Gueuze the boss

I'm a beer drinker, so my game is luck. Such as: I heard that Taylor’s Market (2900 Freeport Boulevard), which boasts a thoughtful beer selection, recently had some Cantillon gueuze (pronounced “gooze”) for just 10 bucks. Needless to say, that's some beaucoup Belgian juju. Anyway, it's gone now, surely, but you'd be almost as lucky this week if you cruise by Curtis Park's Pangaea Two Brews Cafe (2743 Franklin Boulevard) and sample the Vicaris Tripel Gueuze on draft. Gueuze is a process that involves blending sour, vinuous lambic beers to create an even dryer, more carbonated but similar style. Some call gueuze the real champagne of beers; forget that Miller High Life swill. Vicaris is a Belgian brewer that's new to the gueuzerie world, but it does a pretty solid job at blending. This particular pour is sugary, but the funkiness brings a big pucker to the lips. Not my favorite interpretation of my favorite style, but a good drinking gueuze between hoppier beers as a palate reset.

Beer: Lair of the Bear (barrel-aged Russian stout)
Brewer: Mammoth Brewing Company
Where: The Davis Beer Shoppe, 211 G Street in Davis; (530) 756-5212

Beer: Freigeist Abraxas (Berliner weiss)
Brewer: Gasthaus-Brauerei Braustelle
Where: LowBrau, 1050 20th Street; (916) 706-2936; www.lowbrausacramento.com

Beer: Saison D'erpe-Mere
Brewer: KleinBrouwerij De Glazen Toren
Where: Pangaea Two Brews Cafe, 2743 Franklin Boulevard; (916) 454-4942; www.pangaeatwobrews.com