Today: Lambic by the Glass III at the Public House.

The lambic appreciation event runs in the Prost special events room from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. today.

The format's much the same as before, except that I've omitted a few items (they might yet appear, depending on demand) and organized the lambics according to style rather than brewery. My consideration in doing so is to provide the best overview. Also, there are only two price tiers this way, and we'll run less risk of wasting beer (shudder).

Here's the program for today.

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RICH O’S PUBLIC HOUSE PRESENTS: BELGIAN LAMBIC BY THE GLASS III
JUNE 24, 2006

For the third time, we’re going to be dispensing bottled Belgian lambic by the glass, with the goal of making it easier and less expensive for you to sample the olfactory joys of this style of rare, funky and challenging Belgian ale. If Lindemans Framboise is the only lambic you’ve ever tasted, you’re in for a tremendous surprise.

Lambic is brewed from a mash of barley and unmalted wheat, hopped with (intentionally) stale hops as preservatives, then transferred after boiling to large, flat, rectangular pans (cool ships) for overnight exposure to all the wild yeast the Belgian breeze can muster. Aging takes place in oak barrels previously used for wine, sherry or port. Unblended lambics are rare, but occasionally found within Belgium (see Cantillon Bruocsella below). Generally, batches of young and old lambic are blended to achieve house character, yielding Gueuze.

If fruit is added, as in the cases of local cherries (kriek) or raspberries (framboise or frambozen), a second fermentation occurs. Ideally, no sugar is added. The flavor characteristics of lambic, even with fruit added in the traditional manner, are dry and musty, and often with the tell-tale wild yeast aroma charmingly referred to as “horsehair blanket.” Bottle-conditioning provides effervescence.

(4-OZ POURS)

STRAIGHT LAMBIC … $4.00
Cantillon 1900 Bruocsella Grand Cru … 3-yr old, single batch, unblended, authentic lambic. Still; very little carbonation.

GUEUZE … $4.00
Cantillon Organic Gueuze … (DRAFT) a blend of one, two and three year old lambics.
Hanssens Oude Gueuze … flagship lambic blend.
Lindemans Cuvee Rene (Gueuze) … blend of various aged lambics.

FRAMBOISE … $4.00
Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus … fresh raspberries added to year and a half old lambic.
Lindemans Framboise (4-oz draft sample)

KRIEK … $4.00
Hanssens Oude Kriek …uses local black cherry pulp rather than whole fruit.
Lindemans Kriek

MISCELLANEOUS FLAVORED LAMBICS … $4.00
Cantillon Vigneronne … lambic fermented with Italian Muscat grapes.
Lindemans Cassis … flavored with currants.
Lindemans Peche … flavored with peaches.
(New) Lindemans Pomme … flavored with apples.

VINTAGE/SPECIALTY … $7.00
Cantillon Lou Pepe Framboise 2001 … Rare unblended Framboise – twice the raspberries than normal.

Cantillon Lou Pepe Kriek 2003 … Rare unblended Kriek – twice the cherries than normal.

Cantillon St. Lamvinus 2005 (we believe) … 2-year-old lambic fermented with French wine grapes

Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze 2001 & Drie Fonteinen Schaerbeekse Kriek
Vintage dated, classic blend of one, two and three year old lambic. Brewing has commenced at the Drei Fonteinen restaurant, but these lambics are the product of lambic brewers elsewhere and were blended at Drei Fonteinen. The Kriek includes copious quantities of rare, sour local cherries.