I’m a lambic virgin

I'm partial to Fruit Lambics, most specifically Lindemans Framboise. It is incredible.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/187/599/

 

I'd start with what you can buy off the shelf. The Lindeman's beers are pretty far from hardcore, and yes they are backsweetened, but they are also not too pricey and available everywhere. You might just have to mentally extrapolate the base beer- barnyard funk/tartness, other malt and yeast contributions, dryness- but it will give you a sense of what to expect as you move on. The Peche is probably the best one for that, because the fruit is more 'transparent', if that makes any sense.

Of course, if you can get their Gueuze Cuvee Rene then just bypass what I said above.

 

Depending where you're at in Illinois, we have some readily available good drinking lambics on the shelves. Might as well try a few before you start trading for them. Boon Mariage Parfait and Mariage Parfait Kriek are both solid as is the Oude Geuze. Hanssens is probably the best readily available lambics in our market. Any of the fruits and the Oude gueuze as well.

Lindemans fruit lambics aren't your traditional lambic. They're very sweet and fruity dessert like beers as opposed to dry and funky and complex. Their Cuvee Rene is one that's more traditional, though.

 

I second this. Not a big lambic drinker myself... but I've tried their fruited lambics and the cuvee rene. The latter is quite dry and funky. The fruited ones are more like dessert beers. I didn't like the dryer one at all, the fruited ones were acceptable when in a fruit beer mood. No way to find out for yourself but trying them though.

 

I think protocol is to start with a cherry lambic.

 

Well if you already like funky and sour stuff, then by all means jump right into the Cuvèe Renè. Good luck popping your lambic cherry, and remember to use protection.

 

Yeah I think Lindeman’s Cuvee Rene and Cuvée Rene Kriek are both solid, reasonably priced examples of the style. I think my favorite non-fruited gueuze is Drie Fonteinen’s Oude Gueuze. That runs about 12.99/375 mL in my market.

 

Just walk away now. Your bank account will thank you later.

 

One thing I'll add in here is that lambics aren't really that crazy expensive (especially if you're comparing them to something like a BA pastry stout) if you're patient. Find a good bottle shop and avoid the secondary market. Yeah you might not ever stumble across Cantillon this way, but I've had my share of Hansson's, Boon, Tilquin etc just buying off the shelf for reasonable prices.

 

Interesting that Lindemans is considered a not great example, since they were one of the few to survive. They made beers that kept the doors open when I could count the number of lambic brewers without taking my shoes off.

I am just as guilty though when I think of De Troche. Some very non-traditional flavors (banana anyone?), but again, they survived where others didn’t.

Classic doesn’t equal irrelevant .

 

And don’t worry about bottling dates. Cobwebs on the bottles are just lambic pixie dust

 

Lindeman's is readily available and a good intro. Tilquin is also kinda around if you like the Lindeman's beers.

 

I don't think anyone drinks strictly lambics (far as I know), but you need to add this arrow into your beer drinking quiver
Embrace the style and enjoy. You'll thank me later.

 

Hanssens can be found on shelves, at least fairly easily around here. Hanssens is a blender, and uses beer from the likes of Cantillon, Tilquin and others to produce their product.

Can't go wrong with Lindemans eithers, just know they are typically sweeter due to added sugar.