Time flies - apparently it has been more than nine years already since I drove to Brussels to get a bottle of the very first public appearance of Lambiek Fabriek's very first creation (Brett-Elle), a treasured memory I must say. I have been following most of their output since and have more often than not been pleasantly surprised by what they have done, so I expect perhaps even more from this anniversary lambic blend, containing lambics brewed with peated malts. I suspect this particularity may even be a first: other 'peated lambics' have been made in the past four to five years, see e.g. Angerik's Cuvée Kluysbosch Islay Whisky (2022), Tilquin's 'whisky geuzes' (2025) or some of Publitasting's "Light Peated" editions, but all of those got their peaty character from ageing in peated whisky barrels - for as far as I can remember, no lambic has ever been brewed with actual peated malt (interestingly, Lambiek Fabriek made a peated whisky barrel aged geuze for a Walloon whisky producer recently too). From a 75 cl bottle with cork and crown cap as usual - the cork being wet and breaking in two during opening, but no harm done. Eggshell-white, thickly plaster-ish lacing, creamy and dense, utterly stable, quite thick head remaining closed for a very long time; initially clear, warm old golden robe with deep tangerine orange glow and a beautiful whirlwind of champagne-like sparkling rising up from the bottom of the glass, turning misty later on. Unique bouquet of indeed wet peat - hovering over it all like an elegant and almost 'exotic' perfume rather than bringing earthiness or iodine-like 'agression', preserved oranges, pickled gherkins, black radish, lemon rind, smoked paprika and paprika-spiced fried spareribs (the peaty effect again but turning spicy, almost vaguely like those Grills crisps by Lay's), green plum, crushed gooseberries, wet wood, old leather, persimmon, salami but also farmland or even - briefly and faintly - manure. Crisp, very tart onset, a tad puckering at first but then softening, with this lemony streak round impressions of gooseberry, unripe nectarine and green apple, lively carbonated but in a fine-bubbled way like a champagne, very minerally though, with this minerality refreshingly running through the whole. Supple, rounded, quite full mouthfeel, a smooth sourdoughy breadiness under lactic acidity and ongoing green fruit with brightly citric edges (preserved lemon rind), drying, while this peaty element creeps up retronasally, much more subtly than it did orthonasally, leaving a 'print' of smoked paprika and actual peat onto it all with a vaguely meaty touch - but, contrary to what I was expecting, not taking everything over; rather, it adds an extra layer of flavour and accentuates the spicy and fruity effects of the yeasts, including the leatheriness of the Brett. Further dryness in the finish with pronounced tannins - from wood, but here likely accentuated by the peatiness, and, all the way at the back, a firm underlying earthy old hop bitter element that carries the dryness of both the wild yeasts and the peat into a very long, satisfying finish. Experimenting with lambic - or with food and drink in general - is a tricky business, this could have gone terribly wrong if you ask me, but it did not: this is stunning not just in its uniqueness, but in the way it makes the (sometimes hated or dreaded) peaty flavour light, spicy, crisp and elegant instead of heavy, earthy and 'dark'. A worthy anniversary lambic, perhaps not the most accessible one, but one that is sure to please the seasoned craft beer drinker. Looking forward to the next ten years of Lambiek Fabriek!

Huge head, receding over fully hazy orange beer. Smoked, sulphur, peat, horseblanket. Sweet-sour, smoked - in very remarkably good balance. Bit mineral, almost seafruit. Restrained acidity, acidthinning, good carbonation, wheatslick. I had smoked gueuze befor, but this one excells.

Big bottle En Öl och Whiskeymässa 2026-04-17 Göteborg
AR: sour elegance, herbal, wee spicey, tart
AP: golden hazy, wee white lid
F: sour elegance, herbal, wee spicey, tart