Cantillon Mamouche - Brasserie Cantillon

thagr81us

South Carolina

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

Enjoyed this one while pre-gaming going out jazz club hopping in New Orleans at Avenue Pub! Served from tap into a wine glass. Poured a hazy golden yellow with a half finger white head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, earth, bell pepper, sour, and funk. The flavor was of sweet malt, earth, bell pepper, floral, sour, and funk. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a good brew. When I had this out of the bottle back at Zwanze Day 2011 I experienced a bell pepper flavor and I thought that it might have been a figment of my imagination. Now that I’ve got to have it on tap as well and still pick up on the bell pepper it appears to be pretty solid evidence. There is nothing wrong with this fact at all though as it actually seemed to fit in quite nicely with the brew and add a nice earthiness to it. A well done brew that I can’t wait to see how it ages in the bottles I have laid down in the cellar.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2012 13:36:38 | More by thagr81us

brystmar

New York

2.28/5  rDev -44.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Time to give my least favorite Cantillon another shot. On tap at Zwanze Day '12.

Soft yellow body, marginally hazy. Thin, white ring of head relaxes on the surface. Nose is dominated by the distinct aroma of green bell peppers. Kinda dry too, I suppose, but it's nearly impossible for my senses to get past this unpleasant smell.

Taste is similarly overwhelmed by green bell pepper flavors. Others claim it's floral; all I get is green bell pepper though. Finishes with cracked black pepper and a touch of capsaicin heat (wtf?!). Doesn't work at all.

Jean Van Roy is my hero, but I truly question the decision to blend delicate lambic with a flavor this dominant. By far the worst lambic Cantillon has produced IMO.

Serving type: on-tap

12-03-2012 17:59:08 | More by brystmar

brentk56

North Carolina

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

Appearance: Arrives with a tiny cap topping the hazy pale honey-colored liquid; a few spots remain as the liquid descends

Smell: Herbacious flowers, green peppers and the woods

Taste: Sour and funky, up front, with the herbacious element most prominent; in the middle the green pepper flavors become discernable, with the peppery character turning to jalapeno, after the swallow; oaky flavors combine, in the finish

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with low to moderate carbonation

Overall: Interesting, for sure, but I don't care for it as much as the sours that use other adjuncts

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2012 19:27:32 | More by brentk56

axeman9182

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes, this one was on tap at the Blind Tiger and served in an 8 oz teardrop shaped glass.

Mamouche pours an opaque light orange, with minimal white foam capping the beer. The nose has a lot of funk to it, with a bit of acidity present as well. There's just a faint hint of oak, and a subtle spicy-herbal aroma that seems to build in intensity a bit as the beer warms. The flavor has much more pepper/herbs to it, with a light touch of fruitiness shining through as well. There's some wet hay, barnyard funk, but definitely not as much as in the nose. Can't really say the beer tastes tart or sour either. The carbonation is nice and bubbly, but the body is noticeably more full/chewy than you'd normally expect for the style. Mamouche is a decent wild ale, but definitely not up to the usual standards of what I expect from Cantillon.

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2012 22:21:20 | More by axeman9182

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at Monk's, Philly, PA

Nice of Monk's to have this one on tap at their latest Cantillon event. I actually had not had this before, so I figured I'd give it a try. Poured a hazy golden-yellow color with a small cap of delicate white bubbles that faded to a ringlet, streaking the glass with lacing until the last drop. Champagne-like bubbles blipped from the bottom of the chalice. Aroma of barnyard funk and wildflowers. Crisp taste, more of the characteristics noted in the nose: wet grass, cardboard, very floral, tart, but not cloyingly so; mid- to end-palate displays heavy flavors of green peppers and a touch of white wine and cheap Champagne. Light body, prickly, and quite drying, as expected for the style. Decent overall, and probably one of the better selections from Cantillon.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2012 23:50:18 | More by Rifugium

SeanChiro

Illinois

4.73/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap at the Bavarian Lodge in Lisle, IL

A: Held up to the light, held a nice cloudy golden orange color with a fairly white head on it. Head held for 3/4 of the glass and left nice lacing on the edge.

S: First sniff picks up the lactic overtones. Second brings in the tartness. Third brings out the dried grass and flowery undertones from the elder flowers.

T: Puckering goodness with a dirty sweat sock finish. Tartness is rich in complexity because the finish still had a "sweet" flower finish.

M: puckering....can't say more.

O: This was my first experience drinking a Cantillon beer and I think I am hooked. Thank goodness my sister in law lives on Belgium and can start hunting these down for me.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2012 16:49:16 | More by SeanChiro

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.33/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My glass has a pale tan tinged, off white head. The beer is a nice amber color that shows a fairly clear, orange / gold tinged, pale amber hue when held up to the light. My first smell of the aroma has me noticing notes of dried grassy grain, lots of tart lactic acid, musty oak, touches of urea and some significant, but smooth phenolics. My second go at the nose thought smells significantly of a big herbal / grassy note that is clearly from the elder flowers; this note is significantly peppery, but in a green sort of way (it smells like a the green oozing sap from some spicy, somewhat poisonous plant). The elder flower is still the dominant note in the nose though

Lots of lactic sourness leads the way up front, and this has a smooth body with a nicely popping carbonation. This yields way to a peppery / herbal green elder flower note that melds with a slightly medicinal, sort of curing plastic phenolic character, both of which sort of balance the up-front lactic character. The elder flower notes are not as dominant as in the nose with more of the Lambic character coming through, though this is still significantly flavored by these little flowers. Hints of buttery oak mixed with buttery lemon rind subtly perfume the flavor here.

This is not as aggressively flavored with Elder Flowers as was the Zwanze version, but it still forms a significant portion of the flavor profile. It does work though, but it may take a bit of getting used to the peppery, somewhat astringent, green sap like flavors that the elder flowers contribute. This is a quite interesting, thoroughly enjoyable beer (it is a Cantillon though, so, coming from me, that should be taken with a grain of salt).

Serving type: on-tap

02-12-2012 03:38:21 | More by Gueuzedude

AleWatcher

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Ontap at Bavarian Lodge in Lisle IL.

Lightly hazed golden apricot body with a thin white head that settled into a little collar. No lacing.

Smells like a regular gueuze-- some lemony citrus blends with oaky notes while a little woody floral note kicks in on the backend.
The flavor has a light wheat malt nore up front with a decent sour bite on the back.

This is not a fruited Lambic-- this should just be called a gueuze... And in terms of gueuze, it isn't bad... But it isn't the best, even of the ones by Cantillon.

Kinda thin an oily feeling.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2012 23:11:12 | More by AleWatcher

Khazadum

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Nice tangerine color, minimal bubble and head maintenance. Laces decent for what you have elsewhere.

Crisp, lemon zest, more tart then expected, citrus and light earthen background. Not terribly complex.

The flavors open instantly tart, bitter citric acid. It's the perfect acidity, I want this level for every gueuze when opening it fresh. Finishes muddled vegetation, dry herbal character. Brambles and twigs. Awesome..hidden in the center is a lemon zest flavor.

Crisp, medium bodied, earthen, bitter, lactic and citric, bubbly center and near creamy finish. Dry and tart.

Very awesome.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2012 22:33:33 | More by Khazadum

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Sour Saturday @ the blue monk

Poured as expected a hazy golden yellow with an inch of fluffy white head that faded quickly. The smell was rather neutral but was undeniably sour. The taste on the other hand was continually changing from sour to a peppercorn/chili aftertaste (from the elder flowers)...outstanding and different.
The mouthfeel is an expected sourness and dryness that sucks the saliva from your tonsils. The aftertaste is almost like a vomit...but somehow still delicious.
This was a pricey, hard to find 10oz of beer...but worth it to try once.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2012 01:23:28 | More by ThePorterSorter

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Zwanze 2009 Edition

Pours a white head. Decent retention. Color is a hazed golden orange.

Aroma: More elder flowers than the mamouche. Big herbal floral notes. It also has a big pepper burn to it with chiles here.

Taste: Big amount of chiles and pepper. Kind of spicy. However, it is more herbal and floral than the mamouche. A big grassy, oaky, and funky with vinegar notes. Some lemon citrus and acidity.

Mouthfeel: Sour, tart, funky, spicy. Light bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends fairly clean.

Overall, I like it better than the mamouche. It has more elderflowers and it works better with the spices. Somewhat drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2010 22:25:52 | More by mothman

jeonseh

Indiana

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A - Dark hazy golden color with small white head that quickly dissipated

S - Tart lemon, white vinegar, slight lactic acid with elder flower presence. Slight blue cheese funk.

T - Tart lemon and lactic acid with light elderflower presence in the back with slight blue cheese funk on the backend.

M - Light carbonation with a dry and slightly funk that lingers in the finish

O - Nice muted version of gueuze with light floral and funk presence. Really liked this and could sit and drink for awhile. Reminded me of classic but a bit softer with the elderflower presence

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 00:35:31 | More by jeonseh

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to AnotherJoe for bringing this to a tasking... 2011 vintage...

A: Pours a hazy light wheat yellow with about a half finger of pure white head. The foam settles quickly, leaving a good bit of lacing on the glass as it drinks.

S: The nose is earth. I get dirt, fresh cut grass, a bit of lemon, and a small floral component. It's crazy how much this beer smells like a garden. It's funky, with a lot of barnyard and some some nice sourness in there.

T: Holy cow. This bee is fantastic! It's sour, tart, refreshing, floral, grassy, and even a bit dirty. I know that doesn't sound like a recipe for success, but damn. It's like your backyard in a glass. Sweet, sour, and crisp. Love it.

M: Light bodied beer. It's sweet right off the bat with a big blast of tart and flowers. It hits the palate hard, but softens up as it drinks. Lingering mild sour in the back end.

O: My goodness. I enjoyed this beer immensely. I don't even know what to say, other than this might be my favorite of all the Cantillons I have tried before. So delicious. I need to seek out more of this for future consumption.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 16:54:49 | More by trxxpaxxs

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 vintage

Pours a slightly cloudy rosé color with golden orange edges and a pillowy two finger head that has great retention, only slowly fading into a lasting cap. Streaks of soapy lacing left behind.  

Funky barnyard aroma with a strong floral presence along with some lactic funk, dry oak and earthy bugs.  Subtle barrel/oak presence but the flower petals and lactic funk/cheesiness really stand out.  Very faint acetic character but not solvent like or vinegary smelling.

Medium bodied with a dry, musty barnyard funk presence that lingers over light fruit notes, pale malts,  musty brett and toasted oak into a slightly acetic, dry finish.  The sourness is kind of tame but there is a lot of farmhouse/barnyard character and lactic funk, especially creamy cheesiness in the back end.  Flower petals are also really prominent adding an odd, lingering bitterness.  Not overly complex or as sour as I like from cantillon but packs plenty of funky bitterness and unique flavor.  

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 00:42:48 | More by corby112

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

750ml bottle served in a flute glass.

Bottled in March, 2012.

A: Pours a yellow to orange cloudy color forming a big bubbled and aired white to yellow head. Good retention and many lacings left around. Interesting enough is the fact that you can see some pollen floating around inside the bottle

S: A mix of flowers and Lambic. Sour and, at the same time, delicate. The perfume of elderberry flower is really fantastic. Unique and perfect

T: Again, a flower bomb. Strong notes of elderberry flowers followed by malts and Lambic yeasts. Slightly sweet and sour upfront followed by a mild bitterness in the end which I suppose comes from the flowers too. In overall, a dry taste. Perfect in the mouth too

M: Light body and medium carbonation. Flowery aftertaste

O: Very drinkable. A unique experience. One of the best Cantillon I've ever had

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 22:08:05 | More by eduardolinhalis

Jeffo

Netherlands

2.75/5  rDev -33.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Part of our Kebab and Cantillon dinner party the other weekend. Cheers guys!

From a 750 into a tumbler
Bottled 7 June 2012

APPEARANCE: Pours a one finger, medium looking white head with decent retention. Hazy amber orange in color with lower levels of carbonation evident. Head fades to a thick ring but leaves no real lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Some citrus fruits in there, like lemon and orange peel perhaps, with an underlying layer of funk that resembles sea weed as well. A strong floral element from the flowers obviously that somewhat dominates the lambic. A little overwhelming perhaps.

TASTE: Lots of flowers up front, with some lemon and tart srouness through the middle into the finish. Sour lemon, bitter notes and some funky, dank mouldy flavors compete with the flowers, unltimately losing in the end. The floral flavors very much run the show here.

PALATE: Medium body and medium levels of carbonation. Creamy on the palate, goes down smooth and finishes rather dry. Puckering and somewhat acidic after the swallow.

OVERALL: This is definitely a flower dominant lambic. The floral aroma and flavor really do take the lead here, which, unfortunately, quickly became quite challenging. I understand that many people quite enjoy this one, but for me, at this point at least, I found this difficult and didn't go back for a second pour. Not something I'd want to drink again for the next little while at least. At least not this fresh. Perhaps a couple years in the bottle would make a big difference.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 19:50:44 | More by Jeffo

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.48/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

#800

Big thank you to Jeffo for this most awesome treat, very high up on my list of wants. Bottled June 15, 2010. Poured into a Cantillon tumbler.

Appearance. Pours a hazy, rich gold colour with a ton of bubbles rising and 2+ fingers of fluffy white head.

Smell. Bitter floral perfume and fresh savoury herbs, some berries and lemon juice as well as some old wood and that nice Cantillon funk ...which is as close to the classic "horse-blanket" description as any funk I've come across.

Taste. Amazing light floral perfume and some lightly bitter, savoury herbs along the lines of dandelion leaves. There's also some lemon juice, a bit of old wood and maybe a touch of leather, along with a nice light lingering dry funk.

Mouthfeel. Lighter body with full, lively but still somewhat soft carbonation. Pretty much perfect for the style.

Overall. The most interesting beer from this brewery that I've tried so far, wasn't expecting the herby aspect. Thanks again for this treat from across the pond, Jeff!

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 23:01:10 | More by Rutager

Gobzilla

California

4.49/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a light pale golden orange in color with pale yellow highlights and a thin bubbly head that leaves nice wisps of lacing sticking to the glass. Definitely has the signature cantillon bretty barnyard funk character wtih nice citrus, good acidic in the nose, slight pineapple and mango fruit and oaky wood. The wood oakiness with barnyard bretty funk meld very well with citrusy accents, mild grapefruit twang, pineapple notes and a touch of corky flavor. The brew was light to medium in body with a moderate amount of carbonation which had a funky bretty horseblanket, citrusy oaky sour and slight dry finish. Finally got to try it and I wasn't dissapointed at all.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 23:54:23 | More by Gobzilla

MattSweatshirt

Texas

3.93/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bottled 07 June 2012

Pours a little hazy darker golden color. The white head falls apart quickly.

Never smelled elderflower, but that is what seems to be most upfront. There is a grassy floral component up there. A big vegetal pepper smell as well. Some lemon and barnyard funk. Very interesting aroma going on.

This is sour but not overpoweringly so. Flower, grass, bell pepper, funky earthiness, lemon acidity. Very dry. Light-medium body with a calmer carbonation compared to other lambics.

Fun to try and extremely drinkable. The vegetal bell pepper of this took me by surprise.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 20:32:59 | More by MattSweatshirt

DovaliHops

California

4.14/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bottled June 8, 2012. Pours a slightly hazy golden orange color with a large white head that goes down quickly. Scent is...oh my...weird. Smells like dirt. Probably the least appealing Cantillon aroma I've ever smelled. Once I give it another whiff, I get more than just dirt. There is definitely the earthy dirt notes, but there is also a clean, fresh-cut bell pepper aroma. Bell pepper, dirt, and funky sour notes mesh for quite an interesting aroma that can grow on you after a few whiffs. Taste is very vegetal at first, with a good amount of sour. The bell pepper and vegetable come through in the flavor, leaving the dirt aroma behind in the nose. No dirt flavor...very tasty actually. Refreshing vegetable and sour flavors. Slight acidity, but not much. Mouthfeel is light-medium bodied, almost puckering sour. Drinkability is high. Overall, this is the most bizarre Cantillon I have ever had. However, I respect them for creating something outside the norm of lambic. The vegetable notes are superb on this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 07:04:44 | More by DovaliHops

cfrances33

Illinois

4.88/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottle shared by franklinn. Enjoyed in a Hill Farmstead glass.

Pour: Mildly hazy orange, with a finger and a half of white foamy head. Head hangs around and leaves some pretty solid lacing.

Smell: Hmm... I get a really nice vegetal aspect up front, followed by some green jalapenos. A nice lactic aspect, and a really nice funk. More jalapenos on the back.

Taste: Wow. Funky, sour jalapenos. No heat, but a nice clean green pepper taste. More funk, and a lactic tartness. This is ridiculous unique and it really, really works for me.

Mouthfeel: Ridiculously drinkable. Very palate cleansing. Great prickly carb and the tartness isn't puckering,

Overall: This beer was like nothing I've ever had before, and I loved it. Probably my favorite Cantillon to date.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 17:57:05 | More by cfrances33

unclejazz

New York

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

5oz. Pour from a bottle at Queens Kickshaw

A-similar to Fou Foune, apricot colored

S-I am catching flowery notes and tart apple skin and some requisite funk.

T-granny apple skin some funky cheese and sour apricot. There was some flower and plant note in the aftertaste. At 1st it was unpleasant, but as I sipped it this grassy aftertaste really tied it together

M-full of tingly carbonation and tart that makes the mouth water.

O-this is some delicious stuff, executed wonderfully. Not my favorite type of sour but unique and well above average.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 21:17:10 | More by unclejazz

scottfrie

California

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks for sharing Beerdy. Poured into snifter. Recent vintage.

Pours a cloudy golden body with a thick white head that faded to a good lasting film. This beer smells like no other I’ve had, but that’s probably because I’ve never even hear of an elderflower before this. The nose is very peppery, like that of a red bell pepper, and vegetal. That characteristic musty Cantillon funk is right in there next to the strange notes of bell pepper and citrus. Smells like a musty of garden. The taste is better than the nose in my opinion as a little bit more funk and lemony citrus mixes with the pepper and vegetables, but overall this isn’t my favorite lambic. The mouthfeel is very airy, bubbly and fairly dry. I’d like to try a bottle of this beer in a few years when it’s had at least half a decade of age on it to see how it has changed. Definitely an interesting brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 19:28:36 | More by scottfrie

Tnudish

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle provided by Matt for our Saturday couples tasting. Thanks for the tick man!

A-Pours a peach color with a fingers worth of tight white head.

S-Nose is pretty forwardly earthy/herbal, with some pepper, pickle, and lemon. I know it’s not really pickle, just a weird off characteristic of the elderflower.

T-Flavor is a lot of the same themes, it’s very sour and that pickle/herbal characteristic is a lot more pronounced.

M-Light mouthfeel, moderate acidity, gentle carbonation, and a lingering finish.

O-Might be my least favorite Cantillon to date. I can see why others would like this, but I think I prefer Iris in comparison to this.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 15:37:11 | More by Tnudish

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This may not be the highest rated Cantillon going but I really dug it; it was offbeat, unique, and flavorful. Slightly hazed, very light gold body, two finger head that settles rather quickly; a little patchy lace here and there.

Really an unexpected and pleasing aroma; tart lemony notes; musty funky aspects, but a clear note of fresh garden veggies out of left field. Not as in vegetal, not a stinking, overcooked cauliflower aroma, but that of fresh picked tomatoes from the vine, raw zucchinis and green peppers, clearly the product of the elder flowers. The taste also includes this unusual note; it’s subtle but always there; the fresh and moderately sour lemon flavor cuts and compliments it nicely; and the funky hay and barn notes round things out. More typical herbal, flower and oak elements also come into play; the finish is dry; green peppers are noticed in the short and clean aftertaste. That sounds pretty odd but in this beer I thought it worked wonderfully.

Medium-light body, medium carbonation, crisp, easy to drink, average acidity and sourness, doesn’t assault the mouth and gullet. This definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea but I was a fan.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 13:41:16 | More by tobelerone