Cantillon Cuvée des Champions

Brewed by Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Gueuze
Brussels, Belgium

750 ml bottle. Deep golden beer that pours perfectly clear. Light spritzy carbonation. Aroma is pure cantillon, leathery, barnyardy aroma with some light cologne. Very vineous nose with a light earthy character. Lighter acidity than is typical for Cantillon. Some pear/apricot fruitiness. In the mouth, the beer is crisp and bracing with soft lactic acidity, cologne and some earthy/spicy hop flavours as well. Much more restrained than most of their other offerings, but with less acidity the backing complexities are on display for all to see. Earthy dryness, perfumy hops with a great balance of acid, Brett and earthiness. Warming brings out even more peachy fruit and the malts are more prominent than in any other lambic I’ve had. First rate stuff. Cuvee de 89 Bottle shared with random American I met at the bar. Pale golden beer, creamy head. Incredible aroma… classical Cantillon sourness, grapefruit/lemon and heavy funkiness and acidity. Apricot and peach with some strong lemony citrus notes. Fruity and fresh. The hops appear to have diminished somewhat, but they do play off the typical fruitiness that Cantillon has. Assertive sourness. 9 4 8 4 17

Sampled at RBSG 2006- Grand Tasting. Hmmm. A wild yeast beer. I wish I could love these more. I feel like a dumbass for not connecting with beers like these. The aroma is like the toilet when you forget to flush and come back a day later. Incredibly acrid. You can pick out flavors of floor varnish and orange juice. I’d say this is at least 500 mM HCl. Someday, when I grow up, I’d like to be able to appreciate this style. Until then, ignore my rating.

Served as Derniere Cuvée 89 at Le Bier Circus. Finally, I got some mussels to eat with my gueuze. The one was refreshingly dry with a well-presented bitter finish. I was not disappointed…by either the beer or how well it paired with the mussels.

RBSG 2006, Grand Tasting. Slightly murky copper with a white head. Brett/barnyard and tartness in the aroma. Extremely tart and citric with notes of lemon, vinegar and horseblanket/hay. Highly attenuated, dry, spritzy mouthfeel. Quality stuff, but not my favorite style.

Pour is hazy yellow with a thin white head...smell is funky and citric...taste is not overpowering tart, and slightly thin I think...delicious for sure though.

RBSG 06 - Hazy dark gold, fizzy white head. Complex nose of cheese , horse, farmhouse, lemon, and wood. Similar flavors that were typical mouth puckering sour lemon, wood, and crazy funk. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, bitter, sour, tart, citirc finish. Another highlight of the evening....

Rerate, 750mL bottle, 2006 vintage, courtesy of ryan. Thanks! Pours a hazy, golden-tan color; very light tan head with solid, creamy retention and fine-bubbled lacing; very solid pour. Shows a ton of funk at the front of the aroma, followed by loads of lemony citrus, grapefruit, and lots of lively, zesty tartness; generous nose. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: high levels of acidity and lemony sourness; zesty, spritzy; impressively generous citrus / lemon and funkiness, but just a touch too acidic / citrus-driven to stay especially drinkable. Still very good. Lengthy, sour finish: tart lemons, mineral bitterness, and lingering acidity. 8.4.7.4.14=3.7

RBSG 06. Lightly clouded grapefruit appearance, with sour cherries and grapefruit/citrus in the nose. Mouthfeel shows tartness, funk, citrus, and (third time’s a charm) grapefruit. Medium finish. 9.4.7.4.16=4.0

Bottle. Hazy dark golden in colour with a medium sized white head. Very citric and hayish. Very nice and well balanced sourness and bitterness.