Southampton Black Raspberry Lambic - Southampton Publick House

mltobin

Connecticut

3.88/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A kind soul poured some of his bottle from the release over the weekend into a glass for me.

Appearance is a purple color with a short fizzy head with a pink hue, guess they really did use "black raspberries". The aroma of this lambic has blackberries, raspberries, some funk. Sipping this and I taste oak, sour rasberries, tannins, no lack of flavor here. MF is medium, acidity stays on your palate for a while. An interesting beer from Southampton and one that most sour fans would appreciate.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 01:53:48 | More by mltobin

tewaris

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thank you!

Pours a deep purple-black color with pink highlights. A very strong raspberry jam aroma devoid of the usual notes I associate with lambics. Interesting nonetheless and more importantly very appetizing. Taste is dominated by raspberries and tartness and is again low on funk. I did not taste any blackberries at all (was expecting to) but later found out that black stood for black raspberries. Finishes tart and dry but the palate has come sweetness making it an enjoyable drink. Then again, raspberry is one of my favorite fruits.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 08:25:38 | More by tewaris

drabmuh

Maryland

4.08/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks Thorpe, served in a snifter. Beer is purple, looks like juice, moderate carbonation, nice pink head of small bubbles, decent retention, no lacing.

Aroma is berries and lactic acid.

Beer is light in body and pretty fruit forward wthi this mild tartness and a nice finsih. The beer is carbonated on the palate and has a mildly dry finish. It is a good lambic, some American breweries are getting close and Southampton is one of them. I'd have this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 17:14:04 | More by drabmuh

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.13/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml foiled, corked and caged bottle into a Southampton oversize snifter. Reviewed from notes.

Pours a clear dark purple. Pink head with low retention but thick, clingy legs. Spot on.

Nose is tart raspberry, plastic, sharp funk. Moderately aromatic and again, very appropriate.

Tart raspberry with good acidity. Fruit sweetness is full and very present to balance the sour. Plastic, cobwebs, and straw. Sour aftertaste. Really solid and one of the top American lambics for sure.

Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Foamy in the mouth with a messy finish and a lingering aftertaste. Really enhances the taste.

A definite winner and one of the few American lambics worthy of being mentioned in the same vein as the classic Cantillon and Drie Fonteinen offerings.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 21:50:04 | More by SpeedwayJim

HopHead84

California

4.13/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

5/26/2012

A: Transparent magenta with a frothy white head. Great color.

S: Sweet black raspberry flesh and seed. Light cherry and plum with a touch of oak. Lightly horsey with musty notes and earth.

T: Candied black raspberry with a moderate tartness. Balancing oak with light tannins. Earthy and musty. Moderate lactic sourness with a moderate acetic acidity throughout.

M: Medium body with lower medium carbonation. Smooth, sticky, and lightly tannic.

Overall: A nice American sour. Great fruit profile and adequately complex.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2012 21:31:16 | More by HopHead84

joel66

New York

4.14/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

big thanks to Dan, (Totoropanda) for opening this

A- dark purple with no head at all, looks almost flat like red wine

N- raspberry jam, moldy raspberry and sour yeast notes

T- sweet raspberry jam, carmelized berry chutney with light wine notes. more funk in the nose, but can taste a suttle tartness and brett

M- very smooth and enjoyable

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 15:03:51 | More by joel66

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to schlimenhaumer for sending this bottle out my way. Thanks to cosmicevan for getting me a Southampton Anniversary snifter to serve this beer in. Southampton, maybe a tulip for next year's release?

Pours a beautiful blackberry-purple color. The berries have really taken over the appearance on this one. Thin white head with a bit of a purple tint. Not too much retention of lacing.

The nose carries a strong note of black raspberry with some underlying acidity. Not too much in the way of earth or funk; this is almost all fruit, but it does that aspect incredibly well. The lack of depth and complexity catches up in the flavor, which sticks mostly just to the berry and following acidity.

Body is light with a nice dry, fruity finish. Good lactic acidity throughout. Nothing overpowering, but it does the job.

Overall, a really nice brew that I was really glad to try. Not quite up to the level of the berliners, but still a very solid wild.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 20:52:51 | More by Thorpe429

Luk13

Quebec (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Huge thanks to Gonzohomebrewer for this one! Dark red pour with spotty white head. Lots of funky raspberries in the aroma, some grass maybe a little white wine. Taste is sharp acidity, raspberries again, some oak. Raspberries and funk took over the wine barrel, but it added some complexity. I thought it was well executed for an american lambic, it wasn't so far away from the Rosé de Gambrinus we had earlier. It has definitly more power than any of the Upland's.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 14:34:03 | More by Luk13

womencantsail

California

4.2/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Jason for sharing.

Deep red, almost purple, in color with a pinkish head. Heavy on the raspberry aroma and a nice blackberry character, too. Pleasant lactic acidity and tartness, a bit of red wine, and wood. Not too much in the way of funk. Excellent fruit flavor with the blackberry and rapsberry, a nice sourness to it, though not overly acidic. Fairly sweet from all the fruit, but a well done beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 02:29:39 | More by womencantsail

Sean9689

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Mike (oreo) for this one at DLD 2012!

A - Pours a reddish/purple color, crisp & fizzy pink head, bubbles on top.

S - Excellent fruit-forward nose, nice and tart/sour, oak, excellent lactic notes. This beer is simply well-done, to say the least. The nose is exactly what you'd see from Cantillon or 3F.

T - Sweet fruity berries, tart lactic notes, oak, some funk. Really nice blend of fruit & funk...damn this stuff is good. Finish is dry tart fruits with a nice sour funky kick.

M - Light body, good carbonation, dry finish.

O - This is an excellent beer, to say the least. After having the Uberliner (and being a bit disappointed), this is really raised the bar and was one of the highlights of DLD 2012 amongst some super-tough competition. I want more!

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 16:44:14 | More by Sean9689

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The brew pours a semi-clear ruby color with a thin slim somewhat off-white head that is quick to dissolve. A light swirl releases some bubbles that form at the top with a pink hue. Faint bubbles of lacing effect stick to the glass.

The aroma of this brew is sharp and quite earthy. It isn't immediately identifiable but raspberry is there with an earthen aspect that blends into a sharp tangy note of wild bacteria. Some slight tannic edge is apparent towards the back. As the brew warms up, the raspberries really start to shine with a juicy note of freshness that is salivating.

The taste is sharp and acidic. Lots of funky bacterial notes blend with the juicy raspberry quality that creates a significant dryness in the mouth. Tannins are present mixed with a lactic edge that rips the moisture out of your mouth. There is some earthy aspects from the natural raspberry flavoring and bacteria. The aftertaste is mildly cheesy with a hint of yogurt. This is a solid brew.

This is a medium to light bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. It is light and easily drinkable but it is one acidic offering. Southampton offerings to be are quite drastic when it comes to draft verse bottled offerings. However, in this case, the slight variance from draft to bottle is actually better in my opinion in the bottle. If you havent had this yet and are a fan of sours, you need to seek this one out.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 18:22:13 | More by stakem

Doodler

Colorado

4.28/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle - shared with Bill and Elijah. Pours a serious dark purple with a two finger foamy head. Nice, big funky raspberry and dark fruits on the nose. Taste is all raspberries, with tart cherries and lactic acid. Nicely carbed with a sour puckering finish. Enjoyable stuff....

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 05:09:22 | More by Doodler

gory4d

New York

4.33/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark purple with a loose pink head that fades quickly. Smell is sweet berry, meyer lemon, wood sorrel, some sugar cookie graininess. The taste starts off sweet, lots of berry juice, then moves into a puckering sour-fruit tang; there's not much maltiness here, but it's present in some rich grainy notes. Very fizzy, thin in body. A very nice sour, all in all, one I'd happily drink again.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 04:18:48 | More by gory4d

portia99

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle courtesy of axeman9182. Big thanks for this one Bill! Poured into my Tripel Karmeliet stemmed glass. Been holding on to this one for a couple months...can't wait any longer.

A - Pours a translucent and somewhat hazy, almost grape soda-like purple-y maroon color. A finger of fizzy pinkish/purple head forms briefly and falls to the surface leaving an off-white and maroon tinted collar and an island of bubbles on the surface.

S - Wow...very, very good on first whiff. Huge raspberry aroma, sweet, tart, rich in black raspberry fruitiness. Musty, old cob-webby cellar/attic like funk. Very slight hints of barnyard, a bit yeasty, and some solventy aroma too. I expected a much sweeter aroma, but this really has a great and mostly traditional lambic aroma covered up by tons of amazing fruit. Really good!

T - Hmm, not exactly what I expected from the aroma. Much more tart than the aroma would indicate - lots of lactic tartness with a touch of acetic/vinegar thrown in for good measure. Really quite sour overall, but not in a bad way. Fruit is pronounced with really rich raspberry flavors, fresh, fruity and juicy. High level of sourness diminishes the fruit a bit. Tart throughout, very slight barnyard, quite musty and damp cellar-like funk.

M - The pour was a bit deceptive, showing more carbonation than actually exists. Body is quite thin and although carbonation is evident - overall feels quite a bit towards the still side. Slick and solventy on the tongue. Dry and quite puckering with the high acidity/tartness. Fruity for sure, but feels natural as opposed to some of the intense raspberry lambics out there which are artificially sweet and overly juicy. This feels appropriate although I prefer a bit more carbonation with my lambics...very minor complaint though.

O - Excellent fruit lambic overall. One of the more sour beers I've come across recently. A bit refreshing! Fruit is displayed quite nicely and complements the tart (or vice versa) quite well. Glad to try this one...sought this one out for a while and didn't think I'd be able to try it. Thanks again to axeman9182 for the opportunity.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 01:28:57 | More by portia99

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

on tap at southampton publick house

Pours a deep purply color with some reddish hues shining through the light. Faint head with a raspberry haze dissolves into a fruit colored collar. Spots of lacing are left behind as the slick retention fades away.

Effervescent and inviting in the nose with a nice balance between sour and fruit. Dark raspberries with a jammy hint mix with wood and biting sour notes. Alcohol is nonexistent.

Begins tart and dry right up front as the raspberries start to kick in. There’s some red wine notes, but the fruit is really towards the forefront with a pleasant lactic sourness riding the wave of raspberry. It’s darker and more robust than a regular framboise might be, as some red grape skin tones creep in. Finishes tart and dry on the tongue.

Medium body, slightly higher carbonation, bubbly and dry on the tongue. This was probably the stand out of the Southampton IRS release party – people went pretty crazy over it and the lambic was the first keg to kick of the day.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2012 22:41:53 | More by xnicknj

largadeer

California

4.35/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks, David.

Appearance: This pours a hazy, somewhat muddy purple. The head crackles away quickly and leaves no lacing.

Smell: Initially rather metallic. Swirling brings out the fruit, which is very vibrant and tart. There's a suggestion of sweetness. Lactic notes appear as it warms, along with a touch of leathery funk. The metallic character put me off initially, but this does open up very nicely.

Taste & mouthfeel: Better than the nose suggests, and really quite delicious. There's a ton of tart berry flavor here, along with a medium-to-high level of acidity and earthy, leathery brett notes. The fruit flavor is robust and layered, bringing tart juicy notes along with tannic seed and skin. Very impressive. There's a touch of sweetness up front, but it quickly dries out in the finish.

Overall: I'm generally not much of a Southampton fan, but this is excellent. Seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 20:35:06 | More by largadeer

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.36/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

thanks metaldog

rich looking, slightly hazy raspberry reddish with no head. the nose is a potent blackberry with a touch of funk. the taste is a tart blackberry, slightly sweet, amazingly spot on and tasty. it's definitely true to fruit with a semi-dry finish and some yeast. outstanding lambic with crazy balanced sourness. what a good effing beer, completely worth the hype.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 02:19:14 | More by ThePorterSorter

UCLABrewN84

California

4.38/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Cavery for sharing this one at the post Bruery Reserve Society party bottle share!

2012 vintage.

Pours a clear raspberry red with a red-white head that fades to nothing. No lacing on this one. Smell is of tart and sour raspberry puree and fresh raspberries. Taste is also all about the raspberries with a nice balance of sweetness and sour/funky flavors. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer with some nice natural raspberry aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 01:09:06 | More by UCLABrewN84

cosmicevan

New York

4.4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

damico says "double first" - poured into release event glass. nice rich plum, damico says "forest black cherry, the color of amazingness." in the light an almost pink. wonderful raspberry smell and taste. bold but not in your face. somewhat watery in the mouth but a wonderfully easy drinker. raspberry wonder but in a digestable amount.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2012 17:47:02 | More by cosmicevan

callmemickey

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Deep purple body. Thin skim of a pinkish-purplish head.

S: Jammy raspberries, mild funky notes that conjure up a damp cellar.

T: Bold tart, semi-sweet raspberries, other notes of cherries and blackberries, funk, and leather like-red-wine tannins.

M: Juicy and refreshing. Medium bodied. Mild carbonation. Nice tartness and acidity. Perhaps a little thin in the finish.

O: An impressive offering from Southampton. Would love to see this made again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2012 14:31:51 | More by callmemickey

whartontallboy

New York

4.45/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the release, served into the event snifter.

Deep purple with a thin white head of medium bubbles. Nice look: in the low light of the brewpub you could mistake it for a stout, but once you got it into the light, the purple really popped.

Smell is quite nice. There's a lot of fresh raspberry/blackberry in the nose, in a very fruit-forward way. It smells like someone crushed berries and dumped them into a snifter. There's a bit of sourness and funk in the nose as well, but the fruit is the dominant character.

The flavor is more balanced between the fruitiness and the lambic-ness. The same ripe, fresh fruit flavors are there, but there's a nice sourness to offset the berries. This one doesn't have the bracingly sour character of some other lambics, but it's quite nice. The finish is spot-on for the style. Could use just a touch more body.

Overall: I didn't expect to be super-impressed by this one, and I was. Definitely the highlight of the release party for me; I kept going back for more snifters of this one while the Uberliner and imperial stout were still flowing. Great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2012 22:00:18 | More by whartontallboy

MasterSki

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to bauermj for sharing this one! Served in a Närke snifter.

A - Thin off-white foam settles to a solid collar, a few wisps, and minimal lace. Mostly opaque dark cherry body.

S - Smells like raspberries! Some nice musky, sweaty funk, vinous oak, mild acetic notes, and more raspberry. Nice balance of fruit character and varying wild flavors.

T - Taste is sweeter, with more dark raspberry and oaky vanilla flavors. The sourness is more lactic, with tangy yogurt flavors and less overt acidity. Finish is mildly tart.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, and a super dry, tannic, and oaky finish. Mild pucker, no alcohol, and little residual acidity.

D - Really enjoyable stuff. Seems more Belgian than American in balance and construction. I really hope they make this again, and perhaps in large volumes. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 04:27:23 | More by MasterSki

brystmar

New York

4.45/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Josh for bringing this. Opened alongside an incorrectly labeled Southampton RIS (which is definitely BRL) for kicks.

Fantasticly tart, fruity aroma. Fresh fruit, finishes sharp and clean. Such a great balance here; easily one of my favorite American fruit sours.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 00:30:49 | More by brystmar

GoGriz

Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

As good as I hoped it'd be! Dark purple in color with a wispy bright white head. A little muted color wise. Head disappeared quickly. Smells of berry and funk. Can tell it'll have some acidity. Flavor is fantastic. Perfect harmony struck between the dark raspberry fruit flavor and sour acidity. I've had sour-er lambic before and I've had fruit forward, sweeter lambics too. This beer is excellent in its balance of both of those components. Good lively carb. Great beer from Southampton!

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2012 20:52:05 | More by GoGriz

schlimenhaumer

New York

4.47/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml cork-and-cage bottle into a Southampton snifter at low altitude. Didn't get to try this one on tap at the release, so I'm very excited to try it now.

A: Pours a hazy ruby color with a two-finger creamy pink head of decent retention that fades to almost nothing after waiting a bit. Not a whole lot of lacing.

S: Tons of raspberries, nice sour yeast character and a bit of oak in the background. Just what I'd expect from a beer called "Black Raspberry Lambic."

T: Sour yeast notes up front with plenty of raspberry in the body that carries through all the way to the finish. While the yeast is complex, the rest of the flavor profile is fairly straightforward, but still very tasty. It has exactly what I expect from a lambic, but doesn't greatly surpass my expectations.

M: Light- to medium-bodied and well-carbonated with a drying finish. Suits the flavors well, but it's not revolutionary.

D: This is an enjoyable lambic that stays true to the style with a new fruit interpretation. A pleasure to drink, and I'd certainly buy this again at the next release if it were offered.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 03:41:36 | More by schlimenhaumer