Cantillon Cuvée des Champions

Brewed by Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Gueuze
Brussels, Belgium

Bottled in 2008, brewed in 2005: Pours a slightly hazy straw with 1 finger of head that dissipates rather qucikly but lingers on the sides of the glass. Aroma is wonderfully complex apple cider vinager, tropical fruit, cellar character, and Cantillon funk, (once you’ve walked in the brewery its unforgetable). As you get to the middle of the glass the aroma because more and intensly gueuze, lots of leather and cellar character. flavor is just as complex, apples, citrus and specifically lemon. leather as you draw to the finish as well as mustiness with some funk and horst blanket. Nice presense of dryhopping as well. the floral spiciness of styrians fits in well with the sour flavor on the back of the tongue. lean bodied with excellent cabonation. I love this beer, one of the best I’ve ever had.

Bottle. Pours a hazy straw color with a medium sized tight white head. Aroma is lemon zest , floral, grapefruit, grass. Flavor is lemon zest, sour apple, grassy, floral. Palate is medium to light, medium carbonation, finished super tart and way too refreshing. This was amazing to say the least!

Bottled, 2005. Someone sent this to me probably 2 years ago, I don’t remember who. Pours a beautiful cloudy gold with awesome head. There is a lot of funk to this one, but also a very nice underlying lemony sweetness that adds a nice touch. Reminds me a lot of Cuvee de Castleton, albeit with a more authentic lambic flavor. The hops are faded at this point but add a nice mellow bite. Quite good. Way better than the standard Cantillon Gueuze.

On tap @ Falling Rock poured a hazy gold with a small lingering ivory head. Aromas of sour citrus, apple, light wood, light spice and light barnyard. Palate was light bodied crisp and tart with a dry finish. Flavors of sour citrus, earthiness, barnyard funk, cobwebs and mustiness with a crisp dry lingering tart finish.

On tap at Spuyten Duyvil Brett Fest. Pours orange with no real head. Aroma is not very strong, mostly of sour funk. Flavor of lemon, slight sourness, and slight hop bitterness. The hops add an interesting dimension to this lambic, but I’m not sure they blended well with it. The palate also seemed weak and unlike other Cantillons I’ve had. Tasted like an American sour ale/lambic-esque beer and didn’t quite impress.

On tap at Spuyten Duyvil. Aroma of wheat, apple, lemon, maybe some other light fruits, funk. Flavor a little tarter with the same sort of notes, hops were just sort of there at this point in a sort of "balancing" way, to which my tongue asked "why?" Finish was an odd conction of tartness and bitterness, nearly astringent. To me it seemed like a backwards way to achieve flavors similar to brettified brews of other styles.

On tap at Spuyten Duyvil Brett Fest. Hazy pale orange with ring head. Mild honey lemon aroma with funk. Lemon tart flavor with grassy hop and funky tart finish. Excellent.

Lighlty golden / hazy. Bitter and sour at best, could say vinagry. A nice Geuze, distinct taste, funky.