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Vieille Provision

Brouwerij De Ranke
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🌍 Belgium · Sour Ale · One of 36 Sour Ales in hopIQ

Vieille Provision is De Ranke's preservation beer, drawn from a selection of the best barrels of aged beer in the brewery. It rests at least a year on oak and serves as the sour base for both Cuvée De Ranke and Kriek De Ranke, so in the bottle it shows that foundation unblended. The first bottling marked twenty years with the brewery's American importer. It pours deep gold to copper-orange. Lemon, grapefruit, white grape and apple rise over wood and light funk. The palate has a soft tartness, subtle oak and a slightly vinous, dry finish.

ABV
7.5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter20 IBU
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden5
See all Sour Ale alternatives →
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Medium body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Soft bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Crisp mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

Crisp and dry.

A trim frame with a clean break — the beer says what it needs to and moves on.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Sour Ale.
Hop character
citrusy
Fermentation & yeast
sour
fruity
tart
funky
yeasty
Distinctive notes
oak

FEATURED IN

Featured inThe Best Belgian Sours→

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Vieille Provision

◎ Appearance

Pours deep gold to copper-orange, displaying the extended barrel aging that defines this beer. The clarity is excellent, allowing light to pass through with brilliant translucence. A modest, fine-grained head forms and maintains delicate lacing along the glass.

deep gold to copperbrilliant clarityfine carbonation

◌ Aroma

Bright citrus notes lead—lemon zest and grapefruit pith rise first, followed by orchard fruit complexity of white grape and green apple. Beneath the fruit sits a restrained oak presence and subtle funk from extended barrel rest, creating layered depth without dominating the nose.

citrus-forwardoak influencewhite stone fruit

◐ Taste

Entry is soft and approachable, with measured tartness that refreshes rather than assaults. Mid-palate reveals the oak's gentle tannins and a vinous quality that speaks to the beer's long maturation. The finish turns dry and slightly austere, with acidity lingering without harshness.

soft tartnessvinous characterdry finish

◑ Finish

The aftertaste persists with refined acidity and a whisper of oak. No warmth from the 7.5% ABV intrudes—instead, the beer concludes clean and contemplative.

lingering acidityclean departure
83
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
82
Appearance
85
Finish
82
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Vieille Provision

Serve at 6–9°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 6–9°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Vieille Provision

About Sour Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Sour Ale?

Sour Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Sour Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same sour, oak, citrusy character as Vieille Provision will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Sour Ales in hopIQ

Compare with another beer →Explore all Sour Ale beers in hopIQ →Browse Belgium beers →