I love Lindeman's Lambics -- should I be ashamed?

So a Belgian restaurant near me had a pandemic-related beer sale. The sale included a lot of big high-alcohol Tripels and Trappists and the like, which I didn’t buy because I don’t like big boozy heavy beers. But it also had a whole bunch of Lindeman’s fruit Lambics, which I had always sort of casually liked, so I bought a case of framboise, kriek, and cassis. The framboise and kriek don’t have age markings but the cassis looks to be four years in bottle – it was marked 2016.

Anyway, I LOVE this stuff. Soda-poppy deliciousness but a beer-like complexity and tartness underpinning that, and while it’s sweet the overall impression is light and refreshing rather than heavy and cloying. I won’t go so far as to say it finishes dry but the finish is crisp and tangy/slightly sour rather than overly sweet and dessert-winey. Fantastic stuff as far as I’m concerned.

However, my partner, something of a beer snob asks “how can you like something so sweet?”. And when I went on the net and looked up Lindemans I found descriptors like “sugar bomb”, “barely even beer”, and most cutting of all, “wild yeast Manischevitz”.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t care what the internet thinks about what I drink. Plus as far as I’m concerned my out of control wine snobbery buys me license to be as down-to-earth as I want in absolutely every other category of beverage. But I’m just curious what the assorted beer snobs on this site think – should I be embarassed? Am I now hooked on the Bud Light Lime of Belgian beers?

You are a civilized Gentleman and should easily disregard any disdain from savages. Carry on.

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#Hereforyou #staystrong

You should continue to drink what you like unless what you like is Busch Light.

I have always liked the framboise. No shame there.

You should do a “Euro Boilermaker”, and pair it with Jeppsen’s Malört… [drinkers.gif]

I like them

i used to occasionally have one on a summer day or something, certainly nothing wrong with the beverage of your looking for sweet. Besides the sweetness issue, I think they take a bit of flack because they use juice instead of real fruit to add the flavor. I have some of the more traditional Cuvee Renee in my cellar.

No shame. Most people are drinking Bud. I prefer less sweet but I like all Lambics I’ve tried.

You should have no shame. I enjoy them occasionally - they’re definitely sweet and rich. I can’t drink a lot of them. However, it has a time and a place just like other extreme styles of beer do.

No, especially if you are drinking the Cuvee Renees. There are much better lambics and much worse/sweeter (looking at you Mort Subite). Lindeman’s makes the wort for Tilquin, so the raw materials ain’t that bad.

We used to drink 3/4 Boddington’s, 1/4 Lindeman’s Framboise in summer back when I was bartending.

No shame…it was delicious, light, and refreshing.

Boss used to yell at us taking it as a shifter since a keg of Framboise was $350 or some such for a 20L keg…oh well.

Nothing to be ashamed about. They are, in fact, sweeter than many fruited lambics offered by other producers, as well as their own cherry-fruited version of their Cuvee Rene. Generally speaking, those who are into Belgian lambics and gueuzes don’t think highly of Lindeman’s sweet fruited lambics, but who really cares? If you like it, then you should drink it.

If you want to compare it to some of the bottlings that are generally more well-respected, try to find any of the following:
Lindeman’s - Cuvee Rene Kriek
Hannsens - Oude Kriek (they also have strawberry and blackberry versions, and perhaps a couple more)
Cantillon - Rose de Gambrinus or Kriek (but good luck finding it)
Drie Fonteinen - Oude Kriek or Framboos
Oud Beersel - Oude Kriek


Other folks may chime-in with additional recs. The ones I just listed are waaaaay less sweet than the Lindeman’s you posted about, so be prepared for that.

They are by far the biggest, and most modern brewery producing Lambic Beers - so they are going to get criticized. And they are a touch sweeter than the more rustic Lambic beers, and show much less “grit” and “dirt” than their competitors. But I love most of the lineup - especially the Pomme (apple) and the Raspberry is downright delicious.

I don’t mind the Lindermans from time to time. They deliver a lot of flavour for a low abv and provide pretty good summer refreshment.

I’d add the Rodenbach Caractere Rouge as a recommendation, and the Rodenbachs in general. They can have a little sweetness, but they are pretty interesting and refreshing.
Flanders reds work pretty well for me in general

To like Flanders Reds one must be okay with strong balsamic vinegar tones in their beer. I like them, but would always prefer a lambic.

My wife used to really love them, which got me into them about 20 years ago. I opened the glass cabinet today and was looking for something and saw a pair of these in the back! We haven’t used them for at least 15 years, but I’m going to buy a couple of bottles next time we can safely get out. I think my wife will get a kick out of it for sure!
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Lindemans Kriek was one of my introductions to fine beer. I still love it on a hot summer day. The cuvée Renee is excellent as well. I’m not ashamed.

Peche was always delicious. Liking Lindeman’s is a bit like enjoying German Kabinett.