Kestemont has been quite proliferous in its relatively brief existence so far, tackling all the classic lambic genres and more - so a framboise, the single most classic type of fruit lambic after kriek, could not be missed. Insufficiently filled (!) corked bottle of 37.5 cl, bought at Huis van de Geuze. Some loose, off-white bubbles form an ephemeral ring during pouring - but it takes quite some forcing and it vanishes as quickly as it came; initially clear, warm 'onionskin' amber-orange with coppery tinge, like a glass of Malbec-based rosé wine, suddenly turning cloudy in the end, with vaguely brownish tinge. Aroma of actual garden-harvested raspberries and raspberry bushes, sundried tomatoes, redcurrants, oxidized dry white wine, rose petals, some light oak, apple skin, kefir, background accents of green onion, pickled mussels, moss, stale sweat, wild chanterelles, minerals. Unmistakable raspberry in the onset, tart and 'tomato-like' as it tends to be in beer, but not overpowering and on the 'thinnish' side, leaving room for the lambic esters (wild apple, gooseberry, redcurrant) to unfold too; the relatively mild carbonation - for a bottled fruit lambic - adds to the overall feeling of lightness, supple vinosity and almost 'summery' fleetingness, but make no mistake: a firm lactic acidity runs under it all, fused with a bready grain core and scented with quite a bit of Bretty funk (overripe onion, sweat, mushroom). Woody tannins assist the tannic effects of the fruit in creating finishing astringency; the raspberry flavour, though perhaps a tad less 'thick' and dominant than in many other raspberry lambics I had, remains a constant presence from beginning to end but flares up more brightly in the very end, with a raspberry vinegar-ish sour streak, yet not descending into harsh acerbity. Altogether very elegant and smooth, and, more than anything perhaps and in line with most other Kestemon fruit lambics, feeling very genuine, natural and 'homemade' - as if looking back into the domestic past of fruit beer in general. Framboises are not usually my preferred subgenre of fruit lambic but they are a very classic and important part of it, and this one surely pleased me in its relative simplicity paired with efficiency and elegance.

Kestemont venturing into blueberry lambic territory - apparently with certain hesitation, as they refer to this beer as being "experimental", though of course blueberry lambics have been in existence for years, though never in great numbers; one of Cantillon's still most coveted lambics, Blåbær, can be seen as the archetype I guess - note that 'blueberry' is the name given to several North American species whereas the Eurasian species is more typically called 'billberry', but given that we are in Europe here, I think it is safe to say that both this one and its famous predecessor use the same fruit... Anyway, on to the 37.5 cl corked bottle with - of course - blue label: moussey, dense, off-white to very slightly pinkish, audibly crackling, slowly opening and thinning head on an initially clear, beautifully amber-orange robe with slight vermillion glow, hazy and more deeply vermillion further on. Aroma of indeed fresh blueberries and quite explicitly so (more purely so than I had in most other blueberry lambics even - and that includes Blåbær), cold rosehip tea, bergamot and perfumey-soapy lavender even, oxidized green apple slices, purple gooseberries, old wood, blood orange, dark green tree leaves, unsugared fruit yoghurt, Roosvicée, fresh tarragon somehow, rhubarb, wet leather. Very fruity onset in a very genuine way, blueberries all over, with their soft juicy tartness, spicy undertones and almost tea-like herbaceousness, flanked by impressions of plum and rhubarb, but altogether 'mals' and fleshy; moderate carb (perhaps even a bit soft for a bottled fruit lambic - something I had in other Kestemonts as well), yet full and vinous body. Slick bready core, very yoghurty lactic tartness in a soft and fruity way, as if wanting to accentuate the ripe berry fruitiness already present; increasing astringency towards the finish, with the tannins of the wood amplified by tannic effects from the berry skins and seeds, but retaining its fruity juiciness and dominant berry flavours till the very end. Some funkiness appears, in a leathery and hayish way, but it too allows for the fruit to keep shining as brightly as it did from the start, carrying along this perfumey, tea- and almost lavender-like quality which some could perhaps find a bit over the top, even though it is apparently far less strong retronasally than orthonasally. Proteins, probably from the fruit more than the lambic, linger at the back, creating a somewhat meaty effect. The features of the actual lambic, constituting this backbone of tartness, esteriness, woodiness and funkiness, remain relatively modest - for a fruit lambic - but the blueberries make up for a lot here: this concoction shouts 'blueberries' (or indeed 'billberries') from beginning to end and conveys their typical flavours very 'loudly', even accentuating that herbal quality that always strikes me when I eat them (I have an actual shrub on my terrace here in Ghent) - to the point where it becomes almost perfumey and lavender-like. Very distinct even in comparison with other blueberry lambics (not just the famous Blåbær but also e.g. De Cam's Wilde Bosbessen or Tilquin's Myrtille Sauvage), but on the down side, it does lack a bit in basic lambic complexity, which can be said of other Kestemont fruit lambics as well.

Small whitish rim over metallic orange-golden beer, not very carbonated. Sherry, peach in the nose, mild lactic acid. Again peach. Almost seems peach lambic. And strangely, not much else. Faraway milkripe wheat, almost sweetish. Acidthinning, some -burn, and bit wheatslick. Thinner - not only of body but also of flavour. Misses some complexity for a true Oude Geuze. Txs to Stef!

Flaska från Etre Gourmet. Disig gyllengul vätska utan skum. Låg kolsyra och syra, lätt oxiderad med mineraler, svavel jämte sedvanlig lambicfunk, strå, stall och citrus. Även gröna omogna druvor, krusbär och rabarber. Trevlig

15 September 2024. At 16de Brugs Bierfestival. Cheers to Anke, Kevin & Jerre!

Brambleberries, redcurrant, blueberries, hay, leather. Sour brambleberry & blackcurrant, bitter berry skins. Tart finish of berries and soft vinegar. Very fruity, pleasant, not aggressive.

Very pale red colour with no head. Very floral aroma perhaps slightly herbal too. Slightly funky.

Amber colour with light haze and thin head. Really tart with citric notes and blackcurrant. Also a subtle sweetness in the background.

Hazy yellow colour with fluffy head. Lots of wood and sherry notes. Full mouthfeel. Touch of vinegar sharpness.

Clear golden colour with quick fading head. Quite tart and lemony at first. Soft woodiness. Good but not super complex.

pours clear, darker amberblonde. Scent is full, sharp and dry. Brett and wood. Taste is sharp, dry, bit astrigent. very woody. Mild bourbon like profile. Acidic back. Nice