Zythos Bierfestival 2010
Top Tastings 2010
ABV: 5%
Origin: Beersel, Vlaams Brabant, Vlaanderen
Website: http://www.oudbeersel.com
Oud Beersel brouwerij en geuzestekerij
Oud Beersel in the heart of Pajottenland’s lambic country was the brewery that unexpectedly came back. Originally named Vandervelden after the owning family, it closed its doors in 2002 when the last Vandervelden retired, but two beer enthusiasts, Gert Christiaens and Ronald de Bus, started a campaign to reopen it, buying the brand name and the brewery and contract brewing a non-lambic beer, Bersalis, to bring in a cash flow rather more quickly than the long maturation period of new lambic beer would have provided. At first the relaunched Oud Beersel acted as a geuzestekerij, blending old Vandervelden lambics and beers from other lambic brewers, but in Autumn 2007, as the brewery marked its 125th anniversary, the owners announced new lambics were once more being produced.
I’m not sure quite where the mature unblended lambic being served from polycask at the Oud Beersel stand at this year’s Zythos Bierfestival originated — it’s just possible it was one of the early revival brews, which would now have had over two years to mature. In any case it was a very rich and complex beer, and notably rounded and mild for the style.
It poured a still deep golden with no head, giving off a malty, woody, slightly petrolly aroma with grape juice and rough cider notes. A thick fruity sweet-sour palate started with peaches and then turned tart, lemony and woody, with a wonderfully animated sense of developing flavour. A citric swallow led to a rounded and full sappy finish with notes of apricot, mature cheese and nuts. Definitely a lambic on the mellower side but none the worse for it.
Read more about this beer at ratebeer.com: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/oud-beersel-oude-lambik/23561/
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