Lindeman’s Framboise: A beer for non-beer lovers…

I think the cat adds a certain je ne sais quoi, non? Photo courtesy of http://beerathomejapan.wordpress.com

I think the cat adds a certain je ne sais quoi, n'est-ce pas? Photo courtesy of http://beerathomejapan.wordpress.com

I remember the first time I had Lindeman’s Framboise.  I was with the epic-ness that is Tim Van Loan and we were on our way to Dolores Park in San Francisco for a picnic of sorts.  We stopped by Bi-Rite Market to pick up food and drink and the conversation went something like this:

TVL: “Okay, I am going to introduce you to the most deliciously epic beer…see, it’s a beer that doesn’t taste like a beer, but it’s an explosion of flavors in your mouth!!  Have you ever heard of Framboise?!”

Me: “Uh, no….doesn’t that mean raspberry in French?”

TVL: “Who cares what it means in French, in Tim Van Loan language it means AWESOME!!!”

(at this point I must have backed up a bit because TVL was scaring me with the intensity of his words)

Me: “Uh, okay…I’ll give it a go.”

Now, I have to tell you, recommendations of “epic proportion” from TVL are a dime a dozen, so I didn’t really have high expectations (sorry, TVL! :-P) but as soon as I tasted it, I knew I was hooked.  Framboise is a fruit lambic beer, usually flavored with fruit or syrup, and has a sour finish.  However, Lindeman’s Framboise has quite a sweet flavor to it.  It has also got a lovely carbonation and is especially tasty on a warm afternoon.  If you don’t like sweet beers, stay far, far away from this one.  But if you like sweet cocktails, this beer is for you.  And at 2.5% ABV, you can drink this for a while before worrying about getting drunk.

Five out of Five pints!

Tripel Karmeliet

I have to start off with one of my favorite beers.  Part of what I love about this beer so much is the gorgeous tulip shaped glass. It’s really a beauty…one I would happily steal if I had the chance. *ho hum*  But on to the beer…this is a typical tripel style Belgian beer with a sweet malty flavor, peppered with citrus.  If you like Belgian style beers, this is a must to try and one of the easiest to like.  This beer is in regular rotation for me and can be found at many places in SF, most notably La Trappe.  One thing to note, this beer has a ABV (alcohol by volume) of 8.4% which is on the higher end (although not unusual for Belgian beers) so be careful with how many you drink if you’re not used to these high ABV beers. 😉