Cantillon Blåbær Lambik | Brasserie Cantillon
Brewed by:
Brasserie Cantillon
Belgium
cantillon.be
Style: Lambic - Fruit
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.00%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
Made in cooperation with Jeppe from Olbuttikken in Copenhagen. Jeppe provides the blueberries for the beer,and it is brewed at Cantillon and then shipped back to Copenhagen and only sold at Olbutikken.
2005 Vintage (batch 1) - 50 75cl bottles released. Gold foil.
2007 Vintage (batch 2) - 37.5cl and 75cl bottles. Black foil.
2007 Vintage (batch 3) - 75cl bottles. Gold foil.
2009 Vintage (batch 4) - 37.5cl and 75cl bottles. No foil. Label reads "2009".
2009 Vintage (batch 5) - 37.5cl and 75cl bottles. No foil. Label reads "2009 II".
2010 Vintage (batch 6) - 37.5cl and 75cl bottles. Label reads "2010".
2011 Vintage (batch 7) - 37.5cl and 75cl bottles. No foil. Label reads "11".
2015 first year with the year printed on the label and not handwritten
Added by Crosling on 04-11-2007
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Reviews: 241 | Ratings: 747
4.15/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2011 750ml. A crazy purple maroon color. Head is small but still purple in color. The aroma is strong. Earthy, vegetal and only a hint of fruit. Lots of twigs. Flavor is a little faded. Lemon, raspberry, and blueberry. Very nice but nothing spectacular. Tart and acidic. Mouth is very drying. Very full body/carb. Overall a pleasant beer but not worth the hype.
★ 361 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2011 750ml. A crazy purple maroon color. Head is small but still purple in color. The aroma is strong. Earthy, vegetal and only a hint of fruit. Lots of twigs. Flavor is a little faded. Lemon, raspberry, and blueberry. Very nice but nothing spectacular. Tart and acidic. Mouth is very drying. Very full body/carb. Overall a pleasant beer but not worth the hype.
★ 361 characters
4.75/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Cantillon Blabaer Lambik
Vintage: 2012
Poured into a tulip glass from a 750ml bottle.
Pours a deep awesome dark purple color with. Very dark. So appealing. There is a nice 1 inch purple/pink head that forms and recedes a quicker pace down to a thin film. So attractive. (5.0)
Aroma starts off with some slight vinegar that is then overwhelmed by awesome fruity tartness. Blueberries, blueberries, blueberries!! Amazing. There is some nice chalky yeast notes that blend in with the deep dark blueberry sweetness. There is then a nice blend of the sweetness with the berry tartness. (5.0)
Starts off with some nice wild yeast tartness and good fruity sour hints as well. There is some good barrel note with the brew that blends so well with the fruit tartness. The middle of the brew showcases more of the sweetness but with still that wild yeasty funk and some good dry tartness. There is such a great balance in this brew between the woody oak, the fruit, be it tart or sweet, and the awesome wild yeast funk notes. Body is very crisp and with a dry finish. Tartness is good but not overwhelming. Great brew. (4.5)(4.5)
I’m pretty lucky to try this brew. There is such a great balance of the main Lambic qualities and flavors; from the fruit notes to the oak and tartness. Amazing. (5.0)
★ 1,294 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Cantillon Blabaer Lambik
Vintage: 2012
Poured into a tulip glass from a 750ml bottle.
Pours a deep awesome dark purple color with. Very dark. So appealing. There is a nice 1 inch purple/pink head that forms and recedes a quicker pace down to a thin film. So attractive. (5.0)
Aroma starts off with some slight vinegar that is then overwhelmed by awesome fruity tartness. Blueberries, blueberries, blueberries!! Amazing. There is some nice chalky yeast notes that blend in with the deep dark blueberry sweetness. There is then a nice blend of the sweetness with the berry tartness. (5.0)
Starts off with some nice wild yeast tartness and good fruity sour hints as well. There is some good barrel note with the brew that blends so well with the fruit tartness. The middle of the brew showcases more of the sweetness but with still that wild yeasty funk and some good dry tartness. There is such a great balance in this brew between the woody oak, the fruit, be it tart or sweet, and the awesome wild yeast funk notes. Body is very crisp and with a dry finish. Tartness is good but not overwhelming. Great brew. (4.5)(4.5)
I’m pretty lucky to try this brew. There is such a great balance of the main Lambic qualities and flavors; from the fruit notes to the oak and tartness. Amazing. (5.0)
★ 1,294 characters
4.45/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
375ml bottle 5,0% Abv.
Served chilled in an over sized wine glass.
2012 Vintage.
I never thought I would actually get to try the elusive Blåbær, so a big thanks to JAXSON for hooking me up with the bottle.
Appearance: Blåbær pours a beautiful deep red/pink, with a back light even revealing some hints of purple. A rough pour yields a large pink tinted head that lasts quite well for a sour, but doesn't leave any lacing.
Smell: After my initial sniff (which was almost all funk), I was a little worried that the blueberry character was going to be obscured behind Cantillon's signature funk, but thankfully as the nose began to open up, it struck a perfect balance between juicy blueberries and funk. Notes include: Fresh juicy blueberries, berry skins, a very faint berry jam note, a vinous character, some acidic lemon notes, old wood, sweaty socks, some old cheese, musty basement and a touch of leather.
Taste: The flavour doesn't offer quite as much berry character as the nose, but the funk that replaces it is top notch. Notes include: Tart berries (a faint hint of sweetness), berry skins, a vinous note, tart lemon, some green apple peel, musty basement, old wood, sweaty socks, old hay and a hint of cheese. Interestingly there is a big blast of blueberry flavour on the burp.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, with the faintest hint of stickiness (I love the effect the addition of fruit makes to the body of a lambic) and a medium-high level of carbonation. The beer is quite tart (not as tart as one would expect from Cantillon though) and very dry.
Overall: Blåbær is a fantastic fruit lambic, however I am not sure it is any better than Rose de Gambrinus and probably rides on its rarity to some extent. Still if I lived in Denmark, I would certainly get my limit of bottles every year!
★ 1,814 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
375ml bottle 5,0% Abv.
Served chilled in an over sized wine glass.
2012 Vintage.
I never thought I would actually get to try the elusive Blåbær, so a big thanks to JAXSON for hooking me up with the bottle.
Appearance: Blåbær pours a beautiful deep red/pink, with a back light even revealing some hints of purple. A rough pour yields a large pink tinted head that lasts quite well for a sour, but doesn't leave any lacing.
Smell: After my initial sniff (which was almost all funk), I was a little worried that the blueberry character was going to be obscured behind Cantillon's signature funk, but thankfully as the nose began to open up, it struck a perfect balance between juicy blueberries and funk. Notes include: Fresh juicy blueberries, berry skins, a very faint berry jam note, a vinous character, some acidic lemon notes, old wood, sweaty socks, some old cheese, musty basement and a touch of leather.
Taste: The flavour doesn't offer quite as much berry character as the nose, but the funk that replaces it is top notch. Notes include: Tart berries (a faint hint of sweetness), berry skins, a vinous note, tart lemon, some green apple peel, musty basement, old wood, sweaty socks, old hay and a hint of cheese. Interestingly there is a big blast of blueberry flavour on the burp.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, with the faintest hint of stickiness (I love the effect the addition of fruit makes to the body of a lambic) and a medium-high level of carbonation. The beer is quite tart (not as tart as one would expect from Cantillon though) and very dry.
Overall: Blåbær is a fantastic fruit lambic, however I am not sure it is any better than Rose de Gambrinus and probably rides on its rarity to some extent. Still if I lived in Denmark, I would certainly get my limit of bottles every year!
★ 1,814 characters
4.75/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
12/25/2012 at the Mikkeller Bar, Copenhagen, Denmark. 2012 Vintage.
My ridiculously priced Christmas gift to myself...when in Rome...
This beer pours a gorgeous purple/blue-ish red with a finger of purple-tinged head. Lacing sticks nicely all the way down the glass. On the nose, upon first opening, it is musty with subdued blueberry notes. The classic barnyard smells are present in droves - leather, dirty horse blanket and some manure. The blueberry notes begin to take over the nose the longer it is open and it forms a nice harmony with the musty, barnyard notes.
In terms of taste, it is very similar to the nose. Upfront it is all must, leather and other brettanomyces induced flavors. In the mid-palate blueberries come through but are quite subdued at first. After being open for about 15 minutes though, the blueberries come to life and take center stage. The blueberry is intense but not too sweet and very vibrant. These juicy blueberry flavors provide an excellent balance to the musty-ness. The blueberries are followed by the typical Cantillon mouth-puckering tartness however beneath this the blueberries are still present. It finishes dry with a sweet undercurrent of the juicy blueberries.
A amazing lambic! It is very typical Cantillon but much, much more vibrant. It is a drop-dead gorgeous beer. The taste is quite similar in beauty with its harmony between dry earth and must, and sweet blueberry. It's exceptionally balanced and it takes your palate on quite a ride. It's an unmissable beer that is undoubtedly my favorite lambic.
★ 1,560 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
12/25/2012 at the Mikkeller Bar, Copenhagen, Denmark. 2012 Vintage.
My ridiculously priced Christmas gift to myself...when in Rome...
This beer pours a gorgeous purple/blue-ish red with a finger of purple-tinged head. Lacing sticks nicely all the way down the glass. On the nose, upon first opening, it is musty with subdued blueberry notes. The classic barnyard smells are present in droves - leather, dirty horse blanket and some manure. The blueberry notes begin to take over the nose the longer it is open and it forms a nice harmony with the musty, barnyard notes.
In terms of taste, it is very similar to the nose. Upfront it is all must, leather and other brettanomyces induced flavors. In the mid-palate blueberries come through but are quite subdued at first. After being open for about 15 minutes though, the blueberries come to life and take center stage. The blueberry is intense but not too sweet and very vibrant. These juicy blueberry flavors provide an excellent balance to the musty-ness. The blueberries are followed by the typical Cantillon mouth-puckering tartness however beneath this the blueberries are still present. It finishes dry with a sweet undercurrent of the juicy blueberries.
A amazing lambic! It is very typical Cantillon but much, much more vibrant. It is a drop-dead gorgeous beer. The taste is quite similar in beauty with its harmony between dry earth and must, and sweet blueberry. It's exceptionally balanced and it takes your palate on quite a ride. It's an unmissable beer that is undoubtedly my favorite lambic.
★ 1,560 characters
4.6/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
750mL bottle poured into taster - 2011 vintage - thanks to Mark000
Pours a brilliant purpley blue color with a cloudy haze. Crop of white head rests on top, fading into a collar of filmy residue with spotty lacing on the glass.
Juicy blueberries in the nose with funky sourness. Soft acidity and faint sweetness, straw and wet hay. Still fruit-forward yet tart despite the year+ of age.
Blueberry-driven tartness with plenty of jammy fruit tones. The sourness builds on the palate while drinking, yielding a funky yeast and wet hay. Straw and biscuit malts with grain and more blueberries. Tart fruit skins and oak with a soft vinous character. Finishes tart and dry on the tongue.
Lighter medium body, well carbonated, bubbly and lively on the tongue. One of the best fruit lambics I've ever had, although I believe Fou Foune is still my favorite.
★ 855 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
750mL bottle poured into taster - 2011 vintage - thanks to Mark000
Pours a brilliant purpley blue color with a cloudy haze. Crop of white head rests on top, fading into a collar of filmy residue with spotty lacing on the glass.
Juicy blueberries in the nose with funky sourness. Soft acidity and faint sweetness, straw and wet hay. Still fruit-forward yet tart despite the year+ of age.
Blueberry-driven tartness with plenty of jammy fruit tones. The sourness builds on the palate while drinking, yielding a funky yeast and wet hay. Straw and biscuit malts with grain and more blueberries. Tart fruit skins and oak with a soft vinous character. Finishes tart and dry on the tongue.
Lighter medium body, well carbonated, bubbly and lively on the tongue. One of the best fruit lambics I've ever had, although I believe Fou Foune is still my favorite.
★ 855 characters
4.25/5 rDev -6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Enormous gratitude goes out to lurchingbeast for sending this along in a recent BIF. Not being a dedicated whale-hunter, I figured I wouldn't get to sample this, & oh well, but hey! Look! It's here! 375ML bottle with a blue label & no apparent year - the cork has 2010 printed on it. Pulled out to celebrate my wife's <number censored> birthday.
Pop the cork out & can't resist a whiff, & it's good. The pour is purlishreddishbluish with plenty of emotion in the head. Nose is like nothing I've sensed: plenty of blueberry, but bone-dry, almost leathery. No sour overdrive. Me likes.
Blåbær Lambik drinks like I think a sour should: sour plus something else. Lovely tartness up front, of course, but not tearing the enamel off the sink twenty feet away, & the blueberries add to it nicely. The berries aren't the sweet berry you'd pick off a bush in the wilderness (sigh, I'd like to do that, but it's winter), but dry, dusty, unripe berries. Bit of vinegar mid-bite. Dry, dry, dry. I am sucking this down. It's like a pleasantly harshed up version of my favorite fruit juice.
Now I've had it & this - this is what lambics/wilds should be like, the sour & tartness playing off other aspects of the beer rather than being an exercise in facial contortions. Mind-blowing? No. Excellent? Certainly. Very glad to try it.
★ 1,330 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Enormous gratitude goes out to lurchingbeast for sending this along in a recent BIF. Not being a dedicated whale-hunter, I figured I wouldn't get to sample this, & oh well, but hey! Look! It's here! 375ML bottle with a blue label & no apparent year - the cork has 2010 printed on it. Pulled out to celebrate my wife's <number censored> birthday.
Pop the cork out & can't resist a whiff, & it's good. The pour is purlishreddishbluish with plenty of emotion in the head. Nose is like nothing I've sensed: plenty of blueberry, but bone-dry, almost leathery. No sour overdrive. Me likes.
Blåbær Lambik drinks like I think a sour should: sour plus something else. Lovely tartness up front, of course, but not tearing the enamel off the sink twenty feet away, & the blueberries add to it nicely. The berries aren't the sweet berry you'd pick off a bush in the wilderness (sigh, I'd like to do that, but it's winter), but dry, dusty, unripe berries. Bit of vinegar mid-bite. Dry, dry, dry. I am sucking this down. It's like a pleasantly harshed up version of my favorite fruit juice.
Now I've had it & this - this is what lambics/wilds should be like, the sour & tartness playing off other aspects of the beer rather than being an exercise in facial contortions. Mind-blowing? No. Excellent? Certainly. Very glad to try it.
★ 1,330 characters
3.75/5 rDev -17%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
300th Review
37.5cl bottle poured into Loon flute
Vintage: 2012
Poured after letting this sit out for about 30 minutes, but the flavours were still muted together so let it warm to about 55°F before actually enjoying and reviewing.
A: Deep burgundy in color with slight tint of purplish ruby. Single (off-white) fingernail head on medium pour.
S: Mostly lambic funk here with notes of must, aged cheese, soft citrus, and very hidden blueberry notes.
T: Like the nose, the blueberry flavor is quite muffled here. Disappointing considering fruit lambics are usually most enjoyable relatively fresh. I'm curious to know how this drinks compared to other vintages of this beer. The base lambic quality here is very enjoyable and smooth though - must, funk, and rounded - just wish the blueberry was a bit more pronounced.
M: Medium bodied with low carbonation. Very enjoyable here!
O: A quality beer for sure, but this didn't live up to the "hype" for me. I'm looking forward to trying another vintage of this to see how it compares.
★ 1,036 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
300th Review
37.5cl bottle poured into Loon flute
Vintage: 2012
Poured after letting this sit out for about 30 minutes, but the flavours were still muted together so let it warm to about 55°F before actually enjoying and reviewing.
A: Deep burgundy in color with slight tint of purplish ruby. Single (off-white) fingernail head on medium pour.
S: Mostly lambic funk here with notes of must, aged cheese, soft citrus, and very hidden blueberry notes.
T: Like the nose, the blueberry flavor is quite muffled here. Disappointing considering fruit lambics are usually most enjoyable relatively fresh. I'm curious to know how this drinks compared to other vintages of this beer. The base lambic quality here is very enjoyable and smooth though - must, funk, and rounded - just wish the blueberry was a bit more pronounced.
M: Medium bodied with low carbonation. Very enjoyable here!
O: A quality beer for sure, but this didn't live up to the "hype" for me. I'm looking forward to trying another vintage of this to see how it compares.
★ 1,036 characters
3.62/5 rDev -19.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to Mr. Chris Johnson for this..
Light port like matron color with little bubbly whiteish head and no retention.
Tart berries on the nose. Straightforward.
Flavor follows the nose. Tart blueberry. A touch of sweetness on the backend.
Mouth is light bodied with medium carb.
A good not great representation of the style in my opinion.
★ 347 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to Mr. Chris Johnson for this..
Light port like matron color with little bubbly whiteish head and no retention.
Tart berries on the nose. Straightforward.
Flavor follows the nose. Tart blueberry. A touch of sweetness on the backend.
Mouth is light bodied with medium carb.
A good not great representation of the style in my opinion.
★ 347 characters
4/5 rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a Sweetwater mini-snifter.
Gotta say, I sure as hell didn't expect this guy to drop in my lap the way it did. My thanks go out to whomever it was that shared the bottle with me. It pours a clear deep indigo topped by a finger or so of light purple-ish foam. The nose comprises funky blueberries, light tobacco, and plenty of farmhouse-style funk. A hint of vinegar seeps in the back door. The taste brings in more of the same, with that vinegar coming in stronger, though not strongly enough to properly usurp. The tartness is a lot lower than I expected, though there's definitely some tannic qualities to be found. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a lightly sticky finish. Overall, while this was a generally enjoyable beer, it came nowhere near to living up to the hype surrounding it. I can't for the life of me fathom why so many would stop at so little to obtain what I thought to be something just pretty good. To each their own, I suppose...
★ 993 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a Sweetwater mini-snifter.
Gotta say, I sure as hell didn't expect this guy to drop in my lap the way it did. My thanks go out to whomever it was that shared the bottle with me. It pours a clear deep indigo topped by a finger or so of light purple-ish foam. The nose comprises funky blueberries, light tobacco, and plenty of farmhouse-style funk. A hint of vinegar seeps in the back door. The taste brings in more of the same, with that vinegar coming in stronger, though not strongly enough to properly usurp. The tartness is a lot lower than I expected, though there's definitely some tannic qualities to be found. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a lightly sticky finish. Overall, while this was a generally enjoyable beer, it came nowhere near to living up to the hype surrounding it. I can't for the life of me fathom why so many would stop at so little to obtain what I thought to be something just pretty good. To each their own, I suppose...
★ 993 characters
4.21/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
The pour is a nice light purple color mixed with red highlights and an odd colored head--purple-pink almost. The aroma is what you expect from classic cantillon.Not a ton of blueberry aroma I would say, but a definite fruity scent does arise now and then. Slight funk. Flavor was almost delicate, tartness is more restrained than in most of their beers; a mix of light berry flavors with a decent smack of tartness and the inevitable funk. I really like how subdued this beer is and think it is wonderfully crafted.
★ 515 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
The pour is a nice light purple color mixed with red highlights and an odd colored head--purple-pink almost. The aroma is what you expect from classic cantillon.Not a ton of blueberry aroma I would say, but a definite fruity scent does arise now and then. Slight funk. Flavor was almost delicate, tartness is more restrained than in most of their beers; a mix of light berry flavors with a decent smack of tartness and the inevitable funk. I really like how subdued this beer is and think it is wonderfully crafted.
★ 515 characters
4.3/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
375ml into a tulip, this is a 2011.
Pours a deep purplish, crimson color with a light pink head of about a finger. Head sticks around for a bit, then dies down to a light foaming around the edges of the glass.
Big horsey funk and mild blueberry jam on the nose. Some vinous notes, plenty of sour and a touch of oak tannin. Much funkier than I expected.
Huge vinous notes with a bit of blueberry. Lots of funk on the tongue as well, and plenty of barrel and sour notes. Not a super balanced taste, gives way to much more funk than fruit in my opinion.
Spritzy and medium body with a very dry finish. Spot on for a lambic.
Good funk with a mild blueberry presence among oak and vinous notes. Overall, I would say this does not live up to the hype. Is it an outstanding beer? Of course. But don't trade away the farm. Try it if you have the opportunity but don't lose sleep over it.
★ 884 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
375ml into a tulip, this is a 2011.
Pours a deep purplish, crimson color with a light pink head of about a finger. Head sticks around for a bit, then dies down to a light foaming around the edges of the glass.
Big horsey funk and mild blueberry jam on the nose. Some vinous notes, plenty of sour and a touch of oak tannin. Much funkier than I expected.
Huge vinous notes with a bit of blueberry. Lots of funk on the tongue as well, and plenty of barrel and sour notes. Not a super balanced taste, gives way to much more funk than fruit in my opinion.
Spritzy and medium body with a very dry finish. Spot on for a lambic.
Good funk with a mild blueberry presence among oak and vinous notes. Overall, I would say this does not live up to the hype. Is it an outstanding beer? Of course. But don't trade away the farm. Try it if you have the opportunity but don't lose sleep over it.
★ 884 characters
4.68/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
375ml bottle, out of my HFS stemware. Special thanks to my fiancee for bringing these back from Copenhagen.
A- The most beautiful ruby purplish color. Pours with a nice light bubbly purple head as well. It is little murky looking. Exactly what you'd expect from blueberry juice.
S- I get some blueberry, vinous notes, and plenty of sour funk. Very typically of most cantillon beers I've had in the past. Very well balanced between the funk/fruit/sourness.
T- A heavy acidity immediately sweeps through my mouth, very tart and vinegary. Follows up with with tastes of blueberry skins, and hints of funk. The aftertase lingers for a while, and really holds a lot of blueberry flavor. Extremely well balanced flavor for a sour.
M- Pretty much perfect. Good carbonation, body, and profile. It is very complex and transitional, while not overpowering the palate. Just the right amount of funk and sourness.
O- Overall the balance of this beer is really what amazes me. To some degree I expected a bit more blueberry flavor, but this was very pleasant and tasty. The blueberry came out more as it warmed up a bit, and it really became pleasant. One of my favorite Cantillons to date, if not my favorite.
-Gfunk
★ 1,211 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
375ml bottle, out of my HFS stemware. Special thanks to my fiancee for bringing these back from Copenhagen.
A- The most beautiful ruby purplish color. Pours with a nice light bubbly purple head as well. It is little murky looking. Exactly what you'd expect from blueberry juice.
S- I get some blueberry, vinous notes, and plenty of sour funk. Very typically of most cantillon beers I've had in the past. Very well balanced between the funk/fruit/sourness.
T- A heavy acidity immediately sweeps through my mouth, very tart and vinegary. Follows up with with tastes of blueberry skins, and hints of funk. The aftertase lingers for a while, and really holds a lot of blueberry flavor. Extremely well balanced flavor for a sour.
M- Pretty much perfect. Good carbonation, body, and profile. It is very complex and transitional, while not overpowering the palate. Just the right amount of funk and sourness.
O- Overall the balance of this beer is really what amazes me. To some degree I expected a bit more blueberry flavor, but this was very pleasant and tasty. The blueberry came out more as it warmed up a bit, and it really became pleasant. One of my favorite Cantillons to date, if not my favorite.
-Gfunk
★ 1,211 characters
2.26/5 rDev -50%
look: 4.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
A - purplish color with a pink head, nice in appearance
S - smells of vinegar with some lingering blueberry, not appealing at all
T - Slight blueberry, lots of vinegar. I poured mine into the dump glass.
M - On par with the style.
O - This was compared next to a home brew, both smelled strongly of vinegar, I had a hard time telling which one I liked better, and both saw the dump glass. They were served blind but it was let known that one of them was Blabaer, very disappointing. Ending my search for this beer now.
★ 520 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
A - purplish color with a pink head, nice in appearance
S - smells of vinegar with some lingering blueberry, not appealing at all
T - Slight blueberry, lots of vinegar. I poured mine into the dump glass.
M - On par with the style.
O - This was compared next to a home brew, both smelled strongly of vinegar, I had a hard time telling which one I liked better, and both saw the dump glass. They were served blind but it was let known that one of them was Blabaer, very disappointing. Ending my search for this beer now.
★ 520 characters
2.37/5 rDev -47.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
2012 vintage, 375ml
It's a nice purplish red color with a ring of pink foam. Smells of vinegar and blue cheese. Tastes of vinegar and a touch of fruity sweetness. It's quite dry and acidic. This is not good. I hope other vintages are good, otherwise this beer is seriously mediocre and y'all are deceiving thyselves
★ 315 characters
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
2012 vintage, 375ml
It's a nice purplish red color with a ring of pink foam. Smells of vinegar and blue cheese. Tastes of vinegar and a touch of fruity sweetness. It's quite dry and acidic. This is not good. I hope other vintages are good, otherwise this beer is seriously mediocre and y'all are deceiving thyselves
★ 315 characters
4.68/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
HUGE thanks to GrumpyOldTroll for sharing this long time want with me. enjoyed from a zwanze day glass. Notes from 8/29.
750m bottle from 2011
a - deep maroon purple with a thin pink bubbly head taht hung out forever and didn't go away. streaky lacing. what a color!
s - blueberry. red wind. i just can't stop smelling it. dry. blueberry jam. some creaminess.
t - some blueberry on the taste. very red wine and extremely smooth and creamy...the creaminess actually gives it a bit of a white wine characteristic so kind of like red wine crossed with white wine and blueberries tossed in the mix.
m - prickly carbonated feel. pretty dry, but soft and creamy. just a hint of sourness...really easy to drink.
o - overally, what a great lambic. perhaps a great gateway sour as it isn't really sour at all, but rather fruity. not overly sweet. just right. really really solid. i can't decide if it lives up to the hype as the hype is so intense on this beer, but what a hell of a beer.
★ 984 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
HUGE thanks to GrumpyOldTroll for sharing this long time want with me. enjoyed from a zwanze day glass. Notes from 8/29.
750m bottle from 2011
a - deep maroon purple with a thin pink bubbly head taht hung out forever and didn't go away. streaky lacing. what a color!
s - blueberry. red wind. i just can't stop smelling it. dry. blueberry jam. some creaminess.
t - some blueberry on the taste. very red wine and extremely smooth and creamy...the creaminess actually gives it a bit of a white wine characteristic so kind of like red wine crossed with white wine and blueberries tossed in the mix.
m - prickly carbonated feel. pretty dry, but soft and creamy. just a hint of sourness...really easy to drink.
o - overally, what a great lambic. perhaps a great gateway sour as it isn't really sour at all, but rather fruity. not overly sweet. just right. really really solid. i can't decide if it lives up to the hype as the hype is so intense on this beer, but what a hell of a beer.
★ 984 characters
3.88/5 rDev -14.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
2011 vintage, generously provided by Rich. Thanks a bunch for sharing this treat Rich!
A-No head on the pour, but it is a beautiful deep purple red in color. It is slightly hazy in clarity, it looks stunning.
S-For being a year old at this point, there is still quite a bit of blueberry in the nose, much more than I remember when I originally tried this last year. Plump blueberries and some yogurt character.
T-Blueberry is a little more subdued in the flavor, but is still quite present. There is also lemon rind, oak, and a generous amount of funk.
M-Light mouthfeel, good acidity, lower carbonation, and a moderate lingering finish.
O-One of the better fruit lambics Cantillon makes, but in term of fruit lambics I think I still prefer Fou Foune, Saint Lamnivus, and Lou Pepe Kriek.
Note: I had a 2012 vintage the following day and found the blueberry to be much more faint in the '12. I assume that the recipe is pretty consistent batch to batch, so I found it peculiar that I found the blueberry to be more prominent in the older batch than the new one.
★ 1,071 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
2011 vintage, generously provided by Rich. Thanks a bunch for sharing this treat Rich!
A-No head on the pour, but it is a beautiful deep purple red in color. It is slightly hazy in clarity, it looks stunning.
S-For being a year old at this point, there is still quite a bit of blueberry in the nose, much more than I remember when I originally tried this last year. Plump blueberries and some yogurt character.
T-Blueberry is a little more subdued in the flavor, but is still quite present. There is also lemon rind, oak, and a generous amount of funk.
M-Light mouthfeel, good acidity, lower carbonation, and a moderate lingering finish.
O-One of the better fruit lambics Cantillon makes, but in term of fruit lambics I think I still prefer Fou Foune, Saint Lamnivus, and Lou Pepe Kriek.
Note: I had a 2012 vintage the following day and found the blueberry to be much more faint in the '12. I assume that the recipe is pretty consistent batch to batch, so I found it peculiar that I found the blueberry to be more prominent in the older batch than the new one.
★ 1,071 characters
4.65/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Bottle shared at Woodshop 7 at Beachwood BBQ in Long Beach. Pours a lovely dark strawberry/raspberry color. Deep strawberry aroma with accents of blueberry and acai. Blueberry and acai come through a lot in the flavor with a soft acidity. A really nice sour.
★ 258 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Bottle shared at Woodshop 7 at Beachwood BBQ in Long Beach. Pours a lovely dark strawberry/raspberry color. Deep strawberry aroma with accents of blueberry and acai. Blueberry and acai come through a lot in the flavor with a soft acidity. A really nice sour.
★ 258 characters
4.38/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Dang!
Review # 444. Huge thanks to Steasy66 for sharing this beer. I am glad that I know the right people!
Deep pink-purple hued with a light purple head. Good head and good retention. Very clean aroma with no vinegar whatsoever, an instant hit in my book. Somewhat sweet with tart and bright berry notes and only mild hints of funk.
Taste is a clean, lactic and mild sour with strong berry notes. Very very blueberry. I was pleasantly surprised that my "robust" palate could detect the blueberries, they must have used a lot!
Medium body, medium carbonation and a clean finish. Very very good.
4.5, 4, 4.5, 4.5, 4.5
★ 621 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Dang!
Review # 444. Huge thanks to Steasy66 for sharing this beer. I am glad that I know the right people!
Deep pink-purple hued with a light purple head. Good head and good retention. Very clean aroma with no vinegar whatsoever, an instant hit in my book. Somewhat sweet with tart and bright berry notes and only mild hints of funk.
Taste is a clean, lactic and mild sour with strong berry notes. Very very blueberry. I was pleasantly surprised that my "robust" palate could detect the blueberries, they must have used a lot!
Medium body, medium carbonation and a clean finish. Very very good.
4.5, 4, 4.5, 4.5, 4.5
★ 621 characters
4.03/5 rDev -10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance is deep blue purple with a small amount of purplish head. Nose is funk-ay!! Tons of barnyard and farmhouse. Tart blueberries are present, but funky yeast and bacteria overshadow it. Taste starts off with woody qualities and funk and becomes increasingly tart. Finish is tart and dry with tannins. Mouthfeel is medium with high carbonation. This one was a little heavier on the funky side than I expected, quite intriguing.
★ 433 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance is deep blue purple with a small amount of purplish head. Nose is funk-ay!! Tons of barnyard and farmhouse. Tart blueberries are present, but funky yeast and bacteria overshadow it. Taste starts off with woody qualities and funk and becomes increasingly tart. Finish is tart and dry with tannins. Mouthfeel is medium with high carbonation. This one was a little heavier on the funky side than I expected, quite intriguing.
★ 433 characters
4.15/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to the asshole who gave me some of this beer.
A: purplish red in color. Moderately cloudy. Forms a thin but very stable bluish purple head that sticks around for the entire glass. No lacing, but none expected.
S: aroma is primarily blueberries, but "dry" blueberries if that makes any sense. Sort of like blueberry leather. Then there is a slightly acetic note with a bit of dusty basement in the mix.
T: flavor is tart, slightly vinegary, but not overly so. Again there are blueberries, but they taste like the tart, unripe, not yet sweet and juicy blueberries you usually tossin the sink and don't actually eat. There is a bit of mustiness on the finish that sticks around for bit
M: medium bodied, tart, with good carbonation. There is a surprising bitterness that accompanies this beer, bu it doesn't distract from it.
O: wel I'm glad nameless asshole brought this beer for me to taste. An interestingly rare tick, though I don't see it living up to the hype.
★ 980 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to the asshole who gave me some of this beer.
A: purplish red in color. Moderately cloudy. Forms a thin but very stable bluish purple head that sticks around for the entire glass. No lacing, but none expected.
S: aroma is primarily blueberries, but "dry" blueberries if that makes any sense. Sort of like blueberry leather. Then there is a slightly acetic note with a bit of dusty basement in the mix.
T: flavor is tart, slightly vinegary, but not overly so. Again there are blueberries, but they taste like the tart, unripe, not yet sweet and juicy blueberries you usually tossin the sink and don't actually eat. There is a bit of mustiness on the finish that sticks around for bit
M: medium bodied, tart, with good carbonation. There is a surprising bitterness that accompanies this beer, bu it doesn't distract from it.
O: wel I'm glad nameless asshole brought this beer for me to taste. An interestingly rare tick, though I don't see it living up to the hype.
★ 980 characters
4.77/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
750ml Bottle, 2011 Vintage. Huge thanks to Chris for bringing this over!
Pours a fantastic reddish purple color, hints of pink and burgundy with a nice fizzy pinkish white head that is very lively but recedes quickly, no lacing or head retention to speak of. The color though is gorgeous. The aroma is amazing, huge blueberry notes leap out of the glass, nice amount of yeast and funk, but nothing too cheesy or vinegary either, perfectly balanced. Mild amounts of wood find its way out as well. The flavors are just about perfect, lots of fresh blueberries, acetic acid, oak and funk. The balance is perfect, such a jammy, yet juicy flavor, this could be a pie filling or muffin filling. The body is perfect, while it has the acidity of most lambics and sours, this one is so soft and smooth on the tongue.
Verdict: This is fantastic and warrants the hype. This is definitely a celebration of fresh and natural blueberry.
★ 925 characters
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
750ml Bottle, 2011 Vintage. Huge thanks to Chris for bringing this over!
Pours a fantastic reddish purple color, hints of pink and burgundy with a nice fizzy pinkish white head that is very lively but recedes quickly, no lacing or head retention to speak of. The color though is gorgeous. The aroma is amazing, huge blueberry notes leap out of the glass, nice amount of yeast and funk, but nothing too cheesy or vinegary either, perfectly balanced. Mild amounts of wood find its way out as well. The flavors are just about perfect, lots of fresh blueberries, acetic acid, oak and funk. The balance is perfect, such a jammy, yet juicy flavor, this could be a pie filling or muffin filling. The body is perfect, while it has the acidity of most lambics and sours, this one is so soft and smooth on the tongue.
Verdict: This is fantastic and warrants the hype. This is definitely a celebration of fresh and natural blueberry.
★ 925 characters
3.53/5 rDev -21.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Bottle shared at woodshop by the same generous soul that shared Framboos
Look: Pours a bluish/purple color with a reddish ring around the top of the glass. 1/4 inch pinkish bubbly head the resides down to a small ring and leaves behind some spotty lace
Smell: Lots of freshly picked blueberries some some under arm funk that make me think this must be what the guy smelled like when he picked the blueberries and some oak
Taste: This for me is where I lost interest in the beer. The beer starts out with some blueberry flavor and to me it taste like a cheap blueberry syrup then is followed up by this weird plastic off putting flavor. Some very light tart and funk and oak cleans up the backend of the beer
Mouthfeel: Thinner body mild to medium carbonation and just a bit tingly
Overall: Extremely happy that I got a chance to try this beer and even more happy that I never traded for one. So far of all the Cantillons I have had this one was the biggest disappoint. I would half heartedly recommend trying this one just because of its current high regard in the beer community
★ 1,084 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Bottle shared at woodshop by the same generous soul that shared Framboos
Look: Pours a bluish/purple color with a reddish ring around the top of the glass. 1/4 inch pinkish bubbly head the resides down to a small ring and leaves behind some spotty lace
Smell: Lots of freshly picked blueberries some some under arm funk that make me think this must be what the guy smelled like when he picked the blueberries and some oak
Taste: This for me is where I lost interest in the beer. The beer starts out with some blueberry flavor and to me it taste like a cheap blueberry syrup then is followed up by this weird plastic off putting flavor. Some very light tart and funk and oak cleans up the backend of the beer
Mouthfeel: Thinner body mild to medium carbonation and just a bit tingly
Overall: Extremely happy that I got a chance to try this beer and even more happy that I never traded for one. So far of all the Cantillons I have had this one was the biggest disappoint. I would half heartedly recommend trying this one just because of its current high regard in the beer community
★ 1,084 characters
4.48/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
375ml bottle split three ways on 7.24.12 between myself, Greg, and Jake. Thanks for sharing this Jake.
A - Pours a dark pink-burgundy with a white to light pink head that fades down, but never fully disappears.
S - Funky, some slight sweetness, that comes out more as it warms. The berries are more present as it warms also.
T - Super funky, then some sweetness from the berries, then a shift to a tart berry finish. Very complex. Again more sweet as it warms.
D - Funky, with a dry finish. Nice carbonation.
O - A very complex and multi-layered drink. I am so thankful to have had the chance to try this treat.
★ 616 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
375ml bottle split three ways on 7.24.12 between myself, Greg, and Jake. Thanks for sharing this Jake.
A - Pours a dark pink-burgundy with a white to light pink head that fades down, but never fully disappears.
S - Funky, some slight sweetness, that comes out more as it warms. The berries are more present as it warms also.
T - Super funky, then some sweetness from the berries, then a shift to a tart berry finish. Very complex. Again more sweet as it warms.
D - Funky, with a dry finish. Nice carbonation.
O - A very complex and multi-layered drink. I am so thankful to have had the chance to try this treat.
★ 616 characters
3.92/5 rDev -13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Bottle pour at Woodshop 7 held at Beachwood BBQ & Brewing in Long Beach, CA.
Pours a slightly murky dark red with a foamy reddish-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is sour, tart, and funky with some blueberry and other berry aromas along with a distinct plastic-like smell in the mix. Taste is much the same with the plastic quality coming through on the aftertaste. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer as it stands but the plastic quality in the aroma and taste is not something too desirable in my opinion.
★ 665 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Bottle pour at Woodshop 7 held at Beachwood BBQ & Brewing in Long Beach, CA.
Pours a slightly murky dark red with a foamy reddish-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is sour, tart, and funky with some blueberry and other berry aromas along with a distinct plastic-like smell in the mix. Taste is much the same with the plastic quality coming through on the aftertaste. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer as it stands but the plastic quality in the aroma and taste is not something too desirable in my opinion.
★ 665 characters
Cantillon Blåbær Lambik from Brasserie Cantillon
4.52
out of 5
based on 747 ratings.
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 750 mL bottle into a tulip. 2012 vintage. From notes.
Blåbær has a blue violet hue and is moderately transparent around the edges. There is not much carbonation and barely any head; there is just a small off-white cap.
The main aroma is blueberries, although the smell is not that strong. There are some tart and funky notes that give it a little more character.
The flavor reminds me more of tart blueberry skin than the whole fruit. It has that kind of hollowed out flavor to it, like there should be a more robust fruit flavor. Because of that, the flavor does not really change that much over the course of the sip and lacks much complexity. The blueberry has just a touch of sweetness to go along with its moderate tartness. There are some funky nots, and a bit of dry, oaky tannins to go along with the tartness.
The body is only somewhat sour and acidic. The lack of sweetness or real punch, combined with the light carbonation, make it feel duller on the palate than it is, with a medium lambic body. There is just a bit of dryness at the end of the sip.
Considering I was dying to try this for a long time, it did not meet my expectations. There are other Cantillon lambics I prefer.
★ 1,214 characters