Cantillon Brabantiae
Thanks to Mike and Jeroen for this dusty delectation. Old lambic is a time capsule. From this particular cache I can infer the following: 1) In the olden days, beer was stored in port barrels. This was due to a wood shortage or poor reading comprehension. Regardless of what the liquid looked like prior to embarrelment, it's now copper-colored and cloudy. 2) Breweries shared quarters with livestock. Or else they offered internships to farmhands. It explains the smell. 21 years of encapsulation and the beer still reeks of oak stables. 3) Yellow woodsorrel and apple trees once infested Brussels. This lambic tastes like sour grass and old cider. Something -- probably port leached from the -bals -- insulates my throat from all the acid. 4) Belgians were unconcerned with hygiene. When my glass was drained, solids became visible. Historical dandruff? Mmm.. artifacts.