Cantillon Saint Lamvinus

Brewed by Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Fruit
Brussels, Belgium

Thanks to Dr. Bill at Stone Sourfest. Red pour. Aroma is tart, cranberries, and a bit tannic. Flavor is cranberry, tart, delicious.

750ml bottle, dated Nov ’08, brought back from the brewery in Brussels, it was 8 euros there compared to 13 euros at a couple stores in town - Pours light red/violet with a small head. It smells of grapes and wild yeast. It has a very dry flavor with loads of lambic funk and a tart, subdued fruitiness. It’s light bodied and finishes dry and funky. Very enjoyable lambic.

red, brown, hazy, white foam, light body, soft carbonation, long finish, lightly bitter, medium sourness, very good complex beer.

2008 bottle. Pours pink orange, with a light pink head. Extremely sharp aroma. I’m getting heartburn from smelling it. Very dry flavor, sort of earthy, twigs, fruit stems, hops(?), wood. Moderate carbonation. Slightly bitter grape skin finish. Tannic red wine notes only noticed after given time to build up. No doubt this is good, but not quite worth the exorbitant price. Once I become rich, I’ll definitely revisit this, and put away some bottles to see if it improves.

Bottle from beermerchants. Pours a nice scarlet red. Aromas of summer fruits, sourness, very acidic. Flavours of strawberries, sour cherries, oak. Wonderful lasting flavour. Finishes sweet and sour. Another cracking lambic from Cantillon!

Purchased this one at vintage estates in Boardman, OH after hunting this one down for a while. Pours a very wine like dark red with minimal head. What is there is a crown. Smell is surprisingly subdued from what I was expecting. Grapes, a little vinegar. Taste is very good, not nearly as sour as kriek, nice mix of sour and grapes. Good, great even, but I’m a little shocked at how high this is rated. Mouth is where a lambic should be, relatively thin and heavy on the carbonation. Very easily drinkable but I don’t think I’ll stop back here due to the price.

2008 bottle from the brewery. Cloudy reddish-purple color with a white head. Aroma of tart grapes, funk, and horse blanket. Really nice, full, sour flavor with oak, funk, red wine grapes, and cherries. A touch of sweetness balances out the acidity a bit. Palate is sharp and biting yet fairly full and smooth with lingering funk. Really solid lambic overall.

750mL from the brewery in 2006. Yum. Great funky, sour aroma; so complex. The barrel comes through as well. Amazing flavor. The wine complements the acidity so well. And better yet - only 8 Euros!! (ok, there was a plane ticket to buy). Wonderful complexity.