Introduction

The prairies hold a few secrets and Big Rock has a new one they want to keep hush-hush. Made by blending raspberries with specially cooled wort and aging this brew in wine barrels, the result is a riot of flavour with strong character and a no-nonsense volume of alcohol. Under The Table is Big Rock’s lambic style beer, brewed in small batch over a longer time frame. Combining complementary flavours and sensations, lambics are among the farthest reaches of beer exploration, where contradictory sensations work together to form unique experiences.

Designed using a koelschip – a form of open fermentation vessel where wort cools – Under The Table is a framboise, raspberry lambic. Lambics rely on this open cooling to activate the variety of bacteria and yeasts, giving it the complex combination of flavours and sensations. Big Rock’s variation serves well at 8°C and with a high ABV can spend many moons in the cellar before you enjoy it.

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How it looks

Pours a deep and dark crimson, the legacy of the raspberry tinting the body and the head, which foams briefly on pour and recedes to a memory quickly.

How it smells

Sharp and bitter notes from the skin and flesh of the berry come forward first and having been aged in wine barrels this Lambic has a strong vinous quality to its scent, with fruit tones and warmth hiding underneath.

How it tastes

The raspberry being such a strong component of this beer and being a lambic in general, the strongest taste on the tongue is tartness. The acidity of a lambic will always bring a sharp flavour, but the berry almost overpowers everything else. The warmth of vanilla and the complexity of other fruits hides at the back of this beer. Let it wash over your tongue, rinse around, and take a little time in your mouth to get everything out of this one.

Recommended food pairing

A variety of strong cheeses on a platter, along with some salty cured meat will pair up well, but avoid anything with more fruit – this beer has enough raspberry to overpower your palette given a chance.