Another new OWA lambic, consisting of young De Troch lambic infused with some or other Japanese ingredient – in this case, as per the very sketchy description on the label (‘Japanse kriek’) and the drawing on the front label, seemingly with Japanese cherries (‘sakura’) and thus a mere repetition of the Sakura Lambic they already made in 2012; in reality, however, ‘sakurambo’ was used, which is not cherries but Japanese black tea flavoured with Japanese cherries. A very big difference, so let this be a warning to those expecting an ‘oude kriek’ of sorts (like me before opening the bottle)! Bubbly, irregular, snow white, bit mousy but thin head with a disrupted waferthin veil in the middle, dissolving into as good as nothing over a misty deep ‘old gold’ beer with warm apricot hue, turning more clouded with sediment. Aroma of old dry grapefruit, bitter and tannin-rich black tea, furniture wax (maybe somehow related to the tea as well) and freshly polished wood, lemon zest, grass silage, crabapple, unripe green plum, wry grape skin, bitter garden weeds (dandelion, sow thistle), bread crumbs, dry cider – and no ‘real’ cherries. Estery onset, sour apples, unripe stonefruit, grape skin, soft in carbonation, slick and bit resinous mouthfeel; lactic tartness runs through the whole with a dry effect, but the ‘fruity’ acidity remains fairly soft in this one. Dry-bready base, strongly dried by tannins from the wood of the lambic barrels, but much more so by the tannins from the black tea, adding wryness, bitterness and quite some background complexity, as well as a ‘dark green’ herbal quality, almost like tree leaves. Straw bale-, white pepper- and old dry grapefruit peel-like impressions further adorn the finish, but again cherries as such remain all but absent. I’m curious to see how many more beer people will react to this one with confusion and incomprehension, expecting a cherry lambic… I personally would have presented this experiment differently with much less emphasis on the cherries – and much more on the black tea, which is not even mentioned on the label. Anyway, judged for what this really is – yet another weird and exotic OWA interpretation of our lambic heritage – I must say that I did like it, it has this ‘dark green’ bitter herbalness and very heavily tannic quality to it which is anything but easy (so this most certainly is not a beginners’ lambic!), but I was left with a feeling that I just ingested something beneficial to my health… An interesting one for sure, challenging and a bit bizarre as most of these OWA lambics are (especially the ones containing other ingredients than fruit).

One of three (again) new OWA lambics, this time with kumquat. Bottle with paper 'flower' as usual, bought from Etre Gourmet. Some loose off-white bubbles at the edge but no real head like a flat lambic; hazy yellow apricot golden robe. Aroma of candied orange peel, orange zest and indeed sour and bitter kumquat, vanilla-scented oak wood, crushed green gooseberries, yellow kiwi, cucumber, marmalade, stale sweat. Crisp, sour, fruity onset, lemony and evidently citric, softly carbonated, smooth wheaty and bready malty 'soil' dried by citric sourness as well as lactic tartness, unripe stonefruit note, with bitter kumquat peel in the end as well as a more vibrant, zesty citrus peel effect and lingering, not overly acidic yet crisp sourness. Interesting one - there are not many citrus lambics around and this is certainly the first one with kumquat, a fruit bringing both zesty elegance and sedate bitterness to the De Troch lambic; not as great as the mandarin or yuzu versions, I suppose, but nonetheless worth seeking out and to me among the better OWA lambics so far.

330ml bottle. Clear, mahongany colour with ruby glimmer and small to, frothy, half-way lasting, minimally lacing, beige head. Sweet-ish, yeasty fruity and malty aroma, hints of dried fruit, raisin, plum, minimally tangy and fruit acidic counterpart, whiffs of liquorice. Taste is slightly sweet, yeasty fruity and malty, notes of dried fruit, raisin, plum, tart-ish, fruit acidic and bitter hoppy counterpart, hints of lemon juice, fruit acidic aspects of red berries; well hidden alcohol. Watery, acidic (or lets say better even thinner than water) texture, minimally cloying palate, lingering, sweet-ish fruity finish. Quite rich and complex, the tart-ish counterpart contributes to relatively high drinkability. Concerning style somewhere between Belgian Dark Strong Ale and Sour Red/Brown. Really nice.

28/II/20 - 37.5cl bottle @ bottle share after the Blind Geuze Tasting, Struise Shop (Brugge), BB: XII/2024 (2020-196) Thanks to Erwin and all for sharing today’s beers!

SLOW GUSHER ALERT!
Clear yellowish beer, big fizzy aery white head, unstable, dissipates immediately. Aroma: pretty ba, very rubbery, weird, bitter impression. MF: ok carbon, medium body. Taste: lemony, dry, mouth puckering, lemon juice, little bitter, some orange peel. Aftertaste: pretty dry, orange peel, some tannins, bitter notes, good but not great.

Bottle split at L6 tasting, from Etre, 09/10/19. Hazed orange with a decent off white covering. Nose is lemon tinged straw, damp wood, light piss, funk, green berry skins, orange blossom. Taste comprises light funk, grape must, stoned fruits, hay bale, grass, barnyard esters. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, drying close with a light acidity level, balanced and in check. Good drop.

33 cl bottle. It pours dark amber, slightly cloudy, with a huge lacing, thick tan head. Aroma is lime blossom, molasses, honey. Mouthfeel is slick, sweetish, dense and medium-lasting, with hints of treacle.

375ml bottle at home. From Etre most likely. The aroma is musty, funk, wet hay, feta, fragrant, peppery spice, floral, pot pourri, herbal accents, gooseberry and white currant. The taste is dry, tart, puckering, zingy, lemon - lime, fragrant, floral, spicy, peppery juniper, gooseberry, herbal, tart white grape, lactic and a kick of acidity with a dry, spiced finish. Medium body and lightly carbonation. A unique combination for sure. Works pretty well to be honest. Novel.

Unclear golden with no head. Sour grains, massive fruity, massive lime, lime leaf, capers, soap, basil, parsley, somewhat goatcheese funk. Massive sour, mild bitter. Medium body and soft carbonation. File under the style Pepper Lambic Non Spicy!