Cantillon? Where to start?

It has nothing to do with ability to pronounce.

Saying "loon" in the US is a way of throwing up a big flag that says you're part of this beer geek subculture. It's an inside joke that separates the beer geek hobbyist from your run of the mill under-deprived blowhard, just like "wale" or "-bal" or "goozes."

Also, have you not heard French or Japanese accented English? I recently heard an interview with JvR where he said "changement" like 10 times, and that's not even a word. Countries is weird.

 

You named 4 and said you could probably get 3. I'd drop the Grand Cru and grab the other 3. Iris > Rose > Kriek > Grand Cru in my opinion.

 

I just have to say that, although a lot of people don't seem to be fans of the Grand Cru, I thought it was amazing, but I was fully prepared knowing it wouldn't be carbonated. I've heard that it can develop a little carbonation if it ages long enough.

I would agree with the sentiment that you really can't go wrong with any of them.

 

Grand Cru can be great but there is significant variation from year to year. I've preferred the batches that come off significantly more oaky. Cantillon is in general far from my faborite unblended lambic, though. One of the reasons that it amazes me how much I love their gueuze.

 

Hate to burst your bubble but the correct place to start is to call the store and have a conversation that will likely end up with them telling you the website is outdated and no they do not have Cantillon nor do they expect anyone within 100 miles to have it nor do they know of any other place that is likely to have it. I can point you to several if not dozens of websites that say they have Cantillon in and you will call each one to wind up being disappointed. You are not the first person to get excited about this, 2 months ago a guy in LA got jumping for joy over the loons he was going to buy in New Orleans since the website says they have fou foune on the shelf, nor will you be the last but I can assure you that websites are deceptive and that if a website says they have Cantillon then its better to call and not get your hopes up.

 

This tends to be what most people say (not saying you're wrong by the way, this is obviously about personal preference). That said, I love IRIS. It's fantastic for me and my palate. LOVE IT. I have been lucky enough to have many bottles of cantillon in the last 2 months. I was at the brewery and had about 8 bottles (split with a friend), and then have had about three or four of the ones I brought back. (Zwanze, Fou'Foune, Rose, Gueuze, Grand Cru, Iris, Vignerone, LP Kriek, Kriek, etc.).

Having said that. I think Iris, IMO, is severly underrated. It seems like everybody has all the standard Loons, and then just behind those, Iris. I think Iris is great, and a nice variety for Cantillon with the use of Fresh hops for bittering and an all malt bill with no wheat. Something completely different. So, if you can get that, I would. But if you can only get one bottle, I guess go for Rose or Kriek, just cause they are quintessentially Cantillon.

 

Once you pop the fun dont stop

 

That wasn't personal preference.

 

this

 

And never ceases to amaze me to see Cantillion several times a week.

 

That's the name of their annual dance.

 

Like the Chinese lion dance?

 

They are called "loons" because that is what you would have to be to think that those bottles are still there. They might have been when you first posted, but after the post half the people started looking for who had the bottles and swiped them up.
The rule of thumb with Cantillon is - Buy whatever you can afford and/or willing to go into debt for no matter which beer it is; if there is any left at the shop then you post about it. The first post should have looked like this:
"I just scored some Cantillon- I have Kriek, Iris, Rose de Gambrinus, and Grand Cru. Which should I drink first? Also (generic beer store name) might still have some. "
The last line is more for good karma than anything and depending on how you feel could have been left off.

 

Was that the same label that Blanche du Bruxelles uses for thier wit beer?