Cantillon St. Lamnivus lambic

An incredible Belgian lambic consumed on my birthday with 5 friends, including Matthew Janda, who brought it to the party. My notes from March, 2006 commence:

Brasserie Cantillon St. Lamnivus Lambic. 7 % ABV. Brasserie Cantillon, Anderlecht, Belgium.

Rosy top in the look here, deeper burgundy beneath, under absolutely no head...par for style, though...

Aroma: bracing, yet invigorating, a blast of cherries and grape, twisted by sour...musty, rank, and deep...liking it...a deep well, dominated by fruit. Delectable.

Taste it, already! Oooo! Weeee! Owww! Bold, huge, fat puckeration,...ooo, ooo, ooo! Takes hold of the mouth and doesn't let go! A blend of dark fruits, cherries, and berries, and grapes. Luscious. Sour and flavorful. Mellows a touch, gets easy as we go, gets easier to take..

Not for everyone, but a particular treat for demanding palates, constant play on the tongue that is rewarding for some, punishing for others.

Hard to compare this to anything else on earth. Far beyond any other lambic, a definitive sui generis classic.

2004 bottling. too young? who's to say. worth the $33 spent? probably...

Everyone knows some of our best friends are wine growers from the Libourne region in France, more specifically those who make Saint Emillion and Pomerol. They respect the tradition and let their wine ferment in a natural way.

Fermentation, origin and vintage are still kept up.

Our collaboration resulted in a product uniting the best of their wine and of our beer : the Saint-Lamvinus.

The grapes, of the merlot and cabernet-franc varieties, are soaked in Bordeaux barrels containing two to three years old lambic. The beer is not blended before the bottling. The foam is caused by the addition of a liquor which starts the fermentation.