Lambic Discussion Thread

[GuzzleMcBrew]

The good bottles are definitely must haves, but the extremely acetic and/or solventy ones are must nots.

This for sure. Even Scarenbecca can be pretty acetic and a regular Hanssens kriek provided me insight on how disgusting off lambic bottles could be. I would personally stick with the Scanbecca and the Shaerbeekse if the price points are anything like those that are local here. I've been sick of rolling the dice for $15-30 for a while now.

 

[RyanG1]

Yup, Sabatinis in Exeter PA. Pretty massive bottle shop.

 

[PepeSylvia1]

At first I was going to say there's no way that's in Wilkes. Exeter is close enough. Prepare for an emptied shelf

Have at it, been sitting since they opened their doors, also prices seem a little high to me.

 

[lazerviking]

Have at it, been sitting since they opened their doors, also prices seem a little high to me.

Also Hanssens. The person who clears that shelf has more money than sense.

 

[PepeSylvia1]

Also Hanssens. The person who clears that shelf has more money than sense.

They actually have a really great Belgian section, lots of stuff. Maybe i'll grab some more pics next time I am there, I think it is impressive.

 

[lazerviking]

They actually have a really great Belgian section, lots of stuff. Maybe i'll grab some more pics next time I am there, I think it is impressive.

Please stop. Not even kidding this time. Of all the guys on this board I'd rank bvdubn towards the top of those most likely to drive two hours from Lancaster and clear a store out. Please let me continue to enjoy the ability to buy a Cuvee Rene without worry when I visit my parents.

 

[matedog]

Any of these must haves? I am still a little new, and looking for some of your opinions before buying.

Some of the best gueuze I've had has been Hanssens. That being said, very inconsistent. The fruited stuff is usually flat. I had the strawberry one on draft and it was great with the carb. The bottled stuff less so, but worth a try. Experimental raspberry was good, but again, flat.

 

[PepeSylvia1]

Please stop. Not even kidding this time. Of all the guys on this board I'd rank bvdubn towards the top of those most likely to drive two hours from Lancaster and clear a store out. Please let me enjoy the ability to buy a Cuvee Rene without worry when I visit my parents.

Thought I was being helpful... oh well. BTW most of this beer is available all over PA

 

[bvdubn1]

Please stop. Not even kidding this time. Of all the guys on this board I'd rank bvdubn towards the top of those most likely to drive two hours from Lancaster and clear a store out. Please let me continue to enjoy the ability to buy a Cuvee Rene without worry when I visit my parents.

michael I am not sure if I should be offended by that statement.

I actually live on the other side of Harrisburg between Mechanicsburg and Dillsburg which is a ltitle farther than Lancaster. Regardless I wouldn't drive 15 minutes to clear that shelf so you have me all wrong. If that was closer to me I might swing buy and pick up a few bottles but I rarely go to any bottle shops so I am not sure why I would have that reputation.

 

[boogercrack]

there's a specific EU labeling regulation requiring the "best before" dating on lambic bottles right? can anyone link to it? my google-foo is apparently stroking out today.

 

[stakem1]

This Hanssens talk made me look...

I have not paid to drink anything by them in 5 years. When I did, it was their oude geuze from cask in philly and I described the beer as apple cider vinegar gone wrong.
2 years later a friend shared the casis and raspberry with me: one i described as battery acid blended with acetone, the other liquified burning plastic.

Glad to see I havent been missing out on much.

 

[Rowingbrewer1]

This Hanssens talk made me look...

I have not paid to drink anything by them in 5 years. When I did, it was their oude geuze from cask in philly and I described the beer as apple cider vinegar gone wrong.
2 years later a friend shared the casis and raspberry with me: one i described as battery acid blended with acetone, the other liquified burning plastic.

Glad to see I havent been missing out on much.

totally understandable. you prefer the consistency that fantome maintains in the production of their beer.

 

[Rowingbrewer1]

I have had great bottles of hanssens and not so great bottles. It really is a crapshoot. and if you are at all sensitive to any off flavors it will be obvious in hanssens

 

[stakem1]

totally understandable. you prefer the consistency that fantome maintains in the production of their beer.

This post did indeed make me chuckle.

Ive only had 3 experiences with Hanssens and they batted 1000 for major suckage.
My exposure to Fantome did not start that way. In fact, I had several "best beer of my life" moments with Fantome long before I ever had one that id describe as being half as terrible as any of my Hanssens experiences. No regrets, would still gamble all day errrry day with Tomes.

 

[JBP]

2 years later a friend shared the casis and raspberry with me: one i described as battery acid blended with acetone, the other liquified burning plastic.

Spot on. Two of the worst beers I've ever experienced.

 

[jmarce]

I must be like the only person who's never had a bad/undrinkable bottle of Hanssens OG (but I can I can see how some dislike the acidity of some bottles) and I've had a few dozen bottles from a few of the lettered lots and dated 2010-15 lots. Experimentals are another story, some of those are teeth stripping sour and Oudbeitje is hit or miss. The new schaarbeekse kriek is by far my favorite obtainable kriek.

 

[lazerviking]

I must be like the only person who's never had a bad/undrinkable bottle of Hanssens OG (but I can I can see how some dislike the acidity of some bottles) and I've had a few dozen bottles from a few of the lettered lots and dated 2010-15 lots. Experimentals are another story, some of those are teeth stripping sour and Oudbeitje is hit or miss. The new schaarbeekse kriek is by far my favorite obtainable kriek.

Undrinkable can be a relative term. I suppose someone could acquire a taste for bile.

 

[jmarce]

Undrinkable can be a relative term. I suppose someone could acquire a taste for bile.

Maybe it's just me/my tastes. I love both Fantome and Hanssens but I think there's way more variation in Fantome than Hanssens in the last few years bottles, especially if you stick to OG and Kriek so I don't feel like I'm gambling anywhere near as much with those bottles.

 

[CornAndBeer]

Count me as another that hasn't had a horrible Hanssens. I have some meh bottles and some amazing bottles but never atrocious. I'll have to drink one tomorrow and see what happens. /me rolls that die

 

[tosh1]

All you Hanssens haters I am more than happy to drink your bottles, just pack 'em up and send them to me. I'll take the 'risk' on fantastic bottle to only okay. *shrug*

 

[Yllib]

Golden blend, intense red 750s up on etre....

 

[brentsdodgers]

Barelyin.gif

 

[lazerviking]

All you Hanssens haters I am more than happy to drink your bottles, just pack 'em up and send them to me. I'll take the 'risk' on fantastic bottle to only okay. *shrug*

To put a finer point on the discussion, I've never had a Hanssens bottle I'd consider fantastic, and have had far more downright terrible ones for my tastes. I don't like aggressively sour beers. I also haven't liked most De Garde beers for that same reason. If sour is your thing, I can see why someone would like Hanssens.

 

[Cruize4Gueuze]

Golden blend, intense red 750s up on etre....

The golden blend at least.

 

[bvdubn1]

The golden blend at least.

Glad I was able to grab one while it lasted.

 

[Beerontwowheels]

Glad I was able to grab one while it lasted.

GB was just 375ml?

 

[brentsdodgers]

GB was just 375ml?

750. Cantillon Geuze and kriek were up as well. Anything else? They are pretty quick at removing items

 

[wyatt1]

Hommage and GCB were up as well.

 

[brentsdodgers]

Hommage and GCB were up as well.

How many Hommage went up? I have barley missed it both times.

 

[Marksy]

******* how does this **** disappear so quickly? Pardon my programming naiveté, but do people have scripts to order 3F and Cantillon when it goes up? Is that even possible? Do people maintain multiple accounts on there to skirt limits? I was on the site 20 min after Yllib's post and everything was gone.

I'm sorry for the melt but I was very...

...this morning, and the tease has got me all verklempt.