 cquiroga (370), Sylmar, California, USA
Dec 26, 2006
12/26/06. Poured out of 12 oz. bottle, obtained as a generous gift from kramer17801 on RateBeer 12/1/06. Hand-bottled. Deep burnt brown-red color with a gigantic, frothy and fluffy pink-tan head that lingers in a gentle pillow. Meringue-like lumpiness almost on the level of Chouffe Houblon and the best bottles of Orval. Lovely, slow and sticky, doily-like swaths of lacing glide down the edges of the glass. Aroma is vaguely wine-like and slightly acetic, propping up a cherry pie essence muted with some pale doughy "flabbiness" and a soft outline of oak-vanilla. Reminiscent of Flemish sours moreso than any kriek I’ve come across; not as acidic as either, and not nearly as funky as a traditional kriek. There’s a literally breathtaking tart-cherry-oak-wood combo that rears its head on deep whiffs. Flavor starts appropriately fairly mild with dark cherry-skin followed by an expansion of cherry-vanilla and drying woody, pitty earth flavors. The tartness at work here is really a fruity tartness, like from underripened cherries, rather than an acid formed as a fermentation byproduct; there’s a notable lack of much bretty funk or that REALLY stinging, dry acidity found in the beers of Cantillon and Drie Fonteinen (for instance) to pierce through the slick body. Still, that’s not a bad thing. It’s damn fine stuff, actually. Finish lasts quite a long time and really rounds out the full cherry experience-- pits, skins, juicy fleshy suggestions from across the entire over-/under-/perfectly-ripe spectrum. In the land of cherry beers, this is only slightly akin to the cherry candy and pie-filling sweetness of New Glarus Belgian Red, but with a tremendous amount more fruitiness than traditional krieks can ever proffer. At times it takes a little searching and thoughtful reflection to allow the various shades of fruit to reveal themselves, but I’ve never been above that. Some dark green leafy vegetal quality in the finish is the only thing that really detracts. When left alone after a good, big gulp, the lingering tartness seems to call up mouthwatering blips of new flavors in wonderful harmony. Medium body with that kind of fluffy carbonated texture that gently massages your tongue. A very unique, very ambitious product. Just don’t let the name fool you.
djcoolhark (21), South Bend, Indiana, USA
Aug 8, 2008 Had this beer in an ’08 batch both in Selinsgrove and in a growler. I was shocked to see this above Three Floyds Behemoth and Bell’s Kzoo Stout. Not too impressed. Derives from sour mash cherries. Good for a fruit beer I suppose, but I thought it had a bit of a cough syrup taste. Very little carbonation, overly sweet, somewhat bitter. if this is the best of fruit beers, I guess that I’m a firm believer that fruit doesn’t belong in beer.
DragonStout (1225), Orlando, Florida, USA
Jul 12, 2008 Poured from a growler shared by Cheeseman.This was an interesting color.It had the same color of a blood blister.Dark purple and red.Nose had some sour, vinous cherries.The flavor was closer to sour cherries in a pie.This finished off slightly tart, but overall was delicious.Thanx Dan.
GeneralGao (2628), Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Jul 12, 2008 Bottle graciously shared by pepsican. Attractive aroma of cherry, apple, pear, and spice. There was also a whiff of Jersey girl hairspray, presumably attributable to the 8% alcohol. Poured a clear red-orange color with a white head. Sweet and tart, a real saliva stimulator, and almost bitter at the end. A real roller coaster ride for the tongue. I tasted lots of berries, including black cherry, strawberry, and blackberry. There was also some apple and glazed donut. Pretty good stuff.
beerbuzzmontreal (2769), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Jul 9, 2008 Pours a cloudy red color with a thin white head. The aroma has a ton of cherries that feel tart, very seductive. Amazing flavor of cherries, there’s tartness, sweetness and there’s also bitterness in the end, the tart, sweet and bitter flavors are well-balanced. The body is light with a liquorous texture and soft carbonation. This is an awesome fruit beer, it nears New Glarus Belgian Red in overall quality.
awaisanen (1189), Irvine, California, USA
Jun 23, 2008 <i>From a 12oz Handbottle.</i> Courtesy of Stine. Transparent, brilliant ruby red colored pour with a finger of fizzy pink head. Intense cherry aroma, saturated with fleshy cherry fruit, skins included, and a slight acetic note in the background. Amazing in both the level of intensity and the quality of the fruit aroma. Hints of herbal leafiness helps to balance the sweetness of the cherries nicely. Medium bodied, lightly carbonated mouthfeel with a touch of acidity. Sweet, but not sticky, and brimming with one of the most authentic cherry flavors I’ve tasted in a beer. Gobs of fruit, with some cherry-skin tannins coming through on the backend to round out the finish. The term, "Kriek" in the name is a little mis-leading, as implies "cherrry lambic", but this is just a really, really good fruit beer with a cherry flavor rivaled only by Scharbeekse Kriek or Lou Pepe Kriek. Thanks a ton, Eben!
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