Cantillon Iris - Brasserie Cantillon

flagmantho

Washington

4.53/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured from 750mL bottle into a tulip. This is the 2007 vintage of Iris.

Appearance: rich golden-orange hue with tons of haze. Head is two dense fingers of creamy ivory foam. Looks very nice.

Smell: the aroma of a fresh, grassy meadow dotted with wildflowers and graced with a cool, free-flowing spring. On top of this is a light tartness which really seals the deal. I've had a lot of beers which were very autumnal in their aroma, but Iris is extremely vernal in nature. Very, very good.

Taste: matches the aroma in every characteristic, though it is quite a bit more tart than the aroma suggests. Fresh grass and cool spring water yield to a yeasty, bready after-flavor with an extremely clean, tart and slightly bitter finish. Magnificent.

Mouthfeel: body is on the light side of medium and creaminess is deliciously Belgian. I quite like it, but it's not as extremely well-done as the aroma and flavor.

Drinkability: this is my first Cantillon, so you might chalk it up to shock. I was really expecting to like this beer, and boy, was I right in doing so. Call it confirmation bias. I just call it damn tasty.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2010 01:09:58 | More by flagmantho

ShawnMH

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

05-19-2013 15:59:10 | More by ShawnMH

ffOpusx

California

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

05-16-2013 22:55:01 | More by ffOpusx

Rainblows

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-16-2013 14:23:59 | More by Rainblows

Matagal

Brazil

5/5  rDev +16.3%

05-13-2013 17:09:12 | More by Matagal

Danny1217

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

05-12-2013 21:01:05 | More by Danny1217

Jonada

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

750ml bottled on 22nd November 2012. Served in a Russian River stemmed glass

Appearance: Dark burnt orange color with 2 fingers of a soapy light tan (with almost a yellowish hue) head that dissipates fairly quickly to a thin coating and collar. Body is very hazy with a fair amount of fine carbonation streaming throughout the glass.

Smell: Sour lemon, peach/apricot, barnyard funk, herbal, with some floral hops.

Taste: Green apple, lemon, vinegar, fairly strong herbal quality, lactic acidity, with a floral hop character that becomes more noticeable in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied with a soft mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Light lingering bitterness.

Overall: This is a really interesting beer. This is the first lambic I've had with a real noticeable hop presence, and I have to admit it works well. Not my favorite Cantillon beer, but still very good.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 02:49:22 | More by Jonada

ckeegan04

Texas

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-10-2013 20:46:20 | More by ckeegan04

ObeMaltKinobee

California

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-08-2013 07:33:01 | More by ObeMaltKinobee

cadaugherty

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-07-2013 23:57:11 | More by cadaugherty

dalepryor

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

05-07-2013 20:45:39 | More by dalepryor

Pete27lax

New York

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

05-06-2013 08:38:30 | More by Pete27lax

GuzzLah

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A - pours a cloudy amber with a beige head. A little lace. No bubbles.

S - pretty floral hops, citrus, peach, leather, wood, mild funk, herbal, soft caramel malt and a little bit of wet dog at times, unfortunately.

T - is just like the aroma minus the wet dog. Even the floral character translates to the flavor. Moderately sour. Acetic.

M - medium-full body. Oily. Viscous pour. Medium bitterness. Mouth watering. Mild sweetness. Long aftertaste.

O - unusual Lambic. Hop forward for the style. Thick body for the style. Pleasant flavors with a nice balance. Less sour and funky than Cantillon Gueuze, but that isn't a complaint. Complex beer that was a pleasure to drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 22:23:49 | More by GuzzLah

KevinmusPrime

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

05-03-2013 18:10:57 | More by KevinmusPrime

IPAyForHops

California

4/5  rDev -7%

05-02-2013 23:22:00 | More by IPAyForHops

jegross2

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

05-02-2013 03:47:32 | More by jegross2

FullObs

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

04-30-2013 15:21:49 | More by FullObs

weonfire

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

04-29-2013 01:42:44 | More by weonfire

Pecan

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

04-28-2013 19:09:00 | More by Pecan

DRBiser

Maryland

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

04-22-2013 08:43:31 | More by DRBiser

TallSaint

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

April 21st, 2013

It pours a dark hazy orange with a healthy finger of head.

The nose is dominated by very floral hops with a bit of citrus. Underneath is a nice biscuity sweetness.

On the palate it is inviting upfront with a huge floral, earthy quality. In the mid-palate the malt shows its teeth with a biscuity sweetness. In the back a big sourness hits with a touch of resinous hops.

Mouthfeel is quite dense for a Cantillon but that would make sense considering there is no wheat used, only pale malt.

An interesting lambic with a very different flavor profile that is dominated by the malt body and the floral hops, not the funk. I liked it, it is a very different lambic and I would love to see how it ages.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 00:43:47 | More by TallSaint

mendvicdog

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

04-21-2013 05:00:14 | More by mendvicdog

gueuzedreg

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

04-20-2013 18:35:24 | More by gueuzedreg

innominat

Ireland

3.75/5  rDev -12.8%

04-17-2013 16:41:51 | More by innominat

nollie77

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

04-16-2013 04:13:41 | More by nollie77