The Bar Towel

iguenard wrote:Besides, my bottle isnt corked. It's a capped 25cl stubby.

And according to the post above, Inbev (previously Interbrew) acquired the brewery in 1991, so the chances this lambic is traditional is good in my opinion. I'll taste it in april and let you guys know. If anyone is in Ottawa then, drop me a line and I'll share it.

Thanks for the tips guys!

Certainly let Lubiere and I know when you're about to break it open - I'm certain we'd be able to add a couple of bottles to the experience

All the best,

Todd aka CapFlu
Ottawa

Well, we finally did it. Cracked (litterally, the cap split because of the rust) that baby open with Dumdum and Lubiere last night.

Here is what I found, and if I can get my hands on more, you can betcha I would drink it again. Or sniff it at least...


PH. VANDENSTOCK - BELLE-VUE GUEUZE LAMBIC 1981 AGED 25 YEARS
( 21/50 - rating does not count, 5% alc/vol, At Dumdum's) Deep golden color with orange highlights. Completely still, you can see the cap did nothing to protect this beer. No life, no carbonation. A little bit of black sediment drops quickly to the bottom of the glass. The aromas escaping from this beer were totally unexpected and awesome. Aromas of Pineau des Charentes, scotch caramel, english malts alla JW Lees. Cognac but without any alcoholic characteristics. Extremely surprising! Like a mix between a cognac and a whisky. Green grape without the acidity, branches and everything. Exceptionelly aromatic. Totally unexpected. In the mouth it is a really different story. The beer has no body whatsoever. Its like drinking maple water or liquid scotch caramel. The sugars phase into oxydated cardboard and maintains some sort of lactic afterfeel. With age, this beer has lost all of it's personality - it has no presence in mouth. Imagine drinking the water from a bowl left over in a kitchen sink that was previously used to eat scotch caramel iced cream. Yeah, that's it. We still coudnt get ourselves to throw out what was remaining in the glass it smelled so good. Like Dumdum said, you wish you could consume it all by smelling it.

So there you go. Totally worth it.

Ian