Tilquin Rullquin Stout 750ML

Tilquin Rullquin Stout 750ML is a 7.0% ABV oak-aged Belgian beer of mixed fermentation blending stout with lambic in a 750ml bottle. Scored 95 out of 100 on RateBeer and 90 on BeerAdvocate, this release from Gueuzerie Tilquin stands as one of the most boundary-pushing expressions in the Belgian mixed-fermentation world.

Quick Facts: ABV: 7.0%  |  Origin: Wallonia, Belgium  |  Style: Stout-Lambic Blend  |  Brewery: Gueuzerie Tilquin

Production & Heritage

Gueuzerie Tilquin, founded in Bierghes (Rebecq) in the Wallonia region of Belgium, is the only active lambic blendery in Walloon Brabant. The Rullquin Stout is produced by blending seven parts Rulles Brune — also known as Stout de Gaume, brewed by Brasserie de Rulles — with one part of a carefully selected blend of one-year-old lambics. This combined liquid then matures for eight months in oak barrels before being bottled unfiltered and unpasteurized for an additional six months of refermentation. The result is a beer that exists in a category essentially of its own: a stout-lambic hybrid where roasted malt character collides with the wild, tart complexity of spontaneous fermentation.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with dark chocolate and bread crust, followed by dried cherries, caramel, and a subtle hazelnut nuttiness. A light roasty quality sits beneath green apple tartness and a whisper of raspberry.

Taste: On entry, tart green apple and grape-like acidity meet cocoa and milk chocolate. The mid-palate develops into molasses, fig, and plum, while the oak aging contributes a vinous, almost vermouth-like dryness. Light roasty bitterness and dark berry fruit weave through a complex, layered profile that shifts with every sip.

Finish: The finish is dry and moderately long, with lingering bitter chocolate, cherry skin, and a clean tartness. Oak tannins provide subtle structure without overwhelming the interplay between stout weight and lambic acidity.

How to Drink Rullquin Stout

Serve at cellar temperature, around 50–55°F (10–13°C), in a tulip glass or snifter to concentrate the layered aromatics. This beer rewards patient sipping and opens up significantly as it warms. For cocktail-curious drinkers: try it in a Black Velvet variation, replacing traditional stout with Rullquin for added tartness and oak depth; use a small pour in a beer-based Flip with egg yolk and sugar to showcase its chocolate-fruit complexity; or blend it into a Michelada-style drink where its acidity can stand in for citrus while the roast adds body.

Best For

• Gifting a craft beer collector who values rare, limited-release bottles
• Pairing alongside a multi-course tasting menu featuring rich or smoked dishes
• Cellaring for 1–3 years to observe how tartness and roast character evolve
• Sharing among friends exploring the intersection of lambic tradition and modern Belgian brewing

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Rullquin Stout taste like? Rullquin Stout delivers a distinctive combination of dark chocolate, dried cherry, fig, and molasses layered over a tart, green apple acidity from the lambic component. Oak barrel aging adds vinous dryness and subtle tannin, creating a complex profile that bridges roasted stout richness and wild fermentation tartness.

How does Rullquin Stout compare to traditional lambics? Traditional lambics and gueuzes are built entirely on spontaneously fermented wheat and barley wort, producing bright, acidic, funky beers, while Rullquin Stout uses lambic as only one-eighth of the blend, with seven-eighths coming from Rulles Brune stout. The result is significantly more body, roast character, and chocolate depth than a standard lambic, though the tartness and oak influence remain clearly present.

Is Rullquin Stout good for sipping neat? Rullquin Stout is designed to be savored slowly at cellar temperature, and its layered complexity of chocolate, dark fruit, and oak-driven tartness makes it an excellent contemplative sipper. Pouring into a tulip glass and allowing it to warm slightly reveals additional aromatic depth.

Where is Rullquin Stout made? Rullquin Stout is produced at Gueuzerie Tilquin in Bierghes, a village in the municipality of Rebecq in Wallonia, Belgium. This region sits within the Pajottenland-adjacent area historically associated with lambic production.

What foods pair well with Rullquin Stout? Smoked brisket or pulled pork, where the beer's tartness cuts through fat and smoke; aged Gouda or Comté, which echo its caramel and nutty notes; dark chocolate desserts, particularly flourless chocolate cake, to mirror its cocoa character; grilled lamb with fig glaze, complementing the beer's dried fruit and oak tannin; and charcuterie featuring cured meats and pâté, where its acidity acts as a palate cleanser.

What sizes does Rullquin Stout come in? Rullquin Stout is available in the standard 750ml bottle format, which is traditional for Belgian mixed-fermentation beers intended for sharing or cellaring.

Is Rullquin Stout worth the price? Rullquin Stout positions as a premium, limited-production specialty beer, and its labor-intensive process — oak barrel aging, bottle refermentation over six months, and small-batch blending — places it in the upper tier of Belgian craft releases. With a RateBeer score of 95/100 and strong critical reception, it delivers genuine complexity and rarity that justify its place in that range.

Why Rullquin Stout?

What makes Rullquin Stout singular is its format: a seven-to-one blend of dark stout and aged lambic that has no real precedent in Belgian brewing. The eight-month oak maturation and six-month bottle refermentation create a depth of flavor that neither a standalone stout nor a traditional lambic achieves alone. With a RateBeer score of 95/100, it has earned serious recognition among critics who value innovation grounded in traditional technique. For drinkers who have explored the range of gueuze, kriek, and barrel-aged stouts independently, Rullquin Stout represents the rare point where those worlds genuinely converge.