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Grand Cru Bruocsella

Brasserie Cantillon
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🌍 Belgium · Lambic · One of 4 Lambics in hopIQ

A vintage lambic: all the beer comes from a single production season and matures three years in barrel. It is not refermented in the bottle, so it stays still and flat. The taste is complex and vinous with a light oxidation, the tartness folding into a softer body. Long storage brings out nuances of toasted bread. The brewery recommends drinking it from a wine glass.

ABV
5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter25 IBU
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
golden8
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How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Crisp and dry.

A direct pour that closes clean — trim and sharp, working together to keep things moving.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Lambic.
Malt character
toasty
bready
Fermentation & yeast
sour
tart
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FEATURED IN

Featured inThe Best Belgian Sours

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Grand Cru Bruocsella

Appearance

A pale golden hue with excellent clarity and minimal sediment, characteristic of a well-settled vintage lambic. The beer pours still and flat, with no carbonation visible; when served in a wine glass, it presents a calm, composed surface befitting its three-year barrel maturation. The color holds a subtle warmth without deepening, reflecting the light oxidation that develops over extended storage.

pale goldenstill and flatclearoxidative depth

Aroma

The nose opens with distinct toasted bread notes and gentle complexity from barrel aging, alongside a characteristic vinous quality that speaks to its extended maturation. Tart fruit notes emerge subtly beneath, with a restrained acidity that does not overwhelm. There is an underlying dryness to the aroma, suggesting the beer's low residual sugar and the work of wild yeast over three seasons.

toasted breadvinoustart fruitbarrel aged

Taste

The palate leads with a marked tartness and sourness that frame the experience, yet these sharp notes fold into a remarkably smooth and soft body. Toasted malt characters persist through the mid-palate, while a subtle bready quality rounds out the complexity. The dryness builds gently, creating a wine-like sensation that lingers without harshness, the low bitterness (25 IBU) allowing the fermentation character and oxidative maturity to dominate.

tart and sourtoasted maltsmooth bodydry finish

Finish

A long, elegant aftertaste emerges with continued tartness softening into a dry, almost austere conclusion. The toasted bread notes persist well into the finish, reminding the drinker of the beer's maturation depth.

long and drylingering toast
88
hopIQ score
Aroma
85
Taste
90
Appearance
82
Finish
87
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Grand Cru Bruocsella

Serve at 6–9°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 6–9°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Grand Cru Bruocsella

About Lambic

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Lambic?

Lambic is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Lambic

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same tart, sour, toasty character as Grand Cru Bruocsella will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Lambics in hopIQ

Explore all Lambic beers in hopIQ →Browse Belgium beers →

WHERE TO BUY

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