Oude Mure Tilquin a L'Ancienne 750ML

Oude Mure Tilquin à l'Ancienne 750ML is a Belgian blackberry lambic blended from spontaneously fermented beer, bottled at 6.0% ABV in a 750ml format. Carrying an impressive 4.28 out of 5 aggregate score on BeerAdvocate, this fruit lambic stands among the most respected expressions in the Belgian sour tradition, distinguished by Tilquin's singular access to lambics from four storied breweries.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.0%  |  Origin: Wallonia, Belgium  |  Style: Fruit Lambic (Blackberry)  |  Blendery: Gueuzerie Tilquin

Production & Heritage

Gueuzerie Tilquin, located in Bierghes in the municipality of Rebecq, Wallonia — just 200 meters from the linguistic border — holds a unique position in the lambic world as the only blendery permitted to blend one-, two-, and three-year-old lambics sourced from Boon, Lindemans, Girardin, and Cantillon. For Oude Mure, fresh or frozen blackberries are macerated in young lambic at a concentration of 260 to 300 grams of fruit per liter, and the resulting beer is then blended with aged lambics to achieve the final composition. This process yields a spontaneously fermented fruit lambic of uncommon depth, where the wild yeast character and oak influence from multiple producers converge with intense berry fruit.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Ripe blackberries dominate the nose, layered over earthy oak and a light barnyard funk characteristic of Brettanomyces. A tangy, spritzy lemon zest lifts the aromatics and keeps the fruit from reading as jammy.

Taste: The entry is bright with blackberry and blackcurrant, immediately followed by a firm but balanced sourness on the mid-palate. Oak tannins provide structure while notes of lemon yogurt and wild funk develop, carrying the fruit into tart, slightly unripe berry territory at its peak.

Finish: Medium in length with a dry, lightly tannic texture that recalls red wine more than beer. Lingering lemon zest and fading blackberry skin keep the finish clean and refreshing.

How to Drink Oude Mure Tilquin

Pour into a tulip glass or wine glass at cellar temperature — around 8 to 12°C (46 to 54°F) — to let the full aromatic complexity develop. This lambic is at its best enjoyed on its own, sipped slowly as the flavors evolve with warming. For those interested in lambic-based cocktails, Oude Mure works in a Lambic Spritz, where its tartness replaces Aperol over prosecco with striking effect; a Belgian Kir, where a small measure of crème de cassis deepens the blackberry character without masking the funk; and a Sour Shandy, blended with a light Belgian wheat beer to create a lower-intensity, fruit-forward refresher.

Best For

• Gifting a craft beer or natural wine enthusiast looking for something extraordinary
• Pairing with a cheese course at a dinner party
• Cellaring alongside other vintage lambics for a vertical tasting
• Introducing an adventurous drinker to the world of spontaneous fermentation

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Oude Mure Tilquin taste like? Oude Mure Tilquin delivers a pronounced but balanced tartness driven by blackberry and blackcurrant, with underlying oak, lemon zest, and a distinctive wild yeast funk. The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with soft to moderate carbonation, closer to a dry sparkling wine than a conventional beer.

How does Oude Mure Tilquin compare to Oude Quetsche Tilquin? Both are fruit lambics from the same blendery, but Oude Mure uses blackberries while Oude Quetsche uses plums, resulting in different fruit profiles — berry-driven tartness versus stone-fruit depth. Reviewers consistently rate them at similar quality levels, making the choice largely a matter of fruit preference.

Is Oude Mure Tilquin good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — this lambic is designed to be savored slowly from a tulip or wine glass, where its layered sourness, fruit complexity, and wild fermentation character reveal themselves over time.

Where is Oude Mure Tilquin made? It is blended at Gueuzerie Tilquin in Bierghes, Rebecq, in the Wallonia region of Belgium. The base lambics are sourced from four Belgian breweries — Boon, Lindemans, Girardin, and Cantillon — all located in or near the Senne Valley, the traditional heartland of spontaneous fermentation.

What foods pair well with Oude Mure Tilquin? Aged Gouda or Comté, where the cheese's caramel sweetness balances the beer's acidity; duck liver pâté, which the tartness cuts through cleanly; fresh goat cheese with honey, playing off the berry fruit; dark chocolate desserts, which mirror the blackberry intensity; and grilled lamb chops, where the oak and funk complement charred meat.

What sizes does Oude Mure Tilquin come in? The standard retail format is the 750ml bottle, consistent with traditional Belgian lambic bottling conventions.

Is Oude Mure Tilquin worth the price? Oude Mure Tilquin positions as a premium fruit lambic, reflecting the labor-intensive process of sourcing lambics from four separate breweries, extended maceration with whole blackberries, and patient blending. Within the broader landscape of Belgian fruit lambics, it represents strong value for its quality tier and critical reputation.

Why Oude Mure Tilquin?

No other blendery in the lambic tradition draws from the combined cellars of Boon, Lindemans, Girardin, and Cantillon — four names that collectively represent the pinnacle of spontaneous fermentation brewing. That singular sourcing arrangement gives Tilquin's blender a palette of flavors unavailable to any competitor, and Oude Mure channels that complexity through an intense blackberry maceration at 260 to 300 grams of fruit per liter. The result is a fruit lambic that balances wild, tart, and fruity elements with a sophistication that has earned it a 4.28 out of 5 on BeerAdvocate. For anyone serious about sour beer, this bottle is not a novelty — it is a benchmark.