Cantillon is a special brand of Belgian beer that can be tricky to track down. The name (pronounced “cant-ee-yawn”) is the surname of the original maker, Paul Cantillon and the company remains a family-run business today. First crafted in 1900, Cantillon is famous for brewing lambics; lambics are made using wild yeast and have a distinct cider-like sourness. Cantillon also makes blended beverages with its lambics, creating what is known as a gueuze.

While not well-distributed in the United States, Cantillon’s large bottles of beer are popular throughout Europe and the favored lambics are sold on draught in most Belgian pubs. Cantillons fruity lambics combine sour ale and a variety of fruits (often raspberry or cherry) and allow the flavors to age together for several months. The final product is unfiltered and rustic; interestingly, tradition dictates that a bottle of Cantillon should be rested on its side before serving, which helps keep unwanted particles from the pour. Lambics are available in 750mL bottles and contain between 5.5% and 6.5% ABV.

Cantillon makes several lambics and gueuzes, using different fruits and aging techniques. The Fou’Foune is a copper-colored favorite aged for 18 months with Bergeron apricots. The Mamouche is bright gold and features elderflowers. These are a very different style of beer than most Americans are used to, but it’s well worth the taste, especially for those who appreciate a sour ale.