he Rosé de Gambrinus Cantillon is obtained by macerating fresh raspberries in two years old Lambic. Its complex aromas and sour taste make this unique beer an excellent thirst-quencher. Keep at a temperature of 12-15• and serve at 6-7•. Beer with taste evolution. In order to fully appreciate the fruity taste of the Rosé de Gambrinus, it is best to drink it within one year after the purchase. To be drunk preferably within 10 years after the bottling date A Word from the Brewer The raspberries are from Serbia and the fruit is blended with lambic that is on average 20 months old, the proportion being 200 g of fruit per litre of beer. Since raspberries are delicate it is necessary to select a lambic that is both mellow and subtle so that it will be a good match for the fruit. After soaking for two to three months, the lambic has extracted the full colours, fragrances and flavours of the raspberries. At that point it is blended with one-year-old lambic, which contributes the sugars necessary for secondary fermentation in the bottle. We only use fresh fruit and, as is the case for wine, Cantillon beers can be referred to in terms of vintages. Prevailing weather conditions have a major impact on the ripeness and quality of the fruit, and this is why the taste of the brewery’s fruit-based beers will differ slightly from one year to the next. History While kriek certainly already existed in the 19th century, it is more difficult to determine when raspberry lambic first appeared in Brussels pubs. In any case, the beer certainly was available at the beginning of the 20th century, and Paul Cantillon indicates a greater number of bottles of raspberry lambic than kriek in his inventory for 1909-1910. Fruit beers disappeared from the inventory during the First World War, but from 1922 on kriek was produced again on a regular basis. As for the raspberry lambic it was produced again for a short time in the 1930s, but is completely absent from the inventories afterwards. One day in 1973, a friend, Willy Gigounon, showed up at the brewery with 150 kg of raspberries in trays. The final result was that the production of raspberry beers started up again 40 years after the last known date.