Verhaeghe Echt Kriekbier
Pours a clear red, a quickly dissipating head, leaving only wispy lacing that does not stick. The nose is a fruity, lactic sourness. Mouthfeel is relatively thin and moderately carbonated. Taste is rather funky and fruity, sour and slightly alcoholic. The beer is flavored with cherries, which gives it a rather medicinial flavor to the overall taste.
Vichtenaar
Pours a redish brown, darker than the Kriek, and generated no head or lacing at all. The nose was similar, except the fruit and funk is balanced by a woody aroma not present in the Kriek. The mouthfeel was a bit fuller and reasonably carbonated, which surprised me since it poured so "flat". The taste was similar to the Kriek with it's fruity sourness, but was sweeter and not medicinal. The wood aroma comes though on the tongue, which seems to cut through the whole beer, making it smoother and almost wine-like.
Overall, both very interesting, though not what I would call session beers. Refreshing and crisp, these beers are not for everyone. But learn to appreciate all styles of beer, so don't be afraid to give one of these a shot.
Labels: beer reviews