Belle-Vue Sélection Lambic

Formerly brewed at Belle-Vue (InBev)
Style: Lambic - Gueuze
Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium

99: Pour is hazed orangey amber with a thin skin of an off white head...smell is exactly as you would expect...not expect from Belle-Vue, but from a wonderful gueuze...first tart lactic-ness...all sorts of sour fruits...cherry, oak strawberry...then funky barnyard wonderfulness...not abrasively sour in flavor, but definately "apparent"...

From 750mL Bottle, 1999 Vintage. Hazy, murky orange pour with a healthy bubbly dose of white head. The aroma is an amazing balance between delicate fruits and sour acidity. Lucsious aromas of sweet peach and granny smith apples gently caress my nostrils, complimented boldly, yet exquisitely by a dry, woody sourness. A touch of nice vanilla adds a further pleasing dimension. Clean, tantalizingly sparkling, light effervescent mouthfeel. The palate is also superbly balanced, bringing out more of the fruity flavors with a nice oakiness that reminds me of a fine chardonnay. Crisp, delcious acidity in the finish that cleans the palate in a soft, delicate way. Fabulous!

Bottle at RBESG 2006. Wow! There’s a party in my mouth and all my sourest yet still likeable friends are invited. Fruit salad and stinky cheese. Amazing finish.

1999 vintage bottle number 03995, Sampled October 2006
Pours with an almost brilliantly clear, amber color. It is just a touch carbonated with a wisp of bubbles evident as they work there way up through the beer. Almost no head to speak of, just a touch of tan ring around the sides of the glass. The aroma is quite sharp; notes of lactic acid overlay a touch acetic acid and a touch of something like urea. Wood like notes of oak and a bit of a grapefruit like citrus note help to soften the dominant acid aromatics. There is a hint of something that makes me think of wild mushrooms, and this seems to merge a bit with the woody notes as well. A solid fruit character is here as well, it reminds me of Sauvignon Blanc grapes, a bit of citrus and even something that reminds me of tart berries. As my olfactory fixated journey continues I pick up notes of phenolics (even approaching something like plastic), a touch of alcohol towards the end and whole slew of esters that are hard to describe individually. There is certainly a Brettanomyces presence here, but it is fairly mellow (perhaps age has muted this).

Mouth puckeringly tart for my first sip; it just about hollowed out my cheeks on that first pass. It is only lightly carbonated, with perhaps a hint of prickly carbonation. The tartness becomes quite a bit more manageable after the first sip, dropping to a still dominant, yet pleasant level. The combination of acids in this beer make me think of grapefruit. The finish, while still significantly tart, takes on an astringent tannic woody quality to it that is fairly subtle, and even makes me think of bitterly astringent fruit skins. As any good Lambic should be, this beer is eminently drinkable; the combination of dryness, tartness and lightness make for a refreshing tipple. This assumes you like aggressively tart things, but I do so that is not a problem. Restrained funk for a Gueuze, it none the less exhibits some notes of musty horse blanket and urea.

As I work my way through this beer it starts to pick up just a touch of sweetness, or at least a perception of one. I am now getting a note of plum, in addition to the other fruit notes. This helps to mellow out the acid quality and even makes me think of green apples. This beer would be incredible if it was sufficiently carbonated to the usually high levels of a Gueuze. I have a feeling it would be quite a bit more expressive. As it is though, this beer is quite enjoyable, and even more so, I am tickled pink to be drinking a bottle of this. This beer definitely lived up to my expectations, there are certainly a good handfull of Gueuzes I prefer to this, but as is (and expecially if it was carbonated) this beer confirms once again how very much I love a good Lambic. Thank you Kepano, finally I can change my avatar; now the question is what to.

Bottle at RBSGE-06, GTN. (1999 vintage). Orange colour with a white head. Aroma is fruit, yeast, sour. Flavour is sour, yeast, citrus, orange, apple.

Bottle, 75cl corked, at Plan B, Copenhagen. Thx to MiP. An orange, unclear beer with a minimal white head. Funky nose with horseblanket and citrus. Citrus, mostly lemon, dominates the flavor, tart and funky, medium mouthfeel, very astringent. Very long lemony finish. A gorgeous beer, intensely sour and citric, a real palate cleanser. RAting: 8-4-8-4-17-4.1. (080913)

Bottled at RBESG-06, GTN. (1999 vintage, thx Jacob.) Hazy, orange beer with some white bubbles around the rim. Sourness, yeast, cellar, apples, grass and citrus in the aroma. The flavor is wonderful, intensely sour, with citrus, apples, grass and lemon. Really palate-cleansing. Vauw! It kicks you in your mouth and throat. Amazing! Almost too much. (060826)

[Sampled at RBESG 2006]y golden, no head. Sour aroma, rubber and diesel. Very sour flavour; rather harsh.

(Bottle) Pours citrusy yellow. No head. Acid, fruity, sour aroma with wood and unripe grapes. Very sour flavour with citric peel and wood. Acid. Leaves a cover on your teeth. Fresh, medium body.