Best Cantillon Candidate for Long Aging

Listen, while my prior post is my bona fide and general opinion, I will gladly confess that I've probably opened 4 or 5 bottles of 2009 LP this year and, every bottle, remained the best bottle of beer I'd had all year. In fact, I might go out on a limb and say that the 2009 LP is my "current" favorite drink. So, while I love this stuff fresh and with lots of fruit, as I've indicated, there ARE exceptions! Good call on the LP.

 

Fairly recently opened a 1996 Kriek. Had it next to a 2012. While very different we all agreed it was still quite good.

 

I was lucky enough to get my hands on 2 750ml bottles of 2008 Classic Gueuze this year. Opened one up and plan on holding onto the other one for at least 5 more years. Of course it was absolutely delicious.

 

I love old Brouscella Grand Cru. Had a 10 year old bottle at Zwanze day that was devine.

 

Grand Cru is probably the best as far as aging...imo

 

From my point of view a gueuze ages better than a fruit lambic. I think the freshness of fruit disappears after several years, and I prefer to get their punch when I open one. Well, it's a good experience to do but not with all bottles !

 

I do not have alot of experiences with really old Cantillon, however, older bottles of Iris have been really rewarding, especially a bottle of 2007 opened up earlier this year

 

I would recommend aging Cantillon Classic Gueuze the most

 

I was at Cantillon last month, and Jean happened to be drinking an Iris '96 (he even gave me a pour!). Seems to run counter to your statement re: Jean saying not to age Iris. I found the taste had changed significantly vs. fresh, not definitively better or worse, just different.

 

re: not aging fruited lambics, meh.

i agree that the fruit falls off (usually), and that in general "why did we put it in if you're going to wait for it to drop off??" holds (incidentally, the hoppiness of american barleywines was always a bit of a headscratcher for me).

however, having had 6~7 year old lou pepe framboise, kriek, etc, i have to say that this is not a beer you're going to be like "oh maaaaaan, why'd you let all the fruit fade out!?" you're going to be saying, "god damn this is sour, minerally, funky, complex, delicious! and i think i even taste some raspberry!" (etc)

still, i vote gueuze. develops just as much character, but doesn't lose anything of note.

 

Who wants to take on the question of the Gueuze vs. Grand Cru unblended lambic? The Gueuze brings the alchemy of blending, but the lambic is aged and built to last, too. So, will they age and develop differently? I've done vertical comparisons of them individually, both grow more complex and deeper and more seasoned (not in the spicy sense), I'm sure we all agree, but I haven't really thought through a cross-comparison. Cantillon's own site makes an interesting comparison of the Grand Cru to a Burgundy Chardonnay -- not something that wine cavistes would think of aging, whereas they would with a Champagne Chardonnay.

 

I'd have to vote for LP Gueuze

 

it isn't counter to my statement. they age beer to see how it progresses, not necessarily to make it better. Jean told me in May to not drink Iris aged. same with the fruit lambics.

think about it: if you're making a beer with a hop flavour and aroma, why age it?

 

had 2000 and 2006 Gueuze yesterday at Cantillon, absolutely ridiculous. i plan on putting a bottle of Gueuze, Rose, and Kriek away for 10 years.