Cantillon Bruocsella 1900 Grand Cru

Brewed by Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Unblended
Brussels, Belgium

My favorite Cantillon so far (12 sampled as of January 2007). This is funk at its most mellow, at its most refined and certainly at the height of its glory. Pours a murky, oily looking beige/orange with not a hint of carbonation. Aroma is a knockout: gargantuan oak barrel, peaches, Vermentino grapes(awesome), grapefruit juice, lemon, pepper, leather and plenty of Brett. Barnyard funk of a lighter variety than as with typical Cantillon(or is this typical Cantillon?), I suspect because no carbonation is forcing it upward and out of the glass. The flavor is just as rich and outstanding. warmer now, more profound barnyard and sour notes arrive with a twisted fruit and noble hop character. Also detected are substantial lemon oils and a throttling oak taste that punishes and carresses my mouth all at once. Palate is as smooth as could be but for the funky bashing my taste buds are enduring. Finishes with a steady lingering sour ness that only subsides if I drink something else. This is definitely not a beer for the faint of heart or uninitiated of palate. Older versions have proven even more exciting and refined. Bad Ass.

This is the first lambic I’ve ever tried when I wasn’t already lit, so I decided to pull out all the stops and serve it to myself in a "clean" juice glass while watching Black Dog on AMC. It combines the woody, wine like aroma of Black Dog’s Patrick Swayze with the crisp and surprisingly refreshing sourness of Black Dog’s Meat Loaf. That makes it a winner in my book.

Bottle. Smber beer with no head. Funky aroma with some oak. Very low carbonation. Low malt and nice sour flavor - not overly sour. Some earth, citrus, oak. Nice palalte cleanser. Refreshing. Nice tartness. Oak and tartness are the main components

750 ml Bottle via trade with WeeHeavySD (Thanks!). Pours a cloudy orange/amber color with no head whatsoever. A very fruity aroma, lemon, grapefruit, apples, and a sharp acidic twist. Flavor is wonderful. First, the brew comes off with a sharp acidic flavor then softly mellows to an oak note that is quite appealing. The citrus and acidity linger throughout but are not overpowering at all. Palate is nice and dry but surprisingly refreshing. Overall, This might be my favorite Lambic yet this is definitely a winner in my book. Cheers!!!

75 cl bottle from 2005. Hazy deep golden with almost no head at all. Acidic, lemony aroma together with wood. Lemon and woody flavours, very acidic, great complexity! Medium to light body and flat as is expected. Simply great!

Corked and capped 750 courtesy of and consumed with gputty. This little gem completes my 71 styles - whoopee!!! Ahem. Now then. Deep gold with absolutely no head or carbonation. Acidic, sour, slightly musty nose. Sour peach and white wine notes. Sour, tart flavors, acidic, peach, white grape, lots of flavors assaulting the tongue. Mellows out once fully warmed, and the stanky barnyardy musty hay aromas really come out. Wow, very good! Just hard to really get a handle on.

Capped and corked 750. Pours a dark, cloudy yellow with no carbonation. Nose is sour, barnyard and wood. Flavor follows. Very interesting and tough to dig through, but a pleasant experience.

Cork says 2005. Pours bright gold into a tumbler. No head -- looks like day old piss. Sharp, sour apple and oak. Dry and puckering but very flat with a lasting blue cheese finish.