Lindemans Brewery was founded on a family run farm in 1822. By 1930 farming actives stopped due to the demands on the production of their lambic beer.
Lindemans produces its lambic beer in a traditional manner by allowing the wild yeast and bacteria to to inoculate and ferment the wort. The beer is allowed to ferment for one to three years. This produces a beer that is tart and acidic, much like wine is. Fruit can be added to produce a fruit flavour beer.
Kriek
From the brewery: “In origin, this sweet-acid drink was obtained by adding fresh black cherries to a barrel Lambic of 6 months young. The addition of fruits provokes a new fermentation in the oak barrels. After another 8 to 12 months, only peels and stones left and the Kriek-Lambic is ready to be filtered and bottled.”
Appearance: deep red with next to no head and crystal clear.
Aroma: lots of cherries. Slight funk, a little earthy. No malt or hops in the aroma.
Taste: cherries. Little tart and a bit sweet, but not too over powering. Clean and refreshing.
Mouthfeel: light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: nice and refreshing, easy to drink. Well made and a nice balanced flavour. Excellent.
80/100
Frambois
From the brewery: “Long before hops were common in most beers, various fruits and vegetables were used to season beers. The acidity of Lambic beers blends perfectly with raspberries. Taste: Magnificent aroma, delicate palate of raspberries with undertones of fruity acidity; elegant, sparkling clean natural taste.”
Appearance: deep ruby red. No head at all. Can see a bit of carbonation in the glass.
Aroma: strong raspberry aroma, not much else.
Taste: loads and loads of raspberry. A touch of malt. No funk and a bit of tart. Balanced with the sweet.
Mouthfeel: light bodied. Moderate carbonation.
Overall: refreshing clean and fruity. Tasty, but maybe a bit on the artificial side (whether thats actually artificial or just a perception), but otherwise not too bad.
76/100
Faro
From the brewery: “A version of Belgium’s “wild-fermented” wheat beer, which is the result of blending Lambic of “one summer” with old Lambic and chaptalized with candy sugar. Faro is an intriguing balance of wineyness and sweetness. This was probably the beer being served in Breugel’s paintings of Flemish Village Life.”
Appearance: golden in colour. Very clear with a sight head.
Aroma: funk is the first thing that comes through. Theres a bit of malt and a little caramelly sweetness.
Taste: this one is sweet. Theres a bit of apricot and a little burnt sugar on a back of the tongue.
Mouthfeel: light bodied. Sugary slickness and light carbonation.
Overall: a bit sweet for my palette. Unique in the family of lambic beers, for sure. This would be best as a dessert beer with the sweeter flavour.
65/100
Cuvee Rene
From the brewery: “Before the bottling of the Gueuze, a blend is made of 2/3 young Lambic and 1/3 old Lambic. The right ratio young/old is depending on the maturation degree (end attenuation) of each of them. The bottles, with the wild-spontaneous yeast flora, are refermented in the cellar (Method Champenoise). After 6 months the Gueuze obtains a golden color and a cidery, winey palate; reminiscent, perhaps, of dry vermouth with a more complex and natural flavour.”
Appearance: clear and pale gold. Nice bit of carbonation and a good bit of head that fades quickly.
Aroma: sweet summer fruit. Pears. A touch of funk. Just a hint of malt.
Taste: a bit of tart/funk, a bit bitter (not hop bitterness, but a tart bitterness). A bit of leather. Some apple notes.
Mouthfeel: light bodied, and a good bit of carbonation.
Overall: not as flavourful as I was expecting. Honestly, I’m underwhelmed, but not totally disappointed with this beer. I psyched myself up and it just wasn’t what I expected, but not bad. Its a decent lambic, but not the best I’ve had.
75/100
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