3 Fonteinen Braambes Oogst 2020 (Season 20|21) Blend No. 21 750ML

3 Fonteinen Braambes Oogst 2020 (Season 20|21) Blend No. 21 750ML is a traditional Belgian blackberry lambic bottled at 5.5% ABV in a 750ml format. This limited seasonal blend stands out for its remarkable fruit intensity of 384 grams of hand-picked blackberries per litre, sourced from Ferme Framboos in Huldenberg, and carries a strong 4.2 out of 5 rating on Untappd across more than 1,600 reviews.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.5%  |  Origin: Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium  |  Style: Blackberry Fruit Lambic  |  Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen

Production & Heritage

Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen is one of Belgium's most respected lambic blenders, located in Lot, Beersel, in the Pajottenland region of Vlaams-Brabant — the heartland of spontaneous fermentation brewing. For Blend No. 21, whole hand-picked blackberries from nearby Ferme Framboos underwent a slow, all-natural maceration lasting three months in a 50/50 cut with lambikken drawn from five different barrels and five different brews. Before bottling, lambikken from an additional barrel and two further brews were added to the blend. The majority of the lambikken used are brewed by 3 Fonteinen themselves, while roughly one quarter comes from their own Brabant farmers' collective, reinforcing the brewery's deep ties to local agricultural tradition.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Tart dark berry fruit leads, followed by floral brettanomyces character and rustic farmhouse funk. Deeper notes of leather, woody tannins, and aged oak barrels emerge as the beer warms in the glass.

Taste: The entry is sharp and assertive, with intense tartness and bright lactic acidity arriving immediately. At mid-palate, layers of dark berry, bretty apple, and hay unfold alongside earthy farmhouse funk. A subtle spiciness threads through the fruit, balanced by tannic structure from both the blackberry seeds and wooden barrel aging.

Finish: The finish is long and drying, with lingering berry tartness and woody tannin. A lemony sourness persists alongside fading traces of farmhouse funk and barrel character.

How to Drink Braambes Oogst

This is a beer meant for contemplative sipping. Serve still, at cellar temperature (around 8–12°C / 46–54°F), in a tulip glass or wine goblet to concentrate the complex aromatics. Given its fruit-forward acidity and limited production, mixing into cocktails is uncommon and generally not recommended — the complexity and rarity warrant drinking it on its own. That said, a small pour could enliven a Lambic Spritz with sparkling water and a blackberry garnish, add tart depth to a Belgian Kir in place of white wine, or serve as the sour component in a Berliner Sour-style cocktail with simple syrup and egg white.

Best For

• Gifting a serious lambic or sour beer collector
• Anchoring a tasting flight of traditional Belgian fruit lambics
• Pairing with a curated cheese course at a dinner party
• Cellaring for a special milestone celebration

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Braambes Oogst taste like? It delivers intense blackberry tartness with sharp lactic acidity, layered over earthy farmhouse funk, hay, bretty apple, and a drying tannic backbone from barrel aging and blackberry seeds.

How does Braambes Oogst compare to Cantillon Kriek 100% Lambic Bio? Both are world-class Belgian fruit lambics from elite blenders, but Braambes Oogst uses blackberries rather than cherries, producing a darker, more tannic fruit character. Cantillon Kriek tends toward brighter stone-fruit acidity, while the 3 Fonteinen expression leans into deeper berry tartness and a heavier farmhouse funk profile.

Is Braambes Oogst good for sipping neat? Absolutely — this is a contemplative sipper best enjoyed slowly from a tulip glass at cellar temperature, where its layered acidity, fruit depth, and barrel complexity can fully unfold.

Where is Braambes Oogst made? It is produced by Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen in Lot, Beersel, within the Pajottenland region of Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium — the traditional heartland of spontaneous fermentation lambic production. The blackberries are hand-picked at Ferme Framboos in nearby Huldenberg.

What foods pair well with Braambes Oogst? Aged goat cheese or a ripe Roquefort mirrors the beer's tartness and tannic grip. Duck rillettes complement the earthy farmhouse funk. Fresh oysters highlight the bright acidity. A dark chocolate torte with berry coulis echoes the blackberry fruit. Charcuterie with fig jam bridges the sweet-tart spectrum.

What sizes does Braambes Oogst come in? This release is available in the standard 750ml bottle format, consistent with traditional lambic bottling practices at 3 Fonteinen.

Is Braambes Oogst worth the price? Braambes Oogst positions firmly as a premium-to-ultra-premium fruit lambic, reflecting the labor-intensive hand-picking of whole blackberries, extended natural maceration, and complex multi-barrel blending from one of Belgium's most acclaimed lambic houses. Within the category of traditional fruit lambics, it represents the upper tier in both production quality and collectibility.

Why Braambes Oogst?

The defining detail of Blend No. 21 is its fruit intensity: 384 grams of whole hand-picked blackberries per litre, macerated slowly and naturally without any added sugars, extracts, or artificial flavoring. The blending protocol — drawing lambikken from seven distinct barrels across seven separate brews, then marrying them across a three-month maceration — creates a depth of flavor that single-barrel fruit lambics rarely achieve. With the majority of base lambikken brewed in-house and a quarter sourced from the brewery's own Brabant farmers' collective, this release is deeply rooted in regional terroir. For anyone serious about traditional Belgian lambic, this Braambes Oogst stands as a benchmark of what artisan fruit maceration can produce.