Lindemans Peche
Style: Fruit Lambic
ABV: 4%
Presentation: 355 ml green bottle
Brewery: Brouwerij Lindemans
Country: Belgium
KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk
In the early 1800’s the Lindemans family of Belgium started brewing large amounts of Lambic ale during the winter time on a large farm they owned in the area of Vlezenbeek. This was a financially sound decision as they already produced barley and wheat during the growing seasons, which are necessary for this style. In fact Lambics are traditionally brewed with a malt bill of 30% wheat and 70% barley malt, seasoned with hops, and left to spontaneously ferment by wild yeast, while fruit is at times added later for flavouring. It was in 1930 that the Lindemans family made the decision to focus solely on the activities of the successful brewery. They started brewing the Peche Lambic style in 1987.
Honestly folks, you are in for an absolute treat here, I practically envy anyone who’s yet to try this treasure of a Peach Lambic, it’s one of my own personal favourite beers. It even stands out from among the other types of Fruit Lambics. Really, the only thing that will get in the way of your bliss will be some sort of individual abhorrence to peaches (and if that’s the case you should probably just stop reading here and tune in next week). For those of you who are still raring to go, let’s get to the good stuff.
Good things come with some effort, so you’re going to have to prepare for this one. Not only are you going to require a bottle-opener to unearth this treasure, but also a corkscrew, as there is a synthetic cork hiding underneath that foil and bottle cap. As well I would recommend stemware for this ale, a chalice ideally, however a snifter or an oversized wine glass will do just fine. If you want to get really fancy a champagne flute is even recommended by the brewery itself, especially when pairing this with food, ideally with dessert. In a pinch you can get away with a wide-lipped mug or a pint glass.
This Peach Lambic is best served chilled, however as it slowly warms the fruit flavours and aroma will become more pronounced. It pours out a bright hazy marmalade colour, and the aroma of sweet peaches is immediately present the moment the bottle is uncorked. There is a little bit of head on top of the ale at first, but it disappears rather quickly, however you’ll notice a lot of bubbling carbonation action within the beer itself. The flavour itself is a straight-forward peach, as if sweetened by icing sugar, with a little bit of wheat grain noticeable in the background, and is delivered by a medium-bodied mouthfeel with a bit of tingling carbonation. Yet it truly is greater than the sum of its parts.
It’s no stretch of the imagination that this Peach Lambic would be able to substitute for dessert itself, and would easily compliment some cheesecake. Also with chocolate or any sort of chocolate dessert. Food pairings suggested by the Lindemans Brewery are as diverse as the likes of sorbet or peach cobbler, to egg rolls, Waldorf Salad, or even Belgian Waffles.
The next steps in the cooler:
From This Brewery:
Lindemans Cassis (Blackcurrant) Lambic
Lindemans Framboise (Raspberry) Lambic
Lindemans Kriek (Cherry) Lambic
Other Fruit Lambics:
Boon Framboise
Mort Subite Kriek
Other Fruit Beers:
Peaches N’ Cream Okanagan Fruit Ale - Tin Whistle Brewing
St-Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale
Aprikat - Alley Kat
Melbourn Bros. Apricot
Black Berry Porter - Cannery Brewing
Pump House Blueberry Ale
Ephemere Apple - Unibroue
Lateral Steps:
Le Merle - North Coast Brewing
Mort Subite Gueuze
Duvel
La Chouffe
For The Adventurous:
Petrus Oud Bruin
Duchesse De Bourgogne
Rodenbach Grand Cru
Malheur Brut Reserve