This project started off as a brewer of ales but shifted to blending them (mostly their saison) with lambics and even wines, conveniently responding to the trends on the market I suppose, but with allegedly interesting results. I must admit that I have not been following their blending adventures at all so it was about time to put a sample to the test, namely this blend of their own saison with plum lambic (the maker of the latter sadly remains undisclosed). Bottle shared at Proevertjesdag. Thickly moussey, pale pink-tinged off-white, opening and eventually dissolving head, hazy vermillion robe with rusty-ruddy tinge. Aroma of red plum (not quite ripe), grape skin, rosehip, lemon juice, oxidized rosé wine, green walnut, wood sorrel, dandelion, dried parsley, young mugwort, lingonberries, dried purple coneflower. Dry, tart onset, unripe red plum more than the juicy ripe plum sweetness I was hoping for, side notes of grape skin, rosehip and redcurrant; medium carb, more or less vinous mouthfeel, slick cereally core dried by lively lactic acidity, remaining joyfully fruity and sharply edged by lemony sourness. Herbal, rosehip tea-ish notes appear retronasally but it is not uncommon for plum lambics to have that effect so I should not be suprised about it in a 'versnijbier' containing plum lambic either. Astringent tannic effects, probably mostly generated by those plums, dominate in the finish, accentuated by the acids; woody, tart yet fruity finish fading away slowly. Decent enough, fruity enough even in spite of the fact that I was hoping for more 'fleshiness', understandably appreciated by the educated beer community - but still I cannot get rid of the feeling that it lacks body, complexity and finesse. Nonetheless stimulating to find out more about this project.

Hapukas, marjane, happeline. Ok.