Collab with two of America’s pioneering sour ale producers (among other styles of course), two legendary names, Russian River and Allagash – which, in the context of this year’s Quintessence event, sent over their own sour ales to have them blended with Cantillon lambic. Beautiful label too – it must be said. Egg-white, moussy, opening and dissolving head, leaving nothing behind eventually; misty old-golden robe with beige tinge. Aroma of bitter fruit peel, grapefruit zest, grape seeds, quinine, wood, dandelion to even bitterroot or mugwort, unripe green plum, raw quince, granite-like minerality. Dry and crisp onset, soft carb, rounded and vinous mouthfeel; aspects of unripe green plum, grape skin and apple core astringently penetrate a bread-crusty backbone, further dried by strong lactic acid and tannic woodiness. Aspects of dried fruit (like dried apricot) linger at the back, soon overshadowed by hoppy effects, adding a quinine- and dandelion-like bitterness with even a somewhat citric edge; it accentuates the bone dry effects of this astringent unripe stonefruit and sour grape flavour. Clearly a hoppy U.S. signature is present here, in quite an expressive, robust way, but the Cantillon lambic proves powerful enough to take up its part of the blend without being overruled by the others. Wild, powerful and colourful blend, with doubtlessly very high ageing potential. Glad I had this one!