Official message from Jean van Roy about the Zwanze 2018 beer:
At the end of 2014, determined to increase our production, we acquired a new building. In the course of the 14/15 and 15/16 brewing seasons, we had to obtain lots of new barrels to bring our dear lambic to maturity.
Hundreds of barrels, coming from various origins in France and Italy, most having contained red wine beforehand, thus came to furnish our new location. Among them, three origins stood out : those that had held Sangiovese, Amarone and Chianti. Sangiovese is a wine grape typically coming from the center of Italy, Amarone is a wine from the area of Verona that’s obtained from dried grapes, and Chianti is a region of Tuscany where the wine is made with a base of Sangiovese grapes.
At the time of the purchase of these barrels, my intention wasn’t to make a special blend, even though I must admit that seeing the results of aging Lambic in something other than a wine barrel has always been of special interest to me. The result of these experiments is often unpredictable, sometimes with a strong vinous quality, and sometimes with none at all.
During the 2015/2016 season, the Amarone barrels were filled with Lambic wort in December, and the Sangiovese and Chianti barrels were filled in January.
While tasting these beers the following year, I realized the potential that these barrels had. I decided then to age the barrels an additional year.
It was the right move. After two years of aging, each type of barrel produced a different Lambic. Different than a classic Lambic, but also different from one another. The Amarone barrels had birthed a delicate Lambic, the Sangiovese had a superb fruitiness, and the Chianti had developed a dry, tangy vinous quality.
The Sangiovese barrels aside, it wouldn’t have been very interesting to produce a beer coming solely from the the Amarone or Chianti barrels. However, the advantage of blending of these three different Lambics, each having developed its own unique qualities, quickly became apparent. So, we did the blend at the end of January 2018.
The elaboration of this beer was also for me an occasion to pay homage to our great many Italian friends who were among the first in Europe to promote and protect traditional Lambic. This year’s Zwanze is thus dedicated to them, and is a chance for me to thank them for their passion, their loyalty and their friendship!
The Zwanze 2018 is a fruity beer with notes of mango and citrus and a fine, lingering mouthfeel. Its wine-like character is not only evident, but accentuated by a slight woodiness. The Zwanze 2018 should be tasted at cellar temperature.
Cheers! JVR
At the end of 2014, determined to increase our production, we acquired a new building. In the course of the 14/15 and 15/16 brewing seasons, we had to obtain lots of new barrels to bring our dear lambic to maturity.
Hundreds of barrels, coming from various origins in France and Italy, most having contained red wine beforehand, thus came to furnish our new location. Among them, three origins stood out : those that had held Sangiovese, Amarone and Chianti. Sangiovese is a wine grape typically coming from the center of Italy, Amarone is a wine from the area of Verona that’s obtained from dried grapes, and Chianti is a region of Tuscany where the wine is made with a base of Sangiovese grapes.
At the time of the purchase of these barrels, my intention wasn’t to make a special blend, even though I must admit that seeing the results of aging Lambic in something other than a wine barrel has always been of special interest to me. The result of these experiments is often unpredictable, sometimes with a strong vinous quality, and sometimes with none at all.
During the 2015/2016 season, the Amarone barrels were filled with Lambic wort in December, and the Sangiovese and Chianti barrels were filled in January.
While tasting these beers the following year, I realized the potential that these barrels had. I decided then to age the barrels an additional year.
It was the right move. After two years of aging, each type of barrel produced a different Lambic. Different than a classic Lambic, but also different from one another. The Amarone barrels had birthed a delicate Lambic, the Sangiovese had a superb fruitiness, and the Chianti had developed a dry, tangy vinous quality.
The Sangiovese barrels aside, it wouldn’t have been very interesting to produce a beer coming solely from the the Amarone or Chianti barrels. However, the advantage of blending of these three different Lambics, each having developed its own unique qualities, quickly became apparent. So, we did the blend at the end of January 2018.
The elaboration of this beer was also for me an occasion to pay homage to our great many Italian friends who were among the first in Europe to promote and protect traditional Lambic. This year’s Zwanze is thus dedicated to them, and is a chance for me to thank them for their passion, their loyalty and their friendship!
The Zwanze 2018 is a fruity beer with notes of mango and citrus and a fine, lingering mouthfeel. Its wine-like character is not only evident, but accentuated by a slight woodiness. The Zwanze 2018 should be tasted at cellar temperature.
Cheers! JVR