Cantillon Iris
The Cantillon brewery is closely linked to Brussels, a city which has the iris as its symbol. As the name indicates, the "marsh iris" is a plant growing in humid areas. The historical center of Brussels is built on swamps where this flower used to grow abundantly.
In 1998, the Brussels Museum of the Gueuze celebrated its 20th anniversary. The Cantillon brewery decided to make a new spontaneous fermentation beer for this occasion, named after this symbolic flower.
It is a completely original beer which, contrary to the other products of the Brewery, is not brewed with 35% of wheat. The Iris, which is only made with malt of the pale ale type (giving a more amber colour to the beer) conserves the typical flavour of the spontaneous fermentation, the complex aromas and the vinous taste.
The hopping is different too. Lambic is made with 100% dried hops, for the Iris we use 50% of dried hops and 50% of fresh hops. The latter cause a superb acidity, the former, due to their tannins, enable to conserve the beer while preserving all its qualities.
After two years in the barrel, the Iris undergoes a second fresh hopping two weeks before the bottling. A linen bag, filled with hops, is soaked in the beer for two weeks. This technique, called "cold hopping", gives the beer a more intense savour and makes the smell and the taste more bitter.
In 1998, the Brussels Museum of the Gueuze celebrated its 20th anniversary. The Cantillon brewery decided to make a new spontaneous fermentation beer for this occasion, named after this symbolic flower.
It is a completely original beer which, contrary to the other products of the Brewery, is not brewed with 35% of wheat. The Iris, which is only made with malt of the pale ale type (giving a more amber colour to the beer) conserves the typical flavour of the spontaneous fermentation, the complex aromas and the vinous taste.
The hopping is different too. Lambic is made with 100% dried hops, for the Iris we use 50% of dried hops and 50% of fresh hops. The latter cause a superb acidity, the former, due to their tannins, enable to conserve the beer while preserving all its qualities.
After two years in the barrel, the Iris undergoes a second fresh hopping two weeks before the bottling. A linen bag, filled with hops, is soaked in the beer for two weeks. This technique, called "cold hopping", gives the beer a more intense savour and makes the smell and the taste more bitter.
3.9
1431 reviews
Brussels, Belgium
Community reviews
Cloudy amber color, white head. Grapes nose, floral, basement, citrus with a hint of mandarin orange. Sour taste, floral, basement, complex, tart grapes, vinegar. Medium body, soft carbonation.
9, 4, 9, 4, 18
Pours red golden hazy foam white, Aromas of Citrus vinegar stable flower, tastes bitter a lightly sour
Bottle from Billie's bottle shop shared, pouring brownish color. Aroma of malts, tartiness, earthy notes, funk, grapes, fruitiness. Quite malty and earthy, with moderate tartness, not highly tart. Slightly on the dry side, tart fruity and earthy aftertaste ending on a funky notes. Excellent lambic, not your usual beer at all, but still nicely constructed thoroughly.
Rødgylden uklar skum hvid
Citrus eddike stald blomst
Bitter lidt Sur modrate
Vandede blød
0,75l bottle, shared with a friend in Oluthuone Leskinen. Pours orange with quickly diminishing white head. Intense but well rounded tartness troughout. Some funky notes, fruitiness.
Bottle, 2017, bottled Season 17/18, no bottledate on the label, only info on the cork. Edit 31st of december 2020: Bottle bottled 25 February 2019. Color: Slightly hazy orange amber, off-white head. Aroma: Well balanced tart, sweet and bitter, wet straw, fruity, vinuous. Taste: Moderate to medium tart and bitter, moderate sweet. Pretty strong wood, oak, tannins. Grassy hop. Straw. Subtle funk en subtle fruity notes of white grapes, citrus and apple. Sour apple vinegar hints. Different from the other Cantillon beers, as stated on the label, because no wheat malt is used and because of the use of fresh hop. In my opinion this results in more bitterness, a less smooth and cleaner mouthfeel and the oak is more prominent in the taste. Very dry mouthfeel. Nice complexity and very well balanced. Another great one from Cantillon.
Piwo pite dawno, ocena w celu uzupełnienia listy.
Troszkę zawód, wciąż bardzo dobre, ale smakuje niemal jak podstawka. Może nieco bardziej kwiatowy.
750 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 12/26/2016. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy deep golden/amber/light orange color with a 2 finger dense and rocky off white head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice dense foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a light amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big sour/tart/tangy lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, citrus peel/rind, peach, plum, pear, apricot, red/green apple, white grape/wine, oak, peppercorn, hay, straw, grass, leather, wet wood, barnyard Brett funk, cracker, and white bread dough; with lighter notes of caramel, toast, white wine vinegar, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/acidic/spicy yeast, citrus/earthy hops, oak barrels, and bready malt notes; with big strength. Taste of huge sour/tart/tangy lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, citrus peel/rind, peach, plum, pear, apricot, red/green apple, white grape/wine, oak, peppercorn, hay, straw, grass, leather, wet wood, barnyard Brett funk, cracker, and white bread dough; with lighter notes of caramel, toast, white wine vinegar, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate lactic tang/tartness, citrus peel/rind bitterness, and Brett/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of tart/tangy lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, citrus peel/rind, peach, plum, pear, apricot, red/green apple, white grape/wine, oak, peppercorn, hay, straw, grass, leather, wet wood, barnyard Brett funk, cracker, white bread dough, light caramel/toast/vinegar, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Amazing complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic/spicy yeast, citrus/earthy hops, oak barrels, and bready malt flavors; with an awesome malt/tang/tartness, and bitter/spiciness balance; with no puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Fairly crisp finishing. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering tang/tartness and bitter/spiciness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, and acidic/tangy/sticky/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol for 6%. Overall this is an amazing all barley malt lambic. All around incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic/spicy yeast, citrus/earthy hops, oak barrels, and bready malt flavors; very smooth, easy, and fairly crisp to drink with the modestly acidic/bitter/tannic/drying finish; not overly lactic/tannic. Amazingly well rounded barnyard Brett/bacteria complexity with added hops; great oak presence and bready malts against acidity. Minimal residual sweetness with crisp drying. A highly enjoyable offering, and spot on style example as expected.
Shared this one with my colleagues after a great day at work to celebrate the hard work done. Very tasty, I particularly enjoyed the sparkly foam that made me feel like a champagne. Great find.
750 ml bottle from Roybeer, Milano, Italy. It pours orange, with a medium, not lasting, white head. Aroma is yellow ripe fruits, flowers, grass. Taste is funky, light to medium sour. Perfect average carbonation, body is light to medium. Some citrus at the end. Easy drinking and fresh, lovely.
Nothing more to say other than. One of the great sours. Will get better with age.
Flaska från trade, årgång 2018. Något mörkare bärnstensfärgad med tjusigt krämig smutsvit krona. Ganska humligt och vasst i doft och smak med tydligare beska än en är van vid i lambic. Mellanstor, mjuk kropp. Smaken samma som doften. Något maltigare, tydlig beska och humle.
750ml bottle. Pours clear amber, medium sized off-white head stays. Aroma is fruity, dried apricots, nuts, raisins, basement, malty, barnyard. Taste is caramelly, funky, grassy hoppy, vinegary, very woody, wet wood. Medium body, soft carbonation. Very good, nice bitter side lambic, lots of wood here. Freaky, but it's my cup of tea.
2013 vintage bottle. Big tart stone fruit aroma, fresh lawn cuttings, dry leaves, and so rustic and fruity at the same time. Medium dark copper/brown. Tart and bitter stone fruit, weedy and tangy, hint of citrus,and ....yeah. Thin-medium body, moderate astringency. Great nose. Complex and interesting in both aroma and flavors.
750ml from Sugaya. Opaque plum orange with a dense Off-White head and a fruity sweet tarts aroma. The medium body has a nice taste of tart apricots and it is silky smooth. Really good and better than I remember.
3.9-4
De Tercertiempocervezas. En copa Teku. Viendo Venom. Excesiva acidez, de la que da dolor de barriga, junto con un lupulado cuyo amargor dificulta su ingesta aun mas
Color ámbar, dorado, con un brillo especial, ligera turbidez. Medio dedo de espuma con escasa retención. Aroma floral, jazmín, heno y lúpulos cítricos. Gusto muy complejo, agria, mucha, pero mucha flor, madera, corteza de cítricos, nectarina, cuero, acético ligero. Cuerpo medio. Un auténtico espectáculo de Lambic, lupulizada y perfumada, con incontables matices, una birra mágica.
W aromacie trochę agrestu i kwiaty, delikatny lambic. Dość wytrawny z lekką cierpkością na finiszu, mającą jakby roślinny charakter.
Bottle at Luppolo Station in Rome. Hazy dark golden color, medium resistant gassu foam. Nose: floral, yellow fruitiness, soft sauciness. Lovely. Mouthfeel: easy with character, round and soft tart, fruit, dry grapefruit finish. Wow. J
wfp#9 wersja 2016 Mocno skorzane, sciagajace z lekka morela.
From bottle at the brewery tasting room, Pours almost clear amber liquid, nice frothy tan head, Aroma: sour wild, funky, floral, light hopy, Taste: ligt to medium sweet, light bitter, medium to heavy sour, floral, light hopy, sour funky, taninous, apricot, peppery, Palate: medium body, average carbonation, dlick mouthfeel, long funky floral sftertaste, Overall: extremrly good, enjoyed.
Sianko w stajence lekko posikane przez kobyłkę, lambik classic, czysty, wytrawny, zacny. Dobre.
Zapach kwiatowy, smak na szczęście nie octowy.
Tap @ Himmeriget. Pours hazy dark amber with no head. Nice sour taste with notes of apricot and citrus. Medium body and soft carbonation.
From bottle at Garage Project Kingsland, 2018 vintage. Pours bright gold. Barnyard, white wine vinegar, nectarine, unripe pineapple, noble hop spice, funk, grass, lemon zest, sage, tart finish, bit of savoury barnyard too. Fizzy body. Really good.
A 750ml corked and capped bottle, bottled on 9th January 2018. Poured into a Cantillon ballon glass. It was a lightly hazy golden orange colour with a one and a half finger off white head that dissipates fairly quickly to a thin layer, while leaving some sparse lacing. Aromas tart, funky barnyard, oak, apricot, grapefruit, citrus zest and rind. Tastes sour, lightly bitter, a hint of sweetness, funk, oak, apricot, peach, grapefruit zest, lemon and leather with a hint of floral and herbal. Medium bodied with moderate to low carbonation. Overall, very enjoyable and great to drink. Even better when aged properly for a few years.
On tap @ Herman Belgian Bar (Berlin).
Murky orange body with no head. Floreal aroma. Vinous and apricot notes. Taste is obviously sour. Long tarty finish. Medium body, flat carbonation, thin texture
Bottle at brewery 2018 vintage. Pours orangey gold honey color darker than most other Cantillon guezue beers. That traditional sour aroma mixed with a sweet syrupy malty character. Lots of pale ale malt, definitely comes through the funky lemony guezue. Could drink this all the time.
(sauvage, µ-pomme-orange, ~fleur, ∞-délicate, juste ce qu’il faut en tout, magnifique houblonnage, fin envoûtante, mangue)
Cantillon is altijd kwaliteit, dit iets amberkleuriger bier heeft mij toch weer weten te raken