Lindemans Cassis
Lambic
Review Date 12/2/2000
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A lambic is a special kind of beer. A true lambic can’t be
brewed anywhere but in Belgium, and even then only in a certain area (the
Zenne River Valley to be exact). Lambics are not fermented with a specific
strain or strains of yeast as most beers are, but instead are subjected to
spontaneous fermentation by wild yeast in much the same way as beer was
fermented in its early days.
Lambics are hopped like most beers, but again with an idiosyncratic twist. The hops are aged to reduce their alpha acids and bitterness, resulting in a less bitter beer. Some lambics will be blended, aged lambic with young lambic, to make gueze. Many others will have fruit added, generally raspberry or cherry but lately up to and including such exotic fruits as banana and pineapple.
Lindemans Cassis Lambic is made with whole black currants, which are added to the oak barrels in which the beer is aged, and the yeasts present in the beer will feed on the fruit sugars. The beer is then packaged in 355 or 750 ML bottles that are corked and capped with a crown. I’m drinking the larger bottle, and it’s perfect for sharing between two people over dessert.
Lindemans sweetens their lambic, something that is looked down upon by hardcore beer enthusiasts. It does remove the distinctive sour character lambics from brewers like Frank Boon have. I happen to enjoy both beers, and don’t have a problem with the Lindemans beers
Lindemans Cassis Lambic pours to a deep burgundy color with a thick pink
head of foam that resembles the head on a root beer float in texture. The
nose is very berryish and appetizing. The fruit dominates the palate, so
much so that it is really the only element in the beer. Black raspberries
come to mind here in a big way, there’s a remarkable whole fruit flavor that
is so apparent you can almost taste the seeds crunching between your teeth.
The finish is very sweet and slightly tart.
This is a dessert beer, plain and simple. You could serve this beer as dessert if you like. If you did want to match it with something, I would suggest a fresh baked raspberry tart or a flaky Eckles cake, a sort of puff pastry crusted with candy sugar and filled with raisins. Top this off with a dollop of raspberry ice cream if you’re feeling exceptionally decadent.
Lambics are hopped like most beers, but again with an idiosyncratic twist. The hops are aged to reduce their alpha acids and bitterness, resulting in a less bitter beer. Some lambics will be blended, aged lambic with young lambic, to make gueze. Many others will have fruit added, generally raspberry or cherry but lately up to and including such exotic fruits as banana and pineapple.
Lindemans Cassis Lambic is made with whole black currants, which are added to the oak barrels in which the beer is aged, and the yeasts present in the beer will feed on the fruit sugars. The beer is then packaged in 355 or 750 ML bottles that are corked and capped with a crown. I’m drinking the larger bottle, and it’s perfect for sharing between two people over dessert.
Lindemans sweetens their lambic, something that is looked down upon by hardcore beer enthusiasts. It does remove the distinctive sour character lambics from brewers like Frank Boon have. I happen to enjoy both beers, and don’t have a problem with the Lindemans beers
Lindemans Cassis Lambic pours to a deep burgundy color with a thick pink
head of foam that resembles the head on a root beer float in texture. The
nose is very berryish and appetizing. The fruit dominates the palate, so
much so that it is really the only element in the beer. Black raspberries
come to mind here in a big way, there’s a remarkable whole fruit flavor that
is so apparent you can almost taste the seeds crunching between your teeth.
The finish is very sweet and slightly tart.This is a dessert beer, plain and simple. You could serve this beer as dessert if you like. If you did want to match it with something, I would suggest a fresh baked raspberry tart or a flaky Eckles cake, a sort of puff pastry crusted with candy sugar and filled with raisins. Top this off with a dollop of raspberry ice cream if you’re feeling exceptionally decadent.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
