueuze?

Gold: 5 to 6 SRM (10 to 12 EBC).

What food pairs well with Gueuze?

Mussels and fries, oysters or Belgian washed-rind cheeses.

Which styles are similar?

If you like it, also try Lambic, Fruit Lambic and Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer.

If you like Gueuze, try these

BJCP 23D