Drie Fonteinen Framboos - Brouwerij Drie Fonteinen

Rastacouere

Quebec (Canada)

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is the drie fonteinen Framboos/Framboise enjoyed (thanks to JorisPPattyn and MartinT) with MartinT, kimchee, Oakes and Tiggmtl. As Joris points out, this is refermented in bottle. The vintage is 1986 and I swear this bottle is like 1 inch thick. The cork looks completely ravaged like in an horror movie. Apparent soil lie everywhere under the cage which is barely holding in place. There is no label on this bottle, the vintage is written with chalk, simply Despite its age, it opens up with a serious pop. A nice off-white to pink head forms over the top of the reddish, pinkish orange body. Such a head seems like a mirage from the past and scores an easy 5. The aroma is totally unique and exploding of raspberries. They hit the deep end of your nose and penetrate your brain and you know when it happens that the smell will haunt your memories for a while. It feels very dessert-like, wet, creamy. Some sweetness seems to come from the vanilla notes. It’s earthy, leafy with leathery peaks. Very complex lemon and citrus complement the lactic tartness and funky brettanomyces character. In mouth, it’s definitely the most lactic beer i’ve ever had. Extremely dry and fruity, dusty out-of-date yoghourt. Potent lemon juice with the wheaty acidity really coming out. With the slightest effort (and it’s really not that demanding actually), you grasp all the typical barnyardy and horsey characteristics. Aftertaste is long, tart, astringent, salivating, begging for more, but begging to let this moment be enjoyed for a while. Medium bodied, very dry and with medium to high carbonation which seems like a miracle. Once you’ll have tried it you’ll know, but it’s one of those beers that is such a labyrinth of flavors and at the same time keeps such a nice focus that it’s just adorable and deserves to be seeked out and tried to be believed. It's hard to paint in words all the nuances a brewer can attain when exploiting his full brewing art potential.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2004 03:52:27 | More by Rastacouere

cosmicevan

New York

4.95/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Consumed on 7/28 as a break from the BA DarkLords during the NYC Voltron tasting!!! HUMONGOUS thanks to jim for providing this gem. truly the biggest unexpected surprise of the day! can't believe i got a chance to taste this!!!
2011 vintage

a - gorgeous. pinkish red. think head with spotty lacing. really attractive. just looks like deliciousness.

s - smell is divine. if i could give a score of a 6 for smell on just one beer, this beer would get it. raspberry with the perfect sprinkle of funkiness.

t - WOW!!! great gunk. raspberry...sour cherry...magic in a bottle.

m - funky and just a bit dry. hell of a sour beer.

o - overall, i'm floored. this beer blew me away. lots of these talked about beers fall short but this one really lived up to the chatter about it. AMAZING. funk, magic, berries.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 03:07:29 | More by cosmicevan

ChicagoJohn

Illinois

4.93/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Vintage: 2011

Opened my first of six bottles in the middle fo June with close friends in Sweden who went to the S&B festival who were gracious enough to bring their girlfriends along as mules for me. Greatly appreciated gentlemen.

APPEARANCE: White head forms upon pouring and medium carbonation forms, a little bit less than expected but at least I see it.

SMELL: Fresh raspberries with the slightest trace of moldy chese chunk. This will be a fruit bomb, but in a good way.

TASTE: Wonderful. Need I say more.

PALATE: Slightly dry on the mouthfeel with a medium thick body. Feels great but wish there was more carbonation to give it the 'perfect' mouthfeel.

OVERALL: This is perfect that I obtained enough for cellaring as I will be opening up a bottle once every other year with my Swedish or Chicago friends alongside me. There is so much potential as it's a little bit unruly and so much complexity will occur over the years.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2012 01:57:06 | More by ChicagoJohn

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.9/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

'99 vintage. Review #1000. Words cannot express the gratitude due both to the ridiculously generous friend of mine who shared this and to Hopstoopid120 for letting me know that it was about to be opened. Thanks guys.

A: The label is a bit wrinkled but still in great shape, and the cork (which let out a highly satisfying pop upon opening) was remarkably pristine. This bottle has been cellared on its side since being purchased directly from the brewery way back when (for no more than $5!), and the proper care really shows. It pours a beautiful amber-rose colored body topped by a substantial cap of delicately frothy off-white foam that never entirely goes away. The only flaw is the presence of a sizable amount of sediment, but this quickly settles to the bottom of the glass and doesn't bother me too much.

S: Pure fruit lambic nirvana. Juicy raspberry aroma just leaps out of the wine glass, backed up by bracing acidity (mostly lactic, but there's definitely a bit of acetic action going on, which complements the fruit nicely), sour citrus fruitiness, and a terrific background of grassy, earthy funk. It's way cleaner than I expected for a 3F brew, as the earthiness is closer to flint than dirt and there's no real cheesiness to speak of. Instead, this is a positive celebration of well-integrated fruit and acidity. I can't believe how fresh and vibrant it smells, even after a dozen years.

T: It's sharply acidic up front, with mellow raspberry, lemon, and grassiness following close behind. There's a touch of oak on the finish that lends both structure (via some noticeable tannins) and balance (via a lovely hint of vanilla that helps cut the serious sourness). The finish is medium-long, and delicately fruity. Pure deliciousness.

M: Lively, surprisingly effervescent medium body; I definitely didn't expect such an old beer to retain so much zest, and it might even be a bit too frothy. Still wonderful, though.

O: Needless to say I never though I'd get a chance to try this beer, and I certainly didn't think it could live up to the hype. It did. It easily surpassed 05 St. Lamvinus as my favorite fruit lambic of all time, and absolutely put Dirty Horse to shame (how can I not compare these two uber-whales, both of which I absolutely lucked into trying within the last few months?). The raspberry has really stuck around admirably, and the overall balance, integration, and complexity of this beer is unreal. It's terrifyingly close to perfection, which only makes its scarcity all the more saddening. Armand is brewing again, though...

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 15:56:16 | More by woosterbill

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.88/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottle, 2011 vintage. Thank you, Steve.

Deep pink with a white head that recedes to a ring, leaving no lace. Nice clarity. The nose is beautiful with a big, deep raspberry aroma. Seedy, fruity, mildly leathery and jammy, this is excellent. The base lambic is moderately lemony, and complements the fruit very well.

The palate is an excellent blend of lemony sourness, bright and vibrant raspberries and mildly salty/briny lambic. Seedy tannins are present, but to a lesser degree than, say, a Lou Pepe Framboise. Super bright fruit, not very tannic, the base lambic does complement the fruit with its blend of lemony and mildly musty notes. Medium-light in body and with a creamy, moderate level of carbonation, this feels excellent on the palate. Highly recommended.
4/4.5/4.5/4.5/4.5

**Edit 27 July 2012**
Trey shared a bottle of the 1999 vintage last night. Thank you, man!

Mostly clear, this is a pretty red with no head or lacing. The nose is excellent. Raspberry aromas, fresh, vibrant, berries, no tannins, mild strawberry/tomato paste sweet-tartness. Funky, and deeply musty, the nose is deep and complex. With a little floral aroma with no mushroom/earthy aromas, this smells amazing.

The palate opens with a moderate sourness, fruity, ripe and clean with lemon and lactic sourness. Salty and briny, a flavor combination I haven't encountered in a while. Minimal seed tannins, none of the solventy character that a lot of aged framboises have, this is quite fruity without being particularly jammy. The lemon notes brighten up the palate. Drying, lemon rind finish with moderate funk. Despite its age, the carbonation is quite high, and the flavors on the finish are excellent. Mildly tannic with minimal oak, this beer is phenomenal.

3.5/5/5/4.5/5

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 17:42:28 | More by DefenCorps

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.85/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Available, and sampled from the Bottle in the Drie Fonteinen Café, Beersel.

Traditional Raspberry lambic is very rare, sure we’ve all heard of Framboos, but this is the real stuff. Originally, the whole purpose of producing fruit lambics was to utilize & not to waste excess from a years fruit crops. Obviously the whole fruit was added. Of course these days – syrups, flavorings & all sorts of things are added. Drie Fonteinen make no such short cuts, they add whole Raspberries from Ternat which are some of the very best available, and it shows.

Drie Fonteinen offers this style in two formats;
Draft in the Café at 5.0% ABV, and Bottled at 6.0% ABV.
The two have some differences.

From the Bottle. A 750ml green glass bottle has a simple looking cream colored label that has Framboos & other information written in dark green lettering. Quite a basic presentation, but this is traditional after all, & it would be beneath Drie Fonteinen to have a gimmicky label – anyways, it does not need one.

Once the cage & cork are removed this beer positively oozes a steamy looking white gunsmoke. There is a lot of energy trapped in this beer.

The head is massive as the Framboos is poured into glass, & even a restrained pour does nothing to stop the frothy monster racing up the glass sides. It takes a while to slowly settles, the head activity is huge & the bubbles burst with a random effervescent pattern. Looks very appetizing. The head is slightly darker than the draft version, a deeper pink.

A turbid salmon-pink colored beer that has much higher inherent carbonation than the draft version & positively dances in the mouth, huge mouthfeel & massive similarities to drinking champagne.

Aromas are intensely fruity & not surprisingly of Raspberries. Quite something, really fruity with some sweetness, but the acidity is much higher than the draft version.

Tastes are quite simply mind-blowing. The quintessential traditional raspberry fruit lambic & the epoch of Framboos. Extremely drinkable beer, I note that the bottled version has a higher strength than the draft version, due mainly to refermentation in the bottle. Acidic, smooth, sharp, some sweetness in the middle, but the astringent cheek pulling puckering finish is to die for.

The King of Framboos – probably the Best traditional Framboos in the World.

Café Visit: 24th Nov. 2002

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2003 18:20:15 | More by TheLongBeachBum

rvdoorn

Netherlands

4.85/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Had this beer for the first time at the SB event and for the second time last Sunday during a nice BBQ in the sun.

Look: the beer pours a dark red color with a small head that disappears fast.
Smell: wow, just after opening the bottle, the raspberry smell is all over the place. This indeed is a true raspberry explosion. The nose is nicely sour and funk, full of raspberries, but also other red fruits like cherries are present.
Taste: Funk raspberry juice. Absolutely stunning. Never had so much fruit is a lambic as in this one. The fruit in the beer is perfectly balanced with the sourness of the lambic, and a hint of cherry bitterness. The lambic is still quite young though. Dry but very smooth in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Both bottles had different levels of carbonation; Medium and Medium low.
Overal: A perfectly balanced beer. I noticed some differences in the level of carbonation between the two bottles. But besides that, this beer is stunning. Again, if you want a more complex taste, take a geuze or let the Framboos age for several years, because the lambic is still a bit too young. But.... if you want to experience the best fresh fruit lambic ever made, drink it now!

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 17:56:07 | More by rvdoorn

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.84/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

500th review! Hooray! 750 ml bottle, bottled on 2011/05/31. Steve (slander) was very, very generous to split this with me at Tørst. Served in a wine glass.

A- Pours a slightly hazy pinkish raspberry color, produces a thin bubbly white head that lingers around the edge of the glass.

S- The aroma is really amazing, as soon as the bottle opened you could smell it from several feet away. The raspberry notes are great, very juicy and fresh but also with some dryer raspberry skin. The fruit is very prominent but beneath it is a nice oak and sweet vanilla character, as well as lactic acidity and a nice damp, earthy funk.

T- Very tart with a nice lactic acidity and mild hints of acetic. The raspberry flavor is huge and has a nice mix of skin and juicy flesh. Beneath this there's a nice earthy funkiness and oak and vanilla flavors.

M- Medium-bodied, moderate to low carbonation, which works very well actually, the feel is bone dry with a nice tannic feel.

O- This is a really wonderful beer, the flavors are delicious and very complex, it's just damn impressive. Easily amongst the best fruit lambics I've tasted. Now if only I had a few cases of this...

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 17:03:41 | More by WillCarrera

Sean9689

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Mega Tasting III, 1999 vintage, 750ml bottle. Words cannot express the huge awesomeness that this day has brought. Derek, you are the f'n man. Poured into RBSG 2010 tulip.

A - Pours a muddled brownish color, white head, no lacing, and some spotty whisps on top here and there.

S - Raspberry puree sweetness, nice funk, lactic acidic notes, some oak. The raspberry is so pronounced it's unlike anything I've ever had. Not overly sour, just right, and very tart. The cheesey funk is there, but it doesn't overpower or overtake the raspberry at all.

T - Wow. Funky raspberry bomb! Nice sour/tart notes, moreso then the nose, which is excellent. Vinegar, acidic wine notes, and oak in there as well. The finish is funky with a tart bite on the end that leaves your lips puckered. Just amazing how the raspberry is still there after 12 years.

M - Light, very soft carbonation, dry finish.

D - Simply impressive. The raspberry is all over this one, which truthfully, I wasn't expecting after all these years. Destroys all other sour raspberry beers with ease and just excellent. Will I ever have it again? Probably not...how sad.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2011 18:35:59 | More by Sean9689

MasterSki

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle generously shared by hoppymeal - Derek, you never cease to amaze me with your abilities to dig up such amazing brews. Served in a Michigan Brewer's Guild tulip glass. The mythical 1999 vintage.

A - Pours with a half-finger of quick-dissolving white foam that settles to a thick collar, but leaves behind no lace. Hazed orange-brown body with a hint of ruby to it. There's significantly more sediment than the 3F Hommage we had shortly afterward. Still, the carbonation seems to have held up quite well, even after 12 years in the bottle.

S - The first thing that I noticed is that there is still insane amounts of raspberry goodness - somehow the fruit has persisted, even as it has vanished from numerous younger fruit lambics. The raspberry is of the slightly over-ripe variety, and mingles with red wine vinegar and acetobacter, light signature Drie Fonteinen funk, and hints of oak and vanilla. As it warms there is a faint malted grain backdrop and perhaps *gasp* an oxidized note, so I wouldn't really recommend cellaring this much longer. Still - rumors of its decline have been greatly exaggerated.

T - The taste is actually superior, with significantly more sourness, acetobacter, and light lactic acid in the finish. No noticeable oxidation, and significant pucker from the tart, rich and, slightly funky raspberry flavors. Just superb stuff in any case.

M - Extremely dry, with a tannic finish. It literally rips the moisture from your mouth. Medium bodied, with medium-low carbonation. Tooth-coating residual sugars. My stomach started churning almost immediately from the acidity. Could use more bubbles, but for a 12-year old beer it's doing pretty good.

D - I initially wrote that this wasn't significantly better than Hommage - then I tried Hommage and realized I was totally wrong. It's perhaps too sour to drink in mass quantities, and the the rarity and price tag make it unlikely I'd ever be able to have more than 2oz. Still, it's clearly a superior lambic that has held up quite impressively, even after 12 years. As much as I nursed my glass, it emptied depressingly quickly.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 02:28:15 | More by MasterSki

spdyfire83

Ireland

4.75/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

225th Review
75cl bottle enjoyed at the Sour & Bitter dinner in Copenhagen (the "Main Event" as it were...Millennium and Malvasia Rosso were just warm-up beers)
Poured in a wine tumbler
Enjoyed on 10 May 2012

Bottled: 31 May 2011
Best before: 31 May 2021

A: Dark ruby red - looks like raspberry purée. Small white head disappears almost immediately.

S: Smells like a fresh bucket of raspberries. Heavenly! Slight hint of oak, funk, and more raspberry. Touch of acidity as well, but again mostly just fresh raspberry.

T: Follows smell with initial burst of raspberry explosion up-front. Lambic sourness balances this beer wonderfully and the overall execution is superb!

M: Medium/full body with almost flat carbonation.

O: Smooth, easy to drink, and just really enjoyable! The balance is just perfect. I was stoked to have had the opportunity to drink this beer at S&B while also purchasing a couple bottles for takeaway. I'm excited to see how this one ages as it is still quite young, but all in all a very enjoyable beer!

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 15:52:53 | More by spdyfire83

Samichlaus82

4.75/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1999 Vintage. Pours a cloudy red with a very minimal head that collars around the glass rim. Raspberry nose to be expected but the raspberry is a little more muted than I anticipated. Some wood notes as well and funk. Tart and sweet raspberry, caramel, with a nice building level of sourness. Very nice. Medium mouthfeel. A little under carbed and I think more carbonation would benefit this beer. Overall, very good. 3F please make more.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 10:09:28 | More by Samichlaus82

Jeffo

Netherlands

4.7/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

The highly anticipated Framboos. We shared a few of these at the Sour & Bitter festival in Copenhagen last weekend. This was the main event, and it was nice to be able to have several glasses throught the evening.

From a 75cl bottle into a tumbler.
Vintage: 2011

APPEARANCE: Pours a small, off-white head that quickly recedes to a swirling wisp and bubbly ring. Cloudy, hazy, carmine or dark red with no visible carbonation. Very opaque. A light wisp and ring remain until the end and leave some falling dots of lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Very fresh still. Very fruity, with piles of fresh raspberries all over the place. A light touch of funky notes and some hints of cherries pull through, but this is all about the fresh red fruit. Semlls wonderful.

TASTE: A light touch of funk up front, but the avalance of fresh raspberries soon steals the show. Very fruity and bold with lots of tart red fruit and a touch of cherry through the middle, into a lightly sour-bitter finish. Bold and lingering aftertaste with lots of tart raspberries, some light funky notes and a tick of floral bitterness. The fruit flavor on this is decadent.

PALATE: Medium body with medium carbonation. Surprisingly full and heavy on the palate, which I appreciate, goes down very smooth and finishes slightly dry.

OVERALL: This was the star of the show tonight and it certainly put on a stunning performance. With awesome raspberry flavor all over the room, a light tartness and a touch of bitterness as balance, this beer was a real decadent treat. It is still very fresh at this point, so the nose and taste are almost completely dominated by the fruit. Given some time, however, it will mellow out a bit and allow the lambic to mature and play a larger roll. As a comparison, Hommage, which is also a raspberry lambic and has been maturing since 2007, is mellower and somewhat more complex now that the fruit has faded and the lambic has developed. Regardless, the increadibly bold flavors that Framboos brings to the table right now are a real treat, and I'm very glad my mate twisted my rubber arm and convinced me to attend the festival. It will be fun to see this beer develop over time as well. Thanks for bringing this one back from the grave Armand. This was phenomenal.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 14:07:10 | More by Jeffo

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4.7/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750 mL bottles of 1999 (thanks forgetfu for arranging) and 2012 (thanks craytonic for sharing) release side by side.

Appearance
99: Pale, cloudy muddy reddish brown. 4.5
12: Brighter, cloudy ruby with a slight ring of pink bubbles. 5

Aroma
99: Oaky and raspberry fruit and seed, light acidity. 5
12: More of a jam, vanilla like nose, slightly seedy and juicy raspberry fruit. 4.5

Taste
99: Acidic and crisp, sour and tart raspberry fruit, light lemon and oak. 4.5
12: Sweeter and fruitier, less acidity and oak. Fresh raspberries dominate. Not as complex or interesting as the old batch, but promising. 4

Mouthfeel
99/12: Full body, soft carbonation, puckering finish. 4

Overall
Win and score goes to 99 (5) versus 12 (4).

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 22:19:56 | More by yourefragile

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

4.7/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 750 mL caged and corked bottle into a tulip. 2011 vintage. From notes.

Moderately bright, the raspberry brown color has a wispy, off-white cap. This is not heavily carbonated.

The nose is full of juicy ripe raspberries, with a very sour aroma overall. The fruit is just explosive; it smells mostly lactic in nature, and there is not much funk in the nose, probably due to the young age of the beer.

With the first sip my tongue is greeted with the soft, sweetness of ripe summer raspberries. With each passing millisecond, though, the flavor becomes more and more sour, peaking right at the end of the sip. The fruit clearly dominates the flavor, ahead of the funky lambic notes. The sour notes are mostly lactic tartness, although there is some acetic vinegar to it as well.

The early sweetness creates a slightly fuller than medium body, but the light bubbly carbonation and the sour acidity as the sip progresses drag the body to the middle of the spectrum in terms of lambics. The lactic acidity and light tannins create a dry sensation as well.

This is simply an incredible raspberry sour, which I have soft spot for anyway. With more time in the bottle, I am sure some of the fruit will give way to more of the trademark Drie Fonteinen funk. It will be tough for it to improve on how much I like it now, but it should mellow out for sure.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 00:21:07 | More by KickInTheChalice

Greenplastic615

Pennsylvania

4.7/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle (2011 vintage) split four ways, poured into a stem wine glass. Review probably biased positive, given that my thought while having this was 'holy s#!% I'm actually drinking Framboos'.

A - Deep, deep red with a minimal head that quickly settled.

S - Whoa. Raspberries for days. This is maybe the best smelling lambic I've ever had the pleasure of having. Behind the huge raspberry nose, there's some serious tartness and funk. I didn't even have to hold the glass up to my nose to smell this; the aroma just pops and you can get the smell from a foot or two away. Really awesome.

T - Tart raspberries, moderate to light funk, then some more tart raspberry before finishing with some lactic acidity and sour bite. I expected a degree of sweetness in the taste and I really didn't find it. All the sugar must've gotten eaten up by the bugs and converted into dry, tannic, fruity sourness. Yummy.

M - Moderate carbonation with a super dry finish. I really like super-dry sours, and this definitely was one.

O - Very, very good, and definitely lived up to the hype, but not so vastly better than a similarly aged Cantillon LP Framboise that it's worth giving up the farm for. I'm quite happy I was able to try this, but it's not something I'll be seeking out a repeat bottle of, given the cost of acquisition.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 19:55:57 | More by Greenplastic615

tpd975

Florida

4.68/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Consumed at LCBS 2010 with great ratebeerians and members of BA

Big thanks to henrik for letting me have the pleasure of prying this from his hands.

A: Pours a nice reddish pink with a thin white head. Lite on the retention and a few spots of lace.

S: Subtle yet wonderful aromas. Tart berry and oak. Hints of vinegar as well.

T: Tart raspberry and hints of mulberry. Mild oak with a nice lactic quality. Sour without being too much, a mild vinegar note. No oxidation at all.

M: Nice and crisp, perfect carbonation, with a nice tartness from the middle through the finish.

Those who say this one is past its prime are wrong.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2010 01:10:36 | More by tpd975

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.68/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

1999 vintage. Served in a Drie Fonteinen wine glass.

Pour is much darker when compared with the 2011. Slightly-murky copper-red with a short head. Nose is musty raspberry and earth. Light-moderate acidity. So smooth and earthy. Really fantastic.

Previous 2011 vintage notes:

2011 vintage courtesy of GT2. Pours a moderately-cloudy light brown color with a pretty hefty pinkish-red hue. Short, tight head that recedes fairly quickly, leaving behind a thin collar. The nose has semi-ripe raspberries with mild acidity. Underneath that is a nice bit of earth and a touch of basement character. Lightly funky, though not nearly to the level of 3F geuze. Flavor has a light acidity carrying the raspberries past some underlying earth and a faint touch of bread. Body is medium with average carbonation and a dry, lightly-acidic finish. I prefer this to Gambrinus, but I’d still take a straight 3F Oude Geuze if given the choice between the two.

Scores for 2011: 4 / 4.5 / 4 / 4.5 / 4.5

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 19:08:42 | More by Thorpe429

victory4me

Pennsylvania

4.68/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

1999 vintage shared by treyrab. I am eternally grateful!

I was promised a big rare surprise at this tasting hosted by nittanybeerfan. Trey took this out and said, "ever have this?" I said, "HOLY SHIT!" and spent the next several minutes scraping my jaw off the floor.

Pours very carbonated, surprisingly so for a 13 year old bottle. Ruddy, hazy, cloudy orange-ish red. Huge aroma of horseblanket, dank basement, sweat, and musky fruit rush toward me. Complete overpowering of my olfactory senses, I feel these aromas in my ears.

Raspberries are still present within the flavor in ways that I wouldn't expect for a beer of this age. Extremely acetic in the back of the throat, the raspberries quickly fade into an overpowering sourness which is rather enjoyable. One of us mentioned a tomato-like acidity. At the same time it is clean and lactic. Undeniably complex with its depth of flavors. As it warms a whole new flavor profile emerges: Briny, salty and earthy.

Mouthfeel changes throughout the experience and is outstanding throughout. From prickly sour carbonation to an acedic burn, then a salty still feel as it warms.

Tremendous on every level and worthy of it's accolades. I am still amazed that I had the opportunity to try this beer and cannot thank Trey and Dan enough.

Beer on a whole new level of world class.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 03:21:39 | More by victory4me

Urbancaver

Ohio

4.68/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a murky brownish red. Not much head... Looks pretty good
Smells very tart... Lots of raspberries on the nose
Tastes phenomenal. Tart raspberries. Tons of flavor. The sourness is very well integrated.
Solid carbonation. Good mouthfeel. Overall a great beer. 1999 was better than 2011 but both are very solid.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 23:21:59 | More by Urbancaver

grub

Ontario (Canada)

4.65/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

lantern corps beer summit 2010 - day 2, oct 9/2010.

750ml corked and caged bottle.

pours slightly hazy red-brown, growing more hazy toward the end of the bottle. a thin ring of fine off-white bubbles forms, dropping slowly and leaving a few spots of lace.

aroma is awesome. tart raspberry. bit of spice. horse blanket funk. light leather. caramel and toffee. bit of lemon and malt vinegar, but the fruit is the star of this show. bit of other dark fruit - sour cherry, date, and fig. the berry comes out even more as it warms, showing even more depth. earthy. hint of raw oak. white bread and cracker.

taste is great. much like the aroma, but more acidity comes through. the depth isn't quite as full as in the aroma, but it's still pretty great. great berry character that gets even better as it warms.

mouthfeel is excellent. just under medium body with a nice dry finish. medium carbonation level.

drinkability is great. great balance. restrained but prominent sourness and acidity. great berry character. wow, this is one damn good beer! if only there were an endless supply available...

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 15:21:57 | More by grub

rodkin

Missouri

4.65/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Honestly didn't ever think I'd try this. Very lucky to get a bottle at Tørst in New York.

Appearance is a deep reddish pink, minimal head and lacing, slight carbonation.

Smell is huge raspberry jam, tart raspberry, lemon, apple, oak, slight musty funk. Super fruity, great mix of sweet and sour.

Taste is raspberry, oak, lemon, tart apple, wet hay, slight sweetness. Slight puckering tartness, very fruity, but balanced and tart, with moderate funk.

Mouthfeel was very dry, light, tannic, well carbonated.

A really exceptional experience, one I feel lucky to have had. A stunning beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 06:06:27 | More by rodkin

drabmuh

Maryland

4.63/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

At the time of this review, this is #7 on the "Top Beers - Lambic - Fruit" list on beeradvocate.com. Served in two gueuze tumblers. 1999 and the 2011 version served side by side, I win beer.

1999: Brownish and hazy with a thin off white head of small bubbles, low retnetion, no lacing.
2011: Pinking and hazy with a bright white head of small bubbles, some lacing, moderate retention, heavy carbonatoin.

1999: Oaky and funky in the nose, almost no fruit present in the aroma. Very 3F aroma though, no oxidation. Very aggressive and strong, lactic, mild succinic and acetic acidic, citric too.
2011: Very fruit forward, strong raspberries, still citric and funky, with oak and the others, the tartness is lower and the fruit is much much higher.

1999: The fruit is still in the body, a thin beer very tart with a nice finish and funk, strong 3F character but the overall beer is subdued.
2011: Very fruit forward, strong on the palate and stingy with the tartness and oak funk. A very nice beer, not as funky as the 99 but very much more fruity.

It is hard for me to pick a winner but I guess I liked the newer one better. I think what makes the beer different from any other 3F sour is the fruit which was way way more forward in in the newer one. It would probably be better with a year or two on it but after more than a decade the 1999 is probably over the hill a little.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 02:25:36 | More by drabmuh

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.6/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

1999 and 2012 vintages served side by side.

The 1999 vintage is hazy / murky and appears a darker shade of red, with some brown tones. The 2012 version is a beautiful, radiant ruby hue with a half inch of lilac head.

The aromas of the two beers are quite different. While both offer prominent raspberries, the older vintage is funkier, with basement and oak tones. The newer batch is fruity and fresh, with a light sweetness from the fruit.

The flavor of the '99 vintage is smooth, silky, funky. Lingering notes of oak. Slightly musty. A superb brew. The 2012 is a simpler fruit lambic, with raspberries shining through nicely atop classic Drie Fonteinen scents and flavors.

The '99 is quite a bit more tart than the fresh batch. The 2012 is fruity, lightly sweet, with a gentle acetic finish, whereas the older Framboos has more tartness and kick in the finish.

Overall, both vintages were delightful. What a treat. I'm so grateful for the experience.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 22:23:14 | More by Huhzubendah

craytonic

District of Columbia

4.6/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

The whitest of whales. 1999 and 2011 side by side in appropriate 3F tumbler. Review is to the 2011, although I found the 1999 preferable. Differences noted

Appearance: Hazy, murky pour, the 1999 is noticeably thicker and darker. Both have a small white head and decent carbonation.

Smell: Both are incredibly fruity, although, and oddly, the 1999 smelled fresher to me than the 2011. Perfect balance of oak, funk and fruit in each, although the 2011 is a bit too much like jam. Both have a nice citrus element that somehow emphasizes the raspberries, of which there are plenty.

Taste: Both are delicious, with the 1999 being superior. It seemed to me that the 1999 might have spent more time in contact with the raspberries, hence its darker color and intensity, but that is just a prediction. Both have a nice dose of sour, funk, earth and oak.

Overall: both are good, debatable if they are worth the effort to acquire but that is a different story. We opened a rose de gambrinus next to these two bottles, it couldn't even look on them. I found the 1999 slightly better and it would be a 4.75 overall.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 19:09:34 | More by craytonic