February 20, 2012


Can anyone figure out what is wrong with this picture?


February 18, 2012

Eylenbosch (part 2)


Two summers ago I also got a chance to sample another Eylenbosch product thanks to a friend (thanks Max!) . Usually, it is difficult to figure out what old bottle of lambic you have because it is missing a label. However, in this case the we had a label but it did not tell us much. This was supposedly a 1982 bottle, so we did a little snooping. We have a label, we have an atypical 750mL flip-top bottle, and we went searching.

I went on the great resource that is the Burgundian Babble Belt to ask for assistance. The brewer and lambic encyclopedia Frank Boon was sure this was also a Faro. Here is my rating:

750mL swing-top bottle with a green and white label that simply states "lambic." Prying the rusted swing-top leads to a slight pop. The pour produces almost no head, just some bubbles. Aroma presents with oxidization that has created a very "cheap" lambic aroma that has just some faintly sour aspects. After smelling the beer I expected the worst for the flavor. Fortunately, the flavor is much more tart and lively. Some stronger sourness is present and only a light oxidization is apparent. The the tartness sits at the bottom of my throat for a while. I found the beer too tart and sour in the flavor to be to be such an old Faro (~28 years old at the time of consumption), which was stronger than the 1988 Eylenbosch Faro Extra. Still had plenty of life for almost 30 years old. It was a very fun experience and the oldest lambic I have every consumed.

February 15, 2012



What is Faro? Take your traditional lambic and add of sugar, simply put. They are usually well-carbonated and sweeter than gueuze.

A few years ago I got a hold of a 1988 Faro from a closed brewery, Eylenbosch. It was a cool experience, here are some pictures and my review of it.



750mL bottle pours a clear copper with no head but visible carbonation.


Aroma is signature Faro, in a good way. Both the sweetness and the barnyard funk of a lambic are slightly muted. Just light sweetness, does not presently poorly (probably hiding the age). The lambic aspect is leafy with barrel wood apparent, and some olive-like flavors (which I attribute to age). A nice lightly sour, lightly dry aftertaste. The body is light and the beer goes down very easily. I doubt too many Faros can age this well and I am surprised with this bottle. Just a little bit of sediment, almost none, at the end of the bottle. I suspect the Faro must have been pasteurized, otherwise live lambic and sugar would lead to a bottle bomb. The sugar must be fighting slow oxidation from becoming apparent while the lambic is still detectable.

To place it in a tier, I enjoyed this old Faro a little more so than the Girardin, Cantillon, and Lindeman's and a good standard deviation above Boon's version. The only other fresh Faro I liked as much was surprisingly the Mort Subite version I had on tap at the cafe.

Photos courtesy of my buddy Andy D.










check out craftbeerkc.com