Cantillon Saint Lamvinus

Brewed by Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Fruit
Brussels, Belgium

Bottle of the 2007. Aroma is red fruit and red grape pomace with hints of horse blanket. Tart fruit flavor with an oaky finish. This could use a few more years in the bottle and I bet the fruit forwardness will drop out some and the secondary complexity with start showing. Quite superb now at any rate.

Tap @ SDBF’09. Ruby red pour. Was very happy that this was on tap, would had to drop >35$ for this bottle otherwise. Great lambic here, grape and oak flavors balanced with tartness. Great mouthfeel and finish.

Draft at Naked City as part of the sour tasting.

This was easily the beer of the night, defeating 13 other challengers with only Girardin Black coming close. It’s crazy how good this is -- and super-drinkable, as well. Beautiful ruby pour with very little head. Deep vinous aroma with an absolutely classic Cantillon profile, dry aged-hop funk. I just can’t get how good this beer is. Amazingly drinkable and complex at the same time; I need to lay a number of bottles of this one down.

Vintage 2008 shared with craftycarl21. Pours opaque purple burgundy with a one finger light pink head that slowly subsides. Aroma is fresh grape, some vinegar, and tart vinous qualities. Flavor strikes an excellent level of tartness, ripe with vinous notes and loaded with oaken grapes. Some funky notes follow as the brew warms, with some earthy dryness following. Tannin and acid are moderate and quite manageable, though add a a certain complexity. Palate is moderately carbonated with a smooth, slightly vinegary and bone dry finish. This is incredible.

Pours a cloudy light burgundy with pink tones. Head was rather large and fizzy, but dissipated quickly. Aroma is tart and vinous,with grape and vinegar notes- not too aggressive or tart, but the background of the brewing process is made clear. Upon tasting, my first impression was how drinkable it was. The tartness was well put forth, but not assaulting; the grape and oak from the aging process was prominent and delicious. I already spoke to the drinkability, but the finish also helps create a great overall mouthfeel; the finish is dry as a lambic should be, but still has a great flavor kick. One of my favorite lambics so far.

Lucky to get to taste this at Stone Sourfest. Rose colored brew with white champagne head and lace. Nose is super tart and yeast. Big sour taste. Sharpness aplenty. Oak and cherries. Dry finish in the mouth with a huge pucker. Good one!

Tap at Ashley’s. Poured a dark ruby red with a reddish head. Aroma was quite tart with notes of grapes, raspberry and cherry. Flavor is very tart with a grape flavor throughout. Truly one of my favorite lambics.

Unlabeled bottle being poured by Dr. Bill at the Stone Sourfest. Pours with a hazy pink body and a white head. Aroma of wine, cherry and leather. Taste is wine, cherry, vinegar and leather. Decently sour. Light body and carbonation. Dr. Bill had us try to guess what it was...we gave up before he told us.