Cantillon Loerik

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

OSLO and Guerde’s Memorial Weekend Tasting, 5/23/08. 1998 Vintage. I’m going to give slight props to Ryan and the former Cellars in Minnetonka. They had a sale about 4 years ago that provoked me into buying a lot of good Belgians, and this Loerik was one of them. I believe it was the last one on the shelf. I am very glad to have been able to pick it up and save it for such an ocassion. Also, props to Joebrew for successfully extracting the soaked cork after I had ripped out 2/3 of it. On to the beer... Cloudy dark orange color with a medium head. Slightly lemony aroma, a little wheat, moderate sourness, oak and barnyard. Holy monkey, Batman... The taste was all that and somehow more. The citrusy lemon provided just enough tartness to play with the sourness, which had evolved into a very fine sour. Earthy malt, a little caramel, fresh all-grain bread... insanely smooth. Good lord. Best Lambic I’ve ever had.

Poured from a 750 ml bottle, vintage 1998. Murky, blonde apricot pour. Searing apple cider vinegar and pear acidity in the aroma, quickly softened by a calm, cheesy yeast touch. Horseblanket, saltwater, pineapple, and brown sugar; the balance of malt warmth and wild character is careful and clean. Flavor is a blanketing mildewy sourness, sticky with funky glue and animal hair crawling the cave walls. Apple cider vinegar seems recurrent. Palate is very lightly carbonated, with a searing, confronting acidity on an almost syrupy yeasty texture that glimmers and zings with passing moments of fruity sparkling. Finish coalesces delicately into this soft, irish cheddar dryness, cleaning the palate with a with this forgiving funkiness that seems carefully polished and quite kind. Outstanding and approachable. Thanks Ben!

Sampled at OSLO/Guerde’s Memorial Day tasting. A 1998 Vintage and shared by Badgerben. Pours a hazy orange amber brew with a fizzy off-white head that quickly dissipates to a film top and white ring. Aroma of barnyard funk, dry wheat, vinegar apple cider and a touch of pear. Taste is over the top tart and funky, with some tart apple, dark pitted fruit and some tangerine. Finish is still as tart and sour as its flavor with a sour apple and orange aftertaste. Most excellent!

Bottle 75 cl. Vintage 1998 [Courtesy of Hildigöltur, thanks buddy] Large thick creamy white head that really lasted. Amazing for a Gueuze! Good display of lacework as well. Cloudy to hazy golden color. Aroma was extremely complex with notes of perfume, fresh apple, vinegar, milky acidic, hors blanket, wild yeasty notes. Over the palate came citrus, wheat, sour fruity notes as well. Full bodied with a soft carbonation and very smooth dry texture. Moderated acidic flavor with good counter sweetness. This was a quit unique experience as Gueuze normally is very carbonated, but this vintage came out very smooth. Sour dry fruity finish that lingers. Excellent and what a surprise Jacob!

Bottle @ Ølbaren, Cph.
[thank you so much, Hildigöltur for bringing this in for my 3,000th rating!!]
[vintage 1998]
Pours deep, slightly muddy, yellow with a fine, creamy white head. Excellent duration for a gueuze, fine lacing as well. Aroma is softly tart, good notes of oranges, barnyard and citric fruits. But generally very soft. Light carbonation, super dryness. Flavour starts of with some soft, sweet caramel. Then turns good tart, mostly citric and light lactic. Not that much brett-iness. Crazily elegant and drinkable... Wow, what a beer!

Again, thanks miketd: Not a sour fan, but I did get into this beer. Poured an inviting, warm orange. Flavor is earthy, sour, musky with fermented citrus. Not overwhelming; actually, very pleasant and sippable.

Poured a golden/straw color with a nice white head. Lemony aromy with sourness and some funk. Flavor is sour and woody. Great body and texture. A very nice beer!

From a 750mL Bottle, Vintage 1998. Generously shared by cquiroga. Mostly transparent, pale gold colored pour with a finger of fizzy white head. Funky aromas of leather, lemon rind, and a light pedio-cheesy, lactic sourness jump out of the glass instantly. Complex, but the aromas have a bit of a dull, dusty edge to them and lack the brightness that only the mind blowing geuezes seem to deliver. Light bodied, moderately carbonated mouthfeel with a light acidity. Flavors of tart lemons and lactic sourness combine with some musty peppers and white grape skins. Complex, aged funk complexity and a dry, crisp finish. Thanks for sharing, Chris!