Michael N.

Zwanze 2014 - Cuvée Florian N.

Tasty and fun to follow up 7 years later at the same bar for Zwanze weekend. Certainly prefer the bottle but this draft pour really presents a lightness to it still.

Magic Lambic (2024) N.

Very tasty and fun to smasha draft pour of this amidst many excellent bottles. The vanilla is very up front and gives the whole drink almost a raspberry cream soda experience - and I mean this is a good / fun way.

Saint Lamvinus (2021) N.

Delayed check-in from Chuck's CD's 10th anniversary a couple weekends ago. Tasty, highly drinkable. No surprises here for draft St. Lam here in Seattle. But Chuck's (CD) is one of my all-time favorite bars and I'm more than happy to continue supporting. ❤

Ashanti (2023) N.

Love me that pepper! Yes, it's milder than the Zwanze 2022 yet still distinctly cracked pepper. After a few sips, the palate adjusts and it's just lovely. Quite the fan. Glad I snagged bottles.

Sang Bleu (2023) N.

Just revisited a vintage Camerise the other night, at this fresh batch drinks almost a little lighter to me. But still a full flavor that's drinkably tasty. Easy "down the hatch". Also very much dig Proletariat's vibe and space. (and tap list)

Lou Pepe Kriek (2020) N.

Back to being outstanding. Just an all-timer lambic series with another fabulous entry. Peak pie spice, juicy cherry, utterly drinkable. Just hits all those satisfying profiles. Much nom.

Zwanze 2022 - Poivre de Gorilles N.

This not only grew on me with each sip, but became quite good, IMO. It's divisive w/ the initial (powerful) black pepper aroma & first few sips, but the palate adjusts & a citrus and mild floral component emerge. The pepper nose should taper off in time.

Piacere N.

Best in show at Oysters & Gueuze at BFNA. Deep red wine grape goodness w/ low-key funk interplay. Yet another recent grape lambic banger from Cantillon. Molto bene!

Trousseau Lambic N.

A bit more lactic than Poulsard, but the most hits the cheese rind notes more quickly (similar, though). Also delicate and soft on the finish; quite comparable to Poulsard. Digging this, too. But man, this bar is poppin' on a Friday night in Belleville.👌

Poulsard Lambic N.

This was amazingly drinkable, especially after walking 15 miles thru Paris today. Initially, the nose was pungent, w/ a green vegetable note. But gradually it became more bitter cheese rind, like of brie. Drinks very soft & light, delicate, big wine. Dig.

Lambic Vin Jaune / La Vie Est Belge (2014) N.

Quintessence! Also, La Vie Est Belge 2014 is a revelation. I loved the 2016 blend but this one may supersede it. Hits that light caramel malt that I detect in bottles like OGV12. Mild nuttiness, spritz, but creamy and luscious. Excellent.

Sophia Lambic (2020) N.

Really enjoying this beer, especially in a less disruptive / chaotic setting. Delicate and easy, lightly fruity, maybe lacking that next gear that Plaisir has but this still boasts lovely, casual drinkability.

LH12 N.

Oh man. Lots of fun to revisit this bigboi, 3 yrs later, in a cheese setting no less! There remains a light fruity character next to the mildly vinegar texture, quickly turning into a complex sipper. It needed to warm up for the full show. Asperule...😬🤔

Lambic Vin Jaune / La Vie Est Belge (2020) N.

What an incredible setting for an incredible tasting! Right on/by Grand Place. Excellent lambic & wine throughout. La Vie Est Belge 2020 - a new blend - is a little underwhelming relative to other blends. The Vin Jaune pairing outclassed it handily.

Mirabelle N.

Liesse is a lovely little restaurant w/ some recently small plates (their cold udon noodz!). And, this little Cantillon gem on-site. Terrific aroma of peach juice & summertime. It's got a carby bite, mildly acidic, on the finish, which cuts the 🍑 flavor.

Gueuze (2021) N.

Just a rock solid gueuze that's eminently drinkable, especially with the fatbread sammies at Pistolet.

Couvreur N.

(French) Whiskey BA gueuze; spicy, heavy oak, mild bitter finish, and an excellent counterpoint to make of the softer gueuzes also on the table. Just a fun, memorable experiment. Big 👍.

Lambic Vin Jaune / La Vie Est Belge (2019) N.

Fairly lactic up front, with lemony zest dominating the flavor and not quite the developed complexity of prior batches taking effect. This improves upon warming / airing out, however, taking on nuance and intrigue that lends promise.

Nuit Bruxelloise (2019) N.

Deep red grape, spicy, more wine than funk on nose *and* flavor upfront. Minimal bite on finish - standard issue Cantillon texture and linger. Really, really digging it.

Drogone Lambic (2021) N.

Really liking this Drogone series, incl. this newest vintage. Light spice and more grape funk on an easy finish (not too acidic). Dig. [2021 Catch Up]

Vin Santo 2019 N.

This one's a thinker, in a good way. Really enjoy the heavy spice and a kind of sweet malt behind it all. Fascinating and lovely. [2021 Catch Up]

Vinsanto 2020 N.

It's "close enough" to b2 (2019) that I'm still quite pleased here. More of that unique funky spice going, but not the same intriguing linger. Still enjoyed it a fair bit. [2021 Catch Up]

Zwanze 2020 - Brettrave N.

Soooo... this beer. How to explain this beer? Beets me. (Boooourns!) Massively earthy, intriguingly so, before easing into a beet juice next to the funk. As the beets dissipate, this beer will improve. (I think.) [2021 Catch Up]

Crianza Helena N.

Yep. Absolute all-timer that exceeded the hype and expectations. A curious little funk props up the cognac barrel which is just beautiful right now. A total stunner. [2021 Catch Up]

Racine N.

Very, very good. 2021 doesn't quite live up but really dig this vintage and a growing sense that Cantillon + light grapes = something really terrific. [2021 Catch Up]

Cuveé Neuf Nations de Bruxelles N.

I mean, this beer is a total experiment at this point, but still a fun one. It's malty, acidic, and super far gone. But you can also detect strains of something it once was, perhaps, and can be appreciated in that sense. [2021 Catch Up]

Cuvée J F Vonck N.

A very fun drink at BFNA. Massively malty and with a low-lying funk beneath it. Grateful to try it. [2021 Catch Up]

Cuvée de l’Espérance N.

Enjoyed trying this a fair bit (summertime and again at BFNA). Not yet sure it's rising above other Cantillons but I sense the potential. I'll hold onto my bottle a while longer. [2021 Catch Up]

Gueuze Loerik (2018) N.

Yeah, yeah, "regular gueuze" bla bla bla. And yet this one drank more lively, sprightly than other run-of-the-mill gueuzes from Cantillon. I quite enjoyed this, more than I anticipated. [2021 Catch Up]

Le Plaisir (2020) N.

Excellent, and a huge highlight at BFNA. More of that Cantillon grape magic. Nicely complex and spicy and just delicious. [2021 Catch Up]

Lou Pepe Kriek (1999) N.

The bottle I popped did not quite live up the standards of having tried it at MBCC in 2019, and yet it's still the usual base "cherry pie" profiles that always wins me over. This bottle was a bit musty & losing some life (storage issue?). [2021 Catch Up]

Tyrnilambic Baie D'Argousier (2021) N.

Not quite the cheese funk high of 2018's vintage, but this is still good. [2021 Catch Up]

Fou' Foune (2001) N.

Quite acidic right now, but also still full of flavor and an excellent aroma. Fun to try. [2021 Catch Up]

Soleil de Minuit 2015 N.

Great fun revisiting the classic, 3.5 yrs later, in the same classic bar. Transfixing aromas, clean fruit flavor, mild tartness... And yes, the sediment pour was maybe my favorite of the bottle. 👌

Sang Bleu (Camerise) N.

Zwanze leftovers! Huzzah! So yeah, this was kind of great. Started a bit...unusual, for a lambic profile. But gradually became almost a vinous plum wine, with a tart, mild funk aspect to it, of course. Light leather, a rich roundness to the linger. Dig.

Lou Pepe Kriek (2017) N.

Thus reaffirming, once more, the time-tested axiom of lambic: "There is no bad LPK." Has the mildest acidity when tried next to Bottleworks XX, but the dimension and complexity and spice emerges as you sip further. Fantastic.

CLAC! (Trois Cépages) (2019) N.

Intense grape funk w/ mild spice. It's a curious beer, as each sip intrigues and invites more consideration. No question this will age very well, but it's already drinking deliciously.

50°N - 4°E (Batch 7 - 2020) N.

Soft, acid-free, and that beautiful dry cognac flavor that clings to the roof of your mouth on the finish. This loon brings the taste in bunches, where age may eventually bring the funky complexity. But very good outta the gates.

Divin Lambic N.

Already a nice musty funk developing, almost a like smoky quality on the backend. But this is still a new beer, so the grape flavor is big and juicy right now. There's an intriguing linger that invites more sips. This will get better.

Saint Lamvinus (2005) N.

This is just incredible. There's a clarity of grape flavor here that impresses, many years later. It partly evokes some kind of sweet grape beverage (not exactly kool-aid or soda), but in a good way; rather unexpected. Minimal funk, but damn good. 💥💥