Does Chez Clément offer lambic and gueuze beers?

Lambic, gueuze and kriek belong to one of the rarest brewing traditions on earth. Lambic is brewed in the Brussels Senne valley, in the corner of Belgium where the Pajottenland meets the city, and is fermented spontaneously, that is, by wild yeasts and bacteria carried in the local air, with no added cultivated yeast. The wort is left open to the night air in a flat copper koelschip vessel to capture the wild flora, then aged for one to three years in oak barrels. The result is sharp, dry, slightly funky, mineral, with citrus and faintly vinous notes.

Gueuze is a blend of young (one-year) and old (two-to-three-year) lambics, refermented in the bottle to produce a fine, champagne-like sparkle. The young lambic provides residual sugar that feeds the bottle fermentation, while the older lambic provides depth, complexity and acidity. A traditional gueuze (oude geuze) is one of the most wine-like beers in existence and ages magnificently for years or even decades in the cellar. Kriek is lambic refermented with whole sour cherries (traditionally Schaerbeek cherries), creating a tart, fruit-driven beer that finishes dry rather than sweet.

The cultural depth is significant. Lambic-family beers are protected by EU traditional speciality guaranteed status, and the geographical concentration is unique, only a handful of producers, mostly within a thirty-kilometre radius of central Brussels, continue the tradition. At Chez Clément, in Genval / La Hulpe, just outside Brussels, the proximity to the Senne valley makes the family culturally relevant, but the permanent beverage list does not currently carry lambic or gueuze references. The cellar and the seasonal menu may include occasional references, notably for specific pairings (kriek with a rabbit-in-kriek braise when it appears as a chef's suggestion), best confirmed in the dining room or by phone on +32 2 652 33 92 before a visit.

For pairings, lambic and gueuze remain remarkably versatile. The acidity cuts through rich dishes, a gueuze with eels in green sauce, with grey shrimp croquettes, with a sharp cheese, or with a Belgian-style salt-cured ham starter. Kriek is the textbook partner for the rabbit-in-kriek braise, as well as for cherry-based desserts. At Chez Clément, this family of beers can be activated occasionally via the seasonal cellar, even though it does not sit on the permanent list.