Cantillon Crianza Helena

Formerly brewed at Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Gueuze
Brussels, Belgium

Huge thanks to MatSciGuy and TytoAnderso for this taste!!!! An exceptionally well done gueuze with horse blanket and banyard funk dominant on both the aroma and flavor. Not as strongly tart as other Cantillon’s I’ve had, but still a kick in the palate! A little vinous character beyond the lambic characteristics, but I was disappointed that more of the cognac didn’t come through as strongly as it did in the 50ºN-4ºE .

From a 750ml bottle at The Lion’s Pride - thanks Chris! Pours a light cloudy golden colour with cream white head. Strong winey aroma with white grape and clean, crisp Asian pear. Interesting dry, crisp flavor with white grapes, chalky mineral, and a certain quality that reminded me of oak aged white wine. The finish starts off with a hint of citrus sweetness then finished bone dry as expected of Cantillon. A very well constructed gueuze that I am certain will improve even more with age.

2008 Cork Date; Sampled September 2009
A steady pour into my large Tripel Karmeliet tulip produces an almost three-finger thick, pale tan colored head. The beer is a murky, light amber color that shows a hazed, orange tinted, gold color when held up to the light. The aroma has a nice sourness to it that I find deeply satisfying; a bit lactic acidity is followed by a backdrop of urea, ample butyric acid notes (a big musky note, ample mustiness that turns into a damp, almost moldy earthiness). Other funky notes of woody mushroom aromatics, a touch of acetone, some rubbing alcohol are also found in the nose. There is a grassy grain note here too, as well as some nice fruitiness that contributes notes similar to grapefruit, a touch of sour pear and some sour apple aromatics. Structured oak notes provide a solid woodiness as well as some light spicing. The nose of this beer is fantastically complex, exquisitely intriguing and exactly something that I really want to spend time breathing in.

The beer is bracingly tart as it first hits my tongue, but it is not among the most aggressive Cantillon beers. There is also a nice, though soft, fruitiness here, especially in the finish, that one doesn’t usually associate with a Lambic; I am tasting flavors reminiscent of star fruit, touches of green, unripe apple and a grapefruit note (this last can often be found in Lambic). The oak character is big here (at least for a Lambic, and it was even more defined in the nose than usual), it is not dominant though; it provides lots of tannic structure to the body, a light spiciness and a definite woody flavor. The oak character, for some reason, really reminds me of the oak notes found in a tannic red wine (though I can’t quite place my finger on why). There is a definite urea note here that lingers just underneath the more dominant notes; it pairs with a musty, earthy flavor that then moves into a musky, signature Brettanomyces funkiness that lingers on the tongue in the finish. The body here is nice and light, but still has a nice structure / framework due to the oak tannins; it is not at all watery and is about as good as I could ask for in a Lambic.

I wouldn’t have guessed that the two interesting barrels that went into this blend (the cognac and Bordeaux barrels) were in this beer without first knowing that fact, but there is a definite fruitiness to this brew that one doesn’t usually find in a Lambic fermented in a often used barrel; notes of green apple and a not ripe fruit character are definitely found in the flavor profile and provide a unique touch to this Gueuze. As the beer warms the fruitiness only becomes more apparent.

This is an absolutely fantastic Lambic; it is not the hardest, most sour version out there, and it is very well integrated in each of its component characteristics. The touch of fruitiness from the barrel character is quite a nice addition, as is the fresh oak character that is not found in the typical Lambic. This is one of those beers that remind me that the complexity and integration of the top Lambic producers is so much better than can be found in all but a select few of the American Sour producers. Just simply an awesome beer that I have thoroughly enjoyed drinking.

Aroma has notes of tropical fruit - starfruit in particular and nice cognac notes as well. Quite tart and dry, as Cantillons are wont to be. The elegance of this blend, however is almost unreal. Hints of tannin from the Bordeaux barrels plays off the acidity. Just superb.

Nice pale, hazy yellow with a sharp barnyard aroma with notes of citrus, mature fruit and light cognac. Flavour is very citrus loaded, musty, fruity and complex with a tart, ultra dry finish.

Dr. Bill Tasting - Falling Rock - GABF 2009: THank jesus for this. Orangish-yellow colors under a full sky of clouds. The nose...ha. The nose..this is cantillon...sour funky wood! with a bit of cheese and a whole hell load of jesus. Flavors were cheesey funk and bandage galore. A bit mellow on the sourness but who needs sourness when you have a brainload of funk. "jesus in a bottle"...sung like the Police.

BCTC. Many thanks to the incredible generosity of the RB crowd. I managed to get about a half ounce of this, but when will I get to try it again. Hazy yellow with flat white head. Funky horseballs tart citrus aroma. Funky grapefruit melon with extremely dry funky horseballs tart finish. Nice effervescent carbo. Awesome.

Bottle @ Heeren Van Liedekercke, Denderleeuw.Pours a clear golden color with a small white head. Has a slightly sweetish malty tart barnyard aroma with some citrus hints. Very smooth fruity mild tart barnyard flavor with hints of citrus and grapefruit. Has a fruity tart citrus and grapefruit finish.