Tasting Notes: Cantillon: Lou Pepe Framboise 2007

Cantillon: Lou Pepe Framboise 2007 (Belgium: Fruit Lambic: 5% ABV)

(Bottled 2009, drunk 2010)

Visual: Steamy dark cherry red with a raspberry fizzy head, when cool the head vanishes nearly instantly. When slightly warmer a more solid if not exactly sturdy head is evident.

Nose: Sharp and sour, delicate thorns and twigs, with distinct raspberry. Brambles and crumble comes out also. Very acidic. Jiff.

Body: Tart, acidic, a slightly understated raspberry. Slight earthy character and under ripe fruit. Some unexpected strawberry. Insane levels of sherbety texture. Heavy red wine influence and lots of oak casks. Cheeseboards and a bunch of grapes.

Finish: Apples, sourness and acidity, Mouth drying. Crab apples. Lots of wood and blackcherry (oddly).Lemon, more cheese in taste and texture.

Conclusion: 100 Belgium Beers to Try Before You Die called this “One of the worlds great drinks” – I’m not that sold yet, in part due to the aggressive sourness that masks the flavours below somewhat for me. However this beer takes you on quite a journey, so shall we examine it?

In a way, initially this is a very “back of the mouth” drink, the front taste buds seem too shocked to catch everything, and so it’s at the back the flavour really hits. Then again this mouth puckering sharpness is always Cantillons unique selling point (though not as sharp as their kriek).

When the taste mellows somewhat you start getting wine and cheese coming out, a platter of elements combined. At this point I start to feel like I’m debating with myself, the beer hovers between too much and intriguing and clever. Like the Rodenbach Grand Cru I find myself fascinated but unable to decide if I actually like it.

I returned to Cantillon here for the 350th tasting note in the hope of setting this beast to bed. The normal Cantillon was my first ever lambic and its intense sourness overwhelmed me then. I returned to this acclaimed version in the hope that my more experience pallet could decide finally on my view on it.

I am distinctly intrigued, yet I still cannot decide; guess I’ll have to return to Cantillon again in years to come.