Selins Grove The Phoenix Kriek

Brewed by Selins Grove Brewing Co.
Style: Fruit Beer
Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania USA

Growler. Pours deep crimson red; mahogany to one level of light and firey violet to another. Aroma of fresh cherries and lots of vanilla sugar; more sweet than tart, with hints of strawberry, brown sugar glazed orange, cinnamon whipped cream and sweetened tea. Vibrant. Subtle. Flavor is so generous and forthright; not a lighthearted, sweet, feathery take on cherry but more a venture into its possibilities and toward its boundaries. Cinnamon and nutmeg are the immediate suggestions, riding a swell of mulled, firm, hearty tart cherry flavor and doughy, salty pastry crust. So much muscle and wine-like depth. Some green qualities of stems and spices lend a bittering earthiness on the outer rim. Palate is gently carbonated, medium to full in body; punchy tartness and sangria-like tanginess to the extent of pomegranate arils wetting and then quickly drying the sides of the mouth. Dry cinnamon, a wisp of tarragon and fruit flesh in the warming, mulling final smack. What a gorgeously stylish take on this concept. Thanks Chris!

Growler, courtesy TheCheeseMan. Pours a clear, purplish, crimson red color. A small, foamy, cream colored head settles to a wispy film, leaving minimal, sudsy lacing behind. The nose can only be described as a freshly baked cherry pie. Even the sugar glazed, baked crust comes through, along with the sweet-tart, cooked cherries. The flavor is essentially the same, but perhaps a bit sweeter than the nose shows. Ultra-sweet cherries meet tart cranberry sauce and savory, lightly salted pie crust. There’s none of the typical annoying, artificial fruit extract elements here. This one is pure, fresh fruit and pastry. The body is medium-full, syrupy, and just shy of cloying. Incredible that this brew is 8%, as it seems more like 5%. Short of New Glarus, this is about as good as it gets for fruit beer. Thanks CheeseMan!

Growler, courtesy thecheeseman. I just love the heck out of this! Deep reddish purple copper with a medium head. Aroma of funky sour cherries, spicy cherry pits, graham crackers and cherry soda. Flavor starts with a combo of sweet and sour cherries, the graham cracker provides the crust for this cherry pie. Palate is med full up front with the sweet, but then it lightens on the way back as the tartness tightens pulls and puckers at the sides of the tongue. The tartness begins to border on a cranberry sauce acidity. Finish is bone dry and refreshing. Just outstanding.

From a growler. Clearish ruby with a few small bubbles and a haze. Lacy strands and speckles. Nose is sour, earthy cherry and spring rain. Deeper notes of black cherry. Body a thin syrup with a mild carb tingle. Taste is cherry juice, quite sweet. The fruitiness fades getting sour and minerally. Dries with some pit and candi. Massive cherry with just enough tartness and funk to balance. Fantastic.

Aroma is exactly like cherry pie. Fresh cherry fruit, a little dull bitterness. Taste is bitter black cherry with a touch of pit. Dull bitter cherry lingers on this. I also get a little bit of tartness, some beer essence in this- which is totally different from the Belgian Red from New Glarus. Very, very nice. Lingers with a lot of fruit. Appearance is ruby red to amber.

Handbottle. Ridiculous dense cherry pie nose. Succulent, fresh, juicy and full of bright, vibrant clear cherry flavor. Awesome. Pours a stunning deep ruby red, with ochre fringe and an edge of white. Flavor continues on aroma lines, with a stunning straightforward fresh cherry richness. Continues in the pie-vein with a little more spice and dough. I don’t know how you could want much more from a cherry beer. It’s ripe and fresh and not artificial. It’s also not overly sweet. Some tangy acids contribute a balancing edge to the beer. Outstanding! Thanks Mike!

Ruddy brown pour. Sweet cherry aroma, oak, and cinnamon. Tastes like cherry pie with some oak. Spicy, tangy, lightly astringent and slightly medicinal finish. Medium body with a tingly carbonation.

(Hand bottle, courtesy of mj) Pours a cloudy reddish-brown with a long-lasting tall rocky beige head. Aroma of black cherry, earthiness, and almonds. Flavor of fresh sweet-n-sour black cherries and malt. Straight forward cherries! Thanks Mike!