Lambic Discussion Thread

[Rau711]

So after having my first ever LPK (Thanks boogercrack) I was wondering where it falls in terms of difficulty to get more? Is it on the Fou level, easier or harder? Thanks, I will hang up and listen.

 

[drgarage1]

So after having my first ever LPK (Thanks boogercrack) I was wondering where it falls in terms of difficulty to get more? Is it on the Fou level, easier or harder? Thanks, I will hang up and listen.

Usually slightly easier than Fou. But still pretty hard to get outside of Europe.

 

[Odesseiron]

LPs usually trade a bit below Fou. This year it was a lot harder to get than the latter. 6 bottle limit over 3-4 months for Fou, compared to 3 bottles for half that in LPK's case.

 

[BusinessSloth]

LPs usually trade a bit below Fou. This year it was a lot harder to get than the latter. 6 bottle limit over 3-4 months for Fou, compared to 3 bottles for half that in LPK's case.

Personally I've found it near impossible (this year) to get Fou and LPs without having European mules or personally visiting the breweries. 2ndary resale shops are being trolled by a larger amount of users these days.

But yes in terms of trade value you are spot on

 

[Odesseiron]

Yes, it seems like Jean kept a lot more bottles for the brewery this year - which also explains why Fou lasted so long. I'm getting offers for additional bottles of the 14 Fou all the time, though, whereas I'm having a hard time tracking down more LPK (which I think is quite a lot better).

 

[EliotRosewater]

I've had a box from Belgium held up in customs at LAX for three weeks and I just received this notice:

"Your item cleared United States Customs at 8:33 am on February 11, 2015."

And that the box is now "Inbound Out of Customs".

I'm assuming that since they used the phrase "cleared", that the box is on its way to me now and not back to the shipper in Belgium. Anyone with experience on this?

 

[Odesseiron]

Yes. That's how the boxes I ship to the states always go.

 

[SeaWatchman]

I've had a box from Belgium held up in customs at LAX for three weeks and I just received this notice:

"Your item cleared United States Customs at 8:33 am on February 11, 2015."

And that the box is now "Inbound Out of Customs".

I'm assuming that since they used the phrase "cleared", that the box is on its way to me now and not back to the shipper in Belgium. Anyone with experience on this?

You're good to go

 

[jmarce]

Ordered what was listed as De Cam Oude Geuze 2009 on BiaB and got 2 of the bottles on the left (compared to a bottle on right I received a few months ago from Etre that was listed w/ no vintage.) What exactly did Kurt send me? Is Jan 2006 on these labels accurate or could that mean a large range?

 

[kscaldef]

Apparently you can't believe anything on the label of a De Cam bottle. This is somehow okay according to the same people who get completely up in arms at the idea that anyone outside the Senne Valley might call their beer "lambic".

 

[SeaWatchman]

Apparently you can't believe anything on the label of a De Cam bottle. This is somehow okay according to the same people who get completely up in arms at the idea that anyone outside the Senne Valley might call their beer "lambic".

Apples to oranges much?

De Cam has started a new system of labeling that has Lot Numbers (A-D), Month notches, and bottling year (15-20) as well as having a best before date of 2035. Presumably Karel will be using those going forward for a while. That being said, everything from De Cam says bottled in 2009, and that surely is not the case. Small outfit running a small operation using labels until they run out or are redesigned. The bottles that you (jmarce) are definitely older labelings that go back as far as 2000, but really you're not going to be able to tell definitively I'm afraid.

 

[kscaldef]

Apples to oranges much?

Not really.

Some people think "lambic" means a certain thing. Some people think "2009" means a certain thing. It's amazing to me that there's any argument at all about the second.

 

[GoozySosa]

 

[thrashD]

Goozi Mane

 

[boogercrack]

Grrr

 

[ridglens]

Not really.

Some people think "lambic" means a certain thing. Some people think "2009" means a certain thing. It's amazing to me that there's any argument at all about the second.

 

[Beerontwowheels]

Given the recent posts here, I thought those of you outside Baltimore might be interested to see what Max's Cellar Sale includes during next Friday's kick off of their Belgian Beer Festival. I've trimmed the list to include just lambics as there were some other styles offered that wouldn't apply to this thread (older Chimay, St. Bernardus, Rochefort, old Vapuer Saisons, etc.).

I'm considering getting there pretty early on Friday (sales start at 11am), but the prices have not been made available yet and they said many of the beers listed are in extremely limited quantities (only 1 bottle available for some).

Note: Their last cellar sale had regular Cantillon Classic at 30$/750ml and Hommage at $55, so I'm not hopeful for many 'bargains'.

3 Fonteinen Oude Gueuze 2009
3 Fonteinen Oude Gueuze 2012
3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek 2006
3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek 2013
3 Fonteinen Schaerbeekse kriek 2008
Boon Gueuze 2003
Boon Gueuze 2004
Cantillon Bruocsella Grand Cru 2010
Cantillon cuvee Des Champions 2005
Cantillon Cuvee Des Champions 2007
Cantillon Gueuze 2009
Cantillon Gueuze 2010
Cantillon Iris 2004
Cantillon kriek 2010
De Ranke kriek 2009
Girardin Gueuze 2010
Gueuze Fond Tradition 2010
Hanssens Experimental Cassis 2009
Hanssens Oude Gueuze 2010
Hanssens Experimental Cassis 2010
Hanssens Experimental raspberry 2010
Hanssens Oudbeijte 2010
Hanssens Oude Kriek 2010
Leifmans Goudenband 2010
Oud Beersel Framboise 2004
Oud beersel Gueuze 2010
Oud Beersel Kriek 2008
Oud Beersel kriek 2010
Tilquin Gueuze 2010/2011
Tilquin Gueuze 2011/2012

Without knowing the price, what would your top 5 targets be?

I'm eyeballing that 2004 Iris hard. Not sure how I'm going to prioritize the rest without knowing the prices.

Scored the 2004 Iris for 65$, 2008 Schaerbeekse Kriek for 55$ and then overpaid for 2 bottles of Tilquin (2010-2011 & 2011-2012 @ 55$ each - wanted to complete a vert and I had to justify the wait). Waited entirely too long in the cold ass weather (1st in line! ) but got the bottles I was looking for. Someone said it was -10° with windchill this morning. Sure ******* felt like it.

People were so impressed with my dedication (i.e. stupidity) that a 70 year old lady hunted me down and bought me my first draught of Cantillon Classic.

I'm currently at work re-evaluating my life's choices.

 

[SeaWatchman]

Not really.

Some people think "lambic" means a certain thing. Some people think "2009" means a certain thing. It's amazing to me that there's any argument at all about the second.

Lambic does me a certain thing. "Lambic" means all kinds of things that isn't Lambic.

 

[Rowingbrewer1]

Scored the 2004 Iris for 65$, 2008 Schaerbeekse Kriek for 55$ and then overpaid for 2 bottles of Tilquin (2010-2011 & 2011-2012 @ 55$ each - wanted to complete a vert and I had to justify the wait). Waited entirely too long in the cold ass weather (1st in line! ) but got the bottles I was looking for. Someone said it was -10° with windchill this morning. Sure ******* felt like it.

People were so impressed with my dedication (i.e. stupidity) that a 70 year old lady hunted me down and bought me my first draught of Cantillon Classic.

I'm currently at work re-evaluating my life's choices.

yea that tilquin is way over priced considering what the cantillon and 3F went for.

Also the tilquin vintages are still on kentucky shelves

 

[Beerontwowheels]

yea that tilquin is way over priced considering what the cantillon and 3F went for.

Also the tilquin vintages are still on kentucky shelves

Waiting 6 hours in the cold will do funny things to your brain.

 

[SeaWatchman]

Waiting 6 hours in the cold will do funny things to your brain.

I hope you didn't leave them in your car when you got to work

 

[Beerontwowheels]

I hope you didn't leave them in your car when you got to work

They are safe and sound.

I should remove the foil, yes?

 

[jedwards]

I should remove the foil, yes?

Definitely.

 

[EliotRosewater]

I've had a box from Belgium held up in customs at LAX for three weeks and I just received this notice:

"Your item cleared United States Customs at 8:33 am on February 11, 2015."

And that the box is now "Inbound Out of Customs".

I'm assuming that since they used the phrase "cleared", that the box is on its way to me now and not back to the shipper in Belgium. Anyone with experience on this?

Just received this notice from USPS:

Your item departed a transfer airport in John F Kennedy Intl, New York, UNITED STATES on February 13, 2015 at 8:16 pm. The item is currently in transit to the destination.

So what are the chances that the box isn't being shipped back to Belgium? Am I ******?

On a related note, anyone have experience with beerplanets customer service or have a situation like this with them?

 

[Beerologist]

Just received this notice from USPS:

Your item departed a transfer airport in John F Kennedy Intl, New York, UNITED STATES on February 13, 2015 at 8:16 pm. The item is currently in transit to the destination.

So what are the chances that the box isn't being shipped back to Belgium? Am I ******?

Sounds like its cleared customs and been transferred to USPS on its way to you. Don't see any issue there

 

[GetchaPull]

Just received this notice from USPS:

Your item departed a transfer airport in John F Kennedy Intl, New York, UNITED STATES on February 13, 2015 at 8:16 pm. The item is currently in transit to the destination.

So what are the chances that the box isn't being shipped back to Belgium? Am I ******?

Are you sure your box was at LAX's customs and not JFK's?

The USPS message would be reassuring to me. Destination =/= originator. Destination = your house.

 

[Beerologist]

Are you sure your box was at LAX's customs and not JFK's?

Overlooked this point in my response, but I agree with LambicKing. I think destination = your house. Did you receive a previous message that is was in LAX? I thought all these Belgian shipments came through JFK

 

[EliotRosewater]

Are you sure your box was at LAX's customs and not JFK's?

The USPS message would be reassuring to me. Destination =/= originator. Destination = your house.

The USPS website showed it was held in customs at LAX for about three weeks. Then showed it had passed customs and was being sent out for delivery to destination (on Wednesday). Just got the notice about it being at JFK. I just figured it was being sent back to the shipper but the fact that it states destination gives me some hope.

 

[EliotRosewater]

Overlooked this point in my response, but I agree with LambicKing. I think destination = your house. Did you receive a previous message that is was in LAX? I thought all these Belgian shipments came through JFK

Yeah, it was reportedly stuck in customs at LAX.

 

[SeaWatchman]

They are safe and sound.

I should remove the foil, yes?

Curious if they mean 2004 vintage with 2006 cork or 2004 cork and 2002 vintage. I'm thinking the latter because my "vintage 2004" labels have 2006 corks.