Liefmans Frambozenbier

Formerly brewed at Liefmans (Moortgat)
Style: Sour Ale
Oudenaarde, Belgium

Bottle. High creamy and lasting light brown head. Hazy dark brown body. Aroma of raspberries. Flavor of sweet raspberries. Not much sharpness. Low carbonation. Long sweet raspberries aftertaste.

Draught tulip at Publick House on 7/8/07
So if this is unsweetened and the Liefmans Kriek is sweetened, I’m very surprised, as this one seemed significantly sweeter than the kriek...Anyways, it sppears a black raspberry-colored beer, with medium clarity and plentiful carbonation, topped by a rose-tinted beige head that is small but creamy and resilient. Light lacing left behind.
Strawberry/raspberry jam in the nose would not be a far-fetched approximation. Fortunately, some dark malts add light chocolate and raisins and the yeast throws in a touch of oily acidity (acetic mainly). Vanilla and other base malt sweetness is felt as well, with a bit of metallic or mineral-like notes from the berries. Interesting, but I think it gets a bit bogged down in raspberry aroma, despite the authenticity of that note. Medium to medium-high strength of aroma, no flaws.
Flavor is just too sweet for me, to come right out with it. It’s sticky, chewy and very full-bodied, without the attenuation I’d expect in what is supposed to be a Flemish sour base. Definitely some acetic notes arriving on the finish, to somewhat dry things out, with black pepper and currants as well, but it reminds me too much of Duchesse, in that it just isnt remotely "sour". Not even "tart". Just a bit of bitterness from the raspberries, a touch of acetic acid and then tons of raspberry jam, and chocolate-vanilla sweetness. Maybe it just dosent work as well on draught? On the positive side, the carbonation levels are always perfect at the Publick House, so that helped moderate some of the sweetness.
From the looks of the ratings, I should probably find myself a slightly aged bottle and give it another try.

This is delicious tangy beer. It Pours with a massive head that has real staying power! It has a slice a of sweetness with a whipped topping of bitterness with a side of tang! A lot of different flavours going on in this brew... Overall, a good buy but maybe it needs more ...funk perhaps, i don’t know but it needs something... but i did enjoy it! ’shared with The Capitol City Goofball’

aroma is pleasanly yeasty with fresh raspberries. Flavor is lovely. Semisweet. Lots of raspberry - not much more than that. Not really sour or super tart. My ideal lambic has some bite to it, but this is nice - real natural.

375 ml bottle @ Kristiansand Lambic festival. Dark red, almost brown body with a pink head. Aroma is fruity raspberries. Flavor is fine, balanced sweet, acid and fruity. Fine, not extraordinary.

Tasted 2007-07-23. Fresh bottle, 37,5cl. Looks like the kriek; A mix of pink and brown with white head. Aroma of raspberries. Ditto taste. The taste lacks a bit of that acid-power-kick the kriek has. All in all very good!

On tap at the Microfestivus ’07... Amber, almost mahogany/grape pour. A nice, thick off-white cap leaves soapy lace. The nose and flavors are both spot-on for raspberries... teasing the palate between sweet and tart notes. Vinous notes are present as well, along with a small strawberry contingency. The finish is tart, but not quite dry. Very quaffable, this goes down quite easily with a round body and smooth mouthfeel. A tasty brew indeed!

37.5cl bottle from Waitrose. Much less carbonation than I remember from previous tasting - the white head rapidly clearing, leaving a a slightly hazy brown beer with a purple hue; fruity aroma, but more cherry than raspberry; however the raspberry is definitely there in abundence when tasted; rounded off with a trat crisp and refreshing finish. Excellent.