3 Fonteinen Druiven Geuze Malvasia Rosso

Formerly brewed at 3 Fonteinen
Style: Lambic - Fruit
Beersel, Belgium

Serve in Flute, Tumbler

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Bottle, Belgium, May 2005. Head is initially average sized, fizzy, white, mostly diminishing. Body is hazy light amber, bottle conditioned. Aroma is moderately malty (toasted grain), moderately yeasty (barnyard, horseblanket), with notes of peach, pineapple, honey, cask wood, apple skin, minerals, gooseberry, etc. Flavor is moderately sweet, heavily acidic. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately acidic. Medium body, watery texture, fizzy/lively carbonation, lightly astringent. No, I’m not going to say where I found this, so don’t ask. I only had the one, no more stashed away for trade. That said, this was truly astounding to me and I’m kinda surprised this isn’t closer to the Top 50. The aroma is just incredible with enticing notes and complexity beyond my senses. I could stand just a touch more sourness in the mouth, but man oh man this is one of the best fruit lambics I’ve had (and ever will have, I’m certain). Armand does it again.

2005 Lambic Festival at Deliah’s Chicago (sample of a 2001, 750 mL bottle): Explosive cork removal; gushing…Dark, hazed aprivot – the initial head dies quickly and leaves the beer looking completely still. Swirling the glass revives the head, but it dissipates quickly. More subtle tartness than I was expecting, but as it warms and opens up a freshness is released: green grape skins and granny smith apple flesh begin to sooth and in trance the senses. Soft, delicate palate that seems to take its time across the tongue…luscious mouth feel with great, fruity flavours and minimal acidity and another bone dry finish. Simply and elegantly great.

Slightly hazy golden. Big, fluffy white head. Interesting nose of white grapes, hay, wheat, leather, light chesse and some horseblanket. The flavors show less fruit character and more of the traditional lambic geuze follows. Extrememly dry, almost shockingly so, for a lambic. More wood here than some of the other samples of the day. Tasty and a rare treat.

Orange beer with very little head. The start gives me a fresh fruity aroma but way too crispy. The taste reminds me of overripe fruits. Very low on carbonation.

Hazy orange beer with no head. Fresh and easy tart fruity and grapefruity aroma. Very crispy and champagne-like flavor. Sour fruity without too much flavor. Good one, but too crispy and not the most complex.

Bottle @ Akkurat, Stockholm
Extremely dry aroma. Like something your vacuum cleaner found under your bath tub... Taste resembles an old fruit basket. There was a hint of raw bacon for a while, but that disappeared. Strange brew, this one... The tase of wine comes through when you lose the CO2.

Moldy, wooden and hayish nose. Cloudy orange/yellow, low head. Dry wooden notes vs a fresh white vine flavor (tastes like a alsace riesling).

UPDATED: JAN 6, 2011 [Old version] A hazy orange beer with a small collapsing head. The aroma is lovely sour with notes of peach and grapes. The flavor is sweet and only slightly sour with notes of grapefruit and grapes. The end is dry from the acidity. [7/3/7/3/15=3.5]

[2010 version] An unclear golden beer with an off-white head. The aroma has notes of grapes, malt, and caramel. The flavor is sweet and sour with notes of grapes and fruits on a lightly malty background, leading to a tart finish. [8/3/8/4/15=3.8]

Murky amber colour. Hugely dusty, vinous aroma. Big, fat lambic tang. Tart and vinous. Lond and dry. Complex mingling of the wine world with traditional lambic notes.

Yellow, large white head. Sour, sweaty, lemony nose. Sour flavor, but an interesting residual grape sweetness. Some alcohol comes through. Quite bitter, lemony, nice kick of brett.