“For this bottling of the old geuze mega blend 2019, 8 different breweries and studs have mixed lambic together. This mega blend was specially made for the 12th edition of Tour de Geuze and will have matured in the bottle for more than 6 months on the day of the Tour de Geuze 2019. The mixture contains Lambic that was 1, 2 and 3 years old when filling the bottles. Featuring a mix of lambics from 8 producers: 3 Fonteinen, Boon, De Oude Cam, De Troch, Hanssens, Lindemans, Oud Beersel, Tilquin and Timmermans. HORAL is the High Council for Artisanal Lambic Beers a non-profit organisation that represents gueuze producers in the Payottenland and the Valley of the Senne in Belgium.”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: Just a forewarning…open slowly! The caging was literally the only thing keeping the cork in the bottle! It pours a bold amber hue with a fizzy thumb of head. Steady reduction and minimal lace as we imbibe.

Aroma: As classic as traditional Lambic could be…ultra funked up, sour apple/cider, lemon juice, white vinegar, stanky cheese cave, unripened peach, white grapes and what we can only describe as pure lactic acid. Some floral perfumes also getting amongst it. Getting that crystalized sugary sweetness which reminds us of lemon sherbet. Big love!

Flavour: Oh wow the sourness is much more restrained than we anticipated…it’s actually more funky than it is sour. We get horse blanket, cheese cave, yeast esters, crisp sour apple and or cider front and center. Unripened stonefruit i.e nectarine, peach skins along with lemon sherbet as a customary late arrival to finish.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, frothy, light on. It’s very highly carbonated, akin to champagne at times. The 7% ABV goes largely unnoticed. Pucker rating…hhmm…a 3/5 we reckon.

Overall: The idea that 8 of the worlds best Lambic producers would get together to brew one amazing beer is enough to wet out pants. The fact that it (expectedly) comes through is even better. We have one question though…where the hell is Cantillon?!