 boboski (1095), USA
Aug 24, 2007 Updated: Oct 28, 2007
2007 vintage. A thin, well-retained pink and cream tinted head forms from a delicate pour. The body is a clouded, opaque color trio of crimson, pink and violet. Very pretty, though the clouded nature prevents a glow that would warrant a perfect 5 for appearance. The aroma is a restrained variety of easily identifiable Cantillon-styled funk, aromatic compositions only available in a beer from this most incredible brewery. Heavy barnyard scents and mild tartness(refrained, but certainly readily evident) lead in the aroma. Blueberries follow, both dusty and just squeezed sweetness nuances. Various berries are next, as well as moderate yeast that seems to place the beers’ developmental timeline(relating to bottle conditioning and funky proliferations) and at just prior to the halfway point. The nose finishes with a gently rolling wet wood note, possibly traces of a sherry wash present. Poignant though it is, this is surely a slow maturation process that has many wondrous components yet to be unleashed. Acidity is apparent long before the first confirming sip. Alcohol is completely undetectable. This nose is absolutely incredible, really everything I had hoped for. A healthy dusting of berry aromas is neither overbearing nor too shy, just beautifully executed. The flavor is stunning. Acidity is mild to moderate, devilishly integrated into woody and fruity notes so that is merely a bold complimentary addition, never any sort of distraction or focal point - in short, it does its job well, nothing more and nothing less. Sweetness is mild, bitterness is light-mild. Varied berry tastes are the center of attention foremost, then Cantillon’s signature funk brings a complexity rarely seen into the picture, quickly assuming the role of placeholder for subtler tastes to play off of. The finish is lightly acidic and leaves a long-lingering berry and wood combination behind, that is accentuated rather replaced by funkiness. This is just absurdly drinkable, moreso than any Cantillon I’ve encountered, more refreshing than any fruit lambic yet sampled. The palate is medium bodied, airy, with velvety, thick carbonation and a light sting from acids. Congratulations Jeppe and Jean-Pierre, this is a gorgeous work of art that will no doubt only improve with time. We’ll see - my cellar is loaded with it. It’s wonderful to know that my confidence in this brewery has rewarded me with a dividend greater than I ever imagined. Bravo!
bradlyc77 (47), Sebastopol, California, USA
Nov 20, 2008 Pours a beautiful reddish-purple. Aroma is mixed musty, berry, woody. Very acidic and tart, complements the blueberries. I was fortunate to get to try this one, damn, I wish I appreciated sour beers more...
badgerben (3208), Blaine, Minnesota, USA
Oct 22, 2008 Updated: Oct 24, 2008<i>Sour Beer #100.</i> Much courtesy of BDR. Deep red or purple color with a medium head that quickly collapses into a film. Musty blueberry aroma, a little old oak and some winey qualities. Holy blueberry taste. It’s very leafy and herbal-like as well. Not just blueberries, but like they took a whole blueberry bush, knocked off the dirt and pitched the whole thing into the beer. I like! Very weak oak flavor as well. The tartness only arrives on the finish, which is also a bit of a Brett dryness. Freakin Yum!
kkearn (707), philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Oct 13, 2008 2007 Vintage, 750mL bottle. Big thanks to my cousin, ggaughan for this treat. Pours reddish purple, capped with a moderate sized light pink head. Nicely acidic aroma; tart with some blueberries and white pepper in the background. Flavor is tart but not over the top. Tartness takes the forefront, with wood, blueberries, brett, citrus, white pepper, and a little herbal character. Berries play a complimentary role, rather than being the star. Long, mildly tart finish. Really nice beer, I’m glad I got the opportunity to try this. Thanks, Greg.
andersand (29), Sweden
Oct 13, 2008 Deep, dark red with a small grey’ish head. Lovely, complex fruity and funky aroma. Vinous yet refreshing. Medium, slick body. Very full of taste. Starts sweet and fruity, only slightly sour. The finish has allot of blueberries. This beer has allot of dimensions, the aftertaste is dry with allot of genuine fruit taste. Generous, very tasty beer.
thebeertourist (1970), Oslo, Norway
Oct 10, 2008 2007 bottle, 75 cl, from Ølbutikken. Deep purple red colour with a small pinkish head that gradually disappeared. Complex fruity and funky aromas, fruit evolves from pure blueberries to more cherry character after a while, but the lemony Cantillon lambik nose is still strongly present. Strong impact by sharp lemony flavours at first, followed by more mellow blueberries, to be ended on a long, woody, acidic dry note. Truly wonderful.
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