Rating: 4/5

Rueze by the Bruery is a 5.6% ABV Gueuze Style ale or sour Blond aged in oak barrels 

Label:
Oud Gueuzie

Our take on a gueuze-style ale, this intensely tart and funky beer combines three different vintages of our barrel aged sour blonde ale.

Rueuze is suitable for aging up to five years when cellared properly
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Received this one as part of the preservation society series but is also made widely available to many markets. I have seen it in many places during the season and for many, this beer is an awesome sour.

Aromas:
Lemon, citrus, sour white grapes, grapefruit, biscuit bread, sour apples, floral notes, hints of berries, oak, apricot, hay, barnyard funk, must, and vanilla sweetness 

Flavors:
Lots Lemon peel, citrus, apricot, sour grapes, pears, oak, flowers, hints of berries, tart pears, funky brettanomyces, wet hay, vanilla, cheese and crackers.

Aftertaste:
Tart grapes, cheese and cracker notes, citrus and oak. It is a moderate to sipping beer. No alcohol in the taste.

Overall:
If you do not like sour, you may find this beer to be difficult one. If you love to explore deep into the sour flavors, then this may be one for you. For the most part it is very good only if you enjoy sours.

Anime Corner:
Irma and Elina from Queen’s Blade were used in this pairing with the beer to show case several things. First, the colors from Irma and Elina cover some of the colors of the beer label. Second, When I think of the word Rueze, I think of 2 things. First Rueze almost sounds like rust which makes me think metal and this is representative of their armor and second, Rueze almost sounds like truce in which case they will eventually need to call it that way if they are to end the battle. The harshness of the sour blond flavors is the harshness of Elina’s Strike of the spear in Irma which causes here to make a last minute parry with her swords but it manages to pierce or tear up her so called armor.