𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗲𝗿🍺 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹: Fruit Lambic (Lindemans Framboise)

Fruited sour beers are all the rage among American craft beer drinkers, but they're not the same as authentic Belgian fruit lambics. This style is a bit of a misnomer since these beers are really fruited gueuze (see our class about that style for the difference). Bret Baker from Urban Artifact Brewing joins me to review one of the most famous and readily-available examples of the style: Lindemans Framboise.

From the 2021 𝓑𝓙𝓒𝓟 𝓢𝓽𝔂𝓵𝓮 𝓖𝓾𝓲𝓭𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓼:
𝟮𝟯𝗙. 𝗙𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗰
𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻:: A complex, refreshing, pleasantly sour Belgian wheat beer blending a complementary fermented fruit character with a sour, funky Gueuze.
𝗔𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮: The specified fruit should be the dominant aroma, blending well with similar aromatics as Gueuze (same description applies, but with the addition of a fermented fruit character).
𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Like Gueuze, but modified by the color of the fruit used, fading in intensity with age. Clarity is often good, although some fruit will not drop bright. If highly carbonated in the traditional manner, will have a thick rocky, generally long-lasting, mousse-like head, sometimes with a hue reflecting the added fruit.
𝗙𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿: Combines the flavor profile of a Gueuze (same description applies) with noticeable flavor contributions from the added fruit. Traditional versions are dry and tart, with an added fermented fruit flavor. Modern versions may have a variable sweetness, which can offset the acidity. Fruit flavors also fade with age, and lose their vibrancy, so can be low to
high in intensity.
𝗠𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹: Light to medium-light body; should not be watery. Has a low to high tart, puckering quality without being sharply astringent. Some versions have a light warming character. Carbonation can vary from sparkling to nearly still.
𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Produced like Gueuze, with the fruit commonly added halfway through aging, so the yeast and bacteria can ferment all sugars from the fruit; or less commonly by adding fruit to a Lambic. The variety of fruit can sometimes be hard to identify since fermented and aged fruit is often perceived differently than the more recognizable fresh fruit. Fruit can
bring acidity and tannins, in addition to flavor and aroma; understanding the fermented character of added fruit helps with judging the style.
𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆: Same basic history as Gueuze, including the recent sweetening trend but with fruit in addition to sugar. Fruit was traditionally added by the blender or publican to increase the variety of beers available in local cafés.
𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗜𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Same base as Gueuze. Fruit added to barrels during fermentation and blending. Traditional fruit include tart cherries, raspberries; modern fruit include peaches, apricots, grapes, and others. May use natural or artificial sweeteners.
𝗦𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻: A Gueuze with fruit, not just a sour Fruit Beer; the wild character must be evident.
𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: The type of fruit used must be specified. The brewer must declare a carbonation level (low, medium, high) and a sweetness level (low/none, medium, high).
𝗩𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀: OG: 1.040 – 1.060
IBUs: 0 – 10 FG: 1.000 – 1.010
SRM: 3 – 7 (varies w/ fruit) ABV: 5.0 – 7.0%
𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀: 3 Fonteinen Schaerbeekse Kriek, Cantillon Fou’ Foune, Cantillon Lou Pepe Framboise, Cantillon Vigneronne, Hanssens Oude Kriek, Oude Kriek Boon
𝗧𝗮𝗴𝘀: standard-strength, pale-color, wild-fermented, western europe,
traditional-style, wheat-beer-family, sour, fruit

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