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BELGIAN FRUIT ALE

Duchesse Cherry

Brouwerij Verhaeghe • West Flanders Belgium

Top Fermentation Bottle Conditioned● 6.8% ABV

A cherry version of the famous Duchesse de Bourgogne: a blend of one and two year old oak-aged Flanders red, refermented on whole sour cherries from the Limburg region rather than syrup. Tart and vinous, with deep cherry and oak.

PERFECT FOR
✦ The Curious Palate☼ Good Company✿ Spring Afternoons
Ask the Monk
FLAVOR PROFILE
Sour CherryOakTartVinousFruity

Fruity, tart and refreshing, with notes of sour cherry, oak, tart, finishing rich and sweet.

SERVING

Serve at 6-8°C in a lambic glass to maintain a generous head and let the aromas bloom.

6-8°C

CHARACTER
DrySweetSweet
LightMediumFull
SoftSoftBitter

Style-based profile from ABV, style & tasting notes.

TASTING NOTES
Appearance
Vivid fruit-stained, brilliant, with a coloured head
Aroma
Fruity
Taste
Sweet, medium-bodied, sour cherry, oak, tart, vinous
Finish
Dry.
BEER DETAILS
Style:
Belgian Fruit Ale
ABV:
6.8%
IBU:
0-15
Origin:
West Flanders, Belgium
Glassware:
Lambic Glass
CELLARWithin a year or two

Best fresh. Enjoy while lively; little to gain from cellaring.

PERFECT PAIRING

"Lovely with dark chocolate desserts, duck, or a creamy soft cheese."

Soft Cheese

Soft Cheese

Brie, chèvre, fresh curd

Aged Cheese

Aged Cheese

Gouda, Trappist, Bruges

Poultry

Poultry

Roast chicken, duck

Cook this: creamy brie or fresh chevre on toast, a wedge of aged abbey cheese (Chimay, Orval), or vol-au-vent (chicken in puff pastry).

AVAILABILITY

Widely available

UntappdBeerAdvocateTotal Wine
PRICE GUIDE
$$$$

Classic

A dependable shelf staple.

II

Flavor & Aroma

IOn the nose
  • Sour Cherry
IIOn the palate
  • Sour Cherry
  • Oak
  • Vinous
  • Fruity
IIIThe finish
  • Tart

A cherry version of the famous Duchesse de Bourgogne: a blend of one and two year old oak-aged Flanders red, refermented on whole sour cherries from the Limburg region rather than syrup. Tart and vinous, with deep cherry and oak.

III

Story & Heritage

ABOUT THIS BEER

The cherry expression of Verhaeghe's celebrated Duchesse de Bourgogne. The Vichte brewery blends one and two year old oak-aged Flanders red, then refermets it on whole sour cherries from Limburg rather than syrup, so the fruit sits atop the same tart, wine-like base that made the Duchesse famous.

On the Belgian Fruit Ale style, Stronger, often rich ales infused with fruits like cherries or raspberries, offering a balance of malt sweetness, fruit character, and warming alcohol.

Explore the Belgian Fruit Ale guide Source: RateBeer
BREWERY

Brouwerij Verhaeghe

COUNTRY

Belgium

REGION

West Flanders

STYLE

Belgian Fruit Ale

IV

Glassware & Ritual

The Lambic Glass
THE LAMBIC GLASS

For wild & sour ales

A slender, tapered glass that shows off the bright effervescence and tart, funky bouquet of spontaneously-fermented lambics, gueuze and fruit ales.

01

Serve well-chilled

Cool tempers the sharp acidity

02

Pour gently

Preserve the champagne-like bead

03

Keep a lacy collar

A thin head carries the funk

04

Sip slowly

Let the sourness unfold on the palate

V

Reviews

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THE MONK'S NOTE

Pour it into a lambic glass, served around 6-8°C, and let its aromatics open before the first sip. Enjoy it fresh and lively; there is little to gain from waiting.

Brother Anselm, cellarmaster

ADD TO YOUR JOURNEY

    Belgian Beer Wisdom

    Did you know?

    Many Belgian beers refermenent in the bottle, creating natural carbonation and complex flavors.

    Why it tastes different

    The Monk's Dispatch

    One letter a month from our cellar: a beer worth seeking, a brewery worth knowing, a small lesson in the art. What is this?