I've always wanted to go here, especially since its the same people behind Churchkey in DC. I also don't find myself in that part of the City that often.
@momo32t I've never done an event there unless you count tap takeovers. It's super convenient since you can order all kinds of food from the surrounding market.
Reminds me I've never tried any lambics as far as I know but I've always wanted to. I love fruit beers, sours, goses, berliner weisses so I imagine they'd be right up my alley. Honestly I just have no idea where to even look for them in my general area. Fancy ass bottle shops? But I do live about 1 hour 45 min from a place called Ebenezer's Pub in the middle of asscrack nowhere Maine. Apparently its a Belgian beer heaven and one of the best beer bars in the entire country so Im extremely tempted to make a trip up there after this winter to see what its all about.
Ebeneezer's is supposed to be amazing, it's a bit further for me but definitely on my bucket list. How close are you to Portland? Can you get to Novare Res easily? Oude Geuze | Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen ^This is what you want to start with, it wouldn't surprise me if you can find it at a couple nice beer stores in Maine and honestly it's pretty much the platonic ideal of the style.
Yeah my local Whole Foods carries Drie Fonteinen, Oud Beersel, and I think Lindeman’s. @mattav152 - Speaking of Lindeman’s, you might find some of their sweetened lambics. They’re like 2.5% or something. They aren’t bad but very sweet and not a great representation of the best the style has to offer.
Happened upon this at the grocery store yesterday and had a couple last night. Remarkably smooth and drinkable, especially for a 9%.
Thanks for the heads up! I'll have to get over to the whole foods near me when I get a chance. I've seen Lindeman's around here and there but I know its not the same as most other takes on the style and is way more sugary since they use syrups instead of fresh fruit. I did some research and luckily theres some great bottle shops in Portland (ME) so I should be able to get some good gueuzes like 3F or Tilquin there. Allagash is close by too. They makes their own 'lambic' style beers but they call them coolship ales since they're not made in Belgium so thats something I might try to grab too once I manage to find time to get over there.
Allagash is one of the best breweries in the country so worth getting anything they put out. And yes, their coolship beers are great. Also highly recommend Novare Res for trying out any style of beer you want. And they have a huge lambic list if you're interested in those
Loooved it there when I went a few years ago before I lived up here and their pours were super cheap from what I remember, but I was way less knowledgeable and less adventurous with what I want to drink so I really should go back. I have a whole list of ME spots to check out, including them, Oxbow and a crap load of others in that area. Novare Res is at the top of my list! Their selection looks incredible
However, Lindeman’s Oude Gueuze Cuvee Rene and Oude Kriek Cuvee Rene are both good representations of the style and probably less expensive than other options. Not as good as 3F or Tilquin but definitely solid. The Allagash coolship series is good, but doesn’t taste quite the same as lambic to me. I’d love to get out to Portland, ME but I’m in the San Francisco area.
I loveee Coolship Resurgam. Honestly, I would say quality wise it holds its own in comparison to the real deal.
I forget where I read this, but I saw discussion either on BA or one of the way too many beer fb groups I'm in about how the demise of Shelton Brothers has really turned on the floodgates with lambic availability here. And like, I hadn't really thought too hard about it, but it's absolutely true. It took until last winter for me to luck into being able to find Cantillon Fou Foune at all and I've probably seen it on a near monthly basis since.
Fou Foune has been elusive for me. I have been able to get bottles of Rose, Kriek, Gueze and St. Lam at decent prices here in NYC.
Have you been to Grand Delancey? When I was there in the spring, the Cantillon bottles weren't on the menu, but I believe they always have some and Fou seems to be catching up to the others in terms of general availability. Might have some luck there, can't speak to pricing though. (Fwiw, paid $60 at a bar in Boston.) Rose is better imo, but could just be a preference for raspberries.
Last couple of bottles of Rose I’ve had were on the overly acidic side, but that was the first beer I ever fell head over heels for. Lately I’ve seen St. Lam more frequently than Fou, but a couple years ago Fou was easier to find. Would really like to splurge on a bottle of St. Lam but money’s tight right now and I haven’t been able to justify it.
I love that my local Whole Foods and local liquor store carry 4pk cans of Saison Dupont now. Such a well-executed beer.
Was a lot easier to get some of these than I originally thought. Worth the hour drive to Portland and the place I went (Bier Cellar) had an insanely deep collection of stuff to choose from between local New England beer/cider and imports. Seriously could've spent well over $200 if I didnt have self control. Ended up with a nice collection of bottles for the holidays: 3F Framboos Saison Dupont Allagash Coolship Resurgam Koelbus Un Petite Peu Plus Bleu (Brewed by the owner of Liquid Riot in a school bus converted into a koelschip) Absolem Rose Cider Not pictured because I drank it before I took this photo - Plan Bee Farm Brewery's Barn Beer (wild fermented ale) 10/10 would recommend