Kasteel Kriek

Bottled: Dark, red wine color. Low head. Aroma with intensive cherry and almonde notes. Flavor has an intensive cherry note, not sweet, light sourly, very fruity. Intensive almonde note too. Very nice fruity drink, but few beer character.

Enjoyed via draft and 11.2 oz bottle in a tulip glass. Pours a red to slightly dark ruby color. Aromas of cherries and a touch of malt sweetness come through in the aroma. This is a beer that really impresses on the palate. I am a tremendous fan of good kriek beers, not to mention Flanders Oud Bruins and Reds. In a sense, this beer is a combination of the first and the third. It is not as outright fruity as a Lindeman’s Kriek, but not as tart as a Rodenbach. Deceptively strong at 8%abv., it is appropriate for any time of the year.

Bottle at Københavnske Øldage 2009. Clear red brown coloured with a small off white head. Sweet aroma of caramel, cherries and marzipan. Sweet flavour of caramel, berries, cherries and marzipan. Sweet finish of cherries.

Wow! another Absolutely great Kasteel beer! I first tasted this one in some bar in Amsterdam a few months ago and I was absolutely impressed. I found a place to buy a bottle and have it home. Served in a Kasteel glass. Very beautiful cherry red colour, with wonderful ruby reflections when hold it to the light. Pinky creamy foam, like a cherrie ice cream, that last just for a second. Smells of cherries, marzipan, apple pie, bitter almonds or Amaretto. A like brandy flavor, tastes of cherries, vanilla, apricot, acid notes from the cherries, but is also sweet, nice balanced, and I find even some pepper.

I’m not ashamed to admit, i LOVE fruity beers. I love Abt 12 and Rochefort 10 as much as the next guy, but, a fruit beer that tastes good, I’m definitely down with. Had it on tap at the Canal Street Pub. Came out in a snifter style glass, was a very nice dark red color with a thin white head on it. The smell was that of, as the name suggests, cherries. Only it was mor elike pie filling cherries, sour, yet sweet. The taste was sour cherry. It was delicious. The beer went down extremely smooth, and the cherry taste never diminished. If you like lambics in the vein of Lindemans, give this one a whirl, it has a lot more kick behind it at 8%.

Kasteel Rouge bottle at home. Ruby body. Nose of cherry. Taste of cherry, sugar and sourness. Very sweet and easy to sip (in small doses.)

Bottle - 330ml. Pours a dark ruby body with average carbonation and a diminishing off-white bubbly head. Wonderful malty/hoppy aroma with strong cherry hints. Alcohol is well hidden. Well balanced taste that hides the alcohol perfectly. Ends with a good, warming bittersweet/sour finish. Excellent fruit beer!

Corked bottle, labeled as ’rouge’. Pours like a fine shirazz, deep ruby with violet highlights and a rosy red bacbone. The pour yields a surprisingly thick and vibrant head of magenta. Aroma is a velvety ribbon of chocolate-coated cherries after one takes a bite of half the candy, leaving the drippings to fumigate the immediate area with hints of cherry tree bark and oak cask. Flavor is a tingly melding of cherry juice and a Sprite knock-off, almost like a cherry juice mimosa. A lingering dark cherry trail is left along the tongue so other taste buds can find thei way in the future. A very nice and refreshing beer; highly recommended.