I don't think I've ever had a lambic ale. I've certainly not had one in the amount of time that I've done this blog. Is this a good thing? Is is a bad thing? Well, I could probably look up what is expected from this type of ale, but I prefer to learn from experience when it comes to beers. Maybe this will workout, and maybe it won't. Let's find out together.
While the dramatically golden color of the beer was the first thing that hit me, it wasn't long after that that the somewhat skunked aroma brought concern into my head. There's very little in the way of a head to dampen down the aroma of skunkiness, and that aroma is pretty strong. It's so strong it made me check the expiration date on the bottle. Well, it isn't 2027 yet, so I should be good. Giving it a deeper whiff, I still smell a skunkiness, but I also smell a Belgian yeast and heavy grains over an almost wine like syrupiness. Despite my trepidation, I must try.First sip is somewhat sour and relatively unpleasant. Skunkiness isn't gone, but it appears to be almost entirely held within the aroma. Instead, there is a honey sweetness that it ends with. That skunkiness may be contributing to a sour beginning that is simply not what I look for in any beer. I know some people like sour beers, and maybe this will work for you. Let's see if a gulp fixes things at all.
Tip-in puckeringly sour and tart at the same time. There may be some grains behind it, but I can't really taste them. The middle is less sour, but I can feel the sourness across the top of my mouth while honey, yeast, and grains flow underneath with a syrupy smoothness. The finish is a nightmare of sour and tart with virtually no good flavor able to surmount that terrible combination.
Bottom Line: I'm not going to finish this glass.
0.5/5
