Tag Archives: belgium

3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek “Toast”

Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.4%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: Blend°14, Season 17/18

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) 3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek wordt bekomen door het macereren van handgeplukte volle krieken op jonge traditionele lambik gedurende minstens vier maanden, in een verhouding van één kilo per liter. Daarna wordt de kriekenklambik geassembleerd met jonge lambik en wordt alles gebotteld, en zet de vergisting zich verder op fles. Hierdoor ontstaat een zacht fruitige Oude Kriek, geraffineerd, en met evolutie in het glas. Natuurlijk fruit, zonder toevoeging van sappen, siropen, of suikers. Ongefilterd en ongepasteuriseerd.

Voor de zes maanden durende maceratie van deze specifieke Oude Kriek “Toast” werd een vers gebrand eikenhouten vat gebruikt. De finale fruitintensiteit bedraagt 350 gram krieken per liter afgewerkte Kriek. Aantal flessen: 1,150.

(translated to English) 3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek is obtained by macerating hand-picked full cherries on young traditional lambic for at least four months, at a ratio of one kilo per litre. Then the cherry lambic is assembled with young lambic and everything is bottled, and the fermentation continues in the bottle. This creates a soft fruity Oude Kriek, refined, and with evolution in the glass. Natural fruit, without the addition of juices, syrups, or sugars. Unfiltered and unpasteurised.

A freshly roasted oak barrel was used for the six-month maceration of this particular Oude Kriek “Toast”. The final fruit intensity is 350 grams of cherries per liter of finished Kriek. Number of bottles: 1,150.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.5
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, blend°14, season 17/18, bottled on 17th January 2018, with a best before date of 26th October 2038. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A very nice ruby red colour with a slight purple tint, and a one finger pinkish head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Lightly sour and tart, cherry, cherry pie, oak, cherry candy, with a slight hint of vanilla, strawberry, and funk.
Taste: Sour, tart, cherry, cherry skin, cherry pie, sour berries, lemon, oak.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I’m not really sure about the “toast” part, as it’s not really obvious in the aroma or taste. But this version of the Oude Kriek is enjoyable and nicely balanced.

De Cam Wilde Bosbessen

Brewery: Geuzestekerij De Cam
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: 2017 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) In de Ardense wouden groeit in het wild de bosbes. De regio van Vielsalm is beroemd voor zijn rijke oogst en veel streekproducten met de Wilde Bosbessen. De Bosbessen (Vaccinium Myrtillus) worden in hun geheel (geen sap) aan de lambiek toegevoegd in een verhouding van 40 kg per 100 liter jonge lambiek.

(translated to English) Wild blueberries grow in the Ardennes forests. The region of Vielsalm is famous for its rich harvest and many local products including the wild blueberries. The Blueberries (Vaccinium Myrtillus) are added whole (no juice) to the lambic at a ratio of 40 kg per 100 liters of young lambic.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.89
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2017 vintage, with a best before date of July 2040. Poured into a De Cam stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy reddish purple colour with a thin pinkish head that disappears quickly, while leaving only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Blueberry skin, blueberry, blackcurrant, slight jammy, lightly tart, leathery funk.
Taste: Sour, tart, blueberry skin, mixed berries, lemon, funky, with light oak notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft to no carbonation and a somewhat acidic finish.
Overall: Aromas and flavour were quite good, but increased carbonation would have improved this in every aspect.

De Cam Nectarine Lambiek

Brewery: Geuzestekerij De Cam
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: 2017 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) Nectarine Lambiek schuimt niet, doordat hergisting op fles minimaal is om de fruitaroma’s maximaal te proeven. Oude Nectarine Lambiek ontstaat door het samen vergisten van jonge lambiek met een hoeveelheid aromatische nectarinen. De nectarine, Prunus Nuci persica, worden in hun geheel (geen sap) met pit in bewerking gebracht. Het gehalte aan nectarinen bedraagt ongeveer 40 kg per 100 liter lambiek.

(translated to English) Nectarine Lambiek does not foam, because refermentation in the bottle is minimal to maximize the taste of the fruit aromas. Oude Nectarine Lambiek is created by fermenting young lambic together with a quantity of aromatic nectarines. The nectarine, Prunus Nuci persica, are processed whole (no juice) with seeds. The nectarine content is approximately 40 kg per 100 liters of lambic.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.23
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2017 vintage, with a best before date of July 2040. Poured into a De Cam stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden orange colour with a very thin white head that disappeared almost immediately while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Funky, nectarines, peach, apricot, vanilla yoghurt, oak, dusty, with a hint of lemon zest.
Taste: Light sour, tart, nectarines, peach, yoghurt, olive oil, lemon zest, oak, funky, barnyard.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Easy drinking with nice aroma, flavours and good funky notes. It lacked carbonation though, and I definitely thought it needed some.

De Cam Framboise Lambiek

Brewery: Geuzestekerij De Cam
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: 2017 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) Framboise Lambiek schuimt niet, doordat hergisting op fles minimaal is om de fruitaroma’s maximaal te proeven. Oude Framboise Lambiek ontstaat door het samen vergisten van jonge lambiek met een hoeveelheid aromatische frambozen. De frambozen worden in hun geheel (geen sap) met pitjes in bewerking gebracht. Het gehalte aan frambozen bedraagt ongeveer 30 kg per 100 liter framboise.

(translated to English) Framboise Lambiek does not foam, because refermentation in the bottle is minimal to maximize the taste of the fruit aromas. Oude Framboise Lambiek is created by fermenting young lambic together with a quantity of aromatic raspberries. The raspberries are processed in their entirety (no juice) with seeds. The raspberry content is approximately 30 kg per 100 liters of framboise.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.04
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2017 vintage, with a best before date of July 2040. Poured into a De Cam stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy amber orange colour with a one finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly but left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart, jammy, raspberry, oak, lemon zest, with slight notes of funk.
Taste: Lightly sour, tart, jammy, raspberry, rhubarb, lemon zest, oak, light funk.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: The aroma was good with nice fruity raspberry, but taste while still good, the amount of fruit didn’t quite match the aroma. Carbonation was also on the borderline too high for my palate, and sometimes a bit uncomfortable.

De Cam Kriek Lambiek

Brewery: Geuzestekerij De Cam
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: 2015 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) Kriek Lambiek schuimt niet, doordat hergisting op fles minimaal is om de fruitaroma’s maximaal te proeven. Oude Kriek lambiek ontstaat door het samen vergisten van jonge lambiek met een hoeveelheid zure aromatische kersen. De zure kersen, Prunus Cerasus L., worden in hun geheel (geen sap) met pit in bewerking gebracht. Het gehalte aan zure kersen bedraagt ongeveer 40kg per 100 liter kriek.

(translated to English) Kriek Lambiek does not foam, because refermentation in the bottle is minimal to get the maximum taste of the fruit aromas. Oude Kriek lambic is created by fermenting young lambic together with a quantity of sour aromatic cherries. The sour cherries, Prunus Cerasus L., are processed whole (no juice) with stone. The content of sour cherries is approximately 40 kg per 100 liters of kriek.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.51
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 750m corked and caged bottle, 2015 vintage, with a best before date of the year 2035. Poured into a De Cam stemmed glass.
Appearance: A deep ruby red colour with a one finger pinkish head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Cherry, oak, cherry pit, funk, lightly tart, with almond notes.
Taste: Lightly sour and tart, cherry, cherry pie, almond, oak, funk.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Very enjoyable and easy to drink. Lots of great cherry flavours balanced with almond, oak and funk.