Category Archives: Lambic – Faro

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

3 Fonteinen Strenge Winter

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– aka 3 Fonteinen Straffe Winter

Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen
Country: Belgium
ABV: 7.1%
Style: Lambic – Faro
Other Notes: Blend°53, Season 19/20

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Strenge Winter – previously known under a slightly different name – is a special brew and blend. On January 19th 2018, we brewed a full barley malt beer wort, with pilsner, amber and munich malt (but no raw wheat). Whilst on the coolship, we added brown candi sugar. We left this beer to age for over two years on both barrels and small foeders. Prior to bottling, we blended the beer with some young 3 Fonteinen lambic and added a tad more candi sugar. This beer is brewed to Armand’s original recipe! (but #notlambic). Strenge Winter is a blend of 3 fonteinen full malt beers and candi sugar. Spontaneously fermented. Matured in oak barrels. Extended bottle ageing. Unfiltered. Unpasteurised.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.16
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, blend°53, season 19/20, bottled on 27th February 2020. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy copper amber orange colour with a very thin white head that disappeared almost immediately, while leaving only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Tart, prunes, green apple, lemon zest, caramel, wood.
Taste: As you’d expect from the aroma, lightly sour, tart, prunes, green apple, caramel, lemon zest, wood.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Although not lambic nor faro, it wasn’t as sweet as I thought it would be, but it’s got interesting aromas and flavours.

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3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Oud Beersel, Lambic - Faro

Oud Beersel Oude Vieux Faro

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Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Country: Belgium
ABV: 7.5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Faro)
Other Notes: 3.1L bag-in-box

Brewer Description: (from box) Lambic with candy sugar refermented. Not sweet.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.65
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.4

Intro: A 3.1L bag-in-box with a best before date of 15th November 2019, poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy brown orangey colour with pretty much no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, sour, funky, oak, with some dark fruit like aromas, maybe plum and grapes.
Taste: Sour, funky, oak, acidic, vinegar, lemon, with light notes of mixed berries.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with no carbonation.
Overall: This was very different to any other Faro that I’ve tried in that it’s not sweet at all, but still quite nice especially with the mixed berry notes. The aroma was great, but the lack of carbonation was not really my thing. Still an interesting Faro though.

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

Timmermans Tradition Faro

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Brewery: Brouwerij Timmermans-John Martin N.V.
Country: Belgium
ABV: 4%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Faro)

Brewer Description: (from website) Timmermans Tradition Faro is a beer made by adding candy sugar and water to lambic to mellow its acidity. In the 19th century, Faro was very popular in the Brussels area. Various folk traditions were associated with it, and this ambrosial drink flowed abundantly, thanks to its relatively neutral but extremely pleasant flavour. Today, Timmermans Faro is still brewed using the methods and recipes of days gone by, and meets with unanimous approval.

Taste-wise… A sweet beer with a base of lambic enhanced with water and candy sugar, to make it just light enough. The sugared notes predominate, imparting a general flavour which does not intensify on the palate but is wonderfully refreshing.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.6
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 375ml corked and caged bottle with a best before date of 26th September 2019. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A clear copper amber colour with a two finger white head that had decent retention, eventually dissipating to a thin layer over the top while leaving some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Dusty and musty gives way to some sweet-ish candi sugar, apple, pear and dried fruits.
Taste: Sweet yet not overly so like in so many Faro’s. The slight sourness on the finish balances the sweetness and makes it easy on the palate. Plum, apple skin, brown sugar with a very light funk.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: I didn’t really enjoy the aroma, but luckily the taste was much more to my liking. It wasn’t overly sweet like so many Faro’s I’ve tried. I enjoyed it.

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij De Troch, Lambic - Faro

De Troch Chapeau Faro

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Brewery: Brouwerij De Troch
Country: Belgium
ABV: 4.75%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Faro)

Brewer Description: (from website) Milky, reddish brown colour with a layer of white bubbles. Vinous, tart-ish aroma, notes of blue grapes, grape juice, hints of morello, a touch of vinegar and leather. Taste is tart, fruity and slightly sugary, notes of morello, hints of blue…

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 2.91
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.8

Intro: A 250ml bottle with a best before date of 14th September 2019. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A clear copper colour with minimal white head, just a ring around the glass and no lacing.
Aroma: Musty, apple juice, soy sauce, cherry, apple cider vinegar.
Taste: Sweet, candi sugar, brown sugar, sugar syrup, apple cider, red grapes and a hint of wood.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Taste wasn’t bad and was better than the aroma, but it was sweet, too sweet. And even a 250ml bottle took quite a bit to finish.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen, Lambic - Faro

3 Fonteinen Faro Classic

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Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Faro)

Brewer Description: (from the mini blackboard menu at the brewery) klassiek.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.57
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 200ml pour into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass from the hand pump at 3 Fonteinen lambik-O-droom.
Appearance: A cloudy dark orange colour with a one finger white head that had great retention that just stuck around forever and some nice lacing.
Aroma: Amazing aroma, candy sugar, apricot, touch of orange, musty wood, light caramelised apple and caramel.
Taste: Sweet, but not overly so like other faros I’ve tried. Hay, apricot, brown sugar, woody oak and tea.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, smooth, light to medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: An amazing faro. The only one I haven’t found to be overly sweet so far, maybe because of the combination with some good flavours.