Cantillon
Just saying the word “Cantillon” to beer lovers can cause their eyes to roll back in their heads as sense memories of pleasure and tartness overwhelm their brains. A stalwart of tradition located in southern Brussels, Cantillon only brews lambics and gueuze – along with a few modern variations, built on the same tart base. All fermentation is done the old fashioned way: using naturally occurring wild yeasts, aged for up to three years. Every beer they make is bone dry, mouth puckeringly tart, and may take some getting used to for the uninitiated.
The brewery doubles as a museum, which is a giant leap back in time. So why don’t you join me for a tour of the space – plus, there is a tasting at the end.
Ah yes, the tasting. We tried two of their beers – a organic gueuze and their kriek - which is made with cherries. The gueuze is very dry and very tart, with a slight lemony finish. At first sip, my mouth flooded with saliva, in response to the acid level in the beer. The kriek is just as dry, but pulls a head fake as the sweetness of the fruit says “sweet” but the taste says “acid.”
Sadly, when it came to drinkable souvenirs, they were sold out of just about everything. That’s OK, my bag was pretty packed with Drie Fonteinen anyway.
Tags: Belgium, brussels, cantillion
September 10th, 2010 at 7:24 am
“They’ve expanded and updated the brewhouse (but importantly, not their brewing process), but their old equipment is now preserved as a museum.”
Really? I thought they just ran the brewery as a museum and what you saw (what I saw too a couple months ago) was it.
September 10th, 2010 at 8:45 am
I went back and looked, and think you may be right. Corrected.
September 11th, 2010 at 9:39 am
I was in Brussels last year and tried to stop by but they were closed for some damn Belgian holiday. Ruined my day… Just seeing this post makes me want to crack something open though, and I’ve got some Geuze, Kriek, Iris, and Bruocsella 1900 sitting in the closet just waiting to be chilled down.
September 13th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
YES. such fun…thanks for the lovely pics and tour down memory lane!
November 21st, 2010 at 6:38 pm
“We tried two of their beers” What? You are at Cantillon and are only trying two beers when they generously pour eight to ten beers, including the wonderful Zwanze (“silly”) beers brewed each year with unique ingredients. This is the place to taste unique beers like Vigneronne, Fou’ Foune, Saint Lamvinus and Lou Pepe. Tip for beer lovers: when you are done with the tasting at Cantillon, walk to Moeder Lambic (Place Fontainas 8) and keep on tasting unique beers from small Belgian producers (the food there is also very good).
November 21st, 2010 at 11:27 pm
@ epices6
Oh, we would have loved to had more. and I begged and pleaded:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jwfriedman/4898601804/in/set-72157624614504043/
But that’s not to say that’s all the Cantillon we had on the trip – just at the tasting room.