Cantillon Bruocsella 1900 Grand Cru

Brewed by Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Unblended
Brussels, Belgium

Bottle shared with blankboy, HogTownHarry & tupalev - courtesy HogTownHarry. Hazy orange-amber with a very still body and no head. Aroma is very sour and funky, with some serious band-aid/medicinal notes - really nice. Flavour is agressively tart and acidic off the top - it was almost too much for me, and I usually really like lambics & geuzes. I got into it more after a few sips, but I found it lacked the complexity and character of the other Cantillon beers that I’ve had. I think I would’ve appreciated it more on it’s own rather than in the middle of a several hour tasting session. At least it cleared those awful Glenora beers from my palate...

Nice slightly hazy golden coloured body, with strong orange highlights with no head at all to think of. Aroma of sour grapes, lemons, yeast, limes and vinegar - GREAT! Light-bodied; Amazing sour flavour up front with a good mellow body and a super tart mouthful. Aftertaste shows character with sour twangs the most noticeable. Overall, a great sour beer with an amazing feeling. I’d definitely sample this one again - hopefully soon! I sampled this 75 cL bottle purchased from Whole Foods in Clarendon (Arlington), Virginia.

750mL, 2005 bottle. Hazy, golden-orange appearance; headless and still. Very funky nose - "gym socks" is definitely applicable; also lemon, a barnyard funk, some tartness. Mouthfeel isn’t quite one-dimensional; plenty of acidity, puckering; lemony flavors dominate; slightly mouth-drying; medium mouthfeel, with a long sour and citrus finish; slightest oak toastiness. Palettable; would benefit a bit from carbonation, but pretty impressive and composed for a still beer.

Slightly hazy light orange color, no head, but a few small bubbles on the outside of the glass. Sour aroma with bits of old sweaty socks, wood casks and green apples. Sour wood taste, but not as strong as some. Ends acidic, sour and dry. Not recommended for the first lambic experience, but something unique for those that like the style.

Bottled 2002, Sampled February 2004
The cork pulls with an apparent lack of carbonation. An immediate sour musty aroma wafts from the bottle. When poured into my glass the complete & total lack of carbonation is quite apparent. Cool just like having a traditional Lambic straight from the barrel. The aroma is of course dominated by sour acidic notes but there is an apparent woody aroma and a sharp note of urea as well. The beer itself is a hazy light orange color, and because of the non-existent carbonation there is no head at all.

Strong notes of grapefruit are in the taste of this beer. At first I did not think this beer was all that acidic, but as the beer moved past the front of my mouth the full acidity of this Lambic kicked in. This beer has a very light body, which is accentuated by the lack of carbonation. I get notes of bergamot in the middle, and notes of tannin in the finish. This beer has the full suite of funky Lambic characteristics, though the musty-leather/ barnyard character is perhaps a bit subdued compared to some others. There are some notes of a good stinky French farmhouse cheese, as well as some woody funky-wild mushroom characteristics in my glass. This particular bottle of Lambic is not all that acidic compared to most of the Cantillon range. It is of course surprisingly sour at first, but, unlike most, the acidity seems to reign in after a bit. This is so complex, you can sip and try & dissect all of the competing flavors until the end of your glass, then you wish you had more because you feel like there were a couple of things that you missed.

This is a great (and one of the few) examples of a traditional Lambic. This beer is one of the few chances for most to sample an unblended Lambic, and for this alone Cantillon is to be applauded. I do like this beer quite a bit. A bit of warning though, these flat bottles of Lambic need to be served warmer than usual, about 60*F (15*C), as I find uncarbonated Lambic needs to be a bit warmer than usual in order to fully express it's charms.

Bottle (from Cantillon, ’03 Bottle ’07). Rich golden orange apple juice appearance. Soft slightly cheesey cellar aroma with light citrussy acidity. Mild earthy fruitiness in mouth and restrained sourness for Cantillon. Laid back and very drinkable but with backs of flavour. I imagine this would be more aggressive after longer in the bottle.

Cloudy Orange Coloring. Big White Head. I Don’t Know How Else to say it But a Cloudy Flavor. Sweet..Some Citrus, Then Sour/Tart. Little Dry and Agreeably Pulpy a the End. Definitly One to Keep Around. Very Enjoyable to Drink.

Bottle, 75 cl. Hazy orange golden, no head. Fruity cidery aroma with green apples and grapefruit, and some faint wooden notes. Light to medium bodied, almost no carbonation. Very dry and sour flavour that lingers. Not the harsh scidity that may be found in some Cantillons. Surprisingly plain, it will hopefully gain some complexity in my cellar.