 wunderbier (1266), Tampere, Rovaniemi over summer, Finland
Jun 28, 2006
750 mL bottle, snifter, bottle 03/2005. A thin, foamy pink head is quick to disperse over a deep and rich burgundy, sanguine hued body. The glass beams red like a cherry Jolly Rancher when held to the light…captivating (the beer, not cherry Jolly Ranchers). Cherry aroma is not lacking as this beer is bursting dark cherry and cherry pit aromas…very sour, very tannic. Farmyard and horse blanket aromas bustle about but fall squarely in line with the other elements, never dominating. Distinct lactic sourness simply adds to the sour and funky party already underway. Warm and bready, even crusty, malt elements really work well here much in the same way I’m so fond of New Glarus Belgian Red (…cherry pie…). Acetic acid also appears to be present, but not enough to make the beer seem pickled. The oak barrels have imparted a very mellow and warming presence to the aroma. The flavor begins sweet and full, making no mistake that the cherries are the star in this beer. Sour (almost licorice) and tannic qualities crush the sweetness down some making this infinitely drinkable. The acidity level is mind-blowing perfect…everything is. Bready malts arrive late and wash into wonderfully long, dry and tart finish. This is reminiscent of a really well made Zinfandel—the actual sweetness is fairly low and the finish dry, but the juicy and fruity flavors keep fooling you into believing that it’s very sweet and rich. While this beer isn’t nearly as sour as the Cantillons or Oud Beersels and not nearly as funky as Hanssens it does something none of those beers manage. It somehow manages to transport the flavor of these fresh picked cherries straight to the glass without disturbing them in the slightest. Mouthfeel, I almost forgot! Very rich and almost syrupy up front, it seems to quickly thin out into a velvety—almost oily—texture as it dries out in the finish. Carbonation seems a bit on the low side, but allows the flavors to be delivered with less interference…I’ll live. I can only begin to imagine how impressive this would be with a rich dark chocolate cake filled with real cherries and coated in a semi-bitter chocolate sauce. ...Drie Fonteinen Schaerbeekse Kriek? ...I like you. *blushes*
The_Epeeist (915), Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, USA
Aug 16, 2008 25.4 oz bottle, 3/1/05. Hazed magenta with a thin pinkish ring. Nose is cherry and almond, spring rain and horse blanket. Tart and puckery but silky smooth. Juicy and mouthwatering with soft, delicate carb. Taste is cherry jam, lemon juice, pith and pits with a dry, leathery finish. A wonderful sweet and sour duet.
michael-pollack (1360), King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA
Aug 16, 2008 750ml Bottle: Aroma of sour cherries. Typical lambic phenols. Poured maroon/magenta/purple/red in color with a small maroon head that disappeared immediately. Cloudy. Full of large and small particles. Very tart flavor. Tastes of sour cherries and medicine. Light to medium body. Dryish, thinsh texture. Soft to average carbonation. Sour, puckering, cherry finish.
BoBoChamp (618), Gent, Belgium
Jul 28, 2008 75cl, exclusive sour Kriek, from De Hopduvel Gent, complex, balanced, cloudy, small head, very good brew, yet very expensive
ketchepillar (244), Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Jul 27, 2008 Bottled on March 1, 2005. Finishes dry and woody. Nicely fruity sweet yet dry. Yeast has some barn flavors especially towards the bottom of the bottle, but overall not that strong; they combine with the wood nicely. I would describe it as more tart than sour. Fairly light carbonation.
fonefan (4323), Ulfborg, Denmark
Jul 22, 2008 Bottle 75cl.
Clear dark red color with a small, fizzy, fair lancing, mostly diminishing, light red head. Aroma is moderate cherry, almond, woody notes. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and acidic - tart with a long to average duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is flat to soft. Very very nice ;o)) (240508)
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