Lambic - Rivertown Brewing Co.

suspect

New York

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 vintage poured from a 750ml bottle courtesy of RocPorterFanatic (TiMiaB BIF) into an Ithaca Excelsior Tulip glass.

A: Crystal clear golden color with some copper hues. Aggressive pour leads to a pure white 1 finger fizzy head that disappears fast. Slight lacing, not uber consistent.

S: Nice blend of funk, sour notes, fresh cut grass and some citrus peel.

T: Follows the nose directly with wonderful blends of typical lambic flavors. Not quite as tart as many of the gueuzes but this is an unblended lambic so a bit of a toned down tart can be expected. The funk shines and then is balanced nicely by the pull of the sour fruit flavors. Almost a crab-apple flavor to it.

M: Well carbonated, nice and fizzy. Light-medium body.

O: An easy drinking, delicious unblended lambic. Not that many American breweries are brewing traditional lambics but this one is highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 01:56:38 | More by suspect

hiphopj5

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

06-17-2013 12:21:41 | More by hiphopj5

DavoleBomb

Ohio

2.31/5  rDev -41.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1.5

Poured into a tulip. 2012 vintage. Like the Rivertown Gueuze I had a little while ago, the cap came off of this way, way, way too easily. While this beer may have been flat anyway, the gueuze should not have been.

3.5 A: Mildly hazed orange brown color. No head.

3.5 S: The nose on this is sharp and acidic. Loads of lactic acid with plenty of acetic underneath. Tangy and fruity with peach and apple. Melon and some vinous notes underneath. Hay and dry woody funkiness, but it doesn't hold a candle up to the acid. Oak without much tannic astringency.

1.75 T: Wow. On the pucker-scale, this one shoots right past mouth-puckering and straight to ass-puckering. Most of the time, the first sip makes a sour beer seem more sour than it is. Your palate needs a couple sips to acclimate back to sours. This beer does not apply. It's fully unbalanced with bracing acidity and unrelenting intensity. I can feel my tooth enamel dripping down my esophagus. If you can taste anything past the acid, you might say this beer is tangy and fruity. Again apple, peach, and vinous fruitiness. Hay and oaky woodiness. It's so damn sour that I can't keep it in my mouth long enough to discern any other flavors.

3.5 M: Lighter medium body. Not really any carbonation. Drinks like a thick water, which is a nice mouthfeel for a lambic.

1.5 D: If I'm dead tomorrow then it's probably because I finished the bottle by myself. Wholly undrinkable, even for the most seasoned lambic drinkers. I'm not a sour noob, so I'm not overreacting. This may be even less balanced that the Cantillon Kriek I had a while back. Brace yourselves, acid is coming.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 01:40:40 | More by DavoleBomb

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I got this in a trade from one of you fine people last year but I have forgotten who, thanks bud! The first whiff of the opened bottle reeked of cider vinegar, uh oh. I poured a couple glasses and it was an amber orange color and while not quite translucent it wasn't turgid or anything. The aroma settled down after a couple minutes and it was less vinegar but still had an apple cider quality. Flavor was more cider, sour, apples, not bad at all. If you are judging this as a lambic you will be sorely disappointed but I do respect them for going down a difficult path. As an American wild ale its just fine. There are just some qualities to authentic lambic that Americans haven't nailed yet, maybe its the funk, maybe its the yeast, maybe its a je nais se quoi.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2013 17:04:43 | More by ArrogantB

ajs4bd

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

06-04-2013 02:05:40 | More by ajs4bd

GimmeGumballHead

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1%

06-03-2013 16:43:33 | More by GimmeGumballHead

lookrider

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1%

06-03-2013 05:46:38 | More by lookrider

vrbulldog22

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-31-2013 02:06:29 | More by vrbulldog22

cwxc818

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-29-2013 03:28:08 | More by cwxc818

Honus1

Ohio

4/5  rDev +1%

05-28-2013 01:13:18 | More by Honus1

ShemRahBoo

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-27-2013 04:02:13 | More by ShemRahBoo

HopBrain

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1%

05-27-2013 03:05:54 | More by HopBrain

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4/5  rDev +1%

05-18-2013 21:27:24 | More by Photekut

MSandahl23

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-14-2013 17:09:31 | More by MSandahl23

bstyle

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

05-14-2013 06:33:20 | More by bstyle

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.05/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Why is it that I overpay for Belgian-syle beer (especially sour ales) that are made by American breweries, even when I anticipate that they will sorely disappoint me? Answer- because every now and then, I am rewarded with excellence. That happened today.

Rivertown's Belgian sour experiments leads them to this 1-year Lambic, released in 2012 and has developed young taste and then given time to finish its fermentation in the bottle and building carbonation and foam character- dying out diligently along the way.

As the beer pours, it decants with light carbonation,yielding a soft creamy head and lacing delicately on the glass. Underneath, the rusty-orange elixir settles with a dense yeasty haze and diffused glow.

As the mouth reaches the rim of the snifter, the pungent tartness ensues. Aromatic with cider, under ripened berries and orchard fruit- soon to follow are the more earthy tones of cellar-like must, cork wood, sea air, horse hair and mild saddle leather. Sour limes, bitter citrus pith and light white wine vinegar come to live in taste and carry through to a finish of sharp acidity and soft wheat bread.

Where the ale is sour to taste, the flavors are very controlled- not to allow the texture to become astringent or bitey. Mild warmth and tartness finish the ale but with a short thin and watery stint in between. Clean, palate-stripping and refreshing - the ale is dry and wine-ish in aftertaste.

I'm happy to say that the ale is spot-on Senne Valley. If the glass blindly arrives at my table and if told it was an authentic Belgian Lambic, then I would have agreed. With few years under their belt, the Rivertown brewers have figured out the sour puzzle in masterful display.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 06:12:10 | More by BEERchitect

Boilerfood

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-10-2013 01:22:10 | More by Boilerfood

Magery

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%

05-10-2013 01:04:49 | More by Magery

zrab11

Indiana

4/5  rDev +1%

04-25-2013 13:00:34 | More by zrab11

merc7186

New York

3.96/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bomber into snifter glass.

A: Golden Straw Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Hay, Apricots

T: Apricots, Hay, Mild Bitter Peach

M: Average Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Bitter

Overall, A nice mildly bitter lambic with a nice balanced flavor.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 00:56:35 | More by merc7186

ngeunit1

California

4.16/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Hazy golden-orange with a finger of frothy white head. Fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some lacing.

S - Sweet wheat, tart green fruits, oak, wine, vanilla, lemon zest, funky Brett, lactic acid, pepper.

T - Very tart green fruits, sweet wheat, lemon zest, oak, wine, funky Brett, mild pepper and vanilla, lactic acid.

M - Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. Smooth with a tart and dry finish.

D - Very nice lambic. Great overall balance and complexity.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 02:25:41 | More by ngeunit1

gratefulbeerhead

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%

04-01-2013 03:23:13 | More by gratefulbeerhead

sendsilk

Florida

4/5  rDev +1%

03-22-2013 23:31:58 | More by sendsilk

alexknuckles

Ohio

2/5  rDev -49.5%

03-16-2013 20:23:21 | More by alexknuckles

MADPolo

Florida

4/5  rDev +1%

03-10-2013 18:32:39 | More by MADPolo