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Cantillon Blåbær Lambik

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Cantillon Blåbær
Cantillon Blåbær

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Description

Cantillon Blåbær Lambik is a lambic with bilberries added and originally produced for Ølbutikken in Copenhagen, Denmark, at the request of owner Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø, who also provides the fruits (Ølbutikken closed in 2017 and since the beer has been sold at the Himmeriget bar). It is produced in very limited quantities and generally released sometime in early autumn. It is released in both 375 mL and 750 mL bottles and is 5% ABV. The fruit concentration is about 300g to 350 g/L (it starts at 350 g, but depending of the result, lambic will be added in different quantities to bring balance and consistency to the profile through all of the different bottlings).

History / Other Notes

Blåbær Lambik was first released in 2005 and has been released every year since then except 2006 and 2008. Though the word blåbær translates in English to blueberry, the fruit used in this lambic is the European bilberry which is very similar to the American blueberry. The fruiting process for this lambic consists of putting fresh bilberries directly into the barrel with the lambic.

The beer was originally supposed to be called "Blueberry" as a nod to the name of the French-Belgian cartoon character created by Jean-Michel Charlier and Jean Giraud who is a cowboy, similar to the one appearing on the label. Due to copyright issues, it had to be changed to its Danish translation.

Bottle Log

Batch Cork Date Bottle Size Label / Notes Image Link
Batch 1 2005 750 mL No vintage on label, Gold Foil, 50 bottles released N/A
Batch 2 2007 375 mL 750 mL 2007 cork. Black foil N/A
Batch 3 2007 750 mL 2007-II written on front label - Gold Foil N/A
Batch 4 2009 375 mL 750 mL 2009 written on front label N/A
Batch 5 2009 375 mL 750 mL 2009-II written on front label N/A
Batch 6 2010 375 mL 750 mL 400 litre barrel with 100kg bilberries added. No vintage on the label. N/A
Batch 7 2011 375 mL 750 mL 400 litre barrel with 100kg bilberries added. No foil. Label reads "11" N/A
Batch 8 2012 375 mL 750 mL 400 litre barrel with 100kg bilberries added. New label material N/A
Batch 9 2013 375 mL 750 mL 13 written on front label, new corks N/A
Batch 10 2014 375 mL 750 mL 14 written on front label N/A
Batch 11 2015 375 mL 750 mL 10th anniversary label, 2015 vintage on label N/A
Batch 12 2016 375 mL 750 mL N/A
Batch 12 16/17 375 mL 750 mL First labels that say Himmeriget instead of ølbutikken. 75 bottles sold at release day. N/A
Batch 12 16/17 1.5 L First labels that say Himmeriget instead of ølbutikken. One sold to the second in line at release day. N/A
Batch 12 16/17 3 L First labels that say Himmeriget instead of ølbutikken. One sold to the first in line at release day. Another sold as a fundraiser for winemakers suffering from the bad grape harvest. N/A
Batch 13 17/18 375 mL 750 mL N/A
Batch 14 18/19 375 mL 750 mL Blend contains 10% raspberries N/A
Batch 15 2020 375 mL 750 mL N/A
Batch 16 2021 375 mL 750 mL For fun, approximately half of the bottles in this batch have a teal hue label. N/A
Batch 17 2022 375 mL 750 mL N/A
Batch 18 2023 375 mL 750 mL N/A
Batch 19 2024 375 mL 750 mL N/A

Label and Origin

The label for Blåbær Lambik is a take on the Belgian French language comic Blueberry, written by Jean-Michel Charlier and illustrated by Jean "Mœbius" Giraud. The comic follows the adventures of the main character Mike Blueberry as he moves throughout the American West.

Mike Blueberry, drawn by Jean Giraud, Source: Wikipedia
Mike Blueberry, drawn by Jean Giraud, Source: Wikipedia

Cantillon Blåbær Lambik label

Tenth Anniversary

The 2015 release of Blåbær was its tenth anniversary, and a new label with extra text on the side created for the occassion. Officially, only sixty 750 mL and seventy 375 mL bottles were sold to go. The 10th anniversary label and text are presented below.

Label text:
10 years ago, shortly before we opened Ølbutikken in Copenhagen, Denmark we approached our friends at Cantillon and asked them if they would make a special beer for our little store. 50 bottles came out of that first batch.

10 years later we make the same beer once a year and this is the 10th Anniversary vintage. We are happy about our continued friendship with Jean and his family and are excited about every years [sic] new batch! Enjoy!

Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø

Photos

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