NEW: 3 Fonteinen Zenne y Frontera lambic

Experimenting with lambic is clearly on the rise. After SpontanBasil from Lindemans Brewery (Vlezenbeek) and Green Walnut from Stekerij Oud Beersel (Beersel), now Armand De Belder from 3 Fonteinen Brewery (Beersel) had the honour to present something new, in collaboration with sommelier Andy De Brouwer from Restaurant Les Eleveurs (Halle).

Zenne y Frontera

Spanish sherry casks

With pride they presented their < strong>Zenne y Frontera, a lambic aged in Spanish sherry casks. “In these casks rested authentic Oloroso and PX sherry for over forty years,” says Andy on Nieuwsblad.be. “In May 2012, I selected these vessels personally. Armand Debelder then filled them with his illustrious young lambic. After another year of maturation, the assembly was bottled on March 1st 2014, to rest then another 1.5 years in the bottle in the cellars of the brewery. Therefore, one bottle of Zenne y Frontera is 3.5 years work.”

“It’s incredible how the full aroma of the sherry and the strength of the wooden barrels give a sophisticated touch to the typical gueuze character of this beer. The beer has a touch of fruit, nuts and a fresh acid complexity that really comes into its own, if one carefully decants the bottle. I had in my mind an idea of ​​how the Zenne y Frontera could taste. The result is even better than expected“, beams Andy.

Fixed range

“It is the first time that the tradition of lambic and sherry is put together. In this respect, this new beer really is innovative. And that actually is not a coincidence”, said Andy De Brouwer. “There are a lot of similarities between the valleys of the Senne and those of the Frontera. In both regions is a kind of microflora that allows maturing in wooden barrels. Both regions have a centuries-old craft tradition developed. In my opinion, Zenne y Frontera is really the missing link between beer and wine.”

In total, Armand made 4,000 bottles of Zenne y Frontera, as an experiment. Because the result is so good and refined, there is no doubt that the beer will become a permanent fixture in the 3 Fonteinen range. For now, you can only taste the beer in Restaurant Les Eleveurs (Halle), but Andy has already received numerous requests from fellow sommeliers to be able to serve it in their business as well. So it looks as though the Zenne y Frontera will be a real gourmet product.

Zenne y Frontera

(Source: Ingrid Depraetere, www.nieuwsblad.be)

De Troch Oude Kriek in prerelease …

… on our Beer Weekend!

De Troch Oude Kriek
That’s right: brewer Pauwel of the De Troch Brewery (Wambeek) once again made an Old Kriek with more than 35% of Schaarbeekse sour cherries, at the request of his new American importer.

(For those who still remember it, the last ‘De Troch Oude Kriek’ dates back to the 80s!)

And now there is a new one. And we may serve it, on 29-30th of August 2015, at our Beer Weekend in the Visitors Centre ‘De Lambiek’ (Alsemberg). And that’s where YOU can taste it!  🙂

 

button Beer Weekend 2015: practical details

 

De Troch Oude Kriek

A large proportion (one third to be exact) will be exported directly to the United States, the rest will be distributed domestically but also in (the rest of) abroad. In total just over 40 hl is made, with lambic from March 2014, all bottled in 37.5 cl bottles.

Did you know since 2008 they use fresh (Schaarbeekse) sour cherries again at De Troch? In the Chapeau Kriek these are still getting mixed with cherry juice. Why don’t you come and taste them both next to each other, at our Beer Weekend: 29-30th of August at ‘De Lambiek’ in Alsemberg. We will welcome you there with a glass of … Oude Kriek De Troch, for example.

button Take a look at our Beer List 2015

button The Lambikstoempers Beer Weekend: how to get there?

Brewer Pauwel and Wanne at De Troch Brewery

Brewer Pauwel Raes and our president Wanne, at our visit of De Troch Brewery in 2013.

Oud Beersel presents Green Walnut lambic

Oud Beersel Green Walnut

New in the Oud Beersel gamma: Green Walnut, a lambic beer with green walnuts.

VIDEO: The making of …

Except ‘Schaarbeekse’ sour cherries, Gert Christiaens also has a lot of walnuts in his orchard. “We gathered these walnuts, now they’re still green, and added them to our lambic barrels”, explains Gert. “After fermentation in the bottle, the beer is called ‘Green Walnut’.”

Green Walnut is produced in a limited edition and is available now, while stocks last. The Oud Beersel Shop – Laarheidestraat 232 at 1650 Beersel – is open each saturday from 9 am to 2 pm, except on holidays.