Cantillon Don Quijote

Description

Cantillon Don Quijote is a grape lambic from 2008 made with Italian table grapes. This beer was produced for Franco Fratoni (Livingstone Club, Florence, IT) and Umberto Xebeche Santi (Goblin Pub, Pavullo Nel Frignano, Italy).

History / Other Notes

The label indicates that 120 bottles were made for each location, however most of the bottles are unlabeled, and many of those that were labeled are unnumbered. Also it's not clear how those 120 bottles split between 75cl and 37.5cl bottles.

The numbered bottles include either a letter after the number (e.g. "70L" or "G65" - Label images are below). The L/G indicates whether it was for the Goblin Pub or Livingstone Club. At least two kegs were also filled for the Goblin Pub.

Unsubstantiated Stories

There are a variety of unknowns related to this beer:

Online beer sites often indicate that this beer is made with Vitis Labrusca (Fox or Concord) Grapes. This is an American grape variety and while they do grow in Europe, it's not clear if that is the grape that was actually used.
A second Don Quijote batch is purportedly in barrels at Cantillon. No details about this batch are currently known, including what grape variety was used.
Table grapes from Italy are not permitted for use in wine and cannot be exported. The origins of the grapes used in Don Quijote are unclear but are rumored to come from the countryside near the Goblin pub.
There is a photograph of a different, white label on a Don Quijote bottle that occasionally appears online. All photos of this label appear to come from the same bottle and the legitimacy of this label cannot be confirmed. It is possibly a homemade or limited run label, particularly as Umberto's Don Quijote bottles were never formally labeled.

If you have any additional information about this beer, please contact Bill or Adam.