BJCP 2021 / 23F
Fruit Lambic
A fruity, tart, funky lambic where fruit and funk complement each other.
- Any age
- standard strength
- pale color
- wild fermented
- western europe
Serve: 46 to 52F, Tulip or flute
OG1.120
1.040 to 1.060FG1.030
1.000 to 1.010IBU120
0 to 10SRM40
3 to 7ABV14%
5.0 to 7.0%Color varies with the fruit used.
Taste it in order
Aroma
12 pts- Fresh fruit leads: cherry, raspberry, peach
- Barnyard funk behind it
- Bread and oak
- Vague
- Fruity
- Better
- Fruit over barnyard funk
- Best
- Moderate-high fresh fruit, such as sour cherry, with balanced barnyard and hay funk, light oak
Appearance
3 pts- Color from the fruit: pink, red, golden
- Clear to hazy
- White to pink head
- Vague
- Pink
- Better
- Fruit-colored and bright
- Best
- Color suited to the fruit, such as ruby-pink for cherry, clear to hazy, head tinted by the fruit
Flavor
20 pts- Fruit and acidity in balance
- Funk and wheat underneath
- Dry, tart finish
- Vague
- Fruity
- Better
- Fruit and sour, dry finish
- Best
- Moderate-high fresh fruit flavor with balanced lactic acidity and funk, light wheat, dry tart finish
Mouthfeel
5 pts- Light to medium-light body
- Medium to high carbonation
- Tart, crisp
- Vague
- Fizzy
- Better
- Light, tart and bright
- Best
- Light to medium-light body, medium to high carbonation, crisp and tart
Overall Impression
10 ptsLifts it
- Fruit integrated with funk
Drops it
- Syrupy sweetness
- Artificial fruit
- Vinegar
Writing tip
Judge fruit authenticity. Example: 'Fresh sour cherry with gentle barnyard and dry tart finish. Fruit feels real.'
Pour these
- Oude KriekBoonCherry-forward and tart
- KriekCantillonBrightly sour cherry with funk
- Oude KriekDrie FonteinenComplex, tart and fruit-rich
Often confused with
- 23D LambicLambic has no fruit
- 23E GueuzeGueuze is a blend of old and young lambic with no added fruit
Fine here
- Sour/Acidic: Sourness is the style
- Musty: Barnyard funk is expected
Ruinous here
- Sour/Acidic: Vinegar dominates
- Solvent: Nail polish
Style names, numbers and vital statistics follow the BJCP 2021 beer guidelines. Descriptions and example choices are our own. Check a beer is still made before you hunt for it.