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Faro
Brouwerij Lindemans


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Brouwerij Lindemans
- Belgium
- Style:
- Faro
Ranked #3 - ABV:
- 4.5%
- Score:
- 83
Ranked #25,449 - Avg:
- 3.67 | pDev: 15.26%
- Reviews:
- 542
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jul 26, 2022
- Added:
- Dec 28, 2002
- Wants:
- 67
- Gots:
- 130
SCORE
83
Good
83
Good


Notes:
ABV varies slightly
Lambic is one of the world's oldest beers. According to some, it is also the best, even if its characteristic acidity does not please all palates. To offset this acidity, some decided to add sugar to it. Thus faro was born. Adding sugar syrup to lambic was a revelation at the time of Bruegel. (Some even argue that without faro, Bruegel would have been deprived of inspiration and would have remained an ordinary amateur painter whose canvases couldn't even have been sold at a flea market.) Until the 19th century, faro was very prevalent in the Brussels region. Folklore there was frequently associated with it, and the divine liquid flowed like water. Then faro fell into oblivion. It was not until 1978 that our family brought it back to centre stage. Or centre Senne, as you prefer. Particularly appreciated after physical exertion, faro is not only easy to drink, it is a joy to do so.
Lambic is one of the world's oldest beers. According to some, it is also the best, even if its characteristic acidity does not please all palates. To offset this acidity, some decided to add sugar to it. Thus faro was born. Adding sugar syrup to lambic was a revelation at the time of Bruegel. (Some even argue that without faro, Bruegel would have been deprived of inspiration and would have remained an ordinary amateur painter whose canvases couldn't even have been sold at a flea market.) Until the 19th century, faro was very prevalent in the Brussels region. Folklore there was frequently associated with it, and the divine liquid flowed like water. Then faro fell into oblivion. It was not until 1978 that our family brought it back to centre stage. Or centre Senne, as you prefer. Particularly appreciated after physical exertion, faro is not only easy to drink, it is a joy to do so.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
3.31/5 rDev -9.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.31/5 rDev -9.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Dec. 2011: 375 ml dark green bottle with silver foil top, capped and corked. ABV is 4.2%. Soon available at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Golden brown colour, moderate to low white head. Aroma of malts, cellar, fruit and kandij sugar, hints of oak. The flavour is fruity, moderately acidic and quite sweet, sugary and oaky notes. Faro is maybe not my favourite beer style, but this is a nice "change of pace" beer.
Jul 26, 2022Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania
4.28/5 rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Brouwerij Lindemans "Faro Lambic"
355 ml green glass bottle coded "L:BF27PFA".
$8.69 @ Foodery Beer, Phila., PA
Notes via stream of consciousness: This is the first Faro that I've reviewed on BeerAdvocate and I've been on since
It's not my favorite style to be honest. I just don't need the added sugar, and I prefer straight lambic. I did drink a lot of them in '93 though, before I took the BJCP exam. I've got a very clear ruby-brown colored body beneath a short head of off-white that drops quickly. The aroma is something special. It's fruity and sweetish with notes of bruised apple, dried dark fruit, and berries. There's some leather to it, wet straw, barnyard, and mustiness. The flavor is fuller and more complex, adding in notes of green apple, cherry, cranberry, black raisin, gold raisin, brown sugar, medium dark caramel, grass, soft oak, wet wood, and sweet red wine. It's impressive and I can see how people who disfavor the acidity of regular lambic would like this. The brown sugar does add some extra character as well. It finishes sweet but the malt erodes fairly quickly due to the underlying acidity, and some earthy and mildly herbal and woody character lingers. In the mouth it's medium bodied and dextrinous. The acidity in combination with the moderate, fine-bubbled carbonation lends it a very light tingle on the tongue before it becomes quite smooth. In the end I like this better than I'd remembered. I still prefer the more acidic standard lambic but I'm not adverse to buying more of this.
Review #8,094
Jun 21, 2022355 ml green glass bottle coded "L:BF27PFA".
$8.69 @ Foodery Beer, Phila., PA
Notes via stream of consciousness: This is the first Faro that I've reviewed on BeerAdvocate and I've been on since
It's not my favorite style to be honest. I just don't need the added sugar, and I prefer straight lambic. I did drink a lot of them in '93 though, before I took the BJCP exam. I've got a very clear ruby-brown colored body beneath a short head of off-white that drops quickly. The aroma is something special. It's fruity and sweetish with notes of bruised apple, dried dark fruit, and berries. There's some leather to it, wet straw, barnyard, and mustiness. The flavor is fuller and more complex, adding in notes of green apple, cherry, cranberry, black raisin, gold raisin, brown sugar, medium dark caramel, grass, soft oak, wet wood, and sweet red wine. It's impressive and I can see how people who disfavor the acidity of regular lambic would like this. The brown sugar does add some extra character as well. It finishes sweet but the malt erodes fairly quickly due to the underlying acidity, and some earthy and mildly herbal and woody character lingers. In the mouth it's medium bodied and dextrinous. The acidity in combination with the moderate, fine-bubbled carbonation lends it a very light tingle on the tongue before it becomes quite smooth. In the end I like this better than I'd remembered. I still prefer the more acidic standard lambic but I'm not adverse to buying more of this.
Review #8,094
Reviewed by gatornation from Florida
3.75/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a clear crimson /copper color with a off white head., Smell was apple ,cherry and pear with some sour dough . Taste is sweet and sour with B4 mentioned fruit. Medium bodied with soured fruit a sweet and dry finish.
Jul 12, 2020Reviewed by misteil from Ireland
4.16/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.16/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: small slightly off white head that quickly dissipates to a thin layer of very small bubbles, beer is a lovely mahogany colour, pretty clear, lots of bubbles rising through the beer.
smell: lots of tart sour apple smells initially, some wild sour flavours champagne, white grape, grass, bready malt, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, quite sweet smelling, very impactful and aromatic.
taste: it really really is quite sweet, but it is still absolutely delicious, lots of tart fruit flavours, apple and cherry, lots of champagne too, maybe even a little like sherry, a caramel sweetness perhaps, no bitterness on the finish, lots of complex sourness which is really nice, great.
feel: medium bodied, highly carbonated, super dry, crisp, lots of warming of the back of the throat, lovely really
overall: while i’m sure it’s too sweet for many pallets, i personally find it to be delicious, great stuff.
May 22, 2020smell: lots of tart sour apple smells initially, some wild sour flavours champagne, white grape, grass, bready malt, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, quite sweet smelling, very impactful and aromatic.
taste: it really really is quite sweet, but it is still absolutely delicious, lots of tart fruit flavours, apple and cherry, lots of champagne too, maybe even a little like sherry, a caramel sweetness perhaps, no bitterness on the finish, lots of complex sourness which is really nice, great.
feel: medium bodied, highly carbonated, super dry, crisp, lots of warming of the back of the throat, lovely really
overall: while i’m sure it’s too sweet for many pallets, i personally find it to be delicious, great stuff.
Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland
3.8/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.8/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Reddish amber appearance with a small white head and little lacing. Tart apples mix with other fruit in the aroma. Earthy, funky, sour flavors smash up against the inherent sweetness of the style. The sweetness does not become too cloying until the aftertaste, where it lingers longer than desirable. Interesting change of pace.
Apr 12, 2020Reviewed by Mindcrime1000 from South Dakota
4/5 rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a tulip.
Pours dark amber and slightly hazed. Limited head but good lacing.
A variety of aromas arrive. Apple (juice, cider, and vinegar), cherry, faint barrel and must.
Sweet and sour flavors simultaneous on the tip of the tongue, the candi sugar wins out initially, but cherry and cider vinegar tartness closes ranks fairly swiftly in midstream. The finish is somewhat pie-like. Fruity, spicy, and tart.
The brew has a nice feel. Medium bodied, the acidity provides a nice counter to the candi sugar.
Better than Lindeman's fruity offerings. This is a nice tasty brew.
Feb 09, 2020Pours dark amber and slightly hazed. Limited head but good lacing.
A variety of aromas arrive. Apple (juice, cider, and vinegar), cherry, faint barrel and must.
Sweet and sour flavors simultaneous on the tip of the tongue, the candi sugar wins out initially, but cherry and cider vinegar tartness closes ranks fairly swiftly in midstream. The finish is somewhat pie-like. Fruity, spicy, and tart.
The brew has a nice feel. Medium bodied, the acidity provides a nice counter to the candi sugar.
Better than Lindeman's fruity offerings. This is a nice tasty brew.
Reviewed by KooVee from Finland
4.29/5 rDev +16.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +16.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
25cl bottle, bb in a year, so probably quite fresh.
Clear amber colour, off-white fluffy head.
Nose is unsually interesting. The sweetness is as expected for the style, but it is blended with an entire fruit garden and some vinegar poured on top. Cherry, pear, fig... too hard for me to untangle further. But I do not think that is very important.. it is a sweet and sour fruit bowl.
Taste matches the aroma, emphasizing tartness a bit more and revealing the sugar to be like... table grape syrup? The balance is not tiring at all, and not like a soda because of the complexity of the fruit and the acid and vinegar.
Delightful. I always want to sample this rarish style, so maybe I am biased, but faro is a unique combination of sweet, sour and vinegary in the beer world, so sample if tou are not familiar with it.
Jan 25, 2020Clear amber colour, off-white fluffy head.
Nose is unsually interesting. The sweetness is as expected for the style, but it is blended with an entire fruit garden and some vinegar poured on top. Cherry, pear, fig... too hard for me to untangle further. But I do not think that is very important.. it is a sweet and sour fruit bowl.
Taste matches the aroma, emphasizing tartness a bit more and revealing the sugar to be like... table grape syrup? The balance is not tiring at all, and not like a soda because of the complexity of the fruit and the acid and vinegar.
Delightful. I always want to sample this rarish style, so maybe I am biased, but faro is a unique combination of sweet, sour and vinegary in the beer world, so sample if tou are not familiar with it.
Reviewed by PA-Michigander from Pennsylvania
4.06/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.06/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
First time with a Faro. Smell is slightly off putting but it’s incredibly sweet. Taste is far better than the smell. Would be interested to see how others in this style are.
Nov 27, 2019Reviewed by Thomas_Wikman from Texas
3.75/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Faro Lambic from Lindemanns I am sitting outside and drinking a 20+ years old Faro Lambic from Lindemanns, ABV 4.50%. It is the first Faro I've ever had. It is surprisingly fresh tasting. My wife love it, I think it is a bit too sweet, but it is still thirst quenching in this heat.
Look: dark red/purple with a finger thick white head
Aroma: cherries, sweet caramel, cinnamon
Taste: It is sweet, caramel, I think cherries and grape, slightly tart/dry at the end with a cinnamon like spice.
Body/Overall: It is creamy and almost full bodied.
Oct 20, 2019Look: dark red/purple with a finger thick white head
Aroma: cherries, sweet caramel, cinnamon
Taste: It is sweet, caramel, I think cherries and grape, slightly tart/dry at the end with a cinnamon like spice.
Body/Overall: It is creamy and almost full bodied.
Reviewed by ZSXXII from Colorado
4.26/5 rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.26/5 rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Definitely the sweetest of Lambics I have tried! Poors well with minimal head. Has an amber's color. The taste is sweet yet sour with nuances of vinegar followed by cherry and grape.
Jul 29, 2019Reviewed by Bluecrow from New York
3.99/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
-optically clear cherry wood colored bottle pour hosts a thin foam ring. The aroma has a sweet grape tone and a light acidic sharpness. The flavor is tart and sweet, some raisin and brown sugar included. There is a slight woody note with a bit of cherry. The body is light. I will pick up another when I find it.
May 24, 2019Reviewed by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania
3.93/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.93/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
I can't thank Snowcrash000 enough for helping me locate this bottle.
A - Medium amber color with nice clarity, light carbonation, and a creamy lacing ring.
S - Earthy sweetness on the nose with a very small amount of acidity.
T - Green apple with brown sugar, light earthiness, with some cranberry on the back end.
M - Very thick texture for 4.5% which is impressive.
O - This was a tough style to locate and every bit worth the effort.
Mar 30, 2019A - Medium amber color with nice clarity, light carbonation, and a creamy lacing ring.
S - Earthy sweetness on the nose with a very small amount of acidity.
T - Green apple with brown sugar, light earthiness, with some cranberry on the back end.
M - Very thick texture for 4.5% which is impressive.
O - This was a tough style to locate and every bit worth the effort.
Reviewed by BillBabbitt from Ohio
3.64/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.64/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Sparkling clarity and a deep gold color. Reasonable head, white to tan. Aroma is fruity, musty. Taste sweet, with tart finish. Light, refreshing, interesting.
Jan 30, 2019Reviewed by Snowcrash000 from Germany
3.85/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a clear, dark, reddish mahogany coloration with a small, fizzy head. Smell is sugary, with a distinct dextrose aroma, as well as notes of red berries and dark fruit: cranberry, plum, black cherry, as well as light funk and a mild herbal note. Taste follows the nose, being quite sweet with a certain dextrose character and notes of sweet dark fruit: plum, fig and slightly tart red fruit/berries: cranberry, redcurrant black cherry, as well as light barnyard funk and mild esters of green apple and clove. Finishes sweet and tart, with some funky esters lingering in the aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel with a medium body and low carbonation.
I liked this a lot better than I thought I would. While it is rather sugary, it's not totally over the top and balanced nicely by the tart and herbal/spicy notes. Also, the dextrose in combination with the red berry notes gives this a certain red grape character that is indeed a little reminiscent of grape juice.
Dec 29, 2018I liked this a lot better than I thought I would. While it is rather sugary, it's not totally over the top and balanced nicely by the tart and herbal/spicy notes. Also, the dextrose in combination with the red berry notes gives this a certain red grape character that is indeed a little reminiscent of grape juice.
Reviewed by Harrison8 from Missouri
4.09/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.09/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a translucent brown with a finger of white foam that dissipates fairly quickly, and resides in a foamy ring for a long while. Aroma is sugary sweet, with notes of berries, cherry, dark fruits and plum. A bit of yeast concludes the aroma. Flavor profile is sugary with notes of dark fruits, cherry, plum and berries. Complexity is modest, with the beer finishing with lingering notes of cherry and sugar on the tongue. Mouth feel is still, with a very fine amount of graininess that bumps it up a touch from smooth. It has a medium-thin consistency. Overall, drinks splendidly, but is rather sugary (as per the style). Nice blend overall here. Very easy to drink, and would make a welcome addition to anyone seeking a flavorful, sweet, light beer.
Served in a teku from a 355mL bottle.
Nov 18, 2018Served in a teku from a 355mL bottle.
Rated by BEERMILER12 from Maine
3.75/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottle at Falstaff (Paris, France)
Oct 11, 2018Reviewed by Tripel_Threat from Michigan
4.21/5 rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Fantastic! Poured from bottle to tulip glass. Copper color shot through with garnet. No head to speak of. Aroma is funky, full of worn leather and dark cherry. Taste is incongruous with the aroma: sweet, fruity, and spicy. There's just a hint of sour tartness on the finish. Overall a wonderful style.
Sep 15, 2018
Faro from Brouwerij Lindemans
Beer rating:
83 out of
100 with
1122 ratings
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