3 Fonteinen Doesjel

Brewed by 3 Fonteinen
Style: Lambic - Gueuze
Beersel, Belgium

(3/3/08) Bottle at Oud Arsenaal in Antwerp. Bottled 2/17/06. Almost clear orange color with a small white head. Citrus aroma with wood and some barnyard. Sour flavor with lemon and some bitter grapefruit hints. Medium-bodied. A good lambic but not amazing. Maybe I would’ve enjoyed it a bit more if I wasn’t a bit "Lambiced-out" this day after waking up with a nasty stomach ache from yesterday’s Lambics.

Bottle shared with Hogtown Harry, GregClow, Blankboy, Mabel, and Jerc, courtesy of Jerc and Mabel. Very murky hazy yellow, no head. Mild funky yeast and sour aroma. Good taste - acidic, sour, lemon, dry - finishes very smooth. Juicy, citrusy. Good stuff, maybe not as complex as some others we had at this tasting, but still a damn fine rare treat.

Bottle (375ml - green). Shared with blankboy, GregClow, jerc, mabel and tupalev - jerc’s bottle. Cloudy light amber-yellow pour, not much head. Sharp funky yeast (rubber and wool), lemon, lemon zest, slightly sweet fruit malt - very acidic. The taste is very aggressive, lemon juice, hint of battery acid (but in a good way), dry and dusty - simple, good. Average body, very acidic, moderate carbonation, very juicy and eminently drinkable. Niiiice!

At Aarschots Bierfestivn, Belgium, on March 23, 2008. (37.5 cl bottle) Bottled 17/02/2006. Plastic cork which was very hard to open. Shady orange color, almost no head, some white bubbles. Acidic, horse blanket, some grass scent, still rather subtle. Acidic to sour taste, stables, rather fresh. Smooth yet flat mouthfeel, works for this one though.

(375ml Bottle, 17/02/2006 vintage) Pours a lightly hazy golden body with a spare bubbly head. Aroma of barnyard, grapefruit rind, vinegar, and white grapes (chardonnay). Flavor of acidic grapefruit, funkiness, some lemon, and light nuttiness (as it warms to room temperature) with a dry oak finish.

Bottle, sampled at Tria Fermentation school on 3/15/08. Poured hazy orange amber with a minimal off-white head. Lactic aroma, with some notes of citrus fruit, wood and vanilla. Flavor is tart and lactic, but to a lesser extent than many of the other 3F lambics sampled that night. Notes of citrus and mild tropical fruit round out the flavor. Minimal carbonation. Very enjoyable Gueuze

Courtesy hopscotch. A light yellow/orange slightly hazed pour with a white head. Spicy aroma with hints of corriander and pepper. A very sour fruity flavor. A bit thin but solid palate and carbonation. A very good beer with an aroma that will swallow you up.

Cleveland tasting

For the nth time thanks goes to miketd for bringing out another surprise lambic. This almost makes up for getting there after the Blabear lambic. I won’t complain though because if it he wasn’t such a generous guy I can’t imagine how many less rarities I would have tried. As far as gueuzes go it was mellower than previous ones I’ve tried. Perhaps my stomach is finally accepting that it can handle them. I may have to find a bottle whenever I venture to Belgium.

Aroma / Appearance - A cloudy tangerine body was slightly darker than most of the style I’ve seen so far. The sour peaches however make it just as excellent. Floral hints in the background provide a nice kick for the tarty fruitness.

Flavor / Palate - Tartness plays against saltine crackers in an interesting harmony. Sour peaches unfold next before a dry finish. This is more agreeable than most gueuzes I’ve tried which makes me more willing to seek out its kin in the future.