De Troch Kriek

Formerly brewed at Brouwerij De Troch
Style: Lambic - Fruit
Ternat-Wambeek, Belgium

Serve in Flute, Tumbler

75cl Bottle Vintage 1981 (29 years old) served at home. Well what a treat this was! The bottle was very dusty and covered in cobwebs and certainly had the apperance of something that should not be opened. The cork came out in one piece coupled with a slight hiss that suggested the bottle sitll had some remaining carbonation. The aroma was of cherrys, funk and that lovely woody/smoked smell that I associate with top quality Krieks. There was a musty smell initally due to the age but that soon dissapeared once the bottle had been left to air. Upon pouring there was an inital one finger head of loose bubbles which again suggested carbonation. The liquid was light ruby and had some sediment that slowly made its way down to the bottom ot the glass. Taste; well this is definately a traditional Lambic. With this ammount of age the cherry is still there but it is so mellow its more of a complementing background flavour. There is funk, oak, acidity and just a little hint of remaining must. The palate was thin which is what you should expect with a beer of this age. The light palate was not a downside, infact it added to the overall character of the beer. There was still carbonation there but it would be maybe 1/10th of what this Kriek origionally had. Overall I thought this beer was excellent and had held up much better than I expected. Just wonderful!

(375ml bottle) Pours a clear reddish orange body with a small white head. Aroma of wood, cherry, and light horseblanket. Flavor of cherries, funky, light green apple, and some citrus with a dry wood finish.

Bottle @ W.O.S.F. Salmon coloured with a small white head. Aromas of macaroon, wet wood and berries. Flavour of balsamic vinegar, wood and tartness. Dry finish. Very nice.

Pale reddish colour and somewhat flat appearance. Some medicinal notes on the aroma. Tart, somewhat leathery but with a firm woody medicinal quality. Dry, nutty finish.

UPDATED: JUN 19, 2009 Bottle at WSF. Clear orange-amber. Honeyed aroma is unique, the cherries are buried and emerge only at the end of the inhale. Has wood, resin, and some cherry. Flat, nice palate and dry flavors. Good balance of yogurt, acid, and fruit. Some lactic acid in the finish follows an acidic but smooth and mellow beer. More gueze-like in character than kriek-like, more so given the color, but nice. Not bad at all.

Bottle at WSF. Pours cloudy orange with a small white head. Tart and fruity nose with lots of dust and earth. Dry and sour end. Good.

Red, golden, orange colour with a small white head. Weak cherry aroma with leather and solvents. Very tart, fruity flavour.

Clear amber with a tiny white head. Sour aroma with wood, leather, sour cherriesa and barnyard. Flavour was quite sour with sour cherries, wood, barnyard, leather and lacto bacteria. It finished sour. Surprisingly good.