The Tannins
Lindemans Framboise, now in its seventh generation of family ownership, deviates slightly from the traditional fruited lambic. While it is inoculated with wild yeast and bacteria in koelschips and aged on wood in the Zenne Valley of Belgium, as is tradition for lambic, this take on the style is pasteurized and blended with fruit juice rather than refermented in barrels on whole fruit. The Lindemans Framboise would be called a “small” or “session” beer in the current beer market trends, as it is only around a modest 2.5% to 4%, but it is certainly not light on flavor. The Framboise pours a deep, clear garnet red liquid, and the beautifully pinkish head dissipates quickly to a thin circle hugging the edge of the glass as the effervescent carbonation settles to a more modest level. The nose is big on fresh raspberry puree and sweet preserves. There’s a little farmhouse funk from the spontaneous fermentation, along with notes of bready, unmalted wheat and a distinguishable hint of lactic acid behind it al
More tart than the almost syrupy nose would suggest, the flavor swings from assertively tart to sweet, juicier raspberry notes. Mid-palate trends tart again accompanied by a little tannic dryness, and ends with the berry flavors making an encore. The finish has impressions of berry soda with notes of cranberry and pomegranate juice. That farmhouse funk from the wild yeast of the Zenne Valley is there, too, but it’s not a major player in this iteration of fruited lambic.
The Terpenes
Medible Delights Mini Raspberry Cheesecakes are little treats that you most certainly deserve. The soft, airy texture melts into a palate-coating, rich mouthfeel from the cheesy egg and sugar mix, and the cracker base is soft and crumbly. The raspberry sauce isn’t a big sweet punch; instead, it is a balanced addition to the richly flavored and indulgent little treats.
There’s a whisper of Cannabis at the end of the flavor profile, which I love because it does not take away from the cheesecake. It reminds you that these are edibles, so don’t overindulge past your tolerance. I’m super modest, so I ate each cheesecake in about three bites between sips of Framboise.
The Pairing
As a pairing, the Framboise is a bright and refreshing companion to the Medible Delights Cheesecake. The beer really entices those sweeter flavors out of the crown of raspberry on the cheesecake. The combination of mid-palate dryness and medium carbonation lifts the rich fats of the cheesecake off your mouth and invigorates with sweet and sour fruit. It’s time for another bite.
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