Cuvée Armand & Gaston - Langste Kook (season 21|22) Blend No. 42
Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen

 

 

The continuation of the reviews of the 3F greatest tasting ever event at Craft is still here. Can't be too many left? Alright this is a long boil lambic essentially. Best before 10/26/2042.

As a result of this 18 hour boil, there's less water and a darker amber appearance. Light beige head formation was well done, 2/5" deep, well retained. Aroma was similar to the oude gueuze. Funky, mineral water, but to the extreme (relatively, I just like saying that line). Has a cheesy funk meets citric orange and grapefruit.

The taste had a smidge more of a malty and stronger alcohol going for it than desired. These attributes hit just as much in the mouthfeel evaluation as well. Because of the lower water content, acidity was about the highest of any of the selections. Carbonation normalized I guess the blend of new did the trick.

Definitely prefer the regular Armand & Gaston 4 seasons beers, but this is still worthy of consideration in light of its unique formation. Sooner or later more, these words to never form.

Bottled 2022/02/23
Pours a foamy fizzy 1/2 finger tan head with fair to lower retention, decent lacing, semi hazy reddish brown burnt-sienna color

Nose is loaded with awesome funk, fresh lambic funk, cheesy funk, some blended gueuze, bready, raw dough, barnyard Brett like funk, souring bacteria, some funky fruits like sour cherry, citrus, fermented raspberry, red wine like, buttery oak

Taste starts with a bit of sweetness mixed with the funky sour tartness, big acidity, lots of fruit, tart cranberry, sour cherry, a little citrus, like raw fresh cranberry, plum, lots of farmhouse and barnyard funk, raw bread dough, cheesy funk, the good fresh lambic like 3F Armand & Gaston funk, unripe clementine, a bit of buttery oak and a little champagne like dry white wine as well as some fruity red wine like pinot, semi flemmy acidic finish

Mouth is med bod, high bright acidity and sour, lower carb

Overall awesome, one of the best sours I've had in a long time, so much great funk and sourness, fresh lambic funk but and nice balanced gueuze blending with that, so delicious

 

 

A 750ml corked and caged bottle, blend°42, season 21/22, bottled on 23rd February 2022. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.

Appearance: A lightly hazy copper amber orange colour with a just over one finger beige head, that had good retention and left some nice lacing.

Aroma: Tart, bright, lemon zest, citrus rind, green apple, oak, musty, funk.

Taste: Sour, tart, grapefruit, citrus rind, green apple, oak, funk, with hints of berries and caramel.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium bodied with moderate to light carbonation.

Overall: An interesting variant, that’s not quite as good as the original, but it’s young, has a great aroma, and drinks easy.

750ml green bottle. Label lists bottling date as '02/23/2022'.
Deep amber colored body, which is unfiltered. Fine bubble and foam off white head. Leaves behind scattered entrails of lacing. Active rising bubbles feed the ring.
Aroma is vinous, with oak barrel and funk - leather and hay.
Taste is barrel fermented funk - yeast and expressions of white wine, leather, and barnyard. Oak barrel throughout. Aftertaste is subdued with yeast expressing dry hay.
Medium mouth feel. Drying finish. Good carbonation.
Different from most beers, this brew has limited fruit, no hops, and limited malts. The main expression comes from yeast that is vinous and dry. Active carbonation, but really an oak contained wild fermentation that is vinous and yeast influenced to a dry finish.