Cantillon Bruocsella 1900 Grand Cru

Brewed by Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Unblended
Brussels, Belgium

bottle. my first Cantillon (and of the style), finally!! smells slightly sour and also of pears and apples. clear golden, flat head. WOW! complexity that you wouldn’t imagine just from the aroma. mouth puckering sourness, acidic. some fruitiness. very tasty, I’m quite impressed.

gold colored. no head. fruity aroma. slightly sour. bret, wood, mushrooms, and some citrus and apple juice flavors. hint of alcohol. i dont like the wood flavors.

On tap at Sputyen. Clear light orange in color with a nice fruity aroma. Oaky grape and apple notes. Fruity and tart flavor. Sour tasting. Apples and pears. Finish is sour and fruity. Well balanced. Very nice. Very drinkable. Great stuff.

2001: Immense amount of dense, white foam which turns rocky and sticky. Classic sharp/sour aroma is dominant alongside minerals, underlying mustiness, bandage, candle wax, wood, and dryish. No barnyard here in this fresh bottle. Before this gets a chance to roll around my mouth I was smacked by the inevitable and whalloping sourness. Metallic, extremely dry, semi-complex, medicinal, very vinous, and very acidic. This is entirely too fresh. I made the mistake by drinking this on an empty stomach. The thought of this, paired with a fine cheese or dinner, is tantalizing. Perhaps I would have known that, if it was not for the mindless vintagers stamping the date uselessly on the cork. Am I missing something here or am I just an oblivious fool?

2005 bottle.Poured a lightly hazy orangey-yellow, no head, virtually no effervescence. A ton of funk in the nose, barnyard, wet horse, wet straw, with less prominent fruit notes such as persimmon, apricot, peach and something tropical like mango. Still, as in uncarbonated, which I’m not too keen on, but I suppose thats to be expected for unblended lambic. Flavor is nicely sour/acidic, with a drying tannic finish which lingers just about forever, along with something vaguely floral. Moderately sweet up front, with a mild fruit showing, but the acidity quickly takes over. Regardless, its not an overly hard acidity, and it remains easily palatable. Curious, interesting specimen, and a difficult rate.

Bottle. Cloudy golden-yellow in colour. Pours with no head. Stunning aroma with lots of sourness, must, grapes and flower petals. The flavour was musty, some old cheese, apple skin, startch, very sour. Refreshing acidic saliva-inducing mouthfeel, medium-light body. The finishes lingers on and on. Wow, it doesn’t get much better then this.

Cork shows 2005. Pours hazy amber with very little head. Aroma is quite tart with vinegar and light spice. Medium body, but heartier body than expected - little to no carbonation to be found. Taste is sour with dry wine characteristics, especially on the finish. Strong earthiness in the background. Nice beer. (original rating - 7/3/7/3/15 - 3.5) <P> Rerate notes: Aroma also has light leather and barnyard funk. Taste is refreshing and tart and citrus along with what was mentioned previously. Very nice beer.

750ml bottle - My first unblended as well... pours yellowish with very little head. The aroma is sour and funky and obviously so is the taste. Like a gueuze, this lambic does not have fruit added and the typical wild yeast lambic funk really dominates the flavor. It didn’t blow me away though it was enjoyable enough (or maybe not given the high price point).