Oudbeitje Lambic - Hanssens Artisanaal bvba

roadhouse

Florida

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter

Appearance is a hazy gold color with no head other than a ring of white at the edge of the glass due to their being no carbonation.

The aroma is really nice and complex with a strong acid note and a lot of wood, dusty mustiness, and a very light hint of strawberry, perhaps the seeds of them is what it reminds me of.

The taste is dominated by sourness as expected and again the notes of mustiness and oak are also strong. It leaves an interesting taste towards the finish that hints at strawberries but it's not actual strawberry flavor. Like I said about the aroma, it is like the seeds.

Mouthfeel is soft and slick, nicely refreshing.

My second from Hanssens and another one that I like. I wouldn't say they're as good as say, Cantillon, but they have their own unique character that is very interesting. Some might be turned off by the lack of carbonation, but it doesn't really detract. I would like to see the difference between one that was carbonated though for comparison's sake.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2011 09:56:45 | More by roadhouse

hooliganlife

Missouri

3.59/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

2013 vintage

pours pretty still, like no head ever even when i tried. golden orange, bit of burnt orange.

light strawberry is apparent. sour must and funk.

starts out sour, with a subtle sweetness. as the sourness fades the malty body and fresh strawberry begin to pop out. light oak in the finish.

dead flat, a bit oily.

pretty good, the strawberry may be one of my least favorite fruits used in lambic but its interesting and different. i would drink this again, but only here and there.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 01:03:13 | More by hooliganlife

Summer78

Illinois

4/5  rDev +7%

06-13-2013 01:19:53 | More by Summer78

cjs61679

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -19.8%

06-04-2013 15:09:22 | More by cjs61679

scotv

New York

4/5  rDev +7%

06-01-2013 08:10:06 | More by scotv

chefpeet

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

05-23-2013 18:49:45 | More by chefpeet

Goldfishman

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +7%

05-21-2013 23:10:18 | More by Goldfishman

yankeepride

New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Pours a cloudy yellow/gold with absolutely no head at all. Smells like a lambic, but much more faintly so than some of the notorious cherry versions. Taste is light, mildly sour, and has a mellowness to it that I have not had in this style before. I'm not sure I would have identified strawberry if it weren't noted on the label, as it is not a strong, powerful flavor. However, knowing they were in the mix, you get a sense of "oh yeah, I can get a taste of them" as the sour element fades away into just a light, barely-present sour coating on your tongue and teeth. Overall, a really refreshing beer, but in its style, there are others that have a bit more of a 'wow' factor.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 21:38:46 | More by yankeepride

MrVonzipper

California

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%

05-05-2013 08:50:23 | More by MrVonzipper

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

3.76/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Served from a corked and caged 375ml bottle into a Hill Farmstead stemmed tulip. Served at cellar temps.

Appearance- Beautiful golden/orange with zero head and no bubbles bouncing around the glass. Absolutely beautiful color.

Smell- So funky. Asparagus, fresh cut wet grass, some fruit, but I can't determine if its strawberries or not. Lemon acidity takes over the rest of the lingering funky smell. Truly the funkiest beer I've smelled to date.

Taste- Herbaceous, piney, vanilla oak flavors, lemon rind, and very light strawberry at the end. Lingering vinegar acidic flavors. Much more earthy than fruity. Would be better with some carbonation.

Mouthfeel- Still with no carbonation. Moderate body. Sour puckering mouthfeel and lingering mild acidity. Mouth cleansing.

Overall- I can't get into the sours without carbonation. This is the second I've had and I doubt I'll try anymore. Taste was great, but it needs bubbles.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 16:18:17 | More by Seanniek91

jpaulsen

California

3/5  rDev -19.8%

04-07-2013 21:24:11 | More by jpaulsen

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -33.2%

03-24-2013 04:53:03 | More by onix1agr

Em30

Pennsylvania

1/5  rDev -73.3%

03-22-2013 00:06:45 | More by Em30

mmsimmons

Pennsylvania

1.5/5  rDev -59.9%

03-22-2013 00:05:25 | More by mmsimmons

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From: The Corkscrew, Urbana, IL
Date: None, lot D marked on label
Glass: Drie Fonteinen gueuze glass

The cork is removed with no pop, and the beer pours with no head, as is correct for all true unblended lambics. The strawberries apparently did not provide enough sugar, or the sugars were consumed already before being blended and bottled, for carbonation to form in the bottle. There are a few large bubbles from a vigorous pour, but these soon fall. There is also no lacing, as to be expected from the lack of foam. The body is a rich, warm, golden orange color with yellow highlights; light brings out a brighter, not paler, golden orange hue. Beer is transparent, but there is no carbonation to be observed.

Aroma is of faint fruit esters mixed in with some solid, but weak enough to be palatably enjoyable, lactic and acetic acid. The specific fruit is weak, though strawberry is likely to be discerned by the careful observer. There is also a moderate oaked cheese component if the glass is swirled before inhaling.

As a lambic, this is good: with the strawberries to add a bit of additional character, it is excellent. The fruit, though mild, is there, and cooperates very well with the character and flavors of the lambic as a whole. Front of palate notes acidic tartness with hints of strawberry flavors and a mild note of Brettanomyces. Mid-palate detects subtle strawberry flavors atop a rich palette of lemon and vinegar-like sourness, leaf-like tannins, oak, and not-too-funky cheese. Back of palate is quite sour, with lemon and weak vinegar acidity being most noticeable, but also faint oak. Lingering aftertaste of mildly sour acids, a bit of oak, and faint cheese rind.
Note: adding the dregs decreases the tartness somewhat, while increasing the tannic, oak, and Brettanomyces flavors somewhat.

Beer is medium-bodied with little to no carbonation, as befitting the style. Despite the lack of carbonation, this does not stagnate on the palate: the sourness easily moves this along. Closes semi-dry, with little sweetness or stickiness on the palate.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 02:36:44 | More by falloutsnow

BeerThursdays

Delaware

4/5  rDev +7%

03-16-2013 12:33:17 | More by BeerThursdays

spycow

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

03-09-2013 22:37:18 | More by spycow

GuzzLah

Illinois

3.24/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours a cloudy yellow-orange with no head and no carbonation.

Nice aroma of strawberry, lacto and mild barnyard.

The flavor is like the aroma with a salty sour acidic finish. It has the texture of water.

Overall, I'd like it much better with some bubbles and realize flat is appropriate for the style. It's quite pricey at $15 per 12oz. and not really worth it to me.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 22:28:15 | More by GuzzLah

acurtis

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

02-21-2013 00:08:07 | More by acurtis

Blanco

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -33.2%

02-19-2013 04:06:27 | More by Blanco

DmanGTR

New York

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%

02-04-2013 18:47:50 | More by DmanGTR

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

01-13-2013 20:24:42 | More by AlexFields

westcoastbeerlvr

California

2.75/5  rDev -26.5%

01-10-2013 23:18:34 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.89/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from Sam’s in Durham. Served in a Hanssens tumbler. Hazy peach color. Beautiful strawberry nose. Not at all faded. Moderate lactic and strong strawberry. Very good.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 03:16:53 | More by Thorpe429

roblund

California

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

01-05-2013 18:30:51 | More by roblund