Cantillon 50 Degrees North-4 Degrees East - Brasserie Cantillon

JDV

Texas

2.13/5  rDev -51%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

bottle shared at tasting. Thanks for the chance to try this one!
No head on a yellowish gold pour. Smell is musty, band-aid like, and hoppy. Didn't get anything I would have identified as cognac though. Taste is tart, funky and nicely hoppy. Very light carbonation with a thin body. Sour but not intensely so, and a milder, thinner flavor than expected. Interesting, but not particularly wowing for the style. Just ok...

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2008 19:01:40 | More by JDV

Crosling

Colorado

3.1/5  rDev -28.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Very light golden orange color with a small, white head. Aroma smells of traditional Cantillon lambic with a very, very light added hint of cognac. Flavor is aged, well blended lambic with just the slightest note of cognac. Lacking the softness I would prefer and mainly just harsh, oude gueuze. A bit off balance and with out cognac character.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2008 14:41:48 | More by Crosling

ccrida

Oregon

3.43/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Chill hazed gold with a small white collar and skim.

Smell is somewhat, but not overly funky, a bit sweeter, with some vanilla and conac, the sweetness smells a bit like ass.

Taste initially has a nice mineral spritziness and moderate funk, but then is quickly taken over by the cognac, which is a bit to rich for my taste, and in spite of the dryness from the lambic, does't really mesh well for me at all. Not quite as bad a a lambic boilermaker, it's nevertheless not my style.

Mouthfeel is oily, medium body, but it comes off a bit thick.

Drinkability was ok, I didn't like the rich booziness of the cognac with the lambic, perhaps with more age it would smooth out and gain more sourness. I'm always happy to try a rare, expensive beer, but sometimes their rarity leads them to being over-hyped, which I would say is probably the case here.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2008 19:43:05 | More by ccrida

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle into goblet on 10/2/09. Thanks to FooFaa for bringing this to the SourFest.

A - Poured a slightly hazy golden/amber body with a bubbly white head that reduced to a patchy veil and left modest lacing on the glass.

S - Band-aid, musty funk, some lemony citrus notes and oaky characteristics, as well as a hint of pencil shavings all appear at some point. Overall, the aroma is surprisingly pretty tame, with only subtle hints of sourness poking through.

T - Slightly sour band-aid quality with quite a bit of oak and woody notes and citrus pucker. However, this is not as sharp or sour as I had anticipated. There is also a mild (for lack of a better term) "puke burp" character in the middle. Finishes with a hint of earthy, musty bitterness.

M - Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation resulting in some bristle on the tongue. Mouthfeel is kind of watery, although very dry in the finish with only a mild crispness.

D - This was a bit of a let-down, especially given all of the hype. While I appreciate the rarity of this brew, I really enjoyed everything else that we broke out at the SourFest much more than this.

Brewslut's Quote of the Day:
"So I shouldn't say this smells like diaper pail?"

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2009 17:21:42 | More by ffejherb

Verecund

North Carolina

3.59/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

July 2011. Barreled in 2005, bottled in 2007.

Lightly coppered yellow-orange. One finger of head recedes to bubbles covering half of the glass. Some haze.

Bright citrus (orange), both tart and sweet, cutting through the damp hay funk. Tart green apple and sweet white grape - I'm guessing from the cognac - and just a peek of acetone (nail polish) that, once identified, I couldn't get past.

Lots going on on the palate. Hay, big boy funk, citric and acetic acidity, and a touch of peachy fruit. There's also some lactic acidity that's a bit too buttery in character. Probably the booziest Cantillon I've had, which is quite intriguing, with a tannic oak finish.

Lower medium carbonation, which makes this feel a bit full and sticky.

I don't like the word unique as a descriptor, but this is certainly different, and 50N-4E has depth to it. Having had this next to Crianza, I have to say I probably prefer that beer to this one, maybe because (contra most people's experiences) there's a bit too much cognac character here for me. And the acetone on the nose is hugely off-putting.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 20:08:55 | More by Verecund

scottfrie

California

3.65/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks Jeff. Snifter.

A: Pours a light straw golden, flat, no head, no lace.
S: Light funk and acid on the nose with a big barrel quality. Cognac and vinous white wine are light.
T: Sweet tasting with notes of oak, cognac, straw, and light acid. Very vinous, but overall the flavors aren’t very strong.
M: Twinge of acid, not tart or bitter, medium body, no carb. Smooth, drying but not crazy, and very drinkable. Wish it had a few bubbles though.
O: Not the greatest flavor profile and a little muted, but still a very delicious and drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 00:06:14 | More by scottfrie

shbobdb

Indiana

3.9/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An interesting brew from Cantillon. Lambic brewers learned long ago to use aged barrels to prevent extracting tannins from the wood -- they don't agree with the sour normally present. But Cantillon throws those old guidelines to the wind, as the cognac still present in the barrels has a good deal of oaky tannins present in it.

At the start, this beer is fairly classic Cantillon, all the elements we've come to know and love: barnyard, apple, pineapple, horse-sweat, blackcurrant, nectarine, lemon, grapefruit -- the list goes on.

Then there is an odd lull in the beer. A space in-between. I'd like to say the cognac comes out at this point, but it is really more of a calvados flavor. A nice oak-and-apple flavor, almost like an apple-cider aged in oaken barrels, with just the slightest touch of apple-cider vinegar.

The beer then tries to return to gueuze-territory, but stumbles and gets lost along the way. There is a sudden rush of lactic sourness that you think is going to finish the beer off, but strong tannins from the barrel trips it up so the sourness is muted and a strong drying oakiness dominates the finish.

It is certainly a good beer, and I'd be very interested in seeing how this beer develops, but right now (July, 2008) I would say this beer is still a little young. It needs a few more years for the oakiness to subside and for the flavors to meld. That and the apple flavor is very pronounced and I think aging would help smooth that out. The whole beer gives the impression of a grapefruit-and-granny-smith medly.

Good, but if you've got 'em, give 'em some time.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2008 00:31:27 | More by shbobdb

jethrodium

California

3.9/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle generously shared by ipa247. Thanks Jeff. Pours a clear golden amber with no head. There are a couple of bubbles around the edge of the glass and no lacing. The aroma is funky with the cognac presence obvious and a bit of oak. There is also a light mushroom note. A bit of alcohol is there as well. It's not a lot, but more than any other lambic I've had. The initial taste has a light sweetness with a decent tartness. There is some funky oak, a bit of brandy, and some mushroom. The finish has some brandy and a bit of alcohol. Medium body. Low carbonation. Not bad, but certainly not my favorite Cantillon beer. It could have used a little more carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 20:20:53 | More by jethrodium

joel66

New York

3.91/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

drank side by side with pikku, 4/25/2013, thanks dan

A- golden amber with a thin layer of white head

N- Barnyard funk, grass, sour grape, booze

T- Strong barrel flavor, wood, grapes, earth,lemon peel, sweetness from cognac, warming yet smooth on the back. malt comes across my palate when i swished it around.

M- smooth on the palate with a dry finish

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 18:57:39 | More by joel66

Arbitrator

California

3.93/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Chilled bottle into a glass, purchased and consumed at Delirium Cafe in Brussels.

A: Pours a lightly murky, pale honey / straw colored body that glows faintly gold when held to the light. The head is barely a finger of off-white foam, and it recedes pretty quickly into a collar around the brew -- expected for a lambic.

S: Sour, with notes of pear, grapefruit, berries, and light tannins. Restrained notes of barnyard funk (horse blanket, hay, and must). This reminded me pretty strongly of the gueuze I tried at the brewery. No hint of the cognac barrel aging in the nose.

T: The bouquet prepared me well for this. It was sour, but not overly vinegary; it was presented on a nicely tart backdrop of pear, grapefruit, berries, white wine grapes, and light green apple. Tannins made a short appearance near the finish, which then gave way to a balanced blend of barnyard funk and sourness. Again, none of the cognac manifests itself in the taste, and I'm scratching my head trying to figure out how this tastes any different from the gueuze I had at the brewery (yes, I realize the base beer is an unblended lambic). It's certainly good, but whatever they tried to achieve with the barrels seems to have faded out.

M: Dry in the finish, with light carbonation that gives it an airy body and pleasant feel.

D: The flavor is very well balanced, here. It is predominantly sour and dry, but not intensely acetic and unpleasant on the palate. Funk is a supporting flavor, and the impressive palette of fruity flavors gives this some real depth. But I still have no grasp what the cognac barrels added, here -- besides a substantial price premium.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2009 17:54:36 | More by Arbitrator

Deuane

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to FooFaa for sharing this one.

A-Hazy golden yellow with a thin white head that quickly reduced to a thin ring and left spotty lace.

S-Musty, wet dog, cedar chest, oak, Granny Smith apple, pear. Very prevalent and intense at times and then rather mild and unassuming at others.

T-Becomes different from upon opening through warming. Varying from musty, wet fur to diapers to sweet fruit, sharp tannic acid and bright apple sourness. Bit of lemon zing brightness and drying oak in the finish. Without question interesting.

M-Light bodied, sharp and crisp with LONG lingering flavours.

D-certainly interesting but it is so chaotic I find it hard to actually enjoy for long. I appreciate the opportunity to try but found it no better than some of the other easier to find sours I have had.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2009 17:02:20 | More by Deuane

deltatauhobbit

Maine

4/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had the first pour from the bottle at Novare's Christmas beer geek weekend. I think the problem is this beer followed Drie Fonteinen's Hommage and the flavor from that is so extreme compared to this Cantillon experience. While at Novare, I heard some interesting experiences from the staff concerning this beer, while I can't do the story justice nor would want to repeat it, it certain adds to the experience of such a great night.

Pours a clear golden with very fine bubbles, not much head but what there is of is very fizzy.

The nose isn't overly strong, but I'm picking up some acidity and more earth tones than I would expect, overall not very impressive or catching for a lambic.

The taste is lightly sour and funky, not overwhelming at all yet makes it actually very drinkable for the style, the barrel aging is more apparent and definitely picks up some of that cognac and vanilla, unfortunately also inherits a bit of the alcohol burn.

Definitely a subdued lambic, don't expect a sour kick to the mouth either. If this hadn't followed Hommage, I'm sure I would have liked it more, unfortunately it can't hold a candle to the wind yet is still very drinkable, probably more so in larger volumes.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2009 04:05:33 | More by deltatauhobbit

jrallen34

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this from a 750ml bottle at dld. The beer looks like any lambic, cloudy hazy medium brown, nice light carbonation. The aroma is really nice, likes of sour funk horse blanket but nicely balanced with some sweetness, I think that's the cognac, very similar to the taste. Has a little acidity and vinegar to it, very nice overall.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2010 21:56:27 | More by jrallen34

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2009 rate.

750ml bottle, thanks Brad! Cork slides off without any sound, which was odd. Pours a very slightly hazy honey orange with a fine soapy head. Awesome lacing. Aroma is really heavy on lemons, green apples, and hay, with a bit of metal or blood that isn’t really appealing. Really nice in the mouth - soft and puckering, the tart lemons and green apples shine, the finish is round and short. Strange. I don’t taste any cognac, but that round finish could be the effect of the cognac barrel. Not quite as harsh and bone-dry as some Cantillon. Really sour, but graceful and very tasty. Such a flavorful and well integrated sour component on this one.

Looking back at this rating, I need to have this beer again. Would be cool to drink next to Crianza Helena.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 02:35:52 | More by JAXSON

tewaris

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Review # 500.

Thanks a lot!

Pours murky and still for a lambic --- murky probably because the pour was from the later end of the bottle. Still because... I am not sure. Regardless, the carbonation was just fine on the palate. Smells funky, very hay like. My buddy commented that this beer alone is enough to justify the 'barnyard' adjective, or something along those lines. The acidity is moderate in taste. There's lemon and then some nuttiness which is odd... I guess; but I liked that aspect. While different from other Gueuze and quite tasty, having had many 'loons in small quantities, I can safely say that as far as my tastes go, 3F is where it's at!

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 09:19:25 | More by tewaris

julian

Washington

4.1/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Fairly clear with a slight haze. Color is a nice medium copper honey color. Minimal head that disappears quickly leaving only what looks like "champagne" like bubbles.

Smell: Aromas of light vinegar, sour apples but also a mild sweet smell perhaps from the cognac barrels in which this was aged.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Very easy to drink. A great Lambic, not overly sour or pungent. Crisp, easy drinking with a slight sour apple bite. Other tastes are funky, yeasty flavors.

Drinkability: Very drinkable. Easy on the palate, and good mouthfeel and taste. Exceptional Lambic!

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2009 04:59:40 | More by julian

hoppymcgee

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled at Brett Fest at Spuytin Duyvil in Brooklyn, NY in August 2009.

Approx. a 3 oz. pour into a tulip glass from a hand-marked 750ml green bottle that reads "Brewed March 1, 2005".

A: Dark and cloudy - with a chance of horse blanket.

S: The best feature of this beer. Has a complex aroma from being aged in oak cognac casks. Dark fruits, nuts, almond paste.

T: Fig and orange peel with a tart finish.

M: A little thicker than other lambics I've had with well-balanced carbonation.

D: The yeast development pushed this one a little close to the sipper side of the scale.

Overall, a job well done by Cantillon on this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2009 02:33:30 | More by hoppymcgee

AgentZero

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Hazy orange color, pretty big head, a little bit of stick on the sides but not much lacing.

S - Tart, lemon, oaky. Pretty interesting nose. Little bit of funk in there.

T - Kind of a farmy, almost saison like taste. Nice funk, lemon, grassy taste. Bit of apple and an interesting finish that I can only guess is from the cognac as I am not really familiar with that. Tannic quality, a lot like a sour saison.

M - Light with a nice carbonation for this style.

D - Pretty easy to drink, although the tartness will get to you after a while.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2010 17:57:00 | More by AgentZero

rtepiak

Poland

4.13/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pour is apple juice... a bit murky. some head. gone in a flash. smell is lambic, woody. palate is complex interlaced in the sour. no alcohol present really. some vanilla, quite light. crisp lilly pedal, and light bitter finish... and i mean bitters liquor finish. not strong in any sense of the word. cognac... yeah maybe. hard to tell with such a delicate take. there is a interesting bitter, woody quality and there was a cognac quality there somewhere with the vanilla. not as foward as the Girardin black label, but like black pantyhose on a tall brunettes legs. well placed but gentle.

would love to make this a way of life to truly understand the delicate touch yet i don't think i'm buying this one again at 30 buck a bottle...

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2009 05:26:06 | More by rtepiak

craytonic

District of Columbia

4.13/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Lightly carbonated, I got a small, off-white head of about one inch. The pour is a straw-golden-honey color.

Aroma: Urea, sour, light vinegar, tart apple and pear. Decent amount of horse blanket funk, but also some honeysuckle.

Taste: A bit heavy on the urea/piss. Sour, with lots of oak, green apple, and pear.

Drinkability: 750ml disappeared,

Mouthfeel: perhaps a bit too light on the carbonation. THe barrels do give it a nice structured element.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2010 00:26:24 | More by craytonic

UCLABrewN84

California

4.14/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to mrbubbler for sharing this one at GRG1313’s tasting.

Pours a murky light orange with a foamy white head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is sour, tart, and funky with fruit and acidic aromas. Taste is much the same with fruit and wood flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of acidity on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer with some nice aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 01:11:57 | More by UCLABrewN84

Tnudish

Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Opened by Dan at our Thursday whale tasting. Been waiting a long time for this one.

A-Pours a hazy brownish orange in color with some soapy bubbles.

S-Nose is incredibly unique for a Cantillon. Unlike Crianza, the cognac character is actually pretty prominent. There is gueuze underneath the blanket of cognac and oak.

T-Flavor is pretty heavy cognac and then it falls back onto the gueuze. The acidity is pretty sharp.

M-Mouthfeel is light and carbonation is low, some light heat from the cognac.

O-Extremely unique gueuze by Cantillon. I know Jean hated how this turned out, but I liked it a lot. Can’t wait to open my bottle.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 21:30:50 | More by Tnudish

NoLiberty

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sampled this young bottle at the Cantillon Brewery in Brussels with GrassrootsVT as a gift from the brewer right off the conditioning stack. Really nice treat.

This is their traditional lambic aged 2 years in cognac barrels. The name 50 degrees north-4 degrees east refers to the breweries location in terms of latitude-longitude.

App: Served from a lambic basket. Pours an orange-golden, straw color with notes of caramel colored edging. A smallish head (likely due to the lack of full bottle fermentation) with a lasting filmy head and low lacing. Beautiful little bubbles rise like a chain from the bottom of the glass.

Aroma: Very nice smell. Warm, tart with undertones of dried fruit and grape skin. Starts with a solid lambic nose and strengthens with notes of oak, woodiness, warm fruit, alcohol and raisins. An exceptional balance of ripe fruits to tartness.

Taste: A beautiful balance of flavors back and forth between tart and refreshing and slightly sweet and fruity. Starts traditionally tart with slight cherry and finishes with more fresh flowers, sour grapes, and slight warming alcohol fruit. Finishes dry.

Mouth: Slightly fuller bodied than expected or desired, which may be due to not enough age. Carbonation is good and pretty strong. Body is somewhat bigger than expected. Very dry despite being slightly sweet.

Drink: Oh yeah, very good on the drinkability, mostly due to the incredible balance of flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2008 00:00:16 | More by NoLiberty

Floydster

California

4.2/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle acquired in a recent trade with gford217, thanks for the opportunity to try this beer, 2007 version, my bottle said 7.00% ABV, split with my girlfriend last night, poured into an oversized wine glass

A-Color was a golden orange but had hints of amber in it, also very hazy probably because it is unblended, head was small and about 1/4 inch, it was white and bubbly, did not stick around long, not much retention, minimal lacing

S-Funk, tartiness, peaches, cognac, oak, various fruits, citrus especially, white wine, vinegar, cherries, and definite barnyard

T-Taste started off with a big tarty attack, some subtle fruit in the middle, citrus in the finish with some dryness and a hint of oak, let it warm a few minutes after this because I realized it was too cold to bring the full flavor out, more acidic tastes came to the surface after I did this, it was weird that I could never taste any real cognac because I am not a big fan of that liquor and I thought it would stick out for that reason, flavor was good and my complaint is the dry aftertaste because it was a little much after a while, other than that it was what you expect from a Cantillon brew, being that is was sour, full of fruity accents, and not lackingh any flavor

M-Tarty, dry, sour, and somewhat sweet mouthfeel, medium bodied with lots of carbonation, thankfully this did not gush when I popped the cork, taste lingered a long time too

D-Could have drank a lot of this and drank 4/5 of the bottle myself anyways, alcohol is well hidden, smooth for its style, light on the stomach, inviting and no one taste is too overwhelming

Had no idea what this beer was until I traded for it but that was the fun in it all, a little skeptical after seeing it was a lambic aged in cognac barrels, seemed like two very odd tastes as one but it did work well, Cantillon is truly a great brewery, would definitely drink this again, recommended

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2008 16:45:08 | More by Floydster

alfrantzell

California

4.2/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from Beachwood BBQ, shared with my fellow Bruery Reserve Society Members nickd717, Nick3, and HopHead84 on the eve of the Initiation. Your health, gentlemen.

Cognac barrels, huh. Having never had cognac, 50N by 4E is my only point of reference. Cognac is apparently a puckering, lambic-like beverage with wild yeast byproducts. No wonder Cantillon decided to age one of their beers in these barrels.

Ah. Wikipedia tells me that cognac is made from distilled wine. But there isn't much grape or spirit flavor here.

There are white peaches and pear skins, though. Plus the yellow woodsorrel present in most of Cantillon's catalog. And like their other lambics, 50N by 4E is moderately carbonated, generous with its wood, and pleasantly rank. But what's this in the finish, heat? In a lambic? Maybe some of that cognac rubbed off after all.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2010 04:08:49 | More by alfrantzell