Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus - Brasserie Cantillon

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

OK I had it already, stop pushing the picture in my face. This was real fruit. How did I know? Its -14 celcius outside the bar, 10 yards that-a-way, and there were fruit flies buzzing around my glass. Darn good for its style, and gave taste and some smoothness to the medical level cleanup of my palate.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2005 04:10:40 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.8/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Rose de Gambrinus is my first real lambic. I've had the fruit lambics from Brouwerij De Troch (Chapeau), Brouwerij Van Steenberge (Cherish) and Brouwerij Lindemans. As I understand it though, those aren't considered to be anywhere near the big leagues. I feel like a newbie again. The best thing to do then is to plunge right in.

Bottled in 2004. What an interesting color. The beer is a sort of peachy red near the top of the Champagne flute, orangish amber in the center and full amber near the tapering bottom. I love the layers; the beer almost looks like a pousse cafe. The whitish cap was light and fizzy, lasting a minute at most. Ultimately, there's a thin, broken film of the surface of the liquid and no lace.

The nose smells a little like raspberry cider vinegar. I'm glad the berries are present to give a hint of something familiar. If this is what high quality lambics smell like, then I'm not a huge fan. Maybe I'll get used to them in time and will even grow to like them, but I'm not there yet. I hope that last sentence doesn't apply to the flavor as well.

My first mouthful was pretty much what I expected: a big, dizzying blast of intensely sour, mouthpuckering acidity with a hint of unripe berries. While I can't say that I love it, I do like it quite a bit. I can see how lambics are an acquired taste and I can see how they aren't everyone's cup of tea. They're certainly going to take some getting used to.

I wish that I had some frame of reference, something to compare it to, but I'm left with pure free association. Unripe raspberries, Sauvignon Blanc, balsamic vinaigrette, wood. That's all the free association I can muster, you'll have to pay for the rest. Only kidding. I'm far from well versed enough in beer of this style to make a serious attempt at breaking Rose down with any sort of skill.

Ditto the mouthfeel. It's light and crisp, which is probably exactly what it's supposed to be. I like the fact that the beer isn't overly fizzy, like Champagne. There's enough going on in the mouth that I don't need crazy-ass bubbles firing all over the damn place. Sorry, you'll have to look elsewhere for a professional description of the mouthfeel. At least now I have one in the 'lambic bank' as a means of comparison.

I'm glad that I didn't spend a pile of cash on the big bottle of Rose de Gambrinus. I like it just fine and feel like it was a good choice to get me started, but I wouldn't have wanted to drink 750 ml of it in one sitting. This is a style that I'm going to have to sneak up on. I look forward to a rewarding journey.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2006 15:09:41 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A vintage 2007 bottle I purchased this bottle with a lot of the other Cantillon line the last time I was up in Asheville. I have really been getting into a groove with these sours and wanted to continue it on to see where it could go. I was most excited to try this one, as I love raspberries and wanted to see how it would compare to the likes of red poppy and others I have had that have been similar with the fruit. Served into a Rodenbach chalice, I let this one warm up a touch before indulging.

Appearance - The pour was nice, with a rich reddish and pink toned liquid that came into the glass in front of me. Nice haziness to it and a very bright overall color. Lots of carbonation could be seen streaming up from the bottom of the glass throughout the session. There was a quick splash of a one inch high head of white lace, which quickly settled back down and left behind nothing more then the raspberry color liquid in front of me. No side glass lace to speak of either.

Smell - The aroma was rich, and very tart. At first it was hard to get past the sour to find the sweet fruit notes that were lying underneath, however once it warmed a bit, the funkiness settled down quite a bit and some rather nice tones of fruit started to come through. Nice touch of raspberries and cherries, with that unmistakable tartness really starting to show through on this one now. Nice touches of Brett really showing up as well, one of the more tart Lambics I have smelled, almost a Geuze.

Taste - The flavor was wonderful. The first notes to hit were a lip puckering bitterness. Really very deep with this. Lots of funky Brett sightings in here, need to lets this one warm up to really appreciate it. So. after a few minutes another sip..ahh that's what were looking for. Rich Raspberry taste wraps around the tongue and then puckers the cheeks with the tartness. Very nicely done. Some subtle apple, maybe pear like flavors dancing around in the back now as well, before really drying out for the finish, leaving a long lasting taste of fruit in the mount, begging you for another sip.

Mouthfeel - Very nice light to medium bodied Lambics with a good little bit of carbonation added into it. Gave you that prickly feeling on the tongue as it went by, never even a thought of this one being watered down or light. Nice smooth yet crisp and refreshing feeling across the tongue.

Drinkability - Seriously, I can put these down all night. The sour and tartness of them just makes it all that much more appealing to me to be honest, I can not get over how good some of these can be, and with little to no alcohol too...

Overall I thought this was excellent, a very good interpretation of the style, and easily another winner from Cantillon. I would love to get another bottle of this anytime I see it. I just thought it was simply wonderful.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2008 00:29:39 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.03/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The pour is a clear dark pink color with a minimal head with a light pink tint.

S: Plenty of raspberries with a slight acetic note to the nose. Lots of lactic acidity as well, along with a less funky aroma than most other Cantillon beers.

T: Lots of berry flavor with some tannic seed and skin contribution. A delicate balance between the acetic and lactic acids with the edge going to the vinegar. Plenty tart and only mildly musty and funky.

M: A low to moderate carbonation with a very sharp and aggressive sourness. The finish is dry and puckering.

D: Not my favorite Cantillon beer, but I blame that on the raspberries. Still, one of the classics.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2010 06:40:41 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2010 vintage generously shared by Matt. Served in a Stillwater wine glass.

Pours bright red with a nice pink head. There isn't too much lacing, but what is there is quite gorgeous on the side of the glass. The nose brings a strong raspberry presence along with some oak and a nice amount of lactic acid. Really nice sourness all around. The taste is the same with the tart raspberries really dominating. A slight fruity sweetness is there along with a touch of light oak. The beer is prickly and finishes well. This is a really, really nice beer and I can't believe I'd waited this long to try it.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2010 20:38:06 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.63/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Blush-like pinkish red. "Rose" is correct. Reminiscent of the Hi-C 'Tropical Punch' juices I had as a kid in elementary school. A few bubbles standing guard around the edge of the glass, but no real head to speak of.

Smell: OMG! Such an acrid, stinging odor. A caustic tartness is easily perceived. Barnyard stable funk. Piercing lemon sourness fills the nose as well as the rich aroma of the noble raspberry and flowers. Very exciting!

Taste: Ah, the smell translates quite well into the taste. A biting tartness you really should be sitting down for invades the tongue, accompanied by bright, sporadic flashes of fresh raspberry fruitiness and an easy earthy mustiness.

Mouthfeel: The finish is remarkably clean after the initial punch of each sip, leaving you craving ever more. Completely refreshing with a gently sparkling effervescence.

Drinkability: Excellence that deserves to be tasted again. After a few sickly sweet Lindeman's, I was a bit uneasy about trying more from this style, but I'm very glad I did. ChainGangGuy Approved!

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2005 06:27:10 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours a pink grapefruit juice color with no head and no lacing

Smell: Sour vinegar and funky barnyard notes; a vague whiff of raspberry

Taste: Starts out with a dry raspberry flavor that bursts with sourness after the swallow and combines with the dry sweetness (if that makes any sense) into the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied but no carbonation (clearly something wrong with my bottle)

Drinkability: I still find it hard to really enjoy drinking lambics; this one has some nice fruit flavor but it's just not my thing

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2006 01:26:39 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared at a tasting at MrHirschybar's place.

2010 vintage.

Pours a clear cranberry juice color with a fizzy reddish-white head that fizzles to nothing. No lace on this one. Smell is of sour berry/cherry and funky earthy aromas. Taste is of extremely sour berry/cherry and a nice set of funky earth flavors. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good lambic with lots of nice sour and funky flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 23:47:50 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a medium pink color lambic with a small foamy head with average retention and good lacing. Aroma of sour raspberries’with some light oak. Taste is a mix between some fresh and lightly sweet raspberries with some tart and sourness. I thought the acidity level was far less then the regular gueuze which is probably due to the presence of raspberries. Very refreshing and well done overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2007 19:48:17 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.4/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Can Cantillon do no wrong? Can they just pee in a bottle and the beer just suddenly turns out awsome? Apparently so. Because again, this beer turns out to be among the leaders in it's style. An impressive, thin, savory pink grapefruit juice looking brew with subtle, but persistent head retention. The aromas unleash a juicy, tart scent of grapefruit, red wine, vinegar, and strong lactic acids. Mouth watering and drying at the same time. Faint flavors of pilsner malts are quickly overcome by strong, tart flavors of fruits (berries and cherries) in an almost sweetheart candy powderyness. The airy feel is followed with a sharp tartness (sourness) and a moderate astringency and bitterness. The mouthfeel is as complex as the flavor profile. Finishes with the same mouthwatering, drying, powdery, sensation that was present in the nose. The beer comes full circle on all fronts. Thanks BeakerBoy!

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2007 04:39:19 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

3.4/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Ok Iam still trying with all my might to aquire the taste for lambic beer in general and drinking a few here in there.this one pours a great blood orange with a great looking pink colored head,aromas of iron and hay along with sour raspberry,really strong.Taste is very sour up front with an iron-like finish that becomes more noticable as you drink more.A very odd taste as well almost like the smell of my uncles barn hits my taste buds.Not a fan but a beer that is true to form and should be respected.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2004 23:14:20 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A whirlwind of tiny bubbles race to the surface through a hazy, deep amber/orange body with a pink cast. The densely foamy white head rises up above the lip of the glass, and then slowly settles back to a solid inch or more. Tartness dominates the nose with some dry, fruit following, and the hallmark gueuze characteristics right behind it (musty, sweaty, barnyard, leather, citrus). The body is light and airy with it's lively, effervescent carbonation releasing itself as it hits the tongue - foaming up in the mouth, and then fading away on a wave of drying astringency. The flavor overwhelms the palate with intense sourness, hiding its delicate raspberry and cherry flavors, and veiling it's lambic flavors. It finishes astonishingly dry with a wash of astringency that slowly receeds. It has a great depth of flavor (especially within it's tartness), yet it remains surprisingly drinkable once the palate adjusts. The raspberry and cherry add a subtle character that softens it greatly in comparison to a straight gueuze where the more abrasive lambic characteristics stand out; but it's far from fruity. Refreshing and exciting!

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2003 21:11:53 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a flared pokal.

Big thanks to Homebrew311 for sharing this bottle!

What justice: This was the last bottle of the tasting, after I was denied a bottle at the bar we went to beforehand (they were out). Nice. It pours a mostly clear russet topped by a finger of relatively short-lived off-white foam. The nose comprises strawberry, raspberry, and a light bit of Brett-inspired funk. The taste brings in more of the same, along with more tart raspberry and some additional tart cherry. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a very dry, sticky finish. Overall, a highly enjoyable lambic. 'Nuff said, frankly.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 01:29:59 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Beautiful bold crimson coloring, a flush red, with a smallish head.

Aroma: fierce, with the usual Belgian lambic flavors, a unique blend.

Taste: oooh, sour, mmm,sip after sip, the sourness continues, but still feels refreshing, even delicious...but, oooh, pucker,pucker,...this is the real deal, when we talk of lamibics, fakers need not apply...
mmm, sour, mmm, sweet, mmm, delicious.

This is a complex, and rewarding brew. if you're up for it!

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2004 00:00:00 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a hazy red color with a 1/2" pinkish head that fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has an intensely sour scent along with a mild raspberry aroma. The taste is good. It's very sour tasting, but quite enjoyable. It has a raspberry taste, but nothing too intense. It goes down with ease and finishes tart; very tart. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium/full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a good lambic. I still prefer a fruitier, less tart flavor, but this was very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2006 02:02:32 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.53/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Another Cantillon lambic on draft at Churchkey. Served in a belcher. Beer is bright red when held up to the light its kind of orange. Beer is really hazy and I can't tell the carbonation level at all. Forms a thin white head that sinks in the middle and there is a ton of lacing on the glass. Looks awesome.

I can smell raspberries and a citric / lactic sourness, about what I expected.

First off, drinkability off the charts here. This beer is tart and then sour. Nice carbonation on the tongue. I'm enjoying the combination of the different sour flavors much more than I did with the Kreik. This is a great great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2010 19:01:57 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to blutt59 for sharing this bottle.

Bottled 1/20/10. The beer pours a nice red color with a pink head. The aroma is tart raspberries with some oaked notes. The flavor is very heavy on the raspberries with a little bit of tartness. There are some oak tannins in the beer but this is definitely a fruit-forward lambic. Medium-high carbonation and thin-medium mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2010 02:13:29 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

4.08/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is clear red in color and does not have any head or visible carbonation.
S: There are light aromas of sourness in the nose along with some hints of raspberries.
T: The raspberry flavors stand out in the taste and are accompanied by a light amount of sourness. No sweetness is detectable.
M: It feels light-bodied on the palate and has a low to moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The beer is very drinkable because the fruity flavors help to balance out some of the sourness.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2011 00:53:49 | More by metter98

MasterSki

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

375ml bottle dated 29 December 2010. Served in a champagne flute.

A - Cork comes out with a nice pop!Two fingers of fizzy pink foam quickly settle to a thick ring and partial cap. Visible streams of tiny bubbles race upwards. Hazed blood orange red body.

S - Huge tart raspberry aroma, with some lemony funk, lactic sourness, as well as some light farm and manure notes that only peek through from time-to-time. As it warms up there is a definite pie crust malt backdrop.

T - Taste is an initial burst of tartness, following by sweet rapberry puree, followed by a lightly oaky and sour lemon finish. Less lactic and more acetic here. Doesn't quite "pop" as much as the aroma either, although it's still plenty enjoyable.

M - Spritzy but soft carbonation, medium-light body, with an extremely dry finish. Quite refreshing!

D - If it weren't for the price and availability issues I'd have this all of the time. I happily consumed a 375ml bottle on my lunch break - too bad it wasn't outside the Brussels Grand Palace. Another fine offering from Jean and co.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 17:40:06 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.83/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1984 Vintage: sampled in 2001;
Had at the Kulminator in Antwerp. Absolutely stunning. This beer single handedly changed my view of what an aged beer could be. No noticeable hints of oxidation what so ever, I could not even tell that this was a 17 year old beer. I wish now in retrospect that I had a fresh bottle to compare it to. It poured with a lively carbonation, and was still quite cloudy after all this time. It appeared to have a reddish tint to it. The raspberry in the nose was still quite evident, and there was a bit of a musty smell mixed in with the fruitiness. Tasted very complex, dry, quite sour, though perhaps a bit mellowed with age, with a pleasing acidity. A woodiness, funky mushroom character, some tannin, and some slight vegetal flavors to go along with the fruitiness in it. The fruity taste was pretty non-specific, and could not be directly associated with raspberries that was still evident in the aroma. Other than the acidity the fruitiness was definitely the dominating flavor.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2003 20:16:21 | More by Gueuzedude

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -25.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This one poured out as a reddish pink color with a thin white head on it. The smell was acidic and semi sweet. The taste was tart, very tart actually. The mouthfeel was like a carbonated raspberry wine. It's was light bodied and drinkable for sure but I just found it too sour for me.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2011 01:00:56 | More by Knapp85

emerge077

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Seldom seen around these parts, I fondly remember picking this up years ago off the shelf and introducing friends to what traditional lambics could be.

375ml split into two goblets.

Deep rosy reddish orange color, slightly murky (likely due to handling). Thin layer of foam with pinkish white hue, it maintains a thin ring at the edge.

Farmy wet pasture aroma, leafy fresh raspberries, oaky sandalwood, authentic and fruity at the same time.

Spritzy and moderately tart, sour raspberry with a dry finish. Seedy and pulpy raspberries, wild sour ones, not at all sweet. Puckering though not extremely sour in the scheme of all things Cantillon. A nice aperitif to be sure, first time I had this it seemed more sour years ago... Chalk it up to a threshold shift in sour tolerance I guess, though batch variation is a possibility too. A classic framboise.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 00:52:01 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

4.7/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

375 mL bottle, bottled 1/20/10,

A: Pours a gorgeous raspberry red with a soft white head, some lace.

S: Direct raspberry notes with a hint of horse blanket and Brett, eclectic mix.

T: A young lambic and the fruit is direct and to the point and it's delicious. Amazing raspberries mixed with some lemon and great lactic acid.

M: Medium-bodied, good balancing acidity, pleasing carbonation.

O: Another classic from Cantillon and it rocks. The fruit flavour and the acidity is brilliant, I'm glad I finally got to have a bottle to myself.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 00:54:58 | More by Halcyondays

jwc215

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass, carefully leaving the sediment behind, as per the instructions on the label.
Poured a deep rose color with a thin lace that became a swirled lace that remained for most of the drink.
The smell was of tart sourness with a background of raspberry.
The up-front sourness was quickly taken over by fresh, crisp raspberries in a champagne-like texture. With each sip, the tartness was balanced by raspeberries that seem that they were just picked.
It left a clean, crisp raspberry tartness in the mouth, but as the drink went on, a dryness was left that was akin to the dryness left by a fine, dry champagne.
This is a fine "sipping" treat, so long as you are really in the mood for raspberries - a classic of the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2006 14:42:59 | More by jwc215

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Feb 18, 2008 bottling.

Hmmmm...I must have a bottle direct from Belgium - the label has a full naked rendering of a woman, spooning the seated man, whilst holding a wine-goblet type vessel. The pic on this page must be from the US version...

The beer pours a cloudy orangish red colour, with one finger of thin off-white head, which leaves no lace as it recedes. It smells of sour citric yeast, a bit of barnyard, and white grain. The taste is very sour, ramped-up fruit acids, as if the purported raspberries were distilled of this particular quality - the expected balancing fruit sweetness is pretty well absent. There is some fruitiness, but it leans more toward lemon than raspberry. Among this is a decent white grain base, to keep it from being totally one-sided. The carbonation is obscured by the tartness, but is there all the same, the body is fleshy, but a bit thin, and it finishes with a diminishing level of sour fruitiness.

Whew! This is quite the eye-opener, like having those sour tart candies for the first time as a kid. That said, I liked it, but it could have used a tad more sweetness to offset the main event here, and it went well with some Belgian-style fries.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2010 05:56:34 | More by biboergosum