Brouwerij Cantillon
Belgium

Sighted at: Table and Vine - Northampton MA, d.b.a - NYC

One of a handful of Lambic breweries, Cantillon specializes in very strong and sour lambics.

Rose de Gambrinus - 1997

The first time I had [...]

Belhaven
Scotland

Sighted at: all over the state of CT

Wee Heavy

I love wee heavies. This is not a wee heavy. It's not even a Scotch Strong ale or a 90 shilling Scotch ale. It's the Diet-Coke of Scotch Ales, sporting neither a strong liquor [...]

Brasserie Fantome
Belgium

Sighted at: Table and Vine, Northampton, MA.

A new, revivalist brewery, Fantome specializes in Saison-style farmhouse ales. To denote specific brews that are exceptional, Fantome occasionally vintage dates selected beers.

Spring 99 Saison
An exceptional Saison, this beer is darker than most of the archetypical Saisons (ex: Saison Dupont). Garnet red in color, the Fantome supports a full, rocky beige head that maintains for a few minutes before dissolving.

The initial aroma is that of sweetness, and when tasted, the Fantome awakens the tastebuds with a strong smoked/roasted taste found in German Rauschbiers or certain Scottish Ales. Though you might be inclined to serve a Saison cold, because of the smoked malts, if the beer is served too cold, the smoke will exhibit an unbalanced tartness... so serve it at cellar temperature (60 degrees) or even room temperature.

Unique and certainly worth trying if you like smoky beers.
(Avery Glasser)

Lefebre Brewery/Abbaye de Floreffe
Quenast, Belgium

Sighted at: Table and Vine, Northampton, MA

Abbaye de Floreffe, a monastery with a brewing tradition dating back to 1221 now has their beers produced at the local Lefebre Brewery.

Tripel [...]

Brouwerij Boon
Belgium

Sighted at: d.b.a - NYC, Table and Vine - Northampton MA

One of the most well respected lambic blenders in Belgium, Frank Boon vintage-dates his beers as the great wineries do. The 1994 Boon lambics are quite the best lambics currently [...]

He looked at me like I was certifiably insane when I brought the five worst mass produced beers I could find to the counter. Known for purchasing only quality beers, the store owner asked why in God's name was I buying a five-pack of piss-water beer instead of my usual purchase of Ipswich Porter or Aventinus or something craft-made. Rationalizing the purchase, I explained that though I had spend many a ScowlZine article espousing the evils of Bud, Amstel Light and all of their ilk - I had never fairly sat them down for a full, formal tasting. Reluctantly, he sold me the swill and I was on my way home... about to subject Janet and myself to an hour of absolute gastronomic horrors.