A friend stopped by for dinner recently with a bottle of Lindemans Pêche Lambic. He had to leave before dessert, and not being a fan of fruit-flavored beers, I have to admit I was glad I didn't have to open the bottle he brought. Now that I have, Jim, sorry for doubting you.
I finally broke open the bottle the other night when another friend, a major beer fan, stopped by. Having no idea how you're supposed to drink the stuff, we poured the Lindemans in champagne flutes (turns out that's apparently how you're supposed to serve it). It came out the color of a light caramel with a head that disappeared quickly.
It smelled like peach cobbler, and I braced myself for that bubblegum-like flavor of many fruit-infused beers. Instead, that first sip tasted more like an ice wine with a natural flavor of fresh
peaches.
"It doesn't taste like beer," my friend said. That
doesn't sound like an endorsement, but as a dessert drink, the
near-complete lack of malty or yeasty taste worked well. Instead, you
end up with a drink as thin as water, a sweetness that coats the glass,
and bubbles like Pellegrino.
The best endorsement, though, has
to be the price. You can buy a pint bottle for about $10 at most
decent liquor stores -- about half of what a drinkable dessert wine
will cost you. So thanks for dropping off this bottle, Jim, because
you've coverted me to peach beer.
