Style: Blended Fruit Lambic
ABV: 6%
Presentation: Single 375 ml green bottle, wrapped in red paper
Brewery: Brouwerij Liefmans
Country: Belgium

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

I’ve never really been blown away by a fruit based beer before until the first time I had the chance to try this blended masterpiece by Liefmans of Belgium. At first I simply thought it was going to be like any other fruit Lambic I’ve tried before, and I have no problem admitting that I was pleasantly wrong.

The Liefmans brewery in Oudenaarde was originally founded in 1679, and has been producing their beer pretty much the same way ever since then. What makes them stand out is the fact that all their beers are blended, an old skill that tends to be nearly obsolete these days rather than merely obscure. Before the invention of adequate refrigeration systems the blending of beer was developed in order to preserve beer that was brewed in the winter time to last for summer consumption.

What makes this Cuvée-Brut stand out is that it starts as an old brown ale that is macerated with whole fresh cherries and left to sit for a year in shallow horizontal aging tanks. At this point it is blended with both Oud Bruin and Liefmans’ outstanding Goudenband, each of different ages as well, and allowed to age more in the bottle.

Some sort of stemware is almost a must for this Belgian Fruit Ale, however almost anything will work. From a fluted glass to a wide-rimmed chalice, yet a large snifter would be my top pick. Chilled, yet not ice cold, is also a preferable temperature range to serve this at, if left out for 10-15 minutes before imbibing.

Not surprisingly this Cuvée-Brut pours out a deep translucent garnet hue, capped by a thin splash of loose creamy dusty rose coloured head that quickly dissipates. The aroma exhibits a tart balsamic cherry aroma and some earthy wood. The tip of the tongue picks out a fast burst of sweet sugary cherry, which then gets balanced by tart, acidic cherry notes, then a dry woody character in the middle, and a dry sherry-like finish. The most curious thing is that in the aftertaste the palate acquires the presence of spongy devil’s food cake and chocolate wafer that was completely non-existent before. Something completely foreign to the initial flavour of this ale. However that’s the blended presence of the Oud Bruins in the mix showing off and having the final spotlight. The mouthfeel is light and thin, as spritzy carbonation leaps out on the finish with gusto. It’s dry yet with some thin residual stickiness on the palate.

While I would tend to drink this as something of a digestif, it will also pair gorgeously with a rich chocolate dessert, the most decadent variation you can conceive of. Oddly enough I think this pairs incredibly well with Chinese take-out, tackling the variety of flavour options possible; while cutting through any rich sweet or fatty sauces, it will also cleanse the palate of heat and spice. In a completely different direction the brewery itself suggests pairing it with a hearty spicy meatloaf. Working in reverse, if you’d like to serve this as an aperitif with something to nibble on this Cuvée-Brut will complement soft and milky cheeses, and nicely balance out the more nutty and earthy varieties.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Liefmans Fruitbier
Goudenband

Other Krieks:
Lindemans Lambic Kriek
Boon Kriek
Cantillon Kriek
Lou Pepe Kriek
Mort Subite Kriek
Floris Kriek

Other Lambics:
Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus
Lindemans Pêche
Boon Framboise
Chapeau Apricot Lambic

Lateral Steps:
Verhaeghe Echte Kriek
Petrus Oud Bruin
Saison Dupont

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