Tap. Two Thirds Beer Co. Zwanze Day. Misted pale gold with a decent white foam. I love a fresh Gueuze and this is literally that, with added botanicals. Fresh funky oak. Light herb. Lots of lemon peel notes. Drinks super clean and refreshing with little to no acidity. Great stuff. Meant to go back for a pint full but didn’t get round to it.

Cantillon lambic blended with a herb liquor used by a vermouth producer in Besançon to fortify their wine and thus create their vermouth - another original concept concocted by this legendary brewery to celebrate their semi-annual Zwanze event, which this year encompassed not just this 'bianco' version, but also a 'rosso' one (fruit lambic), so for the first time ever two different Zwanze beers were presented simultaneously a few weeks ago. I missed the event itself but fortunately got a catch-up at the Cantillon bar, where bottles of both versions are still for sale at the moment. Tiny-bubbled yet dense and moussey, snow white head, slowly opening and retreating over an initially clear yellow-golden robe with apricot tinge, turning misty in the end. Aroma of grapefruit peel, subtly 'urine'-like Brettanomyces, wet oak, indeed recognisable vermouth with its dozens of herbs (almost absinthe-like in its core but sweeter here), dried hyssop, dry hay, unripe pear, green plum, apricot, young mugwort, rhubarb. Mildly tart, restrainedly estery onset, smooth unripe apricot, grape skin, lime and green apple flavours, quite 'bright', refinedly but 'actively' carbonated, moving into a supple, vinous middle with fruity lactic sourness and elegant woodiness adorned with very clear, yet somehow not overpowering herbaceousness from the vermouth (or its part used here) - with vague angelica, sweetflag and wormwood impressions, mingled into one 'kruidenbittertje' without the bitterness. Dry, vinous ending, light green-fruity and dark green-herbal, but with every element only reinforcing the other - nothing overpowers, nothing contrasts too much with something else, all is working exceptionally well here. Much to my surprise, I must add, as I am not a great lover of either vermouth or overly 'herbed' beers... Radiant, elegant apéritif of sorts, much better than I was anticipating to be honest.

Dull, pale amber. Very herbal aroma, quite peppery and spicy. Very vermouthy. Bitter, earthy, excellent.

Draught Small yellowish-white head over orangeish ochre beer. Vermouth, wormwood, woodshavings, lavender, childrens' putty, pinewoods. Dry, bitterish with limepeel in the background, of course wormwood, pine. Finish has just a tad of sweetness and a hint of coriander. Wry, almost astringent, acidburn and -thinning. Long lasting Vermouth flavours. Special, if not what I would choose everyday.

On tap at Moeder Fontainas. Murky dark yellow pour with a white head. Mild barrel bouquet. Smooth, with pleasant horse blanket and barnyard notes with slightly bitter absinthe undercurrents. Good body and mouthfeel.

On tap at Four Winds Beach House, pours a lightly hazed pale golden yellow with a small white has. Aroma has plenty of the vermouth spices, gentle funk, and soft citrusy notes. Flavour is much the same, with lots of the vermouth spices blending well with lots of citrusy notes; then there’s light-to-moderate funk that pokes through. Very tasteful incorporation of the vermouth.

Draught at Monk's: pours yellow with a white head. Aroma is grape, vermouth, herbal funkiness, woody. Taste is lightly sour, funky. Dry finish. Not very sweet at all. Excellent.