Caveat Emptor:
Before we start I should say LINDEMAN'S Framboise comes in two very different versions. One is the tap/draft version that they serve at the Ginger Man, which is mild and boring in flavor. The alcohol content is also rather low- about 2% ABV. The color is very pale (pinkish) as well. I've never seen this uninspiring version in a 750ml bottle, but I have (unluckily) faced it once in the 355ml bottle without the cork. I highly recommend that you avoid Lindeman's Framboise on tap, and instead get this in a 750ml bottle. If you do, your find should live up to its reputation. In my experience, the most reliable version is found in a 750ml bottle sealed with a cap *and* cork for safety of seal during export. IMHO, this 750ml version is the one true LINDEMAN'S Framboise of legendary status, and will be the only LINDEMAN'S Framboise I will be reviewing hereafter.
Vive La Difference:
In my opinion and experience, LINDEMAN'S Framboise is the most romantic fruit beer ever brewed. I've never found anything to match this one. Few beers can even come close to the raspberry nirvana this lambic brings. Many first-time tasters will find it tough to believe this is in fact a beer. That's because it's a far cry from what most people think of when they think of beer. It's Belgian, and luckily for me the Belgians have a very different concept of beer, called lambic.They do use hops in this, four times the amount used in other beers. It tastes (to some) like there are no hops because they use low-bitterness varieties to begin with, which are then further mellowed by aging. This special fruit brew avoids the bitterness of normal beer.
History and Process:
Lambics like LINDEMAN'S Framboise are brewed with famous Belgian wild yeasts, by fermenting wheat and malt in open vats in cool shelters. The wild yeasts and airborne microflora (similar to those found in unpasteurized milk) around the town of Lembeek, Belgium make the grains ferment. It's rather like making a sourdough starter. These microflora include lactobacillus, brettanomyces, enterobacter, and pediococcus. They produce a tart "off" flavor, yielding a unique, "wild beer." After the grain mash (called wort) starts bubbling, a huge pile of whole raspberries are added. The beer is then fermented in open vats. After the 1st fermentation slows, even MORE berries are added for a second ferment in sealed oak casks. The ale stays there for a year to mellow. It is bottled, carbonated without using any sugar (a mystery, but I'd guess they use light caramel malt and berry concentrate), and finally shipped to the US. This is rather like making wine from a beer base; Belgians are creative! I used to wonder about the high price, even compared to other imports, but now I know what exactly I'm paying for. Any Belgian beer that's aged 1-3 years and shipped sealed with a cork, instantly has my respect.
Appearance:
Pouring this sparkling liquid gem into a wine or champagne glass showcases a velvety deep, opaque, magenta-ruby bubbly drink with a hint of purple. On top there appears a slender, tempting, innocent looking "maiden" head of blushing pink foam. Later on this foam will form a very pretty Belgian lace as it clings to the sides of the glass. [PESSIMISM STEALTH EDIT: DON'T BE A BITCH DRINK IT FROM THE DAMN BOTTLE]
The Taste:
Now that you know just how magical this drink can be, sip it. It should have warmed up a wee bit; this is a good thing. If you drink LINDEMAN'S Framboise at fridge temp the flavors come out a bit too tart and flat tasting. If you don't make some exclamation of surprise at the first taste, you must be tongue-tied with raspberry overload. It tastes -overwhelmingly- like fresh, tart RASPBERRIES with a hint of hop. Malt? What malt? I can barely find it, but there *is* a stealthy, soft, light caramel-malt nuance hiding in the sweet finish. Have no fears if you're afraid of the usual "Lambic" sourness, funkiness, or "weirdness"...this beer overwhelms all that with its gobs of berries, at least as far as I can tell.
Neat Beer tricks:
When you're finally released from the raspberry spell, you'll eventually notice a light and very fine carbonation. The bubbles in this ale are tiny, *much* more like those in champagne than those in soda. Most tasters don't detect the malty, hoppy, "beery" flavors characteristic of most ales. Resembling a sparkling berry wine rather than a beer, fruit lambics, like LINDEMAN'S Framboise, are sweet-tart, and amazing. Since the alcohol content in the 750ml version is still a bit low (~3.5- 4% ABV) it's also less likely to give you a hangover or beer belly, *if* you can manage to only drink 12 oz! I confess I cannot avoid a second glass. If this is too sweet or fruity for you by itself, it's also a fun blending beer. Mix it half and half with your favorite pale ale, porter, or stout, and enjoy the transformation! If it isn't "lambic" enough for ya, mix it with a Gueuze for stunning results!
Don't worry Grant, I plan to not have enough to get drunk! A few beers shall be my limit on this occasion!
