Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus

Brewed by Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Fruit
Brussels, Belgium

12 oz bottle served in a pair of flute glasses and shared with my wife. Having already enjoyed the somewhat risque artwork, I thought this selection might be perfect for setting an appropriate Valentines-Day, post-dinner mood. I might point out that for some number of years she has equated lambic to mean Lindeman’s sweet interpretation, which is wholly my fault and may give you an idea where this is going....

The pour is a clear and rosy pale amber, generating a minimal, rapidly dissipitating head. All good so far.

We inhale the aroma. A bit aggressive, with plenty of barnyard & horse sweat to go around, an almost undetectable hint of fruit, and noticeable tartness. Hmmm...who claimed tartness can’t be picked up in the nose? Upon further contemplation, I detect a yeasty character similar to that present in a Duvel. This observation is utterly lost on my wife, who is tentatively sniffing and making some indelicate aroma rating suggestions that I have declined to record.

We clink glasses and drink. Her face wrinkles, she blinks twice, swallows hard and excalims "This is horrid! How can you possibly drink this stuff?" Meanwhile I’m mentally processing a wickedly sour, super tart, very dry, and somewhat astringent flavor profile, combined with a healthy dose of well-worn saddle blanket. Simultaneously, I’m doing my best to explain the concept of deliberately broadening our sensory horizons together, but all I can envision is the bottle’s label going up in flames.

Inspiration strikes, and I suggest cracking a bottle of New Glarus Raspberry Tart that I’ve squirreled away for a chilly Wisconsin day. That day is definitely today.

With my lovely wife’s demanding palate now satisfied, I get back to my analytics on this brew. Thhe astringency and sourness literally dries and puckers the skin on the inside of my lips, parts of my tongue and the back of my throat. I fail to detect any raspberry character. Consuming more steadily, I begin to apppriate its interesting but not so subtle or delicate qualities, while my charming and vivacious wife makes cracks about mixing the remainder with some olive oil and using it as salad dressing.

I sample a glass of the Raspberry Tart, which seems merely sweet in comparison.

Finishing up, I switch back to her unfinished glass of Gambrinus. Any desensitizing I had from earlier has faded and I almost choke when the liquid hits the back of my throat. Wow. Not my everyday brew, but definitely interesting. Good thing I still have another bottle squirreled away for a rainy day....

Pours pinkish but settles a brighter apricot orange with a little white head. the aroma is sweet berries and a wonderfully funky sour barnyard character. Ammonia, honey, and very tart sour cherry. Plenty of activity in the nostrils. The flavor is very, very sour and tart. It’s got a dusty feel to it and a sour cherry fruit explodes into the mouth. Very dry upfront and on the finish with a dry oak flavor mixing in with the sourness. A dusty must flavor and character sits around. Earthy, spicy and complex. I love Cantillon. You just don’t find too many beers with so much activity.

Bottle 750ml Flute. Very light aroma of raspberries and sour tartness. Pours a wonderful cloudy light pink color. Taste is very floral, tart, and tight on carbonation. I drank this 750 quickly and enjoyed it quite a bit, beats the hell out of those sweetend perfumed "lambics"/

So, there we were at the Williams family barbecue. I knew this one would be a novelty even though these events always have a fine selection of quality if not generally mainstream beers. You will never see a Tooheys, VB or any other such swill at these events. Mind you, Shag did bring some Carlton Colds but we told him he could either shove them back in his esky or up his arse. Willo did suggest something about him leaving some behind so he could kill the snails around the pool but we agreed that even gastropods deserve better treatment than that. We of course could have poured some of this delightful Cantillon for them on the basis that it would most certainly cure a bad dose of worms in us humans. Look, I know it is supposed to be sour and a little cloudy. But holy mother of God and all the saints preserve us!!! The collective pucker was more pronounced than a twelve course degustation meal by Jamie Oliver. Hearing our obvious cries of discomfort the girls asked what was wrong . They were soon apprised of the situation when this delight was wafted under their noses. Actually that was really the best bit. I didn’t mind the slight raspberry aroma which goes to show the olfactory doesn’t detect sour. It was a real pity that Cranno wasn’t there at the time because his reaction would have been the best of the lot. I know that many of the punters on this site love this stuff but there are many people in this world who drink their own urine too.

Poured a cloudy ruby-red. Aroma was sour raspberries, lemons, and was just kind of weird. On the first sip, it hit me kind of hard - vibrant sourness, strong carbonatin, sour raspberries, and lemon. Finished very dry. I liked it, it was strange but very pleasant. My fiance loved it, which is really unusual.

Light red-pink coloured, small and diminishing white head, lots of carbonation. Sour fruity aroma, with some wooden cask touches. Full palate, some sprankling. Finish is little astringent, bitter fruity with a light peppery wooden touch. Dry bitter near the end. Special, Hors Categorie beer.

God was this a disappointment and I actually expected something much better. The Rose De Gambrinus has the be the most acidic beverage I have ever had to inatake. Try downing a 750 ml and ur gonna find yourself gushing alka seltzer and chewing rolaids all night. Come on Cantillon we expect much better.

Pours a one finger white head that fades quickly leaving no lace. Cloudy red/amber color. Light carbonation and light-medium bodied. Nose is remarkably like vomit. Starts as sour apples becomes more sour like lemon juice, dry finish; easily the least enjoyed Belgian I have had. 750ml bottle - gift from Vintage Cellars Blacksburg, Va.