Pungently musty toasted barleymalt aroma-palate contrasts gentle citric tang and fizzy clean-watered flow of pale-bodied moderation. Delicate pepper-hopped orange blossom finish lacks firmness. Fine for delicate tastes or as alternative to godawful ‘lite’ beers, but too anonymous for the rest.
All posts by John Fortunato
LION KRALOVSKY PALE DOUBLE BOCK
Soft-toned white-headed pale-bodied bock with bread-like yeast pungency, musty malt severity, and dry mocha sourness too light and insignificant for exalted class.
LINDEMAN’S PECHE LAMBIC
Eager to please auburn-clouded ale best served as mild digestif or fruity dessert goes down nice ‘n easy. Syrupy peach-wined theme picks up tangy lemon-sugared apricot sweetness above tart Granny Smith apple pucker. Bubbly champagne flow and dry oaken pungency partially destabilized by cloy front end.
LINDEMAN’S KRIEK LAMBIC
Succulent reddish-hazed pink-headed Lambic with cap-cork setup. Overpowering hard-candied cherry coughdrop vigor and eye-squinting stone-fruited tartness lead the way. In the midst, sour black cherries ripen alongside salty raspberry-strawberry-cranberry spree as dry oaken tannins contrast beet sugared barley-wheat spine. An obviously superfine fruited crossover with its distinctive cherry soda spritz, ancillary citric brightness and sparkling champagne fizz. Best served with sherbet.
LINDEMAN’S GUEUZE LAMBIC BELGIAN ALE
Unfiltered original gueuze (replaced by Cuvee Rene) tastes a bit like vermouth and smells a lot like tart cider. Very strong, slightly peculiar, and somewhat acidic, scaring off those unaccustomed to ester-y grape-skinned bone-dry fruit ales. Tangy citric finish fits outside the realm of most wheat-hopped brews.
(DE KEERSMAEKER) MORT SUBITE KRIEK LAMBIC
Prevalent cherry-soured essence and penetrating stone-fruited waft underscored by musty horse-blanketed hay musk and leathery wheat-dried parch. Oaken cherry midst gains raspberry, cranberry and red grape illusions. Spontaneous yeast fermentation aids subsidiary vinous champagne tartness of exquisite digestif.
LINDEMAN’S FRAMBOISE RASPBERRY LAMBIC ALE
From its raspberry-doused cork and pink-headed magenta hue to its extremely ripe sweet-tart raspberry edginess, this aged-in-oak Belgian ale is probably a better aperitif than marginal red wines. Zesty citric pep and pomegranate-juiced cranberry-cherry-strawberry souring help define distinguished character of truly original brew. Eye-squinting raspberry tartness inundates resilient sour grape pungency and syrupy caramel malting, getting musty by sherry finish. Mighty fine fruited dessert fodder.
BOON FRAMBOISE
Ample sweet ‘n sour raspberry puree tartness inundates snazzy ruby-reddish pink-headed lambic. Dry oak-aged red grape tartness, cherry wine sweetness and strawberry-seeded goop underpin discernible raspberry overture. Light balsamic vinegar souring contrasts syrupy berry sinew. Could pass as mouth puckering Merlot or fine Cabernet, or perhaps, a delightful raspberry spritzer.
LINDEMAN’S CUVEE RENE GUEUZE GRAND CRU LAMBIC
Spontaneously fermented nostril-flaring rust-hued lambic with zesty orange rind tartness, musty ultra-dry lemon-lime pucker, and harsh green apple pucker scouring bark-like astringency. Receding white grape sourness, champagne fizz, and cork-like dryness form deflectively acidic brettanomyces finish. An unappealing sour ale curiosity experimental tastes will dismiss as vinegar. Serve as white wine alternate to complement clams, oysters, or mussels.
LINDEMAN’S CASSIS LAMBIC ALE
Unique garnet-coppered raspberry-flavored lambic retains sudsy soda fizz and pungent citric tartness. Like a grenadine or sloe gin fizz (only more tart), this heavily malted peculiarity tosses sour-candied raspberry and raspy black currant bittering into the mix. Beneath, lemon zest contrasts dank barley graining. Easily one of the more unusual ales available. Serve to open-minded conniosseurs only.
LIGHTNING FULMINATOR
New-sprung San Diego brewer boasts ‘better beer through chemistry.’ Found medium-bodied doppelbock lager on-tap at Mission Beach hangout, Liar’s Club. Glutinous wheat stickiness absorbs buttery marzipan entry and dry orange canopy, picking up slim gin profundity towards resinous lemon lime finish, where flavor profile fades.
LIEFMANS KRIEKBIER
Fizzy champagne flow and tart cherry dryness anchor fruited wheat base of corked Belgian ale. Sour cherry skin esters amplify oncoming musty earthiness. Vinous acidity hides musty sherry-port notes. Fine as light digestif.