How long to keep this Cantillon?

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by PourMore, Apr 24, 2016.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. PourMore

    PourMore Crusader (462) Oct 4, 2014 Florida

    It's hard for me to get Cantillon in my area, so I want to use the one bottle I have appropriately.

    I have a St Lamvinus dated 21 October 2014.

    Is there an age of optimum ripeness? Or is it just, the older the better?
     
    #1 PourMore, Apr 24, 2016
  2. MarshallBirdhouse

    MarshallBirdhouse Initiate (0) Feb 19, 2013 Kentucky
    Trader

    Your beer is wayyyyyyy too old. Send it to me so I can dispose of it properly!
     
    #2 MarshallBirdhouse, Apr 24, 2016
    Eli2814, Modernrickk and semibaked like this.
  3. ONovoMexicano

    ONovoMexicano Initiate (0) Jun 14, 2012 New Mexico

    If you haven't had it before, drink it now. It's impossible to know how it aged if you haven't tried it without age.
     
    #3 ONovoMexicano, Apr 24, 2016
    Sneex, Josholson666, IceAce and 7 others like this.
  4. Beer21

    Beer21 Maven (1,330) Oct 17, 2010 Florida

    If its bottle conditioned it should last for years. But I would just drink it now if you haven't had it before...as ONovoMexicano stated.
     
    #4 Beer21, Apr 25, 2016
    Geuzedad likes this.
  5. Texasfan549

    Texasfan549 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Feb 26, 2011 Texas
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Agreed! If you've never had it, drink it as fresh as you can.
     
    #5 Texasfan549, Apr 25, 2016
  6. Ri0

    Ri0 Initiate (0) Jul 1, 2012 Wisconsin

    Save it for the next time Halley's Comet passes by Earth.
     
    #6 Ri0, Apr 25, 2016
    srgehl, Modernrickk, hopfenunmaltz and 1 other person like this.
  7. tripledbrew

    tripledbrew Initiate (0) Dec 2, 2011 Kentucky

    Drink it now!
     
    #7 tripledbrew, Apr 25, 2016
  8. Tilley4

    Tilley4 Pooh-Bah (2,811) Nov 13, 2007 Tennessee
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Now! I have stopped sitting on beer that I've never had before... You may never see it again but you can at least say that you've had it. Enjoy it!!
     
    #8 Tilley4, Apr 25, 2016
  9. PorterPro125

    PorterPro125 Pooh-Bah (1,700) Jan 19, 2013 Canada (NB)

    As I always say when it comes to trying beers, "theres no time like the present" :grinning:
     
    #9 PorterPro125, Apr 25, 2016
    ONovoMexicano likes this.
  10. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Given the difficulty of acquiring this beer I'd at least wait until you have a celebratory moment. If you have no patience, then celebrate the moment now and open that beer.
     
    #10 PapaGoose03, Apr 25, 2016
    srgehl, BrownBottle, the_trystero and 1 other person like this.
  11. nerdboy19

    nerdboy19 Initiate (0) Sep 20, 2015 South Korea
    Trader

    You can drink it right now, and age it too. Drank 10 yo Gueuze at the Brewery and it was just more sourness + funkiness. Whether it's fresh or old, it's one of my favorite lambic and I'm sure you will enjoy it.
     
    #11 nerdboy19, Apr 25, 2016
  12. wesbray

    wesbray Initiate (0) Feb 29, 2012 Canada (AB)

    As with the majority of the Cantillon beers, it really depends on your preference. While not a hard rule, the sooner you drink it the less enamel stripping they tend to be. You will also pick up much more of the fruit (in the case of St. Lam, the grapes). Great problem to have either way! :slight_smile:
     
    #12 wesbray, Apr 25, 2016
  13. algebeeric_topology

    algebeeric_topology Pooh-Bah (2,052) Dec 30, 2014 Florida
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Unless you're paying some attention to cellaring temperature, you're better off drinking it now.
     
    #13 algebeeric_topology, Apr 25, 2016
    vurt and Geuzedad like this.
  14. Beervana

    Beervana Initiate (0) Apr 15, 2014 Canada (BC)

    I had a 2005 St. Lam last year and it was fantastic. That said, fresh St Lam is fantastic too, just in a different way. There's really no wrong answer here.
     
    #14 Beervana, Apr 25, 2016
  15. GetMeAnIPA

    GetMeAnIPA Pooh-Bah (2,559) Mar 28, 2009 California
    Pooh-Bah

    Tuesday. I always drink good beer on Tuesday. It's the day of the week you realize, "shit I still have 3 days until the weekend."
     
    #15 GetMeAnIPA, Apr 25, 2016
    ljdrinksbeer and Modernrickk like this.
  16. captaincoffee

    captaincoffee Pooh-Bah (2,218) Jul 10, 2011 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    JVR will tell you to drink his fruited lambics within the first year. His point being that since he bothered to put it on all that fruit, he wants you to get as much fresh fruit as possible in the flavor. However, if you love that Cantillon funkiness, it will develop more over time. I could draw a graph showing increasing funk and decreasing fruit over time, but hopefully you get the idea. If I haven't had a bottle before, I always drink it super fresh. I will keep additional bottles for aging.
    Assuming you only have 1 bottle and you've never had StL before...and this one already has 18 months on it...I'd say drink up. You are at a midway point between fresh and well-aged.
     
    #16 captaincoffee, Apr 25, 2016
  17. PourMore

    PourMore Crusader (462) Oct 4, 2014 Florida

    Thanks folks! This one has been in the fridge the whole time, so it is not aging fast. I think i'll try and find an occasion to drink it this year. If not before Turkey Day, then it will accompany the feast!
     
    #17 PourMore, Apr 26, 2016
  18. srgehl

    srgehl Crusader (437) Oct 22, 2014 New Jersey

    St Lam and Turkey go together like PB&J <3<3<3
     
    #18 srgehl, May 17, 2016
  19. PALMEJ1

    PALMEJ1 Initiate (0) Dec 8, 2008 Alabama

    JVR is also planning to cellar LPK in their new underground cellar so his opinion may be changing...we shall see. I have always enjoyed aged Cantillon fruited lambic. OP, unfortunately there is no right/wrong answer to your question.
     
    #19 PALMEJ1, May 30, 2016
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.