Faro
Brasserie Cantillon

1990 Vintage kept and poured from a 750ml bottle which in itself is very rare and surprising for a Faro. Held up exceptionally well.

 

 

Had on tap. So rating according to style, the sweetness is typical for faros. I am finding I have to be in the mood for them. As they go however, this has some nice citrus balance, a hint of funky yeast, and some birchwood to balance. Body doesn't just run to sour or sweet right away, lets funk and body of beer linger for a bit. So it might be the best faro I have had!

 

 

Like sweet apple juice.

 

 

 

 

 

On cask at Moeder.

White head. Dark gold color.

Much sweeter than all the other cantillons. Not sour or funky at all. Has a muskmelon fruitiness to it.

Very soft and smooth. Light bodied.

Incredibly easy to drink.

On-cask @ Moeder Lambik. 5% ABV. 25cl/3.60 euro or 50cl/6.80 euro. Regrettably brief notes below; I'm having this the same day Brussels was bombed by terrorists, so it's been a long tiring day.

A: ~5cm wide head of white colour. Foamy consistency. It lacks the frothiness and creaminess I'd expect in a great faro. Retention is great - ~10 minutes. Leaves no lacing as it recedes.

Body colour is a murky copper-gold. Translucent, nontransparent. I see no yeast particulate within.

Given the brewery behind it, frankly I hoped for better. This is a standard appearance for a faro, but then this style is not renowned for appearance.

Sm: Has that cereal grain aroma I find rough in Cantillon's gueuze, along with some raw sweetness (this is a faro, after all), neutral Belgian pale malts, hints of wheat, and a faint suggestion of mild sourness (maybe a 1-2/10 in terms of intensity). Hop profile is nonexistent; I suspect aged hops were used purely as a preservative.

Aromatic intensity is light. Cereals dominate the aroma.

T: Subtle light sourness (no more than a 2/10 in terms of intensity) snakes it's way through this mellow beer, with cereal grains dominating (to it's detriment, I'd contend) in a simple malt bill comprised otherwise only of neutral Belgian pale malts and maybe some soft flaked wheat.

Hop profile is minimal. The Candi sugar/added sugar is in check, never throwing off the balance. And the balance is good - nary an overt claw to be found. Nicely built for a faro, with subtlety winning out over depth of flavour of intricacy.

Mf: Where it shines is in its texture - impossibly soft. Delicate, light-bodied, smooth, wet, graceful, refreshing... the only thing missing is more of a sour smackiness.

O: Bacterial complexity and lambicus yeasts take a backseat to cereal grains in this mellow brew, inviting room for still more sourness, intricacy, and depth of flavour. Given this in a blind tasting, you wouldn't rave about it. If you know it's Cantillon going in, dareisay - you might be disappointed. I'm a fan of the underappreciated (and under attempted) faro style, but this isn't the world class fare many have come to expect of Cantillon
Nevertheless, it's highly drinkable and enjoyable, and we'll worth trying - though I wouldn't advise paying an arm and a leg for it (a dark joke, perhaps, given this morning's suicide bombings).

B- (3.36) / WORTHY

 

On draft at Moeder Lambic Fontainas (Brussels, Belgium)

The nose isn't all that different from the regular gueuze, maybe a little dull due to the cask, but it's unnecessarily too sweet for me, and that's not in the nice, well-rounded way either.

I don't think trying this in a different format would change my mind drastically about the beer or the style itself; I guess I'll just stick to regular lambics and gueuze for now.

From notes on 9/15/15. On Cask at Moeder Lambic. Poured a lighter color, almost like an American Pilsner. Big sweet taste. Hints of apricot maybe? Very good.