Cantillon Cuvée des Champions

Brewed by Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Gueuze
Brussels, Belgium

this is an awesome gueze...tons of funk and lots of citrusy grapefruity rind and juice flavors....tart finish....wow...wish I could get way way more of this 06 vintage

Poured from a 750 ml bottle, vintage 2006. Hazy mist of blonde appearance. Feathery funk and floral herb aroma; lemongrass and zest, mildew and mold, cheese rinds. Glowing citrus character in the flavor of grapefruit, lemon and lime, juices and rinds; a dried out, pithy bitterness and raging acidic fruit character wholly dominant throughout. Dry herbal funk lingers calmly underneath all that rindy fruit character with a musty, blue cheese and vinegar stink that seems calm and strangely clean. Spritzy and full palate; distinctive and commanding; finishes with a pleasingly sweet, tangy funk of goat cheese and lavender that rubs gently and dryly. Beautiful balance in this seemingly simplified example. Thanks Ryan!

Pours a murky orange with almost no head. Pretty sour and tart with some bitterness. Citric with hints of vinegar. Medium carbonation.

On tap at Brouwer’s. Picture perfect! Orange with a full creamy head in a small tulip glass. Cheesy, spritzy sour scent. Sour citrus refreshing taste. Sourness sinks in. Tasty!

draft @ brouwer’s sour fest - pale yellow and cloudy with white head; lots of carbonation; aromas of lemon, pineapple and yeast; drinks sharp and crisp with lots of zing in your mouth; flavors are sweet and sourness is muted; this was my fav of the cantillon’s sampled at the fest

On tap @ Brouwer’s. What is incredible about this gueze is it’s light and airy champagne feel. The flavor is all there, with less acid intake! Highly enjoyable experience, would love to taste what happens with some age in a bottle.

25 oz bottle, bottled in 2004, via hopdog. First pour is a crystal clear dark gold body with a one inch fizzy white head that faded fairly quickly to a wispy partial covering. Light visible carbonation. The nose is funky and cheesy with some sweaty feet and musty damp cellar. There’s a really interesting wet leather scent in there too. A hint of some acidity, some oaky notes, and citrus rinds. First taste is bracingly tart and acidic with lots of musty cellar and funkiness on the finish. It’s pretty one dimensional at first, all I get is lots of sourness, but everything really blooms on the finish. There’s some crusty bread maltiness and a tiny bit of powdery sugary sweetness. Not so sure I really get a whole lot of hoppiness. Mouthfeel is tight and crisp up front with a little more of a softer nuanced finish. Perfect slightly fizzy pinpoint carbonation. A wonderful Gueuze to be sure. It’s really amazing to me that this beer can be so wonderful and still be roughly in the 80th percentile for the style. There’s really alot of depth in the style.

From the Sour ALe Fest this pale yellow colour beer has a small white head. Tart and fruity aroma with a yeasty touch. Malty flavour with a light sourness and a spicy note. Great stuff.