Girardin Faro

Brewed by Brouwerij Girardin
Style: Lambic - Faro
Sint Ulriks-Kapelle, Belgium

Serve in Flute, Tumbler

37,5cl bottle (2010) via a trade with bu11zeye. Faro rating number 10. Pours with a pretty much clear (yeast compacted to the bottom of the bottle) golden to nearly a light copper hued body with a medium large off-white head. Big bubbles, head slowly fades leaving surprisingly good lacing. Aromas are floral and funky with a decent amount of a spicy wood note (a bit cedar like). Funky, earthy, light peppery phenolic. Why can’t pseudo/backsweetened lambics smell more like this? Lightly lemony, medium sugar notes, tobacco. Flavors are interesting. Strike a pretty interesting balance between sweet and sour. Overall finishing a bit sour. Much less sugary tasting than some of the other authentic Faro’s that I have tried (Boon comes to mind). Pretty enjoyable, and makes me rethink the Bruery’s Pharaoh (as far as it not showing enough sugar character). A good amount of funk which I love from both of Girardin’s 1882 Gueuzes. Horseblanket, tobacco, grassy, earthy, straw, lemon, sandalwood, humidor. Pretty complex, but missing overall on the acidity. An interesting bitter nearly tannic note on the finish (wood tannin possibly). Quite lively on the palate with playful carbonation. Fuller bodied and not quite as dry as a gueuze, but still decently dry and medium to light bodied. No visible alcohol. Overall, one of the better real Faro’s that I have had the opportunity to try thus far (definitely the best bottled one). Enjoyable funk with only enough sweetness to challenge the sourness. Nice!

0.33l bottle from Ølbutikken, Copenhagen shared with ClubGonzo and the rest of Bergen Tasting Crew. Pours a cloudy dark orange body with a thin sidesticking filmy white head. Aroma has tart and sour green apples, sour cherries, light sugary, strong barnyard, notes of wood and some hints of rhubarb-vinegar. Oily to sticky mouthfeel, soft carbonation and medium-bodied. Tastes quite a lot sweeter than I would have thought. Nicely balanced though. Notes of vinegar, sugar, lime perhaps? And some hints of cherries towards the ending. Ends light kinda watery with notes red currants and gooseberries. Interesting stuff indeed!

Bottle from Ølbutikken, Copenhagen, shared with Palme and friends. Pours a hazy deep orange body with a small white head. Aroma is citric barnyard funk, lemon peel, hints of molasses, wood and traces of cherry. Nice. Taste is sweet/sour funky brett tones, toffee and molasses with hints of burnt rubber tones well hidden in the back towards the end of the palate. Smooth and very drinkable. A nice and well-balanced Faro, as far as I’m concerned.

A mid orange-yellow with all the right signs of being a good drink. Disappointing on the taste as the sweetness seems out of place, though this is what the style should be like. A bit thicker than single lambics due to the candy sugar and the sour character is still present beneath the sweetness. Will stick to gueuzes in the future i think!

Bottle. Copper pour. Citrus and tart aroma. Somewhat sweet artificial taste that finishes tart.

Bottle a amber colored beer with a white head aroma sourness fruit lemon caramel and oak flavor sourness dry fruits lemon and apples sugar caramel and oak

Solid cream head, no lacing. Sugar, earth, moss, and a little bit of syrup in the nose. Flavor of burnt caramel, citrus, clinging sugar on the teeth, and a little mint. No wild elements here, but it seems more coherent that way, only the slightest bit of citric acid to remind this has lambic in it.

Keg at MesandSim’s wedding. Nice. Pomegranate. Nice - dry, thin, refreshing, tannin. Enjoyable without being expansive or overwhelming.