Lambicland on Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by bodonnell, Sep 16, 2014.

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

    bodonnell Devotee (316) Apr 29, 2011 Texas

    I have been reading the highly sought after book Lambicland, by Tim Webb and others, and I came upon a portion of the book that talks about a personal favorite of mine, Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge. The piece started to bad mouth the brewer a bit and then left with a vague paragraph (the writing style is a bit hard to follow and read too). I just don't know what to make of it. Any thoughts out there? Is Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge just another overly sweetened alcopop beer made for the US market? I still like it a lot no matter the case....

    "The old pretenders

    Meanwhile, at the top of a handsome tower within the Vander Ghinste family's Bockor brewery in Bellegem, south of Kortrijk, is a koelschip that harvests wild yeasts from time to time.

    Lacking the laissez-faire of a full-on lambic brewer, they cultivate what they collect before adding this soup to a locally designed 'lambic' wort and fermenting the end-product in one of a dozen oak vessels that stand upright in their tun room. fermentation continues for up to 18 months. Two new oak vessels were added in 2007.

    Until 2009 the surprisingly plesent end-products of fermentation, which after blending taste as we imagine draught gueuze-lambic did back in the day, was wasted by being mixed with dull beer, sweetener and fruit syrup to make some overtly dumbed down fruit beers and a couple of other weird concoctions, one of with is called Jacobins Gueuze Lambic (5.5%), though it does little emote than allude to an acquaintance with lambic.

    Then a US importer ordered a whole batch of what we take to be the contents of the blending tank to be kegged or bottled and shipped across the Atlantic to be sold as Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge (6%). [TW: the fact that this is exactly what we told the Head Brewer should happen when we visited a couple of weeks earlier was pure coincidence.] We will watch developments with interest."
     
    #1 bodonnell, Sep 16, 2014
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2014
  2. WD_Eisemann

    WD_Eisemann Initiate (0) Jul 11, 2013 Pennsylvania

    I am far from an expert, but I also happen to love the Cuvee Des Jacobins as well as the less-revered Vanderghinste Oud Bruin. From what I understand the Cuvee and the Vanderghinste are primarily destined for the US and other export markets, and were the result of initiatives (at least the Cuvee) by the US importer, Artisanal Imports.
    Judging by the book excerpt, it looks like it was written just as Cuvee was being developed for export, and was a departure from the rest of Bockor's portfolio, which is mainly made up of their lager and sweetened/fruited gueuzes. Seems as though the products are quite well represented and popular now.
    As far as I can tell, the Cuvee is not sweetened and is a pretty traditional Flanders red, while the Vanderghinste is a decent, non back-sweetened Oud Bruin.
    Hopefully some Belgian experts will weigh in, but in a conversation with someone from Belgium, I gathered that Cuvee and Vanderghinste are probably the best two products that Bockor (now officially called Brouwerij Omer Vanderghinste once again) produce.
    Hope this helps!
     
    #2 WD_Eisemann, Sep 18, 2014
  3. smbslt

    smbslt Pooh-Bah (1,980) Dec 26, 2010 Illinois
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I have no other experience with Flanders Red but I thought it was a great introduction to the style. If was marketed for the US, mission accomplished from my perspective.
     
    #3 smbslt, Sep 18, 2014
    GetMeAnIPA and offthelevel_bytheplumb like this.
  4. logicerror

    logicerror Initiate (0) Oct 7, 2010 California

    Interesting. In general, Flanders Reds are the ONLY style of sour/tart/wild beer that I'm not overly enthusiastic about, but I had a couple of Jacobins Rouges the other weekend and thought it was by far the best Flanders Red I've ever had and unlike others I'd gladly drink more any time.

    I've tried Duchesse (blech), Rodenbach, Red Poppy, La Roja, Dogpatch Sour, and some others and none stood out to be like Jacobins Rouge did.
     
    #4 logicerror, Sep 18, 2014
    rgordon, Doomcifer and NCMonte like this.
  5. ddedhed

    ddedhed Guest (0)

    I agree that the Jacobins is easily better than what you listed, but I am assuming you don't mean the Rodenbach Caractere Rouge. That beer is fantastic!
     
    #5 ddedhed, Sep 18, 2014
    Doomcifer likes this.
  6. RichardMNixon

    RichardMNixon Maven (1,431) Jun 24, 2012 Pennsylvania

    Caractere Rouge has fruit in it, so it's not really a straight comparison. I would pick Rodenbach Grand Cru over the Jacobin though, I think the former is better balanced and the latter was too sour to the expense of everything else.
     
    #6 RichardMNixon, Sep 18, 2014
    Davl22 likes this.
  7. NCMonte

    NCMonte Initiate (0) Jan 28, 2014 North Carolina

    Love the tartness, puckerable nature, of Jacobins... I agree with Logicerror, One of my all time favorites, but find that Flanders red's in general, are too sweet for my taste.
     
    #7 NCMonte, Sep 18, 2014
    Doomcifer likes this.
  8. offthelevel_bytheplumb

    offthelevel_bytheplumb Maven (1,277) Aug 19, 2013 Illinois

    Who cares what some shmuck has to say about a beer that you like? I think that Cuvee Des Jacobins is a great beer, and I don't care what anyone else thinks.
     
    #8 offthelevel_bytheplumb, Sep 18, 2014
    papat444, rgordon, GetMeAnIPA and 1 other person like this.
  9. TillTheMedicineTakes

    TillTheMedicineTakes Initiate (0) Jul 13, 2014 Colorado

    Great minds drink for themselves.
     
    #9 TillTheMedicineTakes, Sep 18, 2014
    jivex5k likes this.
  10. THANAT0PSIS

    THANAT0PSIS Pooh-Bah (2,275) Aug 3, 2010 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    It sounds like the author has a grudge against Cuvee. That said, Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge was my least favorite of the Flanders reds that I've had; it had an uncomfortable metallic note that really didn't sit well with me.
     
    #10 THANAT0PSIS, Sep 18, 2014
  11. bobv

    bobv Grand Pooh-Bah (5,319) Feb 3, 2009 Vermont
    Society Pooh-Bah

    The latest batch I had was the best I've had, on tap at Lost Nation last Saturday. Other vintages were sweeter and some were way too sweet. Give it another try.
     
    #11 bobv, Sep 18, 2014
    GetMeAnIPA and TillTheMedicineTakes like this.
  12. THANAT0PSIS

    THANAT0PSIS Pooh-Bah (2,275) Aug 3, 2010 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    I've never had it on tap, so if I see it, I'll follow your advice.
     
    #12 THANAT0PSIS, Sep 18, 2014
  13. bobv

    bobv Grand Pooh-Bah (5,319) Feb 3, 2009 Vermont
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I've only had it on tap!
     
    #13 bobv, Sep 18, 2014
  14. ddedhed

    ddedhed Guest (0)

    I agree, that the addition of fruit does not make it a straight comparison, but it is close. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to try an excellent Flanders Red.
     
    #14 ddedhed, Sep 18, 2014
    Doomcifer likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.