Brouwerij Liefmans Frambozenbier
84 / 100I had this on-tap at Lucky Baldwins Belgian Beerfest a few years back but haven't seen it again until I was in Toronto this summer.
What I remember liking about this was the subtleties of the raspberry flavor. The more popular raspberry favorite, Lindemans Framboise is far too sweet. Unlike the Lindemans, the Liefman’s offering is not made as a traditional lambic so it’s considered a fruit beer – though it’s quite similar.
The bottle comes in an almost tissue paper wrapper. When poured the dark, murky purple liquid forms a slight pink head in the wine glass. The aroma is of tart raspberry that grows in strength as it warms. The sweetness of the fruit hits the tongue first and is immediately followed by a strong tart finish. It’s never too sweet nor too tart. It’s sounds odd, but the taste is rather refreshing.
Since my return, I’ve seen this in a few more locations so perhaps it’s gaining wider distribution. This is a good thing.
why it no traditional lambic? i remember lucky baldwin person said this (or rather the liefman kriek) was closer to the traditional lambic, i.e. not too sweet.
Posted by
susan |
1:34 PM
yoony: The tartness/sourness of a beer isn't the only indication of whether or not it's a traditional lambic. In the case of Liefmans, their beers are not lambics because they are not brewed using the open vat & wild bacteria method that defines the lambic style. Their flagship beer, Liefmans Goudenband, is a Flemish sour ale, and their Frambozenbier is Goudenband with fresh raspberry juice added during the fermentation. It's tart because Flemish sour ales are tart, but it's not a lambic.
Posted by
Anonymous |
10:53 AM