Lambickx
Vanberg & DeWulf

Vintage 2013 bottled in 2015. Pours a hazy, medium orange with a thin head that dissipates to patches with slight lacing. Aroma of musty fruit and wood, old apple cider and vague citrus. Flavor is wild yeast funk, green apples, lemon, musty basement. Light to moderate acidity and tartness. Not that complex, but interestingly funky. Medium bodied with light creaminess and satisfactory carbonation despite near still pour. This is my last style to try; I discovered that early ales I thought were lambics are considered geuezes or "fruit lambics", so I wanted to try the real thing. I'm somewhat confused by this bottle; it appears absolutely identical to the label on the entry here, but states that it is bottled by Brj. Strubbe and there are no references to Strubbe lambics anywhere online. I'm guessing that this blended style was brewed by Strubbe, but blended (created) by Vanbert & DeWulf. It has a unique aroma that gives hints of tartness, but mostly musty fruit, rather like what I'd expect from a ancient cider/wine cellar. Flavor is more similar to the gueuzes I've had, but fortunately less tart and not over my sourness threshhold (which is low to moderate). I enjoyed drinking this as a example, but I'm just not a wild/sour ale fan, so glad I found this small bottle example which is one and done.

 

 

Bew 2013 Bottled 2014. Nice to try a non fruity lambic. I was worried it would be similar to the gueuze that I tried which I did not like but it is not. It is sour and tart at same time. Low carbonation. I would not drink this often but on occasion it is a nice change. The smell is a bit odd but it does not reflect in the taste.

 

Region: zenne valley. Barrel type: 600 liter french oak. Brew year 2013, Bottled 2014.

Light pop to bottle. White head. Active carbonation. Golden copper color.

Lemon and orange peel. Some sweetness. Oaky, light minerals. Grapefruit citrus. Little tartness, but very drinkable and not acidic. Very bright and earthy. Has some grape and wine notes as well. I really enjoyed this. My 750 drank well.

This was the 2009-2011 bottling. Light yellow, a bit of carbonation but not a lot. Minerality in the aroma and funk on the back. Funk in the flavor, apple cider, extremely drinkable. I don't know what this was like fresh but age has been kind to this beer. Delicious.

The 3’s I gave are all respective due to the execution of style. It’s how it’s supposed to taste and smell and feel. I just don’t happen to personally enjoy it however. Glad I tried it finally though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brewed 2013, Bottled 2014, drank now.

Pretty, slightly hazy orange, little bit of white head.
Smells like yogurt, apple cider, drying hay
Dry, quenching. orange juice, grassy, apple juice. Can't get over how much like juice this tastes like before drying out.
Light bodied with low carbonation. I could go for more carbonation, but understand why it's not there.
Dang good. Much more approachable than most lambics. Wish I had a sour going right now for me to dump the dregs into.

Decanted from a 25.4 oz (750 ml) corked and caged green bottle into a custom taster pint; brewed in 2013 and bottled in 2015. Region, Zenne Valley, Source, Private Domain, Barrel Type, 600 liter French Oak, Number of Bottles, 5579.
A: Pours a hazy, aged brass but night quite amber color with rapid, energetic, two finger head white formation, which resolves nearly a rapidly to a rim and leaves minimal or no lacing. Darkens throughout the pour. Yeasty remnants notable mostly at the end of the bottle.
S: Tangy and tart with aromas of pepper and dark bread crust hitting hardinitially, infiltrated and eventually replaced by apple, pear, vanilla, grains, and a solid dose of lactic acid.
T: Very tart with fruit flavors, again apple, pear, vanilla, and chardonnay grape, as well as lactic acid out front. Citrus tartness without any note of citrus flavor. Is there a hint of bitterness on the back end despite the acidity? I think so but it is hard to say. Drinks fairly cleanly with little aftertaste.
M: Medium bodied with moderate but persistent, champagne style carbonation. Lots of palatal tingling after consumed.
O: I have had many fruit adulterated Lambics and have to say I see the advantage of the straight stuff. Tart, flavorful, complex: this is not just a soda alternative, it is a beverage made for celebration. Gorgeous stuff. Santé!