Brewery: Brouwerij Verhaeghe-Vichte
Location: Vichte, Belgium
ABV: 6.2%
Version: Bottled, 250ml
Source: Knott Bar, Manchester

It was getting towards the end of the night and I fancied something a little different. I glanced at the blackboard on the wall of the Knott Bar and spotted their ‘bottled beer of the week’, the intriguingly-named Duchesse de Bourgogne. “I’ll give that one a go,” I thought. So I did.

I knew it Belgian, but I neglected to ask the barman what sort of Belgian and I quickly discovered – after one whiff of the sharp, apple-vinegary aroma as it poured – that it was a Flemish Red. Not a style I’ve had a particularly good track record with in the past. I nearly went back to the bar for another pint of Phoenix West Coast IPA instead, but something (maybe the thought of how much I’d just paid for this one small bottle) stopped me : what the hell, I thought, I’m four and a half pints to the good and feeling mellow, I might as well give it a go.

And you know, what? I’m glad I did. It took a couple of sips for me to acclimatise to the sourness, but once I had I discovered a strong current of sweetness running just below the surface. The acidity gave way to the alcohol and with it came flavours of red cherries and red berries, green apples and wine grapes. But the fruit flavours were themselves kept in check by the ongoing sourness, so the overall effect was a well-balanced, taught tug-of-war between the sweet and the sour.

I think I may have found a Belgian red that I can actually enjoy. Result.