Oude Mure Tilquin a L'Ancienne 375ML

Oude Mure Tilquin à L'Ancienne 375ML is a spontaneously fermented Belgian lambic blended with blackberries, bottled at 6.0% ABV in a 375ml format. Scoring 95 on BeerAdvocate across over 300 ratings, this expression stands as one of the most acclaimed fruit lambics produced outside the handful of legacy Brussels-area breweries.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.0%  |  Origin: Belgium  |  Style: Oude Fruit Lambic  |  Blendery: Gueuzerie Tilquin

Production & Heritage

Gueuzerie Tilquin was founded in early 2009 by bio-engineer Pierre Tilquin, making it the only active blendery that sources lambic wort from four of the most respected traditional producers: Boon, Lindemans, Girardin, and Cantillon. For the Oude Mure, fresh or frozen blackberries are macerated in young lambic, and the resulting fruit beer is then blended with one-, two-, and three-year-old lambics to achieve complexity and depth. This multi-source blending approach — drawing on distinct fermentation profiles from each supplier — gives Tilquin's fruit lambics a layered character that no single-brewery product can easily replicate.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Ripe blackberries and blackcurrant lead, followed by oak, light vanilla, and a distinctive Brettanomyces funk. A subtle citrus note — lemon zest and green grape — emerges as the beer warms in the glass.

Taste: The entry is immediately tart, driven by sour blackberry and a bright lemon acidity. The mid-palate introduces earthy wheat, mineral undertones, and a faint sour candy sweetness. As it develops, layers of oak and light funk build alongside cherry-like stone fruit notes.

Finish: Moderately long, with lingering blackberry tartness and a drying astringency from the oak and Brettanomyces character. The finish is clean and refreshing, with traces of lemon yogurt and zesty citrus peel that invite another sip.

How to Drink Oude Mure Tilquin

Serve at cellar temperature — around 8–12°C (46–54°F) — in a tulip glass or wine glass to concentrate the complex aromatics. This is a beer designed for thoughtful sipping; carbonation is delicate, and the layered fruit and funk reward patience. For cocktail-curious drinkers: try a Lambic Spritz (topped with a splash of dry sparkling wine and an orange twist) to amplify its effervescence; a Berliner Sour riff (substituting Oude Mure for the wheat beer base and adding a small measure of elderflower liqueur) for a floral-tart combination; or a Blackberry Shandy (blended with a crisp pilsner and a squeeze of lemon) for a lighter warm-weather serve.

Best For

• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who appreciates traditional Belgian lambics
• Pairing with a cheese board at an intimate dinner gathering
• Cellaring for special occasions — Oude fruit lambics can develop further complexity over years
• Introducing wine drinkers to the world of sour ales through a familiar fruit-forward profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Oude Mure Tilquin taste like? It delivers pronounced sour blackberry and blackcurrant tartness supported by oak, light funk, lemon acidity, and an earthy wheat backbone. The overall impression is intensely fruit-forward yet dry and complex.

How does Oude Mure Tilquin compare to Cantillon Kriek? Cantillon Kriek uses whole sour cherries macerated in lambic brewed entirely in-house, producing a sharper cherry acidity, while Tilquin's Mure blends blackberry-infused lambic sourced from multiple breweries — including Cantillon — yielding a rounder, darker-fruit profile with broader fermentation complexity. Both are benchmark fruit lambics, but they differ in fruit character and sourcing approach.

Is Oude Mure Tilquin good for sipping neat? Absolutely — poured into a tulip glass at cellar temperature, it reveals its full aromatic range and layered tartness, making it ideal for slow, contemplative drinking.

Where is Oude Mure Tilquin made? Gueuzerie Tilquin operates in Belgium, within the traditional lambic-producing region near Brussels, where spontaneous fermentation relies on wild, airborne yeast strains native to the Senne Valley and Pajottenland area.

What foods pair well with Oude Mure Tilquin? Aged Gouda or Gruyère complement the beer's tartness with nutty sweetness. Duck liver pâté balances richness against the acidity. Fresh goat cheese echoes the tangy, lactic qualities. Dark chocolate with a high cacao percentage mirrors the blackberry depth. A mixed-berry tart creates a harmonious fruit-on-fruit pairing.

What sizes does Oude Mure Tilquin come in? The expression is commonly available in a 375ml bottle, which is the standard format for many traditional Belgian lambics and gueuzes. A 750ml format also exists in some markets.

Is Oude Mure Tilquin worth the price? Positioned as a premium craft lambic, the price reflects genuine spontaneous fermentation, multi-year blending, and real fruit maceration — production methods that are inherently time-intensive and low-yield. For drinkers who value traditional Belgian sour ales, it delivers complexity that justifies its place in the upper tier of the category.

Why Oude Mure Tilquin?

Gueuzerie Tilquin holds a singular position in the lambic world: it is the only blendery permitted to work with wort from Boon, Lindemans, Girardin, and Cantillon simultaneously. That access creates a blending palette no other producer can match. The Oude Mure expression channels that advantage into a blackberry lambic with uncommon depth — tart and funky, but balanced by oak tannin and a layered fruit character that evolves over years of cellaring. With a BeerAdvocate score of 95 and strong community ratings on Untappd (4.1 out of 5 from over 17,500 reviews), this is one of the most consistently praised fruit lambics available today.