Lindemans Framboise

Brewed by Brouwerij Lindemans
Style: Lambic - Fruit
St Pieters Leeuw-Vlezenbeek, Belgium

Serve in Flute, Tumbler

Anyone who’s paid some attention to the beer market over the last few years knows the macro brewers have been targeting women and people who don’t usually drink beer with pseudo wheat beers infused with fruit and other gimmicks. I don’t think the Belgians who invented the lambic style of beer 500 years ago were trying to make "chick beer," just beer with a rich fruity component that was easy and fun to drink.

Therefore, no one should feel like less of a beer drinker for enjoying Lindemans Framboise Lambic. Sure, it tastes like organic raspberry jam and the alcohol is so low as to be unnoticeable, but bear in mind it’s an old world recipe - not something dreamed up by Madison Avenue executives.

APPEARANCE AND AROMA

I split a 12oz bottle with a friend by pouring it into two champagne flutes. I have seen some red beers before but none that were quite as vivid as this one. It could best be described as pure magenta with a purple haze. The head was fairly small, frothy and indigo-colored and dissipated rather quickly.

The aroma was akin to holding fresh-picked raspberries up to your nose. It was extremely fruity and very inviting as it smells totally authentic and not sugary, tart, or anything indicating this is a gimmick beer.

TASTE

My first sip of Lindemans Framboise Lambic reminded me of something I haven’t had in a long time - fresh raspberry jam (not gelatin-like jelly, but preserves with real fruit). It’s akin the taste of an indulgent piece of raspberry cheesecake or pie you might have at a wedding. The fruit flavor is just that strong.

Up front this beer hits you with a fairly intense flavor of tart, but sweetened, raspberry. It also finishes with a fairly sour, candy-like flavor which is just another great component to the palate. It’s hard to believe this is even truly beer since there doesn’t seem to be any presence of hops or malts, although the yeast does add an ever-so-slight muddy texture.

This is the kind of beer every drinker is inclined to either love or hate since the flavor is so pronounced and so distinct. If you don’t like or can’t appreciate the genuine tart raspberry flavor you’re probably not going to like this beer. Personally, I found the tartness was rather mild and well balanced with the sweet mild and sour finish.

DRINKABILITY

Niche beers like Lindemans Framboise Lambic tend to be all-or-nothing when it comes to taste and drinkability. I don’t think the taste of real raspberry will catch many drinkers off-guard, but for those who find it too tart they can remedy the problem by adding a little sugar.

What’s ironic is that this beer is easy to drink one swig at a time, but no more than that due to its intense flavor. It at least goes down very smooth and finishes clean as water with no aftertaste.

This is the lightest beer I’ve ever drank at only 2.5% ABV! That would explain why the beer drinks so much like fruit juice and does not even so much as give the average drinker a buzz until a few servings later.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I suppose the low alcohol and intense flavor might actually turn some drinkers away from Lindemans Framboise Lambic. I can certainly understand why, but considering just how tasty and fun it is to drink this beer I think it something everyone should try once. At about $8 for a 12oz bottle ($11 for a 750ml), it would seem to be a high ticket item, however, I can’t imagine anyone having buyer’s remorse after drinking this beer.

NOTE: Watch the video version of this review at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BagQSfjMiq4

UPDATED: MAY 1, 2010 Bottle, 25cl. Pours a clear pruple colour with a small pink head, exactly like the Kriek. Aroma is extremely sweet... Taste is like a popsicle, much too sweet, even more than other fruit Lindemans. Nothing much else to say really, it doesn’t even have that (very) slight sour aftertaste the Kriek has. As far as I’m concerned this isn’t beer.

Like Lambics, very sweet. Also initially has a sour taste to it. A great belgium beer to try but it’s very sweet. More of a dessert drink than something you’d have a couple of. When i go out to drink the IPA’s and Stouts, I order this for my date. Women LOVE this beer.

12 ounce bottle in snifter. Reddish brown with pink ring. Raspberry jam sweet tart aroma. Sweet raspberry with nice effervescent carbo some cloying medium sweet tart woody finish. Pretty good. A little too sweet.

12 oz. bottle. Pours deep ruby red raspberry color with velvet pink purple fizzy bubbly head. Deep, rich aroma of raspberry juice, just pure raspberry tartness. Flavor is wonderful raspberry, tart on the finish, smooth and less carbonated than I thought. Excellent rendition of a raspberry lambic, captures the essence of raspberry perfectly.

Pours dark red/purple with one inch, light pink head. Looks like grape juice with a head. Nose is all sweet raspberry with some tang and spices. Mouth is tangy, sweet raspberry, grape jolly rancher with a good bit of tartness and some vinegar on the swallow.

bottle. Pours dark red. Everything about this is sweet and syrupy. The acidity still comes through some, but it mostly just tastes like raspberry flavored sugar syrup. Between that and the price, I would say this just isn’t worth drinking. There are much better lambics out there.

Bottle. Dark red with small pink head. Fresh raspberry aroma and flavour. Mouthfeel is sweet and syrupy. Very sweet in the finish. Let down from what initially seemed to be a decent framboise.