Malt aroma & flavor
Sweet malt character is not present
Belgian and French Origin Ale Styles
Traditional Belgian-Style Gueuze
Ale · Gold to medium amber
What to expect
Malt character: Sweet malt character is not present. Hop character: Not present to very low and can include floral or other attributes.
Reading guide · The complete guideline attributes below preserve the source’s qualifications.Color · SRM
6–13
Pale / strawBlack
Gold to medium amber · Illustrative colors on the shared, uneven SRM scale.
Explore styles overlapping this color rangeAlcohol · ABV
5.0–8.0%
Reference scale, not a limit on official guideline values.
Bitterness · IBU
11–23
Measured bitterness; perceived bitterness is described in the guideline below.
Brewers Association 2026 · Printed guideline page 28 · PDF page 37. Color graphics are illustrative.
The guideline, in detail
Official style attributes, including what may be present and what should be absent.
Hop aroma & flavor
Not present to very low and can include floral or other attributes.
Perceived bitterness
Very low
Body & mouthfeel
Typically low with dry mouthfeel. Highly complex flavor profile can lend an impression of fullness.
Clarity
Appearance can range from clear to low-medium cloudiness arising from yeast, as Gueuze is traditionally bottle conditioned.
Color
Gold to medium amber
Fermentation characteristics
Gueuze represents blends of aged and newly fermenting young Lambics. These unflavored blended and secondary fermented beers may range from very dry or mildly sweet in modern versions. They are characterized by intense fruity ester, sour, and acidic attributes which only result from spontaneous fermentation. Diacetyl should not be present. Characteristic horsey, goaty, leathery and phenolic aromas and flavors derived from Brettanomyces yeast are often present at moderate levels. Wood derived flavors may range from low to medium. Wood-vanillin, if present, should be low. Carbonation can range from absent to high.
Additional guideline notes & competition context
Gueuze originating in the Brussels area of Belgium are often simply called Gueuze. Versions of this beer style made outside of the Brussels area are said to be ‘Belgian-Style Gueuze’. The Belgian-style versions are made to resemble many of the beers of true origin. Historically, traditional Gueuze is dry and completely attenuated, exhibiting no residual sweetness either from malt, sugar, or other sweeteners. Traditionally, Gueuze is brewed with unmalted wheat, malted barley, and stale, aged hops. A pleasant lactic acidity should be present. Acetic acid, if present, should be minimal.
Technical specifications, including gravity
Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.044-1.065 (11-16.0 °Plato) • Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.000- 1.010 (0-2.6 °Plato) • Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 4.0%-6.4% (5.0%-8.0%) • Hop Bitterness (IBU) 11-23 • Color SRM (EBC) 6-13 (12-26 EBC)