Cantillon? Where to start?

Iris if you like the idea of hops in a lambic
Rose if you like raspberry
Kriek if you like cherry
Grand Cru if you like flat beer

All Cantillon beers are pretty similar and which ones you prefer will have a lot to do with your own preferences. Of course, you should just get all of them and have a Cantillon tasting.

 

The best way to start is arriving at Bruxelles Mid. Its in the middle. Grab a station waffle and a kaffe. Look at the map on the wall. Find the line that takes you to subway station in Anderlecht. Go uptop. Walk North Northwest, its one street over from the subway plaza.

 

I've noticed the Gueuze 100% Lambic to be the most available. Maybe not a bad place to start. That's where I started http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/388/1703

 

Start with any of them. I love them all, all in different ways. 100% Kriek was my initiation.

 

This is the correct answer.

 

Question (and off-topic) - why are Cantillons referred to as "loons"?

 

There: http://belgianbeerboard.com/media/pronunciationbelgianbeer/

i agree, people should make a real effort to learn about what are they drinking, pronunciation is basic.
on a side note, its pure horror to listen to english accented french and japanese. butchery at its best!

 

because of the erroneus trend to pronounce it as 'can-tee-loon'

 

Because it's funny. Come on, for years they had a label of a little boy peeing. They obviously don't take themselves seriously, why whould we?

 

Pretty sure that's a famous statue, you uncultured #$%&.

 

manekken pis (the pissing kid) is one of Brussels best known landmark

 

Thanks. I was hoping I wasn't talking out of my ass. Lol.

 

Incorrect.

It was an error made by a newer member wanting to discuss Cantillon, and spelled it Cantiloon. It was on the old site, maybe somebody has a link.

 

Just so you know (many people unfamiliar with Cantillon don't) Grand Gru is straight lambic and not carbonated. Most people don't enjoy it as much because of the fact that it's not sparkling...so, that might help narrow it down. Additionally, Kriek and Rose are two of the 3 Cantillon staples, Iris being a bit more "limited". I could go on for details in details of how to help you pick, but if you're looking for my opinion into which ones I enjoy more, it would be Rose and Iris. However, if you really like cherries in general then for the kriek in place of Iris.

 

They still have that label for their regular gueuze in the EU, in the states/for export it's the bright yellow/mustard color label called Classic Gueuze.

 

Rose and Iris. If they have Classic Gueuze, substitute that for the Iris

 

Rose de Gambrinus is (I believe) the most widely available but possibly my favourite of their standard range. Iris is awesome. After that would come the Kriek and Grand Cru for me (Grand Cru is probably the rarest of these but not all that great imo).

 

D) All of the above

 

Its also the most overrated landmark in all of Europe.

 

Kriek, Rose, Iris, Grand Cru would be my order. I think the first two are essential, while the last two are not. Maybe Iris is...I dunno.