Geuze Pajottegem

After 't Parlement Halle and De Bascule, another geuze created by a pub owner (in direct cooperation with the brewery), thereby taking part in the traditions surrounding the origins of geuze, perhaps unknowingly; this one contains only Lambiek Fabriek lambics and is named after the newly merged municipality of Pajottegem, which has been in existence for only a couple of months and includes Gooik, Galmaarden and Herne. Not legally an 'oude' geuze, as no three year old lambic was used - but who cares. Thick and frothy, densely moussey, egg-white, cobweb-lacing, slowly receding but generally very stable head on a misty warm peach blonde robe with orangey glow. Aroma of drying lemon peel, old furniture, green plum, peach kernels, gooseberries, unripe orange, cava, redcurrant, goat cheese, kefir, dried out sunflower seeds, jute rope, grandmother's old closet and cobwebbed attic, wet blue limestone, acerola, aged pecorino romano warming up. Crisp, 'juicy' onset, very refreshing with lots of lively, colourful acidic effects, but nothing vinegary; instead an array of sour fruits unfolds, from wild apple and green plum over acerola to redcurrant, all flanked by a lemony edge with vividly citric effect; this lemony-citric aspect strongly accompanies the rest of the flavours, in a very effervescent, minerally carbonated environment, as befits a good geuze. A bread-crusty backbone is dried by lactic acidity only enhancing that fruitiness and citrusiness, as well as by pronounced tannic woodiness; all the while this crisp lemon sourness preserves its full force. In the finish, a deep, earthy but altogether quite outspoken 'old' hop bitterness is added, further accentuating dryness; retronasally, Brettanomyces effects of dry hay, old leather and sweat gently set in, funky in a good, well-measured way, while this aged pecorino flavour lingers a bit after swallowing. Bottled only recently, this new geuze has all the characteristics of any good example of the style, and manages to bring them to perfect balance. This geuze is funky and woody, but also crisp, citrusy and fruity - with a tad more bitterness than average perhaps, but this element fits in remarkably well. Intended to be as accessible as possible to a larger audience, I think this is not as accessible as it set out to be: this is a fully grown geuze which withholds nothing of the typical features that constitute any decent example of the style - it can stand comparison with most of the standard traditional geuzes on the market, and more. Even better than expected, really - already at this young age... Cheers to Lambiek Fabriek, whom I have loved and followed from the very day their first 'little' geuze Bret-Elle was presented to the public. Recommended.