3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze

Description

3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze is an oude geuze blended by 3 Fonteinen containing lambic whose wort originated at 3 Fonteinen as well as from Boon and/or Lindemans. It is released yearly in many batches in both 375ml and 750ml bottles. It has occasionally been available in 1.5L bottles as well. For oude geuze bottlings that contain 100% 3 Fonteinen-brewed lambic starting in 2015, see Cuvée Armand & Gaston

History / Other Notes

Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze is one of the oldest beers in their portfolio. Bottles dating as far back as 1959 have been opened and shared among lambic drinkers. Old bottles with no labels have corks stating "Debelder", indicating the brewer. During the years preceding 1999-2000, 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze had been produced by blending other producers' lambic. After Armand leased a computerized brewing system in 1998 and began producing his own lambic^[1], subsequent blends contained both lambic from Armand as well as from other producers. It is unclear if 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze was ever bottled using Armand's own lambic exclusively. In 2009, a failure of the climate control mechanism resulted in a massive loss of product. This huge financial loss, coupled with the fact that the lease on the brewing system was expiring, meant that no more lambic would be brewed at 3 Fonteinen for the foreseeable future.

To get the brewery back on its feet, Armand released a serious of special geuze blends to raise capital to acquire new brewing equipment. In the time between 2009 and late-2013, 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze was a blend of lambic from Boon,Lindemans, and Girardin, with Girardin only being used through 2010. By 2013, the new brewing equipment was in place and Armand began brew again. The first batch of 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze to contain a portion Armand's lambic after the thermostat incident was bottled on 11/27/2013.

There have been several labels for 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze over the years. The white label documented below was used in the 1990s and early 2000s for both the US and Europe. It notes that the beer won the O.B.P Trophy (Objective Beer Tasters) in 1993. 3 Fonteinen has also used neck labels on occasion (pictured below) for larger-format bottles.

In 2004, the labels switched over to the standard 3 Fonteinen labels seen in stores today. The U.S. versions are yellow and white, while the rest of the world sees a green and white version. Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze bottles are generally have a "bottled on" date on the side of the label as well as with a best by date twenty years away from the bottling date, both in mm/dd/yyyy format.

Synthetic Corks

The earliest known use of a synthetic cork by Drie Fonteinen is a regular Oude Geuze 750ml bottled on February 3, 2006. The November 30, 2006 750ml bottling of Oude Geuze Vintage has a synthetic cork as well as most of the February 14, 2007 St. Valentijn Cuvée bottling. Consumers have noted that the Oude Geuze Vintage bottles with the synthetic corks have been inconsistent, with some bottles being flat and oxidized. The synthetic cork was retired from use after the St. Valentijn Cuvée bottling.

Label Log

Early 1990s neck ring, 75cl
Early 1990s neck ring, back, 75cl
1990s/early 2000s era label, 75cl
1990s/early 2000s era label, 150cl
Green label, 37,5cl
U.S. label, approved 2008
Alternate U.S. label, approved 2008

Bottle Log

Bottle Date (mm/dd/yyyy)	Bottle Size	Label / Notes	Image Link
03/30/1993	750ml	Neck ring label
04/05/1993	750ml	Neck ring label	-
1994	750ml	No Label	-
1994	1.5L	Old Label – Magnum – "O.B.P.- Trofee 1993"
03/08/1994	800ml	Neck ring label	-
xx/xx/1995	750ml	Neck ring label, 1995 handwritten	-
03/xx/1995	750ml	No label	-
03/09/1996	1.5L	Old Label – Magnum – "O.B.P.- Trofee 1993"
02/03/1997	375ml	Old Label – 5%	-
03/08/1997	375ml	Old Label – 5% – "O.B.P.- Trofee 1993"
12/06/1997	750ml	No label – 5%	-
02/21/1998	750ml	Old Label – 5%	-
03/05/1998	750ml	Old Label – 5%
01/03/1999	375ml	Old Label – 5%	-
01/23/1999	375ml	Old Label – 5%
02/15/1999	750ml	Old Label – 5%
11/05/1999	375ml	Old Label – 5%
12/31/1999	750ml	Screen Printed Label – 6.5%
02/04/2000	750mL	Old Lable - 5%
02/08/2000	750ml	Old Label – 5%
12/11/2000	750ml	Old Label – 5%
12/16/2000	375ml	Old Label – 5%
03/07/2001	750ml	Old Label – 5%
03/21/2001	750ml	Old Label – 5%	-
04/02/2001	750ml	Old Label – 5%
03/19/2002	750ml		-
04/04/2002	375ml		-
12/21/2002	750ml		-
01/28/2003	375ml
01/30/2003	375ml	Green Label – 6%	-
02/22/2003	750ml		-
03/05/2003	750ml	Cream label	-
04/12/2003	375ml		-
12/02/2003	375ml		-
01/22/2004	375ml	Yellow Label – 6%
02/14/2004	375ml	Green Label – 6%
02/19/2004	750ml	6%
02/28/2004	750ml	6%	-
04/10/2004	375ml	Green Label – 6%
12/01/2004	1.5L	Magnum bottle – Green Label – 6%
12/08/2004	375ml	6%	-
04/08/2005	375ml	Green Label – 6%
11/30/2005	375ml	6%
01/17/2006	750ml	6%	-
01/20/2006	750ml	Green Label – 6%
02/03/2006	750ml	Green Label – Synthetic Cork – 6%
04/12/2006	375ml	Green Label – 6%	-
02/02/2007	750ml	Yellow Label – Synthetic Cork – 6%
02/21/2007	750ml	Green Label – 6%	-
06/01/2007	750ml	Green Label – Synthetic Cork – 6%	-
02/01/2008	375ml	Yellow Label – 6%
03/10/2008	375ml	Green and Yellow Labels – 6%
05/05/2008	750ml	Yellow Label – 6%
05/15/2008	750ml	6%	-
12/10/2009	375ml	Yellow Label – 6%
12/12/2009	375ml	Yellow Label – 6%
03/05/2010	750ml	Green Label – 6%
04/26/2010	750ml	Yellow Label – 6%
04/27/2010	750ml	Yellow Label – 6%
04/27/2010	750ml	Green Label – 6%
11/18/2010	375ml	Yellow Label – 6%
12/01/2010	375ml	Green Label – 6%
12/01/2010	375ml	Yellow Label – 6%
11/03/2011	375ml	Green Label – 6%
11/03/2011	375ml	Yellow Label - 6%	-
12/21/2011	750ml	Green Label – 6%
01/05/2012	750ml	Green Label – 6%
01/26/2012	750ml	Yellow Label – 6%	-
02/10/2012	375ml	Green Label – 6%
02/23/2012	375ml	Yellow Label – 6%
03/05/2012	375ml	Yellow Label – 6%	-
03/22/2012	750ml	Yellow Label – 6%
03/23/2012	750ml	Green Label – 6%
04/17/2012	375ml	Green Label – 6%
04/23/2012	375ml	Green Label – 6%
04/27/2012	375ml	Green Label – 6%	-
05/22/2012	375ml	Green Label – 6%
11/15/2012	375ml	Green Label - 6%	-
12/05/2012	375ml	Yellow Label – 6%
12/07/2012	750ml	Yellow Label – 6%
12/17/2012	750ml	6%	-
01/17/2013	750ml	Yellow Label - 6%
01/18/2013	750ml	Green Label – 6%
01/18/2013	750ml	Yellow Label – 6%
01/28/2013	750ml	Green Label - 6%, Japanese
01/28/2013	750ml	Green Label - 6%, European
02/06/2013	375ml	Green Label – 6%
02/08/2013	375ml	Green Label - 6%
02/27/2013		Green Label - 6%
04/04/2013	375ml	Green Label – 6%
10/17/2013	375ml	Green Label - 6%, Quebec import
10/23/2013	375ml	Green Label - 6%
10/24/2013	375ml	Green Label - 6%	-
10/30/2013	375ml	Yellow Label - 6%	-
11/27/2013	750ml	Green Label - 6%, first batch with new Armand lambic in the blend, some label dates are hand-written
11/28/2013	750ml	Green Label - 6%
12/04/2013	750ml	Green Label - 6%
01/10/2014	750ml	Yellow Label - 6%
01/30/2014	375ml	Green Label - 6%
02/06/2014	375ml	Yellow Label - 6%
02/06/2014	375ml	Green Label- 6%
03/26/2014	375ml	Green Label - 6%
10/15/2014	375ml	Green Label - 6%
10/16/2014	750ml	Green Label - 6%
10/30/2014	750ml	Green Label - 6%
10/31/2014	750ml	Green Label - 6%
11/04/2014	375ml	Green Label - 6%
11/06/2014	375ml	Green Label - 6%
12/08/2014	375ml	Green Label - 6%
01/13/2015	750ml	Green Label - 6%
01/23/2015	375ml	Green Label - 6%
01/23/2015	750ml	Green Label - 6%
01/27/2015	375ml	Green Label - 6%
02/09/2015	375ml	Green Label - 6%
02/11/2015	375ml	Green Label - 6%
02/18/2015	375ml	Green Label - 6%
03/06/2015	375ml	Green Label - 6%
03/11/2015	750ml	Green Label - 6%
03/11/2015	750ml	Yellow Label - 6%	-
03/13/2015	750ml	Yellow Label - 6%	-
03/14/2015	750ml	Green Label - 6%
10/21/2015	375ml	Contains 30% 3 Fonteinen brewed lambic - 6%	-
10/21/2015	750ml	Contains 30% 3 Fonteinen brewed lambic - 6%
10/29/2015	375ml	Contains 50% 3 Fonteinen brewed lambic - 6%
10/30/2015	375ml	Contains 50% 3 Fonteinen brewed lambic - 6%	-
10/31/2015	375ml	Contains 40% 3 Fonteinen brewed lambic - 6%
12/07/2015	375ml	Contains 30% 3 Fonteinen brewed lambic - 6%	-
12/08/2015	375ml	Contains 50% 3 Fonteinen brewed lambic - 6%	-
12/11/2015	375ml	Contains 55% 3 Fonteinen brewed lambic - 6%	-
12/11/2015	750ml	Contains 55% 3 Fonteinen brewed lambic - 6%	-
12/12/2015	750ml	Contains 50% 3 Fonteinen brewed lambic - 6%
02/01/2016	750ml	Green Label - 6%
02/03/2016	750ml	Green Label - 6%	-
02/04/2016	375ml	Green Label - 6%
02/08/2016	375ml	Green Label - 6%	-
02/11/2016	375ml	Green Label - 6%
03/03/2016	375ml	Yellow Label, mislabeled as March 3th,2016 - 6%	-
03/04/2016	375ml	Yellow Label - 6%
04/19/2016	750ml	Green Label - 6%
04/20/2016		Green Label - 6%
04/21/2016		Green Label - 6%
04/27/2016	750ml	Green Label - 6%
11/25/2016	750ml	Screen print bottle, 8th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particular geuze is blended from lambics aged on 5 different barrels, originating from wort of 6 different brews. 5.40% ABV	-
12/05/2016	750ml	Screen print bottle, 9th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particular geuze is blended from lambics aged and matured on 5 different barrels, originating from wort of 6 different brews. 5.3% ABV
12/27/2016	375ml	Screen print bottle, 12th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particular geuze is blended from lambics aged on 6 different barrels, originating from wort of 7 different brews. 5.00% ABV	-
01/11/2017	375ml	Screen print bottle, 13th blend of the 2016-2017 season	-
01/16/2017	375ml	Screen print bottle, 14th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particular geuze is blended from lambics aged and matured on 5 different barrels, originating from wort of 5 different brews. 5.3% ABV	-
01/17/2017	375ml	Screen print bottle, 15th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particular geuze is blended from lambic aged and matured in 6 different barrels origination from 6 different brews. 5.5% ABV	-
01/19/2017	375ml	Screen print bottle, 16th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particular geuze is blended with lambics aged on 8 different barrels, originating from wort of 14 different brews. 5.7% ABV	-
03/16/2017	750ml	Screen print bottle, 24th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particular geuze is blended with lambics aged on 7 different barrels, originating from wort of 8 different brews. 5.8% ABV
03/17/2017	750ml	Screen print bottle, 25th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particular geuze is blended with lambics aged on 7 different barrels, originating from wort of 8 different brews. 6.00% ABV
03/28/2017	760ml	Screen print bottle, 26th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particular geuze is blended with lambics aged on 5 different barrels, originating from wort of 7 different brews. 5.30% ABV	-
03/29/2017	750ml	Screen print bottle, 27th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particular geuze is blended with lambics aged on 5 different barrels, originating from wort of 7 different brews. 5.00% ABV	-
04/05/2017	375ml	Screen print bottle, 28th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particular geuze is blended with lambics aged on 6 different barrels, originating from wort of 9 different brews. 5.30% ABV	-
04/11/2017	375ml	Screen print bottle, 29th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particular geuze is blended with lambics aged on 8 different barrels, originating from wort of 9 different brews. A great geuze with great ageing potential (we put some aside!) 5.3% ABV
04/18/2017	375ml	Screen print bottle, 30th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particular geuze is blended from lambic aged and matured in 6 different barrels origination from 8 different brews. 5.5% ABV	-
10/19/2017	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 53rd blend of the 2016-2017 season. Exported to Sweden only. This particular geuze is blended with lambics aged on 5 different barrels, originating from wort of 6 different brews. 6.0% ABV	-
10/26/2017	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 55th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particular geuze is blended with lambics aged on 10 different barrels, originating from wort of 10 different brews. 5.5% ABV	-
11/23/2017	750ml	Screen printed bottle 59th blend of the 2016-2017 season. This particualr geuze is blended with lambics from 10 different barrels originating from 10 different brews.	-
11/28/2017	750ml	Screen printed bottle, 5th blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular geuze is blended with lambics aged on 7 different barrels, originating from wort of 5 different brews. 5.5% ABV	-
12/06/2017	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 7th blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze is blended with lambics from 7 different barrels originating from 6 different brews.	-
12/20/2017	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 10th blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze is blended with lambics from 6 different barrels originating from 7 different brews.	-
03/19/2018	750ml	Screen printed bottle, 38th blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze is blended with lambics from 6 different barrels and originating from 6 different brews. The oldest portion in this blend is 3.5-year old lambic brewed in November 2014. An Oude Geuze with great ageing potential! This label is also available in NL/FR.	-
03/21/2018	750ml	Screen printed bottle, 39th blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 7 different barrels and originating from 9 different brews. The oldest portion in this blend is 3.5-year old lambic brewed on November 15, 2014. This label is also available in NL/FR.	-
03/22/2018	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 41st blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 5 different barrels and originating from 5 different brews. The oldest portion in this blend is 3 Fonteinen lambic brewed in March 2015. This label is also available in NL/FR.	-
03/28/2018	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 42nd blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 6 different barrels and originating from 6 different brews. This label is also available in NL/FR and Swedish.	-
03/30/2018	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 43rd blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geeuze has been blended with lambics from 6 different barrels and originating from 6 different brews. The oldest portion in this blend is a 4-year old lambic brewed in March 2014. This label is also available in NL/FR.	-
04/04/2018	750ml	Screen printed bottle, 44th blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 8 different barrels and originating from 9 different brews. The oldest portion in this blend is 4-year old lambic brewed on 24 March, 2014. This label is also available in NL/FR.	-
04/06/2018	1.5L	Screen printed bottled, 45th blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 7 different barrels and originating from 10 different brews. The oldest portion of this blend is 3 Fonteinen lambic brewed on the 18th of March 2015. There are 8 different rear labels for this blend, each with a different quote from Armand.
04/16/2018	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 51st blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 8 different barrels and originating from 11 different brews. The oldest portion in this blend is a 3.5-year old 3 Fonteinen lambic brewed on the 22nd of October 2014. This label is also available in NL/FR.	-
04/18/2018	750ml	Screen printed bottle, 52nd blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 7 different barrels and originating from 8 different brews. The oldest portion in this blend is a 3.5-year old 3 Fonteinen lambic brewed on 22 October 2014. This label is also available in NL/FR	-
05/30/2018	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 59th blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 6 different barrels and originating from 7 different brews. The oldest portion of the lambic is a 3.5-year old 3 Fonteinen lambic brewed on 28 November 2014.
06/06/2018	750ml	Screen printed bottled, 61st blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 9 different barrels originating from 9 different brews. The older portion in this blend is a 3.5-year old 3 Fonteinen lambic brewed on 28 November 2014. A small portion of this lambic was also aged in 40-year old Oloroso sherry barrels. Linden honey was also added.
08/08/2018	750ml	Screen printed bottle, 73rd blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 3 different barrels originating from 3 different brews. The oldest lambic was brewed in early 2016 at Lindemans. Summer honey was also added.
09/12/2018	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 74th blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 9 different barrels originating from 8 different brews. The oldest portion of the lambic was brewed early 2016 by Brouwerij Lindemans.
09/25/2018	750ml	Screen printed bottle, 78th blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 10 different barrels origianting from 6 different brews. Two from 3 Fonteinen, three from Lindemans, and one from Boon.
10/11/2018	750ml	Screen printed bottle, 84th blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 8 different barrels and originating from 10 different brews. This blend consists of 1/3 of three-year old lambics, coming from 3 barrels.
11/06/2018	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 91st blend of the 2017-2018 season. This specific Oude Geuz has been blended with lambic from 7 different barrels originating with 7 different brews. A portion of this blend was bottled in 37,5cl bottles.
11/06/2018	750ml	Screen printed bottle, 91st blend of the 2017-2018 season. This specific Oude Geuz has been blended with lambic from 7 different barrels originating with 7 different brews. A portion of this blend was bottled in 37,5cl bottles.
11/12/2018	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 92nd blend of the 2017-2018 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 8 different barrels and origiating from 7 different brews. The oldest portion of this blend is a(n exactly) 3-year old Lindemans lambic brewed on the 12th of November 2015.
11/13/2018	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 1st blend of the 2018-2019 season. This specific Oude Geuze has been blended with lambic from 8 different barrels coming from 7 different barrels. The two and three year old lambic was brewed by Brouwerij Boon and makes up 40% of the blend.
11/21/2018	750ml	Screen printed bottle, 3rd blend of the 2018-2019 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 10 different barrels and origiating from 8 different brews. This blend consists of 40% two- and three-year old lambics, coming from 6 barrels.
11/26/2018	1.5L	Screen printed bottle, 8th blend of the 2018-2019 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 7 different barrels and originating from 7 different brews, of which 5 are 3 Fonteinen.
12/05/2018	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 10th blend of the 2018-2019 season. This specific Oude Geuze was blended with lambic from 6 different barrels coming from 10 differnt brews. The average aged of the blend was 22 months and is 30% three year old, 47% two year old, and 23% one year old lambic.
12/07/2018	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 11th blend of the 2018-2019 season. This specific Oude Geuze has been blended with lambic from 7 different barrels coming from 9 different brews. A blend with a clean balance of one and two year old lambic brewed by 3 Fonteinen and Lindemans and a 3 year old lambic brewed by Boon. A geuze to put away!
12/10/2018	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 12th blend of the 2018-2019 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been bottled with lambic from 6 different barrels coming from 9 different brews. Almost half of the blend comes from 3 Fonteinen lambic.
12/19/2018	750ml	Screen printed bottle, 16th blend of the 2018-2019 season. This specific Oude Geuze was bleneded with lambic from 5 different barrels originating from 7 different brews. The marjority of the lambic in this blend was brewed by 3 Fonteinen and Lindemans. A geuze to cellar!
01/31/2019	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 37th blend of the 2018-2019 season. This particular Oude Geuze has been blended with lambics from 6 different barrels and originating from 7 differnet brews. Almost 80% of this blend consists of lambics originating from Brouwerij Lindemans wort brewed in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
02/19/2019	375ml	Screen printed bottle, 40th blend of the 2018-2019 season. This specific Oude Geuze was blended with lambic from 5 different barrels coming from 6 different brews. 65% of this blend is lambic brewed by us. Average age at bottling was 18 months.
02/26/2019	750ml	Screen printed bottle, 46th blend of the 2018-2019 season. This specific Oude Geuze was blended with lambic from 4 different barrels coming from 5 different brews. The majority of this lambic was brewed by 3 Fonteinen and Boon. The average age at bottling was 19 months.	[[File:Oude Geuze 0.750 - 26 02 2019 - NLFR.png	150px]]