Kiwi Lambic (Upland)
During the wintertime I abandon the notion of local produce and turn my eyes toward the tropical fruits. Being a Florida kid, I need my citrus, pineapple, and mango. I crave fresh lychee and starfruit. I need fruit that is generally not found naturally in the midwest. I try to buy local berries and whatnot when they are in season, but winter is a fruit free for all. I tried going without when I first moved here, and it was a disaster for all involved.
With winter winding down, I cracked open this oak-aged lambic that I bought last year. It was bottled 12/6/10 from batch 134-08 (handwritten on the label). The idea of a kiwi lambic appealed to me, not just because I love kiwis, but I thought it might give this lambic a unique taste. Kiwi is an interesting fruit. It's tart, can be a little earthy, the juiciness varies. I was excited to try this.
General Thoughts
Look and Smell: This was so very fragrant as it poured, with smells of kiwi and earthy peach-like sugars. It poured a hazy peach/orange color. I could hear the carbonation fizzling away. The head was thick and foamy, but dissipated in seconds. This brew had bonus bits o' kiwi (seed and all) preserved in the booze floating about.
Taste: It was tart and juicy. So good that no other picture could be taken. It was a bit musky from the fruit and from the oak. It had bit of fruit sweetness to it, but ended dry and tart. My mouth is watering as I type.
From the bottle:
Lambics have been made in Belgium for over 500 yrs, and we are honoring this tradition by brewing our own Indiana version. Upland lambics are fermented by wild yeast and aged in oak casks for over a year, which creates a tart, complex beer. We then add whole kiwis, giving the beer enticing aromas and flavors. The beer is bottle conditioned, which adds a zesty and refreshing carbonation. Upland lambic is the perfect drink to share with friends over a plate of good cheese and fresh fruit.
With winter winding down, I cracked open this oak-aged lambic that I bought last year. It was bottled 12/6/10 from batch 134-08 (handwritten on the label). The idea of a kiwi lambic appealed to me, not just because I love kiwis, but I thought it might give this lambic a unique taste. Kiwi is an interesting fruit. It's tart, can be a little earthy, the juiciness varies. I was excited to try this.
General ThoughtsLook and Smell: This was so very fragrant as it poured, with smells of kiwi and earthy peach-like sugars. It poured a hazy peach/orange color. I could hear the carbonation fizzling away. The head was thick and foamy, but dissipated in seconds. This brew had bonus bits o' kiwi (seed and all) preserved in the booze floating about.
Taste: It was tart and juicy. So good that no other picture could be taken. It was a bit musky from the fruit and from the oak. It had bit of fruit sweetness to it, but ended dry and tart. My mouth is watering as I type.
From the bottle:
Lambics have been made in Belgium for over 500 yrs, and we are honoring this tradition by brewing our own Indiana version. Upland lambics are fermented by wild yeast and aged in oak casks for over a year, which creates a tart, complex beer. We then add whole kiwis, giving the beer enticing aromas and flavors. The beer is bottle conditioned, which adds a zesty and refreshing carbonation. Upland lambic is the perfect drink to share with friends over a plate of good cheese and fresh fruit.
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