Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus

Brewed by Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Fruit
Brussels, Belgium

Serve in Flute, Tumbler

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UPDATED: JAN 20, 2008 Jan, 2003 Named after the mysterious King Gambrinus, inventor of beer (or at least, looking at the facts behind the fable, the man who first put hops into beer: Jan Primus). The Rose part of the name is a rather throwaway reference to Gueuze being called Brussels Champagne. Despite the tongue-in-cheek name, and the cheeky watercolour on the label, Cantillon take their Lambic very seriously, being very careful to do everything in the traditional manner, and using only natural ingredients. Indeed, the cheeky name is also an attempt to avoid this Framboise-Lambic being mistaken for anybody else’s "sweet, artificially flavoured beer." The brewing process is very lengthy, and much of the beer is spoiled during the initial 18 month spontaneous fermentation process, which is why Cantillon tends to be more expensive than other beers. Into those vats of 18 month old lambic that have survived are dumped huge amounts of raspberries. It is the natural yeast on the raspberries skin that begins the secondary fermentation. When that process is complete the beer is bottled along with a young, still active lambic that will provide a third fermentation in the bottle. It is this young lambic that gives the beer its sparkle and fizz. Cantillon’s beers are notorious for their sourness. Indeed I was warned by my beerseller (The Bitter End at Bromley) about that sourness - the first time he had ever served me a beer with a warning! However, once the taste buds have adjusted (about 5 or 6 sips) the sourness fades and is only really felt in the after-taste. The appearance on poring is quite delightful, like a pink grapefruit Bucks Fizz. The aroma is quite earthy, a warm fox hole, raspberries, a damp evening in the wood at harvest time. It is evocative and sensual. The initial taste is bruising and doesn’t encourage further investigation. There is a temptation to give up after a few sips and put the whole thing down to experience. But it’s worth pushing on. The raspberries progressively make themselves felt, and the woody notes: tannic, oaky peanut shells, provide an interesting balance. Each mouthful then produces an enchanting journey: first sweetness, then a hit of raspberries, followed by the woody notes, finishing with that dry sourness, which by now is refreshing and welcoming rather than tart and bruising. Eventually this is an enjoyable beer, and it does invite comparison with wine; however, despite its pleasures it is a difficult beer to handle. The rewards are there, and the experience interesting, but for these sorts of flavours I would much rather go for a bottle of wine. [3.3]
Jan, 2008 Served at the brewery. Soft note of wild raspberry. Dry, but not aggressive. A pleasant drink, clean and fresh. [3.0]

I had this as my christmas morning '02 brew. Pleasantly tart raspberry aroma. Pours with a big, bubbly pinkish head. Peachy pinkish hue. Well, just a subtle glimpse of raspberry, very sour, nicely effervescent, the sourness is almost inviting. I like this lambic, as well as the entire Cantillon line.

Sweet raspberry nose and taste, of course. The sourness is crazy and makes your mouth pucker, but this is somehow immensly enjoyable. Maybe the chalky dry end sets of the tartness enough to make it bareable. Attractive dark pink color and a tall fluffy head.

Tasted in the Cantillion Museum while the god of Cantillion was petting the brewery cat, how cool. Sour rhasberry nose. Orange, red purple color with a foamy head, leaving brussels lace. Nice dry sour finish - also long lasting. A bit chalkie.

2000 edition: a fuzzy peach alive with spirit and cloudy..a bubbly top spit out an aroma of strong sharp cheese and maybe a note of feta, powdered sugar, and self-picked bleeding raspberries...off the wall sour start..almost insanely puckery..my chapped lips were inflammed..leathery..grapeseeds..stays sour through and throughout..yet lacks complexity..and leaves me looking for something that i’m not sure is even there.

Slighty cloudy red/amber liquid with a white head with just a tinge of pink. Very fruity aroma with a farmyard yeast background. Light fruit, both raspberry and cherry, with a lactic acidic kick. Champagne carbonation. Maybe a touch to acidic for me.

A wonderful lambic. Strong pink color with a slight off pink head. Very effervescent, like champagne. Sweet raspberry flavor up front. Very dry, tart finish.

So, so dry and tart. Radiant golden orange colour with beady, spritzy white head. Tart razz/cherry aroma. Quenching sour flavour. Good, but not my favourtie style.

Intense winey sour nose.Very sour rasberry vinegar flavor with oak and dirty hay musty undetones.wonderfull rasberry flavor when you lick your lips.

Very livly reddish orange and cloudy. Unbelievable fresh rasberries dominates the nose but takes a back seat to the Cantillon sourness. Lemon grass, barnyard, some kind of wood, and a ton of carbonation. Less complex than the Gran Cru.