Better Drinking

Liefmans Kriekbier is categorized as a "fruit beer" on BeerAdvocate.com, true as far as it goes, but it would be a mistake to consider this another "seasonal" beer, whereby fruit flavor is added to an otherwise standard base. This beer is almost a category in itself; it starts as a Flanders Oud Bruin then sour cherries are added to an almost completed beer and it is fermented/aged for another year. The result is something akin to a lambic, but not spontaneously fermented, as the cherries themselves initiate the secondary.

Kriekbier comes lovingly wrapped in its own tissue paper, a sturdy green bottle, holding just over 12oz, with easily identifiable label with all the pertinent information. The cork had "2004" printed on its side, and the wire cage had a "2014" date stamped on it, probably indicating a 10 year shelf life. Removed the cork with a loud "pop" and poured a dark ruby/brown with a fast growing but relatively quickly dissipating head. Wisps of lace along with a thin white foam remain on the top.

Nose is a mix of fruit sweetness, cherry, lactic sourness, and slight barnyard/earthy aroma. Mouthfeel is medium; both a smooth creaminess and sharp carbonation are present, but neither thick or thin.

Taste initially is a mouth-puckering sourness that evolves into a rich, sweet cherry flavor, with hints of wood. No hop or malt character can be discerned, though the underlying oud bruin character provides a bulk of the body. Most cherry flavored beers I've had tend to be medicinal or phenolic, probably an association made from consuming cherry-flavored cough syrups as a child. But the Kriekbier is sweet, yet balanced enough with the sourness to be complex and refreshing. This would be excellent anytime, but particularly good after a long day's work outside during the spring or summer.

Another great (and classic) beer from Liefmans, I really need to learn to make this kind of beer. It is something that Michelle and I can both enjoy. It's fairly pricey, but definitely worth the experience. Buy, pour, drink, enjoy, repeat.