Cantillon Gueuze 100% Lambic - Brasserie Cantillon

jaasen64

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12.7oz bottle dated 8/31/11 (pretty much exactly one year old). Split with one other person. Poured into HF tulip. A lot softer cork then I'm used to, I think it's the first time I've personally de-corked a Cantillon.

A- Pours a translucent golden orange, not really any head, lacing recedes fairly quickly, minimal carbonation with a few carbonation bubbles rising here and there.

S- Light funky smell of vinegar, a little bit of oak, some lightly sour green apples, maybe a tiny bit of aged cheese lurking in the background.

T- Light lemony citrus with a very light tartness, some light vinegar, finishes with a hint of sourness.

M- Light, slightly dry on the finish, not too much carbonation which I like for the style, very easy to drink.

O- This was a very good gueze, however probably not my favorite. I think I actually liked Hannsenn's slightly more then this. It was very drinkable, had a nice light funk to it, and is definitely something I'd like to drink again, maybe a different vintage. I would recommend this to any geuze/sour lover.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 00:59:17 | More by jaasen64

herman77

Minnesota

4.53/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

2008 Bottle.

A: Vibrant apricot orange/yellow. Hazy. Small white head that dissipates quickly.

S: Citrus funkiness. Mainly funk and a bit of hay. A bit of tart apple and some fresh oak. Tobacco comes out as it opens up and the citrus dies down.

T: Layers of flavor. Sour and just a tiny touch of sweetness. Citrus sourness, very tart cherries and lots of barnyard funk. Sourness develops into tangy apples. Very complex and very smooth finish.

M: Medium body. Very low carbonation, it does pick up a bit when agitated. Very slick feeling.

O: Good drinkability. A phenomenal sour. I can see why Cantillon is so sought after. Had this on tap once in Chicago and it's good as I remember it being. Wish I could get this even every once in a while.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 00:34:12 | More by herman77

jegross2

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewing the Classic Gueuze from the infamous Brasserie Cantillon out of Belgium.
Score: 95

August 31, 2011 vintage bottle served in a snifter glass and enjoyed on 06/20/12 at the Green Lady.

Appearance: Pours a clean and surprisingly unsedimenty pale/straw yellow color with a thin white ring of head around the glass. Below average lacing and retention compared to most of the beers I usually drink, but the lacing is not bad for a sour. This is a nice and clean looking gueuze. 4/5

Smell: Sweet and sour lemon, evident lactobacillus, vinegar and pepper. Also detecting some wild flower and rose pedal. This beer has a really nice and inviting aroma from which you can almost experience the tartness without sipping. There is no funk either, which is how I like my sours, but that may be because this is a relatively green (fresh) vintage. 4.5/5

Taste: Super tart on the tongue with a nice pucker effect. Candied lemon and lemon juice flavors with a touch of sweet vinegar. Some oak, green apple and grassiness. There is a very subtle residual plastic flavor in the aftertaste that just really seems to fit the flavor profile well. Plastic would not seem like a quality you'd want in a beer's flavor, but for whatever reason I am really digging it here. Incredible refreshing in the 90+ degree heat. As the beer warms up, a little pepper comes out too. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied with carbonation on the higher end of light. The tartness of the beer is really throwing off my sense of carbonation. There is a good amount of pucker here from the sourness, but it is not overpowering. The mouthfeel reminds me of drinking apple juice (albeit sour apple juice). The beer is a bit acidic, but not overly much in single-serving doses (though consuming too much lactobacillus, by say pounding back four of these small bottles, is sure to give one a stomach ache). 4.5/5

Overall: One of my absolute favorite gueuzes, right behind the 3F Oude Gueze. For it's "bar price" and rarity, just stick with the 3F.

Recommendation: For it's "bar price" and rarity, I would recommend sticking with the 3F Oude Gueze. However, if you like gueuzes and sours, I recommend that you seek this beer out. I found Classic Gueuze to be a clean and refreshing enough sour (no real funk) to potentially appeal to slightly more adventurous casual beer drinkers and the "I hate sours" beer geeks (of which I still include myself to date).

Pairings: Gouda cheese (or perhaps even a lemon-crusted aged white cheddar).

Cost: $14 for a 12 oz bottle at the bar, but a 750 ml bottle, if you are lucky enough to find one in a retail store state-side, tends to run $15.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 08:32:36 | More by jegross2

GilGarp

Colorado

4.48/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on the 7th of June, 2011.

375ml green glass bottle with cork and cap served slightly chilled into a goblet.

Cantillon's Classic Gueuze is a slightly hazy golden yellow color with a hint of pink. The head is thin and fizzy and settles quickly, similar to a champagne.

Aroma is wonderful and enticing with slightly sour and tart elements. Complex and unusual.

Flavor is also sour and tart but not nearly as much as I was expecting. It has a nice softness to it that doesn't hit as hard as some other lambics. Sweet up front with tart cherries, peaches, and apricots. It turns more sour towards the middle of the sip and then finishes dry with a little tannic pucker.

Mouthfeel is medium-light in body and perfectly carbonated. Balanced more than others in the style and more drinkable too.

Overall a really excellent Gueuze. Probably a great place to start if you're new to the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 00:42:10 | More by GilGarp

barczar

Kentucky

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

Pours a slightly hazy golden honey color with a solid half inch cream head that lingers as a ring of foam around the glass rim.

Very fruity, sour apple, acetic, vinegar, with a bit of bready malt and wine must comprise the aroma. There's a somewhat vegetal character. Floral notes emerge as it warms.

Acetic acid, lemons, limes, tart cherries, and a slightly bitter finish are accompanied by lactic acid and a hint of earthiness. The finish is clean and fairly vinegary.

Body is moderate, with fairly high carbonation and a somewhat dry finish. It's very refreshing and effervescent.

Overall, a fairly complex sour. Not a beginner's choice. Very tart and dry and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 04:14:34 | More by barczar

mrfrancis

Kentucky

4.48/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a slightly hazy gold with a tight white head that recedes quickly.

S: Aromas of pickle brine, vinegar, must, unripened vine fruits, and barnyard funk fill the nose.

T: Notes of must, vinegar, pickle brine, sea salt, unripened pineapple, unripened grapes, crab apple, minerals, and barnyard funk grip the palate. The finish is quenching, sour, and acidic with loads of unripened fruit, must, vinegar, and barnyard funk flavors.

M: Medium-bodied, chalky, and dry. Carbonation is intense, imparting a crisp mouthfeel. Just as drinkable as any other authentic gueuze.

O: This gueuze has a reputation as being one of the best out there, and I can't say anything to contradict that. This is as complex and enticing as any of Cantillon's other products. I can't recommend this one highly enough for fans of sour ales.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 03:04:56 | More by mrfrancis

yamar68

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Many, many thanks to match1112 for sending this beer my way.

Poured from 12.7oz bottle to stange, bottled 17 September 2010:

Pours a lively apple cider, hazy gold with a quick few fingers of fizzy, loose head. Great lacing.

The nose is stuffed with earthy, funky yeast. White grape, pear, overripe light fruit, subtle sour character, increasingly tart.

Ooo... super smooth. It doesn't have any of the aggressive carbonation that it appears to in the glass. Instead, the feel is pretty mellow, with the perfect amount of fizz to support the tart pop on the tongue. Tart apple skin, grassy bits, drying yeast in the finish.

What a terrific beer.

A longtime want of mine that surely didn't disappoint!

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 23:33:04 | More by yamar68

Rinkor16

California

4.38/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed this with my older brother. 2011 bottle opened on 7/6/12.

A: Nice orange and yellow color. Very little head that would slide right off the glass.

S: Tons of citrus. Lemon, orange and oak.

T: Extremely well balanced. Nice citrus notes up front followed by the funk and sour. Reminded me a lot of Beatification, but less intense. Very dry finish that leaves you wanting more!

M: Right amount of carbonation. Very refreshing.

O: Fantastic! I wish I could get a hold of this more often.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 16:43:35 | More by Rinkor16

hoserking

California

4.03/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On "tap" at Cantillon

Due to my lack of experience with Gueuze, I was surprised when this was served in a tumbler rather than a tulip.

Dull orange/straw color.
The aroma was very funky with all the earthy smells expected from a naturally fermented beer.
Taste was tart but not over the top. Clearly there is a lot of thought put into what goes into the blend for this beer as it is quite balanced and with a mouthfeel that makes it very easy to drink.

Wouldn't be a daily drinker but was obviously a marvelously brewed beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-03-2012 10:07:21 | More by hoserking

sjccmd

Minnesota

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

Bottled in 2011

Pours clear light amber/gold with a small white head that disappears quickly.

The aroma consists of barnyard, musty basement, oak, followed by sour apples, overripe fruit, and wet hay. Floral and slightly cheesy. Very earthy.

Tart, oaky, and slightly bitter in the flavor. Funk and some cheesiness. Follows along with the aroma. Slightly grainy.

Very carbonated mouthfeel with an acidic bite. Super dry.

I previously had an longer aged example of this beer which was much more complex. The sourness and funk really jumped out. However, even fresh, this beer is near perfect.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 18:40:06 | More by sjccmd

allforbetterbeer

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served from a bottle at the brewery. Poured into a small wine snifter. Smells like the straight lambic with greater depth and stratification of flavor. The depth of cereal grains, cheese, earth, and wild yeast is fantastic, as well as the balance of acids. This is fantastically well done and complex while still being approachable. Not overly sour or harsh, but every bit as wild as it should be. This bears no resemblance to the pasteurized and sweetened gueuze that is too often found of the shelves today. Real, wild, excellent.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 08:15:11 | More by allforbetterbeer

jethrodium

California

4.1/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

375 ml bottle bottled on 9 march 2011. Pours a slightly hazy light amber with a small white head that has good retention and leaves some light lacing on the glass. The aroma is really funky with lots of brett, some horseradish, a light sulfur note, and some earthiness. The taste has a big lactic tartness with lemon, slight horseradish, and lots of funky brett. The finish is tart with earthy brett. Medium body. Low carbonation. Dry throughout. This was drank side by side with a 3F Oude Geuze. I slightly preferred the 3F, but this was still great. I suspect that the slight sulfur note will go away with some age and this beer will get even better.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 01:55:45 | More by jethrodium

writerLJBerg

Oregon

4.6/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

375mL courtesy of PDX chasing. Consumed 6-8, reviewed from notes.

A: Orangish-yellow with a receding head. Glides off the glass.

N: Balanced sourness. Orange, lemon, oak. Some subtleties of the yeast funk, but they're fringe elements.

T: Incredibly well balanced, and very oak forward. Lemon, pepper, and earth. Salty, in a way. Slight candy sweetness to back up the rest of the flavors.

M: Prickly and perfect. Not nearly as drying as its American counterpart.

O: Tried two days after having Beatification, and the two are comparable in quality. I prefer this one, both because it's a classic and because it's more rounded where the Beatification is sharp.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2012 01:09:15 | More by writerLJBerg

notchucknorris

California

4.55/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a clear apple juice golden color with a thin white head. Tons of carbonation visible in the body. Looks pretty amazing.

S: Definitely a good amount of cheesy, barnyard funk right away. Lots of lemon and wood along with some faint pear and green apple notes. The wood comes out a bit more as it warms.

T: Hits with a bit punch of sourness with an edge of funk to it. Lemon, a touch of faint spice, sour plum, and some green apple as well. Some hints of wood and earth on the finish. The taste isn't as in your face as some of the other geuzes I've had, but I think I actually like that better. This is really, really good.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 21:43:02 | More by notchucknorris

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

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

Bottle poured into a flute

Thanks to Keanlacrosse for sharing

Pours a golden color with an orange core and a tight white cap. Good retention with some light sip marks.

The nose is surprisingly tame and extremely well balanced. Lemon tartness is dominant with some peaches and apricots poking through. Dry oak with a barnyard funk. Mainly wet hay and must.

The fruit flavors leap to the front with lemon leading the charge. Wet hay, must and dry oak through the middle. This is amazingly well balanced. I was expecting something a little more bold, but this is welcome too.

Light bodied with minimal carbonation. Clean all the way through with a dry, fruity finish.

This beer is delicious. Meticulously crafted and blended. Everything playing well together. This is welcome in my fridge any time.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 14:22:12 | More by ColForbinBC

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.5/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

375ml bottle. Dated: Sept, 2010. Poured this guy into my Lost Abbey tulip.

A: Pours a very crystal clear golden color. Half finger of bright white head. Good carbonation. This is just a really pretty beer.

S: Nice funkiness. Lots of citrus, mostly lemon. I am getting a nice amount of green apple and white grape as well.

T: Nice tartness on tip of tongue. You get white grape hints in the middle of the mouth. Also, a lot of that acidic lemon but not crazy over the top. It's not overly mouth puckering like the Mother Funker that we had earlier in the nice. Nude dry finish. Leaves you wanting more! Wish I had a bigger bottle.

M: light to medium

O: A beer for sure. Again, the Euro's just do it better.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 14:00:09 | More by inlimbo77

sukwonee

Washington

3.85/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I got this through a trade as well - Thanks!

A: Yellowish-to-light-orange color, one and a half finger head, ok amount of lacing

S: Sour, funk, lemon

T: Puckering sourness, sour lemon, a bit of breadiness near the end, followed by more vinegar-like sourness - that's about it. Kind of... disappointing?

M: Good amount of carbonation, light, refreshing.

O: It was just very sour but nothing much else. It smelled better than it tasted. This though did not have any distracting taste or smell. I was able to finish the entire the bottle and enjoyed it - but it's not something I will be seeking again.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 02:52:41 | More by sukwonee

mdaschaf

Washington

4.48/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review from notes. Had as part of a blind gueuze tasting.

A: Pours a clear orange with a small white head on top. Sporadic lacing down the sides.

S: Funky aroma with some tart fruits mixed in, mostly lemon, lemon rind, and some tart green apple.

T: Fantastic blend of funk and tart/sour. Was my favorite of the five gueuzes we tasted. Lots sour/citrus fruits with lemon, apple, and apricot. Really nice acidity.

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Great level of tart/sourness.

O: Really enjoyed this beer, thought it had the best combination of funk/sourness of the group. Would drink this everyday if I could find it..and afford it.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 01:05:09 | More by mdaschaf

crossovert

Wisconsin

4.55/5  rDev +2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Have had this before but apparetly didn't review it. This time it is a 750ml green corked and capped bottle.

Served in a "gaeuze" glass. It pours a clear gold with a nice bright white head that leaves a nice froth atop the beer as it recedes.

The smell is surprisingly not too powerful. It is nicely acidic and tart with lemonade, acid, tart apple, and more sour. It is one dimensional a bit.

The flavor is a blast of sourness. Sour acidic lemon is the main flavor, just loads of it there is also some oxidized green apple and more just pure sourness. Not too funky, the funk is in the aftertaste along with a nice smooth and sweet malt backing and a hint of oak. Some earthiness creeps in in subsequent sips but the sourness remains.

The mouthfeel is crisp but puckering with a good dryness though not too dry.

I love the sourness so naturally this is my favorite Geuze.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 01:48:21 | More by crossovert

greenmonstah

New Hampshire

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

375 mL bottle purchased at Hill Farmstead in October '11

Bottled 12/3/2010 , poured into Hill Farmstead stemware

A - Pours a orange-amber with huge carbonation. Bubbles pour up and create a one-finger white head that lasts for a good while. The cascade of bubbles lasts forever.

S - Plenty of funk, but perhaps not as forwards as I was expecting. It is so balanced. A bit fruity and a bit funky, with some white wine and grape characteristics. Fruity, funky, leathery, sweet, tart, and sour. The yeast makes the aroma that much funkier, aggressively so.

T - Wow. Sour and sweet, with some citrusy sourness. Black pepper corns. A very strong sourness, but it doesn't overwhelm, perhaps thanks to the aging. Very acidic. So funky and earthy. White grape flavors, plus sour apple and unripe nectarine. A level of tartness that people don't experience regularly, this is something fairly new or rare to me. Swirling and pouring in the yeast adds a cherry component that was muted before, plus floral and bread flavors.

M - Big carbonation leading into puckering dryness that then mellows out and doesn't dehydrate your mouth. The sourness and the dryness work perfectly together. Medium to light in body.

O - This is a legend. My experience with Sours is limited, but this is right up there with the Russian River offerings, but is very different indeed from those beers. Comparing it to the only eve Gueuze I'd had before, by Lindemann's, this beer is miiles ahead. In spite of the intense sourness and tartness, this beer is still very easy to drink and fantastically delicious. This would be *incredible* with a ribeye with some aged bleu cheese.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 20:49:23 | More by greenmonstah

Damian

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Drank from a 1 pt 9.4 fl oz corked and capped bottle purchased at Berman's Wines & Spirits, Lexington, MA
Bottled: 17 March 2010
Served in a Cantillon Belgian tumbler

Thanks to Matt for holding this one for me.

The beer poured light amber and nearly crystal clear. Large bubbles could be seen throughout the body. A bubbly, off-white, sea foam head topped the liquid, but it quickly dissolved to a thin ring of lace.

The aroma was both sweet and tart, and rather complex. Moderately sour and fruity with noticeable peach and apricot notes. Within a few minutes, the nose turned a bit steely, as well as very powdery and dry. Subtle notes of oak were noticeable. Later, a barnyard-like aroma was detectible, but the sharp funkiness that I anticipated was surprisingly absent. Some wet hay and must. The peachy, fruitiness soon emerged as the dominant character. Slightly sweet, crackery malts came through as well. Needless to say, the nose was exceptionally dynamic. As the beer warmed, the oak intensified. Hints of leather were noticeable. Later, the sweet peach notes again appeared in full force. The nose did not cease to evolve. My second glass was extra powdery, yeasty and dry.

The flavor profile was crisp and tart, and quite impressive, but more tame than I anticipated. I would describe this gueuze as being more tangy than sour. Like the aroma, the flavor profile contained strong fruit notes. The beer was noticeably brighter on the palate than in the nose. Slightly musty and a bit Chardonnay-like. Remarkably refreshing. Lots of citrus. Good dose of lemon rind. Peach and apricot notes were apparent. Some must and funk. There was almost an even balance between the funky, musty, sweet and sour notes. The finish was mildly hoppy. The hops were earthy, somewhat citrusy and bitter, and they lent the beer a surprisingly dry, pithy, grapefruit-like flavor. As the beer warmed, the hops became more potent.

The mouthfeel was clean and smooth but a bit nondescript. There was definitely less carbonation in this gueuze than is typical for the style. The fine and mild effervescence lent the beer a pillowy soft and supple texture however.

Cantillon Gueuze is an an amazingly complex, fantastically balanced and remarkably refreshing beer. Although people usually comment on its intensity, I found my example to be exceptionably smooth and drinkable. I would love to get my hands on another bottle or two for when the warm weather rolls around.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 03:18:57 | More by Damian

cosmicevan

New York

4.48/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

picked up locally at some point when these were still gettable. bottled some time in march 2010. enjoyed out of a cantillion taster glass.

a - popped the cap, de-corked...brew poured a stunning transparent orange yellow with visible champagne like carbonation and a finger of fizzy white head that actually hung out for a while. attractive.

s - sweet n sour grassiness. lemon, vinegar, grapefruit. funky and nice.

t - barnyard sweet and sour, but more sour than sweet. grassy. funky. the sourness is strong, but enjoyable.

m - a bit dry, but really well done. prickly carbonation. puckering, but really drinkable.

o - overall, paint me impressed. yet again, cantillion steps up and backs up their rep. as good or better than other cantillions i've had. seems that if it is from cantillion it is safe to say that it will be tasty. good lemon flavoring with grassiness and hay and a palatable sourness. just wish i had some funky cheese to go with this.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 02:32:39 | More by cosmicevan

pschul4

Illinois

4.81/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Some days you just wake up and be all like "I need a fucking gueuze!"

A- Pours a very pale orange with a short white head. Falls back to only some white wisps around the rims of the glass

S- Daaamn! Smells so sour! Some funk in there with touch of citris but the sourness rules all

T- Beautiful. Nice sourness without being too much. This truly is everything you can want in a sour

M- Nice and light. Couldnt imagine a heavy sour

O- This is the bar for a reason. Beautifully done and I'll be trying to get my hands on more of this in the future

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 21:44:59 | More by pschul4

shleepy

California

4.58/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served from a 375mL bottle into snifter. Spoiler alert: I've had this beer many times before, and I think it is the best "common" / mass-produced gueuze on the market... though the 3F comes close.

A: Slightly hazy, gold. Small, white head that quickly dissapears.

S: Oak, pine... general "cellar smell." There is a certain fruitiness to it, as well (citrus?).

T: Incredibly delicious. What sets Cantillon apart from the others is the absolute balance of all elements. It's got oakiness, subtle citrus and maybe apricot, funk, and sourness, but nothing excessively sticks out.

M: Oh, and there's also the beautiful mouthfeel and body. It's sour, pleasant, and very light. You could drink this beer all day.

O: Some breweries are overrated and overhyped. And I'm not just talking about companies like Dogfish Head, but even the actual good ones - say, Russian River. I like Russian River, and drink their stuff regularly, but they do not deserve the hype (heck, I prefer Cascade Barrel House). Cantillon and 3 Fonteinen really do deserve their hype and their wonderful reviews. The Cantillon gueuze is just amazingly balanced. I can see why some people prefer the 3F (and I love that one, as well), but Cantillon keeps its oak flavor in check, thereby creating a beer that is extremely easy to drink and exposing an array of subtle but interesting flavors.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 02:51:36 | More by shleepy

jibbyvonjibb

California

4.5/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 3/9/2011.

Poured from a 375 mL bottle into a snifter glass.

Gold colored. Little head. Some oil slicks floating on top.

Very citrusy aroma, especially of lemons. Some other associations include green grape skins, green apple.The acidity goes straight to the head.

There is a barrel-like taste to it, though I cannot identifiy a specific type of wood. Probably oak. Some vanilla. Sourness is sharp, but not overbearing like some can be (Hanssens?). In the finish, a lingering acidity slowly fades away.

Mouthfeel is light. Carbonation is low. And yet, it's not watery, but somehow smooth.

A gracious drink. A classic. It doesn't get much better than this. It does, but not by much.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 02:49:42 | More by jibbyvonjibb