Neil McFarlane

Zwanze 2022 - Poivre de Gorilles McFarlane

LCI. Smells far too perfumey, but the taste isn't as overpowering. Herbal and sour. Not my favourite, but nice enough.

Le Plaisir 2022 McFarlane

LCI. Peachy, zippy and slightly creamy. A very well balanced brew.

Gueuze 100% Lambic (2001) McFarlane

LCI. My oldest Cantillon to date! Tastes amazingly fresh, with mild oxidation. Sherbet and lemon are there. Missing some funk, and it seems a tad dusty. Perhaps over the hill as I expected a little more depth.

Barbera McFarlane

LCI. Vinous, tannic, deep and slightly funky. A really nice one.

Fou’ Foune (2022) McFarlane

LCI. Not the juiciest nor the fruitiest vintage, but slightly more funky than you'd expect. One to age perhaps? Fou is always a pleasure either way.

Nath (2021) McFarlane

LCI. Rhubarb, dry, tart and overall quite light. Nice!

Nath (2022) McFarlane

LCI. Very similar to the 21. Consistent! Rhubarb, tart and light. Oops no pic...

Grand Cru Bruocsella Brut (2020) McFarlane

LCI. I know that acidity is kind of the point, but it's too high for me. The balance is thrown. It's a shame too as there is definitely some great depth and funk, but it gets quickly cut. Oops no pic...

Cuvée Saint-Gilloise 2021 McFarlane

LCI. Earthy, acidic, bright, tangy and funky. Almost flat, which makes the acidity seem too high. Nice overall.

Oude Geuze Apogee McFarlane

LCI. Funky, woody, dry, zippy and zesty. A great one, but a touch flat.

Magic Lambic (2022) McFarlane

LCI. Pastry lambic strikes again.... sour, fruity, sweet, vanilla and raspberry. Delicious, but needs a touch of funk! Maybe more in bottle.

Gueuze Loerik (2019) McFarlane

LCI. It's pretty good, but overhyped. Funky, clean and slightly sour. However, also quite watery?

Fou’ Foune (2021) McFarlane

LCI. Less acidic than last time. Very good. Fresh apricot, funk, just enough sourness and a jammy finish. Great.

Oude Geuze Boon (2019-2020) McFarlane

LCI. I always enjoy a gueuze from Boon. Citrus, some funk and well carbonated. Missing the nice minerality that I usually find with Boon.

Oude Geuze Apogee McFarlane

TdG LCI. Super solid. Sour, bitter, pithy, citrusy and quite balanced overall. Missing depth and funk, but this is young.

HORAL's Oude Geuze Mega Blend 2015 McFarlane

TdG LCI. Pretty good, but slightly underwhelming. Tart, funky, carbonated, apple, bitter and slightly sweet. Quite nice, but missing minerality and cellar must.

Duivelsbier McFarlane

LCI. Really nice. Raisins, malt, sweetness and rich. A stone cold classic.

HORAL's Oude Geuze Mega Blend (2022) McFarlane

TdG LCI. Started TdG with the megablend, of course. Very nice this time. Apple, sour, carbonated, a touch of funk and must, and some nice bitterness.

Geuze Mariage Parfait (2014) McFarlane

TdG LCI. Absolutely top drawer. Criminally underrated, but I also think the variation in storage conditions may have affected that. This was straight from Boon, so perfectly stored. Funky, mineral, tart, deep and musty. Awesome!

Oude Kriek Boon à L’Ancienne (2019) McFarlane

LCI. Solid. Cherry, sweet, almond, tart and slightly funky. Nice!

Gueuze 03 April 2019 McFarlane

LCI. It's a nice brew. Pretty much the same flavour profile as when I had it first back in August. Green apple, sourness and acidic. Funk hasn't arrived yet. This one needs some more time.

Fou’ Foune (2021) McFarlane

LCI. The fresh flavour is starting to make way for acidity. If you like that, then this is drinking great, but it's starting to become too acidic for me. However, still very nice and has all the other classic fou character.

Lou Pepe Kriek (2018) McFarlane

LPK is always a pleasure. Still a slightly acidic bottling, but there is definitely ripe cherries, smooth almond and sweetness to balance. Needs some more time and then it will be exceptional.

Nuit Bruxelloise (2019) McFarlane

LCI. Vinous, juicy, ripe and slightly sweet. Less robust and structured than older bottles of Nuit, but this is tasty.

Camerise (2021) McFarlane

LCI. Floral and spicy. Ripe berry flavour balanced with a good level of sourness. Very nice.

Menu Pinea (2020) McFarlane

LCI. Dry and vinous, with enough sourness to balance. Slightly acidic, but not overpowering. More like a wine than a Lambic.

Lambic Grenache Blanc (2021) McFarlane

LCI. Very dry, sweet, herbal, but overall quite delicate. Very close to a wine at this point. Well balanced.

Blåbær Lambik (Blueberry Lambic) (2019) McFarlane

LCI. Bucket list beer ticked off! Not as great as people describe, but pretty nice. Rich, deep and kind of funky. A slightly unpleasant earthy flavour, but not unexpected for blueberry. Wish the flavour was more fresh blueberry. Will not age well, I think

Vigneronne (2020) McFarlane

It really is a great vintage of Vig. Dry, grapes, balancing sourness and a clean finish. Really great.

First Light McFarlane

Quite nice. Light and floral, with a slightly creamy backbone. Definitely missing in bite and body, and it's not like this is super low abv either. Nice enough, but nothing outstanding.

Castle Black Stout McFarlane

Great stout. Oily, rich, barrel shining and a good amount of sweetness. If I was being critical, the sweetness is quite high, and without any bitterness to balance. Somewhere between a pastry stout and a classic.

Jule-IPA McFarlane

LCI. A nice, classic IPA. Malty, bitter, piney and slightly sweet. Doesn't taste super fresh, but still pretty tasty.

Tyrnilambic Baie D'Argousier (2021) McFarlane

LCI. Much preferred this compared to last time. The saltiness is less overpowering. Some funk coming through to balance. Nice

Mamouche (2021) McFarlane

LCI. Very nice. Tart, delicate, fruity and herbal. Well balanced mostly, but missing some funk.

Lambic D'Aunis 2020 McFarlane

LCI. Proper Cantillon. Fruity, sour, sweet but not overly, a hint of funk and lovely colour.

Magic Lambic (2020) McFarlane

Solid vintage. Sweetness is balanced perfectly by sourness. Vanilla rounds out the finish. A disappointingly low blueberry flavour, but great nonetheless.

Saint Lamvinus (2019) McFarlane

Young, but tastes old. Nice deep vinous character well balanced by funk. A decent level of acidity. Very good.

Sophia Lambic (2020) McFarlane

LCI. Super light. Kind of funky, vinous for sure, and beautiful carbonation. Drinks almost like champagne.

CLAC! (Trois Cépages) (2019) McFarlane

Super balanced. Sour, slightly sweet, grapes, grape skin and a touch of funk. Nice!

Nath (2020) McFarlane

Rhubarb flavour is very strong. Spicy and peppery on the finish, with some balanced acidity and sourness. A nice one for sure.

Lou Pepe Kriek (2018) McFarlane

A slightly acidic bottle compared to last time. Still, nice creamy cherry and vanilla smoothness is there. A great beer, but not as good as it's been.

Vin De Paille McFarlane

Just like last time. Juicy, smooth, creamy, slightly spiced and drinks great. Niceee

Fou’ Foune (2021) McFarlane

Fantastic as always. Fresh Fou is where it's at!

Cantillo Cuvée Des Champions (2021) McFarlane

Nice. Hoppy, slightly tart and full in flavour. I think that freshness is good in this beer, but some age would be interesting for sure.

SpontanCherry Frederiksdal (2021) McFarlane

Last time I had this it was far too acidic, however it's mellowed a lot already. It lets the cherry flavour do its thing, and allows overall for a more balanced beer. Drinking great at the moment!

Kriek Marriage Parfait (2019) McFarlane

LCI. Bang average kriek. Some nice acidity and pleasant cherry flavour, but there isn't any funk or complexity. It's nice enough to drink, but nothing special.

Zwanze 2021 - Parasol McFarlane

Yesterday. Of course my phone died before being able to take a pic of the most important beer of the day 😅 the beer is pretty decent. There is so much citrus that the Lambic is hard to identify, so it pretty much is like soda. Tastes nice though.

Fou' Foune (2014) McFarlane

Yesterday. Amazing. The fresh apricot flavour is mostly gone, but mellow cheese and funk have arrived. Overall it makes for a very well balanced beer. So different from fresh, they nah as well be different beers.

Cuvée 10 Ans McFarlane

Yesterday. Slightly less funk than I would have liked. Apple flavours are strong, and the sourness is fairly low. Nice balance, but missing some funk I think.

Iris (2012) McFarlane

Yesterday. Smell is old and cheesy, but on the palate it's pretty citrusy and fresh. Nice balance, but missing that characteristic old Lambic funk.

Lambic d'Aunis (2017) McFarlane

Yesterday. Excellent. Fruity and soft with vanilla on the finish. So easy to drink. Can't imagine how good this will taste even older.

Single Barrel 1 Year Lambic (2011) McFarlane

Yesterday. Woody and sweet, with some balanced sourness. Missing funk almost entirely, which is a shame. Not bad.

Drogone Lambic (2021) McFarlane

Yesterday. Pretty great. Vinous, funky and dry. Tastes exactly like you would expect. I imagine an older bottle will be even better.

Tyrnilambic Baie D'Argousier (2021) McFarlane

Yesterday. Salty and herbal, with a slight pithy bitterness. Not my favourite fruited Lambic combination.

Gueuze 100% Lambic Bio (2015) McFarlane

Yesterday. Magnum babyyyy. Probably the best Cantillon Gueuze I've had. Musty, cheesy, funky but still some freshness. Carbonation is smooth and the body is full. Great!

Gewurztraminer Lambic (2020) McFarlane

Yesterday. Savoury, grainy and dry. Grapes aren't as strong as I'd expect. Nice balanced sourness. Nice!

Muscat Petits Grains McFarlane

Yesterday. Sweet and slightly dry. Grapes are definitely more present here. Sourness is pretty mild, which isn't unusual for a Cantillon grape Lambic. Really tasty and drinks easy.

Considered Concentrations McFarlane

LCI. Unsurprisingly, super light. Delicate elderflower and crispness is really pleasant. It is slightly too perfumed I think, but nice enough overall.

Gueuze 03 April 2019 McFarlane

LCI. Pretty unique. Sour, lemony and acidic with minimal funk. Some interesting sherry character too. I think this will be unreal with some age.

Geuze Mariage Parfait (2017) McFarlane

Delicious. Best 3EUR beer money can buy. Funky, sour, mineral, carbed to the max, deep, cheesy and musty. Awesome.

Zwanze 2018 - Manneken Pise McFarlane

Slightly sour. Vinous and smooth. A pleasant creamy/vanilla quality on the finish. Super balanced and delicious.

Zwanze 2020 - Brettrave McFarlane

Interesting. Super earthy and soily, but not necessarily unpleasant. Quite sharp and sour, but a gentle funk to balance. Not my absolute favourite, but certainly memorable.

Midsummer Dream 2021 McFarlane

LCI. Not very classic. Almost like an IPL. Fruity notes along with a little malty caramel. Quite nice to drink, but certainly not to style...

Grand Cru Bruocsella Lambic Bio (2017) McFarlane

Far right. Funky and dry. Almost no carb and quite thick body. Really suggests white wine. Not my favourite Cantillon, but still pleasant.

Mikkeller Super Cool McFarlane

LCI. Full and aromatic. Marmalade and orange peel. Not particularly NE style to be honest, as there isn't enough fruit flavour. Overall, pretty tasty but not my favourite.

Nuit Bruxelloise (2015) McFarlane

Like a full bodied red wine. Rich, full, tannic and structured. Really balanced. Great stuff.

Lou Pepe Kriek (2013) McFarlane

Served in a magnum. Pretty outstanding. Super balanced and mellow, but still a strong cherry flavour. A suggestion of vanilla, but not too much. Some nice dusty funk to balance all the fruit. Wow!

Menu Pineau (2018) McFarlane

Strong dank aroma. Flavour is not quite so dank. It is slightly tannic, really balanced and nicely soured. Great beer overall.

Trousseau Lambic McFarlane

Not my favourite. Slightly chemical nose and rosé like flavour. A little more malty and funky character would be welcome. But this maybe isn't made for me... Decent.

Cuvée Saint-Gilloise (Champions) (2014) McFarlane

Lemony and hoppy. Really crushable and moreish. Kinds funky, but not as much as I would expect given the age. Great beer overall!

Le Plaisir McFarlane

Quite an unusual beer. Spiced and mildly acidic. The spicy note really suggests curry flavour, but maybe I'm crazy.... Nice graos flavour and pleasant malt backbone. Not my favourite Cantillon, but pretty nice.

Grand Cru Bruocsella Brut (2016) McFarlane

Super acidic at the back of the palate. Clean profile overall with some nice citric and apple qualities. Tastes super fresh given the age. The acidity is slightly overpowering, but it's overall well balanced. Pretty good.

Magic Lambic 2021 McFarlane

Bucket list beer ticked off. Super fresh and juicy. Like biting into fresh berries. Some mellow vanilla to balance any sourness, but the sourness is minimal overall. Balanced and delicious.

K:rlek Vår/Sommar (2021) McFarlane

Nice brew. Hoppy and juicy with some nice malt character. Clean flavour profile. Lacking a bit in body and hop intensity, but no surprise there. Decent!

Sundried Saison McFarlane

Really poor. Overly earthy and spicy with a punch in the face of bitterness. Carb is nice and the ester flavours are good, but it's overall an unpleasant drink.

Deep Passion Pool McFarlane

Side by side. LCI. Compared to the normal version, this isn't great. It's overly boozy and bitter. The body is good and the sourness is balanced, but it's overall an unbalanced beer.

Lou Pepe Kriek (2018) McFarlane

So good. Bucket list beer ticked off. Rich, ripe cherry flavour, with a suggestion of cinnamon. Almost thick body, with great carb. Nice balanced sourness, with almost no acidity. Really great!

HORAL's Oude Geuze Mega Blend (2021) McFarlane

Only had to touch the cage and the cork popped like a grenade - beer everywhere. However, it tastes great. Sour, acidic, a little bit funky (still young so not surprising), sherbety, and a balancing bitterness in the back of the throat. Carb is too much.

Oude Geuze Goût Américain McFarlane

Still an underrated beer I think. With a couple of years on it, it's less sour and more funky and mineraly. The acidity is still perceptible, but well placed. Carb is great.

Game of Thrones - Iron Anniversary IPA McFarlane

LCI. Light, hoppy and floral. It doesn't taste bad, but nothing to go crazy about. Body is a bit too thin. Ok.

Fou' Foune (2020) McFarlane

Apricot though the roof. Pretty acidic and fresh, but maybe with some age some Brett-like funk may develop. Tastes amazing though.

SpontanCherry Frederiksdal (2021) McFarlane

Pretty good. Sourness well balanced, cherries are fresh and ripe tasting, and there is a little bit of almond flavour - sort of like a Bakewell tart. However, the acidity is too high right now, but maybe it will mellow with time?

Vigneronne (2020) McFarlane

Lovely. Fruity, zesty, dry, floral, slightly yeasty and well balanced with tartness and funk. Amazing stuff, and a great hybrid.

Saint Lamvinus 2020 McFarlane

Drinks so smooth. A real crossover between red wine and Lambic. Vinous, Slightly acidic, slightly sour, and just enough funk. The carb is a little bit low, but otherwise spot-on.

KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge (2020) McFarlane

Really solid. Chocolatey, sweet and viscous. Sweetness is balanced and the barrel comes through nicely. It's a really amazing beer, but something is missing... Maybe missing some bitterness?

Hop Opera McFarlane

Pure hop juice. Thick, creamy but still with a bite. Awesome.

Spontanlingonberry (2015) McFarlane

Definitely oxidised, but quite nice. Earthy, smooth, sour, vinegary but balanced. A little papery and damp, but a nice experience!

Organic Cuckoo Wit McFarlane

Below average. Light and watery, and not enough body as I would expect for a wit. Nice enough flavour, but also nothing to rave about.

Santa's Little Helper (2019) McFarlane

Great with some age. Nice brown sugar and molasses flavour development. Surprising banana note has developed. I kind of wish I kept this longer but oh well!

Spontan Goes Spontan McFarlane

2020 Mikkeller advent calendar, day 23: not as bad as I remember it, but it's still a pretty terrible beer. Soapy, bitter, unbalanced and maybe a combo which just shouldn't happen...

Doublebock Frederiksdal Cherries McFarlane

2020 Mikkeller advent calendar, day 22: I don't think this is a good combo from the beginning. Sourness mixed with an overly bitter finish. Drinkable and the body and carb is amazing. Not terrible.

The Guide McFarlane

Super soft and creamy. Much too sweet for my liking, and missing some bite. Very drinkable and overall not bad.

Swedish Polar Beer McFarlane

2020 Mikkeller advent calendar, day 21: not my favourite style, and this one is particularly one note. But it's smooth, clean and pretty drinkable.

Oude Geuze Goût Américain McFarlane

2020 Mikkeller advent calendar, day 18: I've had this beer quite a few times now and it's a good one. Funky, acidic and nicely sour. Not quite as good as I remember last time, but still great.

Riesling People McFarlane

2020 Mikkeller advent calendar, day 17: I had this only around a week ago. It's a solid beer, but nothing unbelievable. Vinous, juicy and tart.

Rosé de Gambrinus (2020) McFarlane

Really nice. Nice raspberry flavour, nice carb and a weird cinnamon like taste - but it's nice. The sourness is a little too much for me, and some more funk would be welcome. Great overall!

Iskold Classic McFarlane

2020 Mikkeller advent calendar, day 16: a great beer. Caramelly, malty, nicely sweet and super drinkable. A modern day classic!

Nelson Sauvin Brut 2020 McFarlane

2020 Mikkeller advent calendar, day 14: I've already had this, but there is much more Brett than I remember - in a nice way! Something to balance the taste of the wine. Lovely.

Kaffestout McFarlane

2020 Mikkeller advent calendar, day 12: really solid low abv stout. Nice level of lactose, nicely roasted, but perhaps a little too much coffee. Overall good beer!

SpontanAcai McFarlane

2020 Mikkeller advent calendar, day 11: had this before and it's a good member of the spontan series. Not for the faint of heart, a lot more acidic and sour than I remember. Nice funk to balance the intensity, but a little more fresh fruit would be nice.