Cantillon Framboise

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

Sampled draught. Clear red. Acidic nose with a tart raspberry aroma. Very dry, the raspberry flavour is well balanced and not overpowering the subtlety flavurs of the gueuze. Bordering on being too acidic for me.

Bottle @ Heeren van Liedekercke, Denderleeuw, Belgium. [Vintage 1988]. Clear medium orange color with a small, fizzy, fair lacing, fully diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is moderate to light heavy, wood, sour, vinegar, tart, raspberry, vintage, lovely aroma. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet, light to moderate bitter, sour with a long duration, and a dry finish. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. ;o)) (290208)

1979 bottle: Acidic raspberry aroma. Dark yellow colour, small white head. Looks quite lively for a 25 year old beer. Very acidic vinegar flavour with a hint of raspberry. Something like white wine with vinegar. Earthy, slightly mouldy flavour. Fresh bottle: Berry aroma. Unclear red colour, very small pink head. Clear raspberry flavour with some acidity, also in aftertaste.

1979 bottle from The Kulminator. Reddish brown colour with thin white head. Yeasty, raspberry aroma. Odd sharp fruit on end. A little harsh, but it has stood up to the test of time amazingly well.

Kulminator Antwerp: LCRBM "afterparty". I was allowed to taste this magnificent 1979 beer. Lively raspberry and lemon aroma and flavor. Still very sour, hasn’t eased down a bit, I’d guess. A great beer!

A Mes rate: 1988 37.5cl bottle at DHVL.
As soon as this landed on the table in its basket and a generous portion poured into a beautiful etched Cantillon flute, I knew this was going to be special. The label was just starting to give way to biodegradation and obviously the bottle was very dusty. Mid afternoon autumn light was peeking through the windows, Ruud was starting to prepare me a steak in Roquefort and Rochefort sauce and once I started sniffing at this stuff, pretty much everything was perfect. This is utterly superb. Obviously quality aged lambic is generally a good thing but this seemed to be hitting the sweet spot right on the button. I watched Joost pour this from the other side of the bar and it looked nothing short of stunning with the light hitting the glass. Dark amber with a beautiful red hue and a thin white rim of bubbles. It’s an easy 5. Heavy, tart, seedy framboise on the nose but dig deeper and there are notes of sherry, strawberry, faint alcohol, wheat and spice. It’s a wonderfully warm and comforting smell. Surprisingly full in the mouth, like a jam roly poly. Sweet, tart, dry, tangy and surprisingly spritely for its age. It really is all over the place. Absolutely amazing. Zips round the mouth and wakes the taste buds banging a wooden spoon on the bottom of a saucepan. Finishes like thick strawberry jam on white bread, topped with fresh, yes still fresh, raspberries. Utterly sublime mouthfeel. Dry and sweet are balanced so perfectly it really is hard to describe. Clearly one of the best beers I have ever or will ever try and a shining example of what an incredible cellar Joost keeps.

Considering the style, Scores ranging from 1 to 5, 5 being the most intense
Appearance:
Body:   Clear(1)->Murky(5) : 3     Pale Yellow(1)->Copper(5) : 4     Still(1)->Volcanic Sparkling(5) : 2
Head:   None(1)->Large(5) : 2     Lasting: 1     Lacing : 2
Aroma:
Intensity : 4  
Yeast : 5   Bread : XX   Dough : XX   Esters : 2   Phenols : XX   Dusty : 4   Spicy : XX   Apple : 2   Banana : XX   Tropical Fruits : XX   Brett : 3   Barnyard : 3   Leather : 4   Wood : 4   Vinous : 5   Cheese : XX   DMS : XX   Diacetyl : XX Sulfur : XX
Malt : 2   Pilsner : XX   Pale : XX   Vienna : XX   Biscuity : XX   Toasty : XX   Hay : XX   Caramel : XX   Honey : XX   Cereals : 1   Grainy : XX   Wheat : 3
Hops : 1   Noble(1)->American(5) : 1   Leafy : 2   Perfume : XX   Orange : XX   Floral : XX   Lemon/Lime : XX   Herbal : XX   Grassy : XX   Piney : XX
Notes : Pepper : XX   Cloves : XX   Coriander : XX   Ginger : XX   Orange : 2   Earth : XX   Vanilla : XX   Oxidation : 2   Bubblegum : XX
Flavor:
Initial Flavor : Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 2   Finish Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 1   Sourness : 3   Acetic : 2   Lactic : 3   Bitterness : XX   Farmy : 3   Complex : 3   Length : 4
Palate:
Light(1)->Full(5) : 4   Flat(1)->Fizzy(5) : 3   Clean : XX   Sharp : XX   Watery : XX   Oily : XX   Chalk : XX   Astringent : XX   Alcohol : XX   Mineral : XX

Comments: A 1986 vintage: fully yeasty, musty, cellary lambic with softened fruits, leather and barnyardy tones. Still sharply citric, grapefruity more than anything else and has grown quite oaky which has overtaken the fruit a bit. No juiciness left and assumingly not as lip-smackingly sour as it once was. Still quite fresh though, but more in a vinous way and remarkably full bodied at that. A tender beast.

Kulminator, 1979, I was getting quite jolly with dirk by this tim and after asking him numerous times i seemed to pull one out the bag. However in doing so i kept my notes minimal and kept up the jolly. Notes say: Awsome 4.3. From memory its one of the most drinkable beers iv ever had, the bottle was finished in 10 mins, looked amazing with minimal sediment which ment i could have more.