3 Fonteinen Zenne y Frontera
Description
3 Fonteinen Zenne y Frontera is blend of lambics finished in Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez barrels. It is bottled in 750ml bottles and has various ABV levels depending on the batches.
History / Other Notes
The first batch is comprised of lambic brewed on January 19, 2012, barreled, and then refined in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry barrels starting in the spring of 2013. It was bottled in March 2014. It is listed as 7% ABV and was released in August 2015. Approximately 4,000 750ml bottles were filled with some being distributed to restaurants and bars around Europe and some being sold on-site at the brewery.
3 Fonteinen Zenne y Frontera is a creation from Armand Debelder, together with sommelier Andy De Brouwer of Les Eleveurs. For the first bottling, the lambic was aged in 40-year-old casks for 12 months prior to bottling. Of the 12 casks, 9 were Oloroso Sherry and 3 were Pedro Ximénez. A portion of lambic from the original batch was left in the cask prior to bottling, and the casks were topped off a second time. According to the brewery, this collaboration seeks to bridge the beer and wine worlds and is also aimed at drawing in the culinary sector.
Approximately 500-600 bottles of the first batch were available to go at 3 Fonteinen's Open Beer Days, September 3-7, 2015. The remaining bottles were sold to bars and restaurants for onsite consumption and pairings based on the culinary focus of the beer.
In December 2016, in a collaboration with the Belgian specialty store Tasttoe Two, 3 Fonteinen released 150 gift packs (75 available at the brewery and 75 available at Tasttoe Two) called "The Perfect Date" which contained one bottle of the first batch of Zenne y Frontera, one bottle of Bodegas Tradicion Oloroso (30 year Sherry), and one bottle of Bodegas Tradicion Pedro Ximinez (20 year Sherry). The price was 195 euro.
The second batch of Zenne y Frontera is limited to approximately 3,000 bottles. This batch contains lambic that has been in the barrels since the spring of 2013 as well as younger lambic that had been used to top off the sherry barrels that were not fully emptied in a type of Solera method. The average age of lambic in the second bottling is more than 45 months.
In March 2017, the brewery received 21 more Oloroso sherry and 9 more Pedro Ximénez sherry barrels.
Between 2017 and the late summer of 2019, no new batches of Zenne y Frontera were released. However, four new batches were blended and bottled in 2018, two of which (batches 3 and 4) used the Solera method extending the average age of the lambic used to as old as 60 months. Batches 3 and 4 of Zenne y Frontera saw the return and subsequent discontinuation of the Solera method of blending these lambics.
Bottle Log
| Bottle Date (mm/dd/yyyy) | Bottle Size | Label / Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03/01/2014 | 750ml | - | - |
| 03/26/2016 | 750ml | Batch 2, Solera method | - |
| 01/26/2018 | 750ml | Batch 3, screen printed bottle, Solera method. 20th blend of the 2017-2018 season. Batch 3: From the original 12 barrels purchased in 2012, only seven survived after two solera cycles. This batch is a blend of five of these barrels, back blended with a small portion of young 3 Fonteinen lambic. Hence, the average age of these lambics is over 60 months. Because of the sensitivity of the lambic pellicle compared to that of sherries, the solera method will be discontinued. | 
|
| 01/31/2018 | 750ml | Batch 4, screen printed bottle, Solera method. 21st blend of the 2017-2018 season. Batch 4. From the original first 12 barrels purchased in 2012, only seven survived after two solera cycles. This batch is a blend of two of these barrels, blended with lambics from the second run of sherry barrels and back blended with a small portion of young 3 Fonteinen lambic. Hence, the average age of these lambics is still over 45 months. Because of the sensitivity of the lambic pellicle compared to the sherries, the solera method will be discontinued. | 
|
| 04/11/2018 | 750ml | Batch 5, screen printed bottle. 49th blend of the 2017-2018 season. Batch 5. Beginning of 2017, we acquired a second set of 21 Oloroso and 7 PX barrels and aged young lambic on them for another year. We lost 4 barrels along the way and we blended 12 barrels for this blend and 12 barrels for batch 6 (blend 50). Average age of over 2.5 years upon release, no backblending. 100% 3 Fonteinen lambic. | 
|
| 04/11/2018 | 750ml | Batch 6, screen printed bottle. 50th blend of the 2017-2018 season. Batch 6. Beginning of 2017, we acquired a second set of 21 Oloroso and 7 PX barrels and aged young lambic on them for another year. We lost 4 barrels along the way and we blended 12 barrels for this blend and 12 barrels for batch 5 (blend 49). Average age of over 2.5 years upon release, no backblending. 100% 3 Fonteinen lambic. | 
|
| 07/24/2019 | 750ml | Batch 8, screen printed bottle. 93rd blend of the 2018-2019 season. This Zenney y Frontera is a blend of ten different sherry barrels - nine Oloroso barrels and one Amontillado barrel. The Oloroso barrels were more than forty years old. The lambics originate from seven different brews of which three were fairly fresh lambic (4 months old wort) when filling the barrels. The weighted average age upon bottling was 21 months. 100% 3 Fonteinen. | 250px |
| 07/25/2019 | 750ml | Batch 9, screen printed bottle. 94th blend of the 2018-2019 season. This Zenne y Frontera is a blend of ten different sherry barrels - nine Oloroso barrels and one Amontillado barrel. The Oloroso barrels were more than forty years old. The lambics originate from five different brews and were all a good year old when filling the sherry barrels. Accordingly, the weighted average upon bottling was a tad more than 24 months. 100% 3 Fonteinen. | 
|
| 07/25/2019 | 750ml | Batch 10, screen printed bottle. 95th blend of the 2018-2019 season. This Zenne y Frontera is a blend of two year-old lambic coming off one single Amontillado barrel (85% of the blend) and three different young lambics (15% of the blend), with the aim of creating an Oude Geueze with the refined aroma of Amontillado and sherry casks. This turned out to be a powerful "Sherry Armand & Gaston". 100% 3 Fonteinen. Only 774 bottles produced (minus the ones we tasted ourselves). | 
|
| 07/25/2019 | 750ml | Batch 11, screen printed bottle. 96th blend of the 2018-2019 season.This Zenne y Frontera is a blend of two fine Oloroso barrels. This is a straight barrel-to-bottle lambic without the addition of any other lambic nor with the aim to let this continue to ferment. If it's flat, it's normal. If not, some magic happened meanwhile. 100% 3 Fonteinen. Only 614 bottles produced (minus the ones we tasted ourselves). | 
|
Batch 1 Label
Label Text (Dutch):
Zenne y Frontera is een unieke creatie van meesterbrouwer en -geuzesteker Armand Debelder en maître-sommelier Andy De Brouwer.
Dit natuurlijke millésime bier is een assemblage van jonge lambieken die nog eens 12 maanden gerust hebben op 40 jaar oude Oloroso en PX sherry vaten. Door de lange rijping worden de geuzige toetsen van onze authentieke 3 Fonteinen lambiek geaccentueerd door de typische, fijne Oloroso en Pedro Ximénez karakterteristieken. Door de Zenne y Frontera voorzichtig te karafferen evolueert het aroma en de smaak van deze unieke lambiek van fris zurig naar een complex notig en vol fruitig boeket.
Label Text (English):
Zenne y Frontera is a unique creation from master-brewer and geuze-blender Armand Debelder and maître-sommelier Andy De Brouwer.
This natural millésime beer is a blend of young lambics that have been aged for another 12 months in 40 year old Oloroso and PX sherry casks. Thanks to the long maturation, the geuze-like notes of our authentic 3 Fonteinen lambic are well accentuated by the typical, fine Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez characteristics. By gently decanting the Zenne y Frontera, the aroma of this unique lambic will evolve from vividly tangy to a complex nutty and fully fruity bouquet.
Batch 2 Label
Label Text (Dutch):
Voor de eerste versie van Zenne y Frontera werden 9 Oloroso vaten en 3 PX vaten gevuld met jonge lambik. Na een jaar rijping werden de karaktereigenschappen van de fijnste de sherries en de 40 jaar oude fusten langzaam opgenomen door de 3 Fonteinen lambik. Van alle vaten werd de helft van het volume samen geassembleerd en gebotteld en de tonnen werden terug opgevuld met jonge lambik - onze interpretatie van de "solera" methode.
Voor deze tweede tirage werd opnieuw slechts de helft van alle vaten geassembleerd en gebotteld. Na nog eens 17 maanden rijping op de fles bedraagt de gemiddelde leeftijd van dit natuurlijk en verfijnd traditioneel lambiekbier meer dan 45 maanden. De oplage van deze batch is 3,000 flessen.
Label Text (English):
With the first version of Zenne y Frontera, 9 Oloroso barrels and 3 PX barrels were filled with young lambic. After one year of oak maturation, the characteristics of the finest sherries and the 40 year old casks integrated with the 3 Fonteinen lambic. Only half of the volume of all casks was blended and bottled and the barrels were filled again with young lambic - our interpretation of the "solera" method.
For this second edition, again only half of all barrels was blended and bottled. After another 17 months of bottle maturation, the average age of this naturally refined traditional lambic beer is more than 45 months. This batch is limited to 3,000 bottles.
Batch 3 Label
Label Text (Dutch):
3 Fonteinen Zenne y Frontera is een unieke creatie van Armand Debelder en maître-sommelier Andy De Brouwer. Dit natuurlijke millésime bier is een assemblage van jonge traditionele lambikken die verder gerust hebben op veertig jaar oude authentieke Oloroso en Pedro Ximénez sherryvaten. Zenne y Frontera is de perfecte symbiose van enkele koppige karakters, vele wilde ideeën, immens fijne aroma’s en twee mooie streken.
Label Text (English):
3 Fonteinen Zenne y Frontera is a unique creation of Armand Debelder and maître-sommelier Andy De Brouwer. This natural millésime beer is a blend of young traditional lamics that have aged on forty-year old authentic Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. Zenne y Frontera is the perfect symbiosis of a few stubborn characters, a lot of wild ideas, a vast palette of aromas, and two beautiful regions.
Blend Details: Batch 3: From the original 12 barrels purchased in 2012, only seven survived after two solera cycles. This batch is a blend of five of these barrels, back blended with a small portion of young 3 Fonteinen lambic. Hence, the average age of these lambics is over 60 months. Because of the sensitivity of the lambic pellicle compared to that of sherries, the solera method will be discontinued.
Batch 4 Label
Label Text (Dutch):
3 Fonteinen Zenne y Frontera is een unieke creatie van Armand Debelder en maître-sommelier Andy De Brouwer. Dit natuurlijke millésime bier is een assemblage van jonge traditionele lambikken die verder gerust hebben op veertig jaar oude authentieke Oloroso en Pedro Ximénez sherryvaten. Zenne y Frontera is de perfecte symbiose van enkele koppige karakters, vele wilde ideeën, immens fijne aroma’s en twee mooie streken.
Label Text (English):
3 Fonteinen Zenne y Frontera is a unique creation of Armand Debelder and maître-sommelier Andy De Brouwer. This natural millésime beer is a blend of young traditional lamics that have aged on forty-year old authentic Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. Zenne y Frontera is the perfect symbiosis of a few stubborn characters, a lot of wild ideas, a vast palette of aromas, and two beautiful regions.
Blend Details: Batch 4. From the original first 12 barrels purchased in 2012, only seven survived after two solera cycles. This batch is a blend of two of these barrels, blended with lambics from the second run of sherry barrels and back blended with a small portion of young 3 Fonteinen lambic. Hence, the average age of these lambics is still over 45 months. Because of the sensitivity of the lambic pellicle compared to the sherries, the solera method will be discontinued.
Batch 5 Label
Label Text (Dutch):
3 Fonteinen Zenne y Frontera is een unieke creatie van Armand Debelder en maître-sommelier Andy De Brouwer. Dit natuurlijke millésime bier is een assemblage van jonge traditionele lambikken die verder gerust hebben op veertig jaar oude authentieke Oloroso en Pedro Ximénez sherryvaten. Zenne y Frontera is de perfecte symbiose van enkele koppige karakters, vele wilde ideeën, immens fijne aroma’s en twee mooie streken.
Label Text (English):
3 Fonteinen Zenne y Frontera is a unique creation of Armand Debelder and maître-sommelier Andy De Brouwer. This natural millésime beer is a blend of young traditional lamics that have aged on forty-year old authentic Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. Zenne y Frontera is the perfect symbiosis of a few stubborn characters, a lot of wild ideas, a vast palette of aromas, and two beautiful regions.
Blend Details: Batch 5. Beginning of 2017, we acquired a second set of 21 Oloroso and 7 PX barrels and aged young lambic on them for another year. We lost 4 barrels along the way and we blended 12 barrels for this blend and 12 barrels for batch 6 (blend 50). Average age of over 2.5 years upon release, no backblending. 100% 3 Fonteinen lambic.
Batch 6 Label
Label Text (Dutch):
3 Fonteinen Zenne y Frontera is een unieke creatie van Armand Debelder en maître-sommelier Andy De Brouwer. Dit natuurlijke millésime bier is een assemblage van jonge traditionele lambikken die verder gerust hebben op veertig jaar oude authentieke Oloroso en Pedro Ximénez sherryvaten. Zenne y Frontera is de perfecte symbiose van enkele koppige karakters, vele wilde ideeën, immens fijne aroma’s en twee mooie streken.
Label Text (English):
3 Fonteinen Zenne y Frontera is a unique creation of Armand Debelder and maître-sommelier Andy De Brouwer. This natural millésime beer is a blend of young traditional lamics that have aged on forty-year old authentic Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. Zenne y Frontera is the perfect symbiosis of a few stubborn characters, a lot of wild ideas, a vast palette of aromas, and two beautiful regions.
Blend Details: Batch 6. Beginning of 2017, we acquired a second set of 21 Oloroso and 7 PX barrels and aged young lambic on them for another year. We lost 4 barrels along the way and we blended 12 barrels for this blend and 12 barrels for batch 5 (blend 49). Average age of over 2.5 years upon release, no backblending. 100% 3 Fonteinen lambic.
