Cantillon Saint Lamvinus

Brewed by Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Fruit
Brussels, Belgium

750, cap and cork - Oct. 26, 2006 on the bottle. Pretty ugly looking beer - murky pureed berry color with an almost white, light pink head. Nose is wild and sour - bready and funky. The oak is a nice complement but I don’t get anything vinous on the nose. Mostly sour, not very subtle, but intriguing. Flavor is better - huge sour punch up front with a rounded fruit and wine middle. Soft for a split second and then pile-driving sourness. Earthy and supple finish with nice mineral qualities. Not overly pithy - it’s the kind of lambic that makes your mouth really water as you sip it. Excellent tiny bubbles and silky mouthfeel, dusty finish. Nicely done.

Champange Bottle 75 cl. Pours a red/light brown with a tiny white head.. The aroma is outstanding, rather sour but full of strawberries mingled with all kinds of berries. The taste is very sour in the beginning but is fading out to be sweet/sour like a red grapefruite with notes of almonds and you sense the oakbarrels. Compared to other Lambics this one hasn´t got that buttery (oily)sidetaste and feeling.

Draught @ Ebenezer’s. Beauitful clear red, almost no head. Aroma is slightly tart, sweetly vinous, red grapes. Hint of vinegar. Taste begins with tart vinegar, finishes with a quick snap of tartness followed by a lingering vinous red wine. Quite carbonated, with a nice light body. Fruity, beautiful.

75cl, exclusive brew with red grapes, from De Hiopduvel Gent, very complex, balanced, cloudy, nearly no head, very good sour brew, but expensive, the best of the Cantillon-range, a topper!

Bottle. Frothy white fair mostly deminishing head. Red colour. Exstremely sour aroma and flavor. Fruity (grape) notes. Not sweet. Average finish. Oily palate. Not very good.

On tap at Belmont Station puckerfest. Pours darker red with a soft white/pink head that falls fast. This had a quick touch of sweetness, more so than any other Cantillon I can think of at the moment, red grape lends a nice taste leading into the sour and acidic finish. Woody and dry finish with a sourness that is fairly mild for Cantillon.

On tap at Belmont Station’s Puckerfest 2008--$8 for 25 cl, but kind of worth it--Poured a hazy magenta body with a small fizzy pink head. Taste of sour cherries and grapes that burst up the nose. Acidic with a nice body and great mouthfeel. Another terrific sour from Cantillon.

Bottle. Lovely reddish white thick rocky head. Fair display of lacework. Pale reddish Merlot grape color. Aroma was grapes, wood, horse blanket, mild fruit, quite vinous over the palate. Medium to full bodied with an average carbonation and very dry texture. Moderated to heavy acidic with good counter sweetness. Lingering grape and sour ending. Very nice!