Being only a few kilometers from Belgium, I have access to lambics that are difficult to find in the U.S. Alas, I don't think that helped matters much, and the reason lambics don't make it to our shores often has become clear.

Appearance: An apple cider sort of look, and a slight haze to its opacity. No head to speak of, whatsoever.

Aroma: Yeasty, medicinal. Quite high phenolic, indicating a natural lambic (as wild yeasts can bring odd characteristics to the fold).

Taste: Quite tart, quite sour, with the phenols definately affecting taste. Finish is very dry.

Mouthfeel: Light carbonation. Good to form.

Drinkability: For a Lambic, I can't think this anything but average. The tartness and sourness are there, but the phenols are so overwhelming that it detracts from whatever the brewer was trying to accomplish.

My guess? The bottle had been sitting on the shelf of the beer shop in Amsterdam for quite some time.

Grade: C