Faro... Where to start?

Using that as a reference point is like using a Bud Light as a reference point for how a RIS tastes like. I realize that it is extremely confusing for anyone new to the style because all the sweetened ones are marketed as the “real” deal.[/quote]

I agree with you that sweetened lambic is not a good representation of what real lambic is, but that comparison is more than a stretch.

 

Yup, vile stuff girlfriend bought a bottle in Delhaize as she liked the label, opened it after a visit to Cantillon

sniffed it, sipped it, poured it down the drain.

 

I don't find Faro to be very interesting at all aside from trying it once for the experience. I have had Cantillon, Girardin, and Lindemanns.
I have to admit that I was surprised the Lindemanns wasn't sweeter/shittier tasting. I expected it to be absolutely worthless, but it wasn't all that bad. If you really want to try a faro without putting forth effort to obtain one, then that's probably your best bet (unless you see Girardin, which is possible, grab that one instead) . As people stated, it's lambic with sugar added that will mask/complement the sourness. To me, it is wasting what would otherwise be good lambic/gueuze.

 

They say Faro is for people who don't like Lambic. So if you already do, don't waste your time, money and liver with them and go for the good stuff.

 

The only one I have seen Stateside is Lindemmans, had the Girardin which was pretty interesting.

It's a bit of a fun take on a lambic, I am always looking for more..

 

How often 3 Fonteinen brew that? I would really like to try it, but it is indeed hard to find. I think they havent brewed it past few years at all?

 

It has been made only once in 2008. They do intend to make it again in the future but thick could take a while, meaning even a couple of years possibly.

 

The reason it tastes like diet soda is that they use an artificial sweeter, just as do the makers of diet sodas.

 

Except that Lindemans use an artificial sweetener, not sugar.

 

Excellent post! Thanks for all of that info. This is one of the most interesting/informative discussions I've seen in the Beer Talk forum in quite some time.

 

well yeah, just like all the rest. I still just cant believe that i didnt find it to taste like absolute garbage like i do the rest of their quote unquote lambic...

 

I would start and stop at the same moment. Save yourself from what is possible the worst beer style (in a world where pumpkin beers don't exist)

 

Kind of glad to see some of the comments about Lindemans. It's the only faro I've ever had, and I thought it was disgusting, especially the smell. It had a nasty stomach-acid aroma, kind of like fresh vomit. Strangely, I didn't really pick the same thing up in the taste (which I found syrupy sweet as well as sour), but I still didn't enjoy it at all. And for the record, I love sours, gueuzes, wild ales etc. Guess I can't completely rule out this style yet, but I won't be deliberately searching for it either.

 

I've picked this up in other beers such as Duchesse de Bourgogne and 10 Barrel's Swill. What is it?

 

I'm compelled to report back at last: Something, yes, but not terribly much. It still looked good, smokey-amber colored, with nice smell of a wood-working shop, caramel, toast, coffee, but the flavors were really restrained -- more caramel of course, some apple and the pie spices to go with it, but little sourness in back of it, and a bit of bitterness not expected from a lambic maker, but all of them murmurs rather than clear notes.