3 Fonteinen Schaarbeekse Kriek

Brewed by 3 Fonteinen
Style: Lambic - Fruit
Beersel, Belgium

Bottle at Paul’s: Murky ruby color with a pinkish head. The aroma is very corky and leathery. Has that great house funk all their offerings have. There’s also a soft acidic cherry note. Slick and acidic body. Crisp citric and lactic acidity. The funk is there as well to accompany the low pH with a note of cork and of course that funky leathery character. Another awesome Fruit-Lambic from these guys. Complex.

750ml bottle courtesy of RCL. Thanks. Pours a cloudy dark red color with a small pink head that soon dissipates. The aroma is strong and overtly funky with brett, horse blanket and sour fruits. The flavor is heavily sour with tart cherries, cherry pit and oak. The palate is full and silky smooth. The finish is long with lingering oak and cherries. Overall: A first rate kriek, I absolutely loved it.

750ml bottle vintage 2008 from K&L generously shared by alfrantzell on BA. Thanks a lot, Arne! This is one of the more difficult names to spell, as evidenced by the fact that it’s spelled differently on BA vs. RB. Both sites do agree, however, that it’s a damn fine beer, and I also agree with this assessment. Pours a deep, clear crimson color with a decent pink head that bubbles away fairly quickly. Aroma is loads of tart cherries, oak, and funkiness, including my favorite aroma: horseblanket. It’s like they took an old blanket off the dirtiest, sweatiest horse in the barn and threw it right into the fermenter. I love it. Flavor is also really awesome and heavy on the cherry. Somewhat sour with brett and lacto/pedio. Very earthy and oaky. More funky horseblanket and definite hints of other cloths used to cover various livestock and zoo creatures, whatever those may be. Dry, acidic, and lively on the palate. Medium body. Exactly to style on the mouthfeel. Drinkability is good but not quite outstanding. Overall though, this beer is outstanding. Easily one of the better fruit lambics out there.

2004 vintage. Ruby red with pink hues. A small pink head that disappears quickly. Small lacings. Funky notes of aged cheese, dusty cellar and mold in the nose. Pleasant rich cherry notes balance the funk. Some acidity. A hint of wood. The flavor is tart with interesting and pleasant notes of sour cherries. A salty funky note of cheese and horse blanket. Faint residual sweetness. Notes of lemon, wood and grass. The finish is dry with a mild grassy bitterness and hints of minerals and lingering cherry aromas. Medium body with pleasant carbonation and a not overly dry finish. A very good fruit lambik with an interesting cherry character. Impressive. Serving type: bottle (Copy of old Beer Advocate review)

2005 Bottle thanks to jrob21!
Bright, effervescent red with a moderate pink head. Nose has little cherry left, mainly brett funk in heavy citrus, leather, and light hay. Incredibly balanced, creamy flavor has more cherry and less leather, still lightly puckering citrus, and also some chocolate, nut, bread, and an odd, old meat note in the finish. A little thin but still nicely carbonated. The flavor on this is still damn good, but I’m increasingly of the opinion that fruit lambics are better when younger.

Pours a pinkish reddish color. Aromas of cherries, almonds. Flavor is a subdued tart cherry taste, not a big as I expected. Medium bodied with a slight tart mouthfeel. This is a great beer.

Bottle. Dark red colour with a creamy, pink head. Aroma is very fresh and fruity with a lot of cherries, some mustiness and quite a bit of acidity. Taste is not so sour, but fruity, round and almost a bit buttery. Some vanilla in the finish. Very good and very special, but maybe a bit too mild to be the best in the world.

(bottle - corked & caged 750 ml) Deep ruby red with a light pink head. Aroma is heavy amounts of sour and funk, barnyard notes, and some very mild wood hints. Lots of sour cherries as well. Flavor is really sour, but not a whole lot of cherries present. A lot of tart and sour funk with a lot of earthy and dry flavors. Some wooden hints near the end with a very tart and lingering finish. Outstanding. Rating #2100.