Lambic Discussion Thread

[MooseLang]

Just cracked a 2015 RdG today. Wasn't sure what to expect, as the 2013 and 2014 bottles I had were not good. This was on point.

Tons of raspberry on the nose. Sour, but not overly sour. Decent funk coming through. Mouthfeel feels a little watery, but overall this is my favorite RdG I've had in a while.

 

[The Red Viper]

Just cracked a 2015 RdG today. Wasn't sure what to expect, as the 2013 and 2014 bottles I had were not good. This was on point.

Tons of raspberry on the nose. Sour, but not overly sour. Decent funk coming through. Mouthfeel feels a little watery, but overall this is my favorite RdG I've had in a while.

Bottle date? I had a March 18, 2015 bottle that was one of the least good I've had. Had another that was either late 2014 or early 2015 (don't remember date off hand) that was fantastic.

 

[degardebrewing]

Bottle date? I had a March 18, 2015 bottle that was one of the least good I've had. Had another that was either late 2014 or early 2015 (don't remember date off hand) that was fantastic.

The March 2015 blend was quite a bit less fruity and characterful. At least less 'good' character. Certainly the worst I've had, but excellent still. The one bottled three weeks ago is a tactical raspberry funk warhead.
It was fun trying them side by side, as the March blend is/was for sale in 750's at Cantillon, and the 375's for sale there are the new blend.
I know a couple somewhat bummed folks that bought 750's after trying the draft from the new batch thinking it would be the same.
I think that was the freshest I've ever had a bottled fruit Lambic, at about 12 days after bottling. The high heat during conditioning apparently expedited the refermentation.

 

[MooseLang]

Bottle date? I had a March 18, 2015 bottle that was one of the least good I've had. Had another that was either late 2014 or early 2015 (don't remember date off hand) that was fantastic.

If I had to guess, I would say mine was the March 18th bottling. I'm not sure. I got a lot of raspberry on the nose, but it was a little thin.

Still, much better than the vinegar bomb I had (2013) and the acid bomb after that (2014).

 

[BarrelAgedSour]

The March 2015 blend was quite a bit less fruity and characterful. At least less 'good' character. Certainly the worst I've had, but excellent still. The one bottled three weeks ago is a tactical raspberry funk warhead.
It was fun trying them side by side, as the March blend is/was for sale in 750's at Cantillon, and the 375's for sale there are the new blend.
I know a couple somewhat bummed folks that bought 750's after trying the draft from the new batch thinking it would be the same.
I think that was the freshest I've ever had a bottled fruit Lambic, at about 12 days after bottling. The high heat during conditioning apparently expedited the refermentation.

I'm pretty sure the somewhat disappointing bottles we had were from May 2015, not March... And, yes, the 9/28(?) batch is absolutely incredible. So much funky jam.

 

[Cruize4Gueuze]

Drank a 2014 golden blend last night. It might be one of the best lambics i've ever had.

 

[Friend_of_the_Gueuze]

For the whole Giradin discussion, I actually think it's quite the opposite really. I can't imagine distributors with gigantic portfolios pressuring little webshops to stop selling a particular brand; that seems pretty futile and petty. I bet it's more a situation where the webshop in question is playing off the (unfounded) rumor that Girardin is no longer being sent to the U.S. and trying to build hype.

FWIW, the party line from Belgian webshops is that D&V International has reminded Girardin of their US import licensing agreement, and demanded Girardin put pressure on "local" shops who ship to the US. Looking like BIAB got the call as well.

I'm all for licensing agreements, but come on: if you can't sufficiently supply the market, get the f out of the way!

 

[jmarce]

FWIW, the party line from Belgian webshops is that D&V International has reminded Girardin of their US import licensing agreement, and demanded Girardin put pressure on "local" shops who ship to the US. Looking like BIAB got the call as well.

I'm all for licensing agreements, but come on: if you can't sufficiently supply the market, get the f out of the way!

lame, I was going to buy some black label from BiaB this week in anticipation of this happening to them too at some point. I guess i'm done drinking black label unless they bring down the prices on the US imports. $14.99/375ml + tax is insane.

 

[Saind]

lame, I was going to buy some black label from BiaB this week in anticipation of this happening to them too at some point. I guess i'm done drinking black label unless they bring down the prices on the US imports. $14.99/375ml + tax is insane.

Do they change their prices for the USA? It's showing 3,59/375ml for me

 

[jmarce]

Do they change their prices for the USA? It's showing 3,59/375ml for me

no I was talking about the US imports. They raised their prices a lot in the last year and I haven't seen it cheaper than that around here.

 

[stupac2]

I think a lot of lambic is going up. A friend of mine who works at a bar says that the distributor's price of 3F OG is now $19/bottle. Wouldn't be shocked if before too long pretty much any decent gueuze was in the 20's.

 

[Saind]

I think a lot of lambic is going up. A friend of mine who works at a bar says that the distributor's price of 3F OG is now $19/bottle. Wouldn't be shocked if before too long pretty much any decent gueuze was in the 20's.

Damn son

 

[rodzm]

Its not surprising why lambic is going up in prices. Demand for product from Cantillon and 3F, arguably the best lambic out there, topped with the limited capacity from both has really caused the perfect storm for prices to increase. It also doesnt help much that distribution to the US is just not on a grand scale as it should be for such demand.

This is the exact reason why ended up importing 200+ bottles of Cantillon/3F before leaving Germany. My wife thinks im crazy but Ive tried to convince her its like a wine colllection.

 

[Snarf1]

Its not surprising why lambic is going up in prices. Demand for product from Cantillon and 3F, arguably the best lambic out there, topped with the limited capacity from both has really caused the perfect storm for prices to increase. It also doesnt help much that distribution to the US is just not on a grand scale as it should be for such demand.

This is the exact reason why ended up importing 200+ bottles of Cantillon/3F before leaving Germany. My wife thinks im crazy but Ive tried to convince her its like a wine colllection.

 

[cmgray03]

Drank a 2014 golden blend last night. It might be one of the best lambics i've ever had.

Just opened one up today and I have to agree. Drinking amazing right now and I'm glad to have a few more bottles.

I was never able to try the 2011 batch. How does it compare to the 2014?

 

[GuzzleMcBrew]

Fou 2014 is still apricotted the **** out.

 

[Cruize4Gueuze]

Just opened one up today and I have to agree. Drinking amazing right now and I'm glad to have a few more bottles.

I was never able to try the 2011 batch. How does it compare to the 2014?

A touch heavier. Both have a ton of that green apple flavor. But 2011 is hard to beat. Will have to do a side by side in the near future.

 

[wyatt1]

How has GB batch 1 aged so far?

 

[LukeAleTime]

How has GB batch 1 aged so far?

Still delicious, I get loads of apple and mandarin/clementine/yuzu from it and it just seems to be getting better.

It's still my absolute favourite gueuze.

 

[Der Fuchs]

How has GB batch 1 aged so far?

Holla for the next share and ill bring some.

 

[HenrikO]

How has GB batch 1 aged so far?

I just ordered 2 more cases of the '11, that's how good I think it's drinking right now. And the '14 is catching up quickly.

 

[mikecharley]

I just ordered 2 more cases of the '11, that's how good I think it's drinking right now. And the '14 is catching up quickly.

 

[simont1]

For De Cam I prefer the krieklambiek if I'm going with fruited.

For the whole Giradin discussion, I actually think it's quite the opposite really. I can't imagine distributors with gigantic portfolios pressuring little webshops to stop selling a particular brand; that seems pretty futile and petty. I bet it's more a situation where the webshop in question is playing off the (unfounded) rumor that Girardin is no longer being sent to the U.S. and trying to build hype.

I was at Girardin 17th, and it was mentioned that BIAB won't get any more Girardin, because they were selling it to the US, Girardin were also mad at them for selling the 10L boxes which are not to be shipped.

 

[SinH4]

If I had to guess, I would say mine was the March 18th bottling. I'm not sure. I got a lot of raspberry on the nose, but it was a little thin.

Still, much better than the vinegar bomb I had (2013) and the acid bomb after that (2014).

I had a March 18 bottle last week and I liked its laidbackness. December 2014 was a bit better though imho.

I think a lot of lambic is going up. A friend of mine who works at a bar says that the distributor's price of 3F OG is now $19/bottle. Wouldn't be shocked if before too long pretty much any decent gueuze was in the 20's.

At the brewery, it's still 2.80 Euros per 0.375l (plus deposit, which adds 0.70 Euros - or was it 0.80?).
It's fair when prices double on their way abroad, but this much? Ridiculous.

 

[jmarce]

anyone know if BiaB has definitely cut off US orders of Girardin? I don't see anything on the site stating it.

 

[simont1]

anyone know if BiaB has definitely cut off US orders of Girardin? I don't see anything on the site stating it.

Girardin has cut off supply to BiaB.

 

[jmarce]

Girardin has cut off supply to BiaB.

I was just presuming they still have some stock left unless they just buy as needed from Girardin?

 

[simont1]

I was just presuming they still have some stock left unless they just buy as needed from Girardin?

They have stock left, reason for Girardin cutting them off is that they have refused to stop selling to US.

 

[Pneill3161]

I haven't seen Girardin's on the shelf in the US since 2012. Where are they sending it to?

 

[Hopping Tiger]

It can be found on shelves in better Chicago stores.