Lambic d'Haute Densité
(has 2 batches)
Brasserie Cantillon in Brussels, Brussels Capital Region, Belgium 🇧🇪
Lambic Style - Unblended Regular Out of Production|
Score
6.95
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Lambic d'Haute Densité, or High Density Lambic, is an experimental lambic brewed to attain a high alcohol content. The final result is a 9.1% ABV and 8° Plato beer with little carbonation. Cantillon described this beer on their facebook page as being "close to a Barley Wine or an oxidized wine like Madeira, Sherry or Vin Jaune."
The creation of Lambic d'Haute Densité started in 2010 when Cantillon brewed a high-alcohol lambic resulting in a 9.7% ABV beer with 8° Plato residual sugar. This was repeated in 2011 resulting in a lambic of 8.7% ABV. The brewery wrote in June of 2013 that "because of the high alcohol level, we had no more evolution after 2 years and we decide to blend those two brews and to bottle it in February of this year." Thus the Lambic d'Haute Densité was born.
This beer was bottled into bulbous 750ml bottles and corked with a 2013 cork. It was first served at The Festival in Portland, Maine between June 21st and June 22nd put on by Shelton Brothers and 12% Imports. At The Festival, this beer was labeled with 375ml yellow Cantillon Classic Gueuze labels with no cap (cork only). Though some bottles mistakenly left the confines of the festival, the remaining bottles were returned to Cantillon by Shelton Brothers as it was never intended for public distribution.
On April 29, 2014, Cantillon and drinkbelgianbeer.com posted photos on Facebook of a six-liter bottle of the Lambic d'Haute Densité with many more in the background. These are in Cantillon's Underground Cellar for long term storage.
Lambic d'Haute Densité has also been served at Akkurat and is pictured with a different label and bottling date than has previously been seen. Further research is ongoing, as Cantillon stated on their Facebook page that the initial bottling occurred in February 2013.
it has also been regularly available in the tasting room at the brewery
Source : lambic.info
The creation of Lambic d'Haute Densité started in 2010 when Cantillon brewed a high-alcohol lambic resulting in a 9.7% ABV beer with 8° Plato residual sugar. This was repeated in 2011 resulting in a lambic of 8.7% ABV. The brewery wrote in June of 2013 that "because of the high alcohol level, we had no more evolution after 2 years and we decide to blend those two brews and to bottle it in February of this year." Thus the Lambic d'Haute Densité was born.
This beer was bottled into bulbous 750ml bottles and corked with a 2013 cork. It was first served at The Festival in Portland, Maine between June 21st and June 22nd put on by Shelton Brothers and 12% Imports. At The Festival, this beer was labeled with 375ml yellow Cantillon Classic Gueuze labels with no cap (cork only). Though some bottles mistakenly left the confines of the festival, the remaining bottles were returned to Cantillon by Shelton Brothers as it was never intended for public distribution.
On April 29, 2014, Cantillon and drinkbelgianbeer.com posted photos on Facebook of a six-liter bottle of the Lambic d'Haute Densité with many more in the background. These are in Cantillon's Underground Cellar for long term storage.
Lambic d'Haute Densité has also been served at Akkurat and is pictured with a different label and bottling date than has previously been seen. Further research is ongoing, as Cantillon stated on their Facebook page that the initial bottling occurred in February 2013.
it has also been regularly available in the tasting room at the brewery
Source : lambic.info
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7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
A deep red. Still. Very dry. Raisin, tart, a bit on the wild side. Oak, a touch of cherry pit. Finish is acidic and lingers. Quite an experience.
Tried
from Bottle
at
Brasserie Cantillon
on 12 Dec 2025
at 13:40
8/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 6
Texture 10
Overall 7
Bottle pour at the brewery. On the nose it's quite a lot, tannins, dark candi sugar, walnut and dark malts show with a hint of acidity, very interesting, I'm loving it. In the taste tho the deep and rich malty/nutty/oaky character combine weirdly with the harsh, sharp acidity and it takes some getting used to initially. After a while it comes together more, and it works okay. Interesting and fun.
Tried
from Bottle
on 10 Mar 2025
at 09:07
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle at Cantillon, Brussel. Aroma of wood, malt, some caramel, sweetish dried fruits, some alcohol. Flavour is rather sour with a hint of sticky sweetness. Body is medium to full. Quite heavy and a bit boozy, a different Cantillon. Not as easily drinkable, indeed a Barleywine take on Gueuze.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Feb 2025
at 05:02
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Poured from 75cl bottle at Cantillon bar. Color: Cloudy reddish brown, very thin off white head. Aroma: Citrus, quite a lot of oak, funky hints. Taste: Citrus, oak, subtle funk, some plum, quite dense and dry mouthfeel. Moderate to over moderate tart. No carbonation. Very nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 21 Sep 2024
at 19:30
8.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 7.5
--Keg (2019 version) at Cantillon Museum, Brussels. -- Hazy deep amber, no head. Peppery red berry aroma with mild funk and citricity. Sweet berries and grapes countered by citric acid and mild barnyard. Full bodied with spft mouthfeel. Peppery warming finish with some stale hop bitterness.
Tried
from Can
on 03 Jul 2023
at 10:49
6.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
On tap at Cantillon, pours a hazy dark amber with a small beige head. Aroma is indeed like a cross between a barley wine and lambic, with fermented out bready caramel, musty funk, and earthy leather. Flavour is weird, with lots of aged earthy funk, light leather, and fermented out bready malt. Unusual but I'm a fan of it. Obviously not an elite calibre lambic but fun to try.
Tried
from Draft
on 16 May 2023
at 11:58
7.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
20cl pour from 750ml shared with Ryan and Phill. Brewed in 2013, bottled in 2019. 100% spontaneously fermented, no additional sugars added, third iteration of the experiment to determine the highest ABV possible to achieve with spontaneous fermentation. Appearance: cloudy copper with no head. Aroma: sweet, caramel, some funk. Taste: very thick, funky, caramel, lots of wood. Overall: very nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 15 May 2023
at 09:10