Lambrucha - Vanberg & DeWulf

Proteus93

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A beer that blends two of my favourite beverages... I suppose I go into this a little biased.

A: Poured a somewhat hazy straw hue into a Delirium Tremens snifter. A half finger of head formed just above the plimsoll line, more robust than a typical kombucha, yet a little more fizzy and quick to recede than most beers.

S + T: I picked up a bottle of this from two different locations and tried them on separate occasions. I picked up on an almost 'meaty' quality in both, something of an element in the funkiness. It's got a pretty notable barnyard scent, perhaps some hints of lemon spritzer, modest hay and some white-fleshed fruits. The flavour is very similar, with an additional leathery taste.

M + D: Crisp, with an assertive and lightly sparkling carbonation. Like most sour styled beers, it has a very refreshing finish, with a nice hint of dryness, yet not as puckering as some. I found this to be a fantastic beer, and I hope to see other breweries experimenting with this style. In the meantime, I'll be happy with this.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 00:49:12 | More by Proteus93

GrindFatherBob

New York

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%

05-20-2013 22:26:39 | More by GrindFatherBob

tswater

Colorado

4/5  rDev +6.4%

04-29-2013 03:13:44 | More by tswater

ehammond1

California

4.2/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle (2012)

Stone Brewing Co.
Escondido, CA

Gold straw with moderate amounts of visible carbonation. Leaves the glass fairly clean.

Lots of mustard seed in the aroma, along with bright, earthy, pepper character, grass, and a touch of pickle. Some acid as well. I really like the way this smells. It may not sound that good on paper, but it really comes together. Very bright and fresh aromas.

The flavor is similarly successful as the aroma, perhaps even more so. Lots of the mustard seed, pepper, and pickle character is well, and it comes together in a very refreshing, bright, quenching fashion. Some grass and some acidic sour character. Lots of kambucha flavor.

Thinner bodied with moderate carbonation.

Fantastic. This is an incredibly successful and delicious experiment.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 20:40:02 | More by ehammond1

hoppymcgee

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +6.4%

04-20-2013 02:08:22 | More by hoppymcgee

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Bottle: Poured a light hazy golden color lambic with a medium size bubbly head with minimal retention and not much lacing. Aroma of tart notes with light funky notes. Taste is refreshing with easy drinking tart notes with some light funky notes. Kombucha tea was harder to detect. Body was about average with good carbonation. Nice refreshing drink for summer with just the right amount of complexity.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 18:12:11 | More by Phyl21ca

champ103

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%

04-02-2013 20:16:15 | More by champ103

ShamasUVA

Connecticut

2/5  rDev -46.8%

04-02-2013 00:35:11 | More by ShamasUVA

MIA4IPA

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%

03-08-2013 22:08:13 | More by MIA4IPA

LambicKing

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%

03-07-2013 03:40:35 | More by LambicKing

t0rin0

California

3/5  rDev -20.2%

03-05-2013 12:27:38 | More by t0rin0

Hanzo

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%

03-04-2013 07:33:13 | More by Hanzo

Blanco

Pennsylvania

2/5  rDev -46.8%

02-19-2013 03:42:12 | More by Blanco

Chelsea1905

Washington

3.96/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Light hazy yellow and orange hue

S - Crisp pepper tartness, with the tea like substance coming through

T - Initial hit of the tartness and what you'd expect from a Lambic hits, and then when you swallow expecting the sour funkness you actually get the deeper taste of the tea.

M - Light crisp and exactly as you'd expect from a Lambic, but there is a smoothing that the tea gives.

0 - Decent offering with a few strange tastes but worth trying for sure.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 18:36:13 | More by Chelsea1905

ngeunit1

California

4.16/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Clear golden-orange with a finger of frothy white head. Fades fairly slowly.

S - Wheat, lemon zest, sour and funky yeasts, tart green fruit, pepper, kombucha, some spices.

T - Wheat, lemon zest, funky and sour yeasts, kombucha, Belgian yeast, some spices, pepper, tart green fruit.

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

D - Interesting mix of flavors, but the balance is spot on. Very crisp and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 07:24:10 | More by ngeunit1

DmanGTR

New York

4.26/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Review from notes. Had this during our 10 year anniversary.

Poured brilliant hazy yellow, like a deep lemon with a nicely formed white head in my Trappistes Rochefort chalice. Left a touch of lace as it diminished into a thin froth. The nose is quite nice with a huge bouquet. I felt like I was in a citrus stand on a fine mid morning in summer near a farm. Lots of tartness of lemon, orange, and acid that is meshed with the tiniest whiff of a well tended field behind a farm. The quaff is refreshing, crisp, and effervescent. I can easily down the whole glass but I do prefer to savor it. It pairs very well with shrimp cocktail. Overall, a steal for $12/750ml. I will pick up more next time I see it.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 02:40:40 | More by DmanGTR

DaBubs

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%

01-29-2013 19:01:20 | More by DaBubs

elec

Minnesota

2/5  rDev -46.8%

01-19-2013 02:27:51 | More by elec

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

2.25/5  rDev -40.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

750mL bottle poured into tulip - thanks brian, i think

Pours a pale golden color with thick, frothy foam resting on top. Webbed lacing coats the glass, slowly dissolving.

Incredibly odd nose with funky, musty yeast and extremely vegetal notes. Touches of lambrucha and tea leaves, dirt, and herbs. Lactic tartness completes the muddled mess.

Starts off tart and funky, masquerading itself as a lambic for a brief moment with a dash of citrus peel and peppery spice. The entire experience goes completely off the rails in a flaming trainwreck shortly thereafter, obliterated by musty beans, dirt, offensive vegetal notes and rotting tea leaves. Random flavors of herb and meat (rosemary chicken?), increasing funk and tartness into the liberating finish.

Lighter medium body, slightly higher carbonation, bubbly and unfortunately lingering on the tongue. I think "what the fuck is this?" was the overall consensus on this beer. I've tried it more than once and hopefully this was the last time.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 13:49:43 | More by xnicknj

Jspriest

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%

01-15-2013 22:16:34 | More by Jspriest

kojevergas

California

2.8/5  rDev -25.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Green glass bottle with hood and wire cap over a cork acquired at an L.A. bottle shop for $12.99 and served into a New Belgium stem goblet in me gaff in Los Feliz. Reviewed live. Expectations are fairly high; it was recommended by a friend and I'm in the mood for a good sour.

Served straight from the refrigerator. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a three finger white colour frothy foamy head of good cream and thickness, and good retention - though the ABV is quite low so this isn't particularly impressive. No lacing whatsoever. Body colour is a pale lemon-gold. Semitransparent and translucent. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Medicinal notes are dominant. Pale malts, a lemon twang, and some light hints of sourness. I expected far more from the aroma. Crystal malt. A mild strength aroma.

T: Citrusy lemon/orange twang is a highlight, with pale malts providing the foundation. Some herbal notes on the backend; I'm not fond of them. I've never had kombucha but if it tastes like this count me out. A bit bitter and earthy as well. Bleh. Imbalanced and not well built.

Mf: Tingly coarseness brings out the crystal malt. A bit champagney. Overcarbonated. Too thick. Good wetness.

Dr: Surprisingly difficult to drink for its low ABV. This is mostly because of the bothersome kombucha flavours, which I'm not at all a fan of. Maybe this is one I can chalk up to personal taste, but I wouldn't recommend this. That said, it is nicely refreshing.

C

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 22:43:13 | More by kojevergas

SFC21

New York

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%

01-06-2013 02:24:44 | More by SFC21

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bomber into tulip.

Good looking golden beer with nice foamy head, looks like a saison.

Smells like mustard seeds. Mustard seeds and saison yeast and some pepper, but mostly tart mustard.

Wow, yep, this tastes like mustard! Definitely notice the kombucha, more of a tea like tartness than lambic sourness. Tastes of dill, black pepper, Belgian yeast, a little funk. Mustard is really predominant though, what a strange beer! Definitely enjoyable though.

Decent carbonation, mouthfeel reminiscent of a berlinerweiss.

Unique beer, never had a beer that tasted like mustard before. Really a pretty good beer though.

PS I mixed this with a goudenband later--ketchup and mustard blend ftw.

6.9/10

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 03:15:56 | More by AlexFields

GPGURU

Louisiana

2.5/5  rDev -33.5%

12-29-2012 23:12:40 | More by GPGURU

od_sf

California

3/5  rDev -20.2%

12-29-2012 21:05:14 | More by od_sf