Category Archives: Belgium

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Timmermans-John Martin N.V., Lambic - Gueuze

Timmermans Oude Geuze Cuvée Lambikstoemper 2024 (25 Jaar)

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Brewery: Brouwerij Timmermans-John Martin N.V.
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.7%
Style: Lambic – Gueuze
Other Notes: Lambikstoemper 25th Anniversary

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) Cuvée Lambikstoemper 2024 is een Oude Geuze, een door de EU beschermde benaming, samengesteld bij Brouwerij Timmermans (Itterbeek) door De Lambikstoempers vzw, naar aanleiding van het 25-jarig bestaan van de bierproeversvereniging uit het Pajottenland en de Zennevallei, lid van HORAL vzw en van Zythos vzw.

Deze Oude Geuze is een blend van 40% lambiek uit foeder 4 (brouwsel 10/05/2023), 22,5% uit pijp 214 (brouwsel 26/03/2020), 24,2% uit foeder 20 (brouwsel 11/11/2019) en 13,3% uit een Pinot Gris vat (brouwsel 24/03/2022), samengesteld door het Lambikstoempers beheer op 21/09/2023, afgevuld op fles in december 2023, spontaan hergist op fles in de Lambikstoemperskelder en feestelijk gelanceerd in 2024.

(translated to English) Cuvée Lambikstoemper 2024 is an Oude Geuze, a designation protected by the EU, composed at Brouwerij Timmermans (Itterbeek) by De Lambikstoempers vzw, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the beer tasting association from the Pajottenland and the Zenne valley, member of HORAL vzw and Zythos vzw.

This Oude Geuze is a blend of 40% lambic from foeder 4 (brewed 10/05/2023), 22.5% from pipe 214 (brewed 26/03/2020), 24.2% from foeder 20 (brewed 11/11/2019) and 13.3% from a Pinot Gris barrel (brewed 24/03/2022), composed by the Lambikstoempers management on 21/09/2023, bottled in December 2023, spontaneously refermented in the bottle in the Lambikstoempers cellar and festively launched in 2024.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.31

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2024 vintage, with a best before date of 31st December 2044. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen gueuze glass.
Appearance: A very nice clear golden orange colour with a two finger white head that had good retention, and eventually settled to a nice fluffy cap, while leaving nice lacing.
Aroma: Funky, musty, fresh cut green apple, wood, hay, with notes of lemon zest and pear.
Taste: Green apple, lightly sour, lemon, lemon zest, wood, funky, with hints of gooseberry.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Light and refreshing with interesting aroma and flavours. Definitely on the young side, and glad to have several more bottles on hand to see how they turn out in the future.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen, Lambic - Gueuze

3 Fonteinen Zenne y Frontera Season 20/21 Blend 66 – 1/2/3 Sherry Barrel Aged Lambik Blend

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Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen
Country: Belgium
ABV: 8.5%
Style: Lambic – Gueuze
Other Notes: Blend°66, Season 20/21

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This Zenne y Frontera is a special blend of sherry lambikken that have aged for one, two and three years on Oloroso, Fino and Amontillado barrels. By doing so, the average weighted aged of the blend is 32 months on the moment of bottling. One of the barrels that we used has some slightly peated characteristics next to the typical sherry notes. The lambikken were sourced from five different brews, of which more than half of the volume was brewed by us.

My rating: 4+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, blend°66, season 20/21, bottled on 27th July 2021. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen Zenne stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden orange colour, with a very nice one finger white head that had good retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Sherry, dry wood, oak, grape, lemon zest, funk, leather, peat.
Taste: Lightly sour, slightly sweet, apple, grape, lemon zest, sherry, oak, leather, with some peaty notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: The peat just hangs around in the background and is not overpowering. It adds an interesting and enjoyable element to this Zenne that works for me.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Lambic - Fruit, OWA Brewery SPRL

OWA Cassis Lambic

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Brewery: OWA Brewery SPRL
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5.5%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: Japanese cassis

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Cassis is made in Aomori Japan.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.26

Intro: A 375ml purple paper wrapped corked and capped bottle, I believe 2019 vintage. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy amber red with a slight orange tint, and a half finger white head that had pretty good retention, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Blackcurrant, cassis, green vines, musty, funk, damp wood.
Taste: Sour, tart, blackcurrant, lemon, green vines, oak, musty, wet wood.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Very nice blackcurrant in the aroma and taste. Along with Shiso, this has become among my favourites from OWA.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Lambic - Fruit, OWA Brewery SPRL

OWA Sansho Lambic

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Brewery: OWA Brewery SPRL
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5.5%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: Japanese pepper

Brewer Description: (from bottle) The pulverized mature fruits (“peppercorns” or “berries”) known as “Japanese pepper” or kona-zanshõ are the standard spice for sprinkling on the kabayaki-unagi (broiled eel) dish. It is also one of the seven main ingredients of the blended spice called shichimi, which also contains red chili peppers.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.69

Intro: A 375ml green paper wrapped corked and capped bottle, 2019 vintage. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A clear golden colour with a thin white head that dissipated quickly and left only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Herbal, floral, basil, lime, lemon zest, with white pepper spicy notes.
Taste: Lightly sour, tart, lime, lemon zest, gooseberry, herbal, with a peppery spice kick on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: The aroma was nice, and while the flavour didn’t quite match the heights of the aroma, it was fine.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Geuzestekerij De Cam, Lambic - Gueuze

De Cam Oude Geuze

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Brewery: Geuzestekerij De Cam
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Lambic – Gueuze
Other Notes: 2015 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) In grote eiken tonnen van meer dan honderd jaar, rijpt jarenlang lambiek, uit de 4 windstreken van het Pajottenland. Speciaal voor U werd lambiek van 1, 2 en 3 jaar oud zorgvuldig uitgeproefd gemengd en gebotteld.

(translated to English) In large oak barrels of more than a hundred years, lambic matures for years, from the 4 corners of the Pajottenland. Especially for you, lambic of 1, 2 and 3 years old was carefully tasted mixed and bottled.

My rating: 4+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.44

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2015 vintage. Poured into a The Lambic Basket gueuze glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy golden dark orange colour with a fluffy almost two finger white head that had good retention, eventually settling to a nice cap, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart, funky, musty, barnyard, damp wood, fruity, apricot, apple, lemon.
Taste: Lightly sour, tart, overripe apple, apricot, almost jammy but not really, funky, barnyard, oak, with a super lemon candy finish (sour and a touch sweet).
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Good enjoyable complex aroma and flavours.