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Cantillon Iris

Cantillon Iris - Lambic - Unblended

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 Percentile 
96
overall
Brewed by Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Unblended

Brussels, Belgium

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
5923.76/5.03.75/5.05%93.8Flute, Tumbler
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Commercial Description:
The Cantillon brewery is closely linked to Brussels, a city which has the iris as its symbol. As the name indicates, the "marsh iris" is a plant growing in humid areas. The historical center of Brussels is built on swamps where this flower used to grow abundantly.
In 1998, the Brussels Museum of the Gueuze celebrated its 20th anniversary. The Cantillon brewery decided to make a new spontaneous fermentation beer for this occasion, named after this symbolic flower.
It is a completely original beer which, contrary to the other products of the Brewery, is not brewed with 35% of wheat. The Iris, which is only made with malt of the pale ale type (giving a more amber colour to the beer) conserves the typical flavour of the spontaneous fermentation, the complex aromas and the vinous taste.
The hopping is different too. Lambic is made with 100% dried hops, for the Iris we use 50% of dried hops and 50% of fresh hops. The latter cause a superb acidity, the former, due to their tannins, enable to conserve the beer while preserving all its qualities.
After two years in the barrel, the Iris undergoes a second fresh hopping two weeks before the bottling. A linen bag, filled with hops, is soaked in the beer for two weeks. This technique, called "cold hopping", gives the beer a more intense savour and makes the smell and the taste more bitter.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Petrucci914 (574), Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/56/103/512/20
Apr 20, 2007  
Pours a dark golden color. Smells musty and sweet. Taste is sour, dry, and very acidic with not much left on the palate.


 Juelze (889), Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/103/514/20
Apr 20, 2007    Updated: Apr 21, 2007
Pours a hazy biege color with thin head. Aroma is wild yeast, must, slight citrus with more funk then the Commodores. Taste is very acidic with must, mild citrus notes, and yeasty funkiness. It’s moderately carbonated and very acidic. Gotta love lambics as they are obscenely complex but fry your brain in trying to comprehend their complexities. Can’t wait to try more Cantillon.


 vyvvy (2023), Hazelwood, Missouri, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Apr 18, 2007  
I can understand people not liking lambics, but geez I am loving this stuff right now. Tons of great flavors with little alcohol. Pours hazy orange / amber with a small tight beige head. The aroma has tart barnyard, grainy malt, crisp spiciness, earthy wild yeast and horseblanket. Medium body with a very grainy feel and a mild amount of soft carbonation. The flavor starts with lots of grainy spice, a tone of crisp wild yeast, light leather and some malt. The finish has more grain and a pleasant smooth spice. There is a very long lingering of earthy sourness. Huge thumbs up for this wonderful example of a lambic.


 Mungo (2474), Southampton, Hampshire, England
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/104/516/20
Apr 18, 2007  
Bottle (from Cantillon, ’04 bottled ’07). Sweet malts hidden behind the fairly mild citric acidity. Hints of bitterness in the finish. Very tasty but not quite as good as some of the other Cantillon offerings with less of their house character.


 Dedollewaitor (3625), Odense, Denmark
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Apr 17, 2007    Updated: Oct 26, 2009
Hazy yellow with a white head. Sour & fresh with high acidicity and hoppy undertones plus a dry bitter end. Nice! Rerate Esbjerg 09. 3,8 -4,0.


 tytoanderso (1382), St. Louis Park, Minnesota, USA
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/105/518/20
Apr 9, 2007  
Pours amber with orange highlights. Minimal lacing with quickly dissipating head/ Musty (or dusty) on the nose with notes of sweet and sour fruit developing. Slightly maritime (brine?) with some underlying floral tones. Very lively and crisp on the palate. Slightly spicy but turning creamy midpalate. Flavor developing everywhere. Notes of sour malt, becoming increasingly sour as it develops. White pepper, oak, olive brine. Incredibly complex flavors. Finishes malty, sour, long and very complex. Wow. A truly amazing beer. near perfection in its style.


 beermouth (434), Langeskov, Denmark
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/516/20
Apr 7, 2007  
Hazy yellow with orange shades and good white head. Good solid bitterness from the hops and nice sour taste. Fine high acidity.


 cab (861), Denmark
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/56/104/516/20
Apr 7, 2007  
Bottle given by Beermouth. One of the best lambic the hint of hop bitterness, just is fantastick. The head just makes it nice to look at.



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