 ClarkVV (3547), Allston, Massachusetts, USA
Sep 29, 2006
Feb 2005 vintage, 750mL bottle (also have had the 375mL). Have had it three or so times, most recently being on 8/27/06.
A typical Cantillon/3 Fonteinen lambic, it shows bountiful head, a lightly hazy body and streams of tiny bubbles. Plenty of sediment rests on the bottom of the bottle. A lovely, deep, magenta-tinged black cherry-red is the body, with a mix of pink and white for the head, which, predictably, shows moderate retention (though never falling below partial cover) and plentiful, sticky lacing.
Tart, authentic cherries burst forth in the nose, with plenty of depth, melding seemlessly in to a punctual brett tartness and growing more dry with wheat and light barrel character. Warming produces more challenging lactobacillus notes (yogurt, cheese, strong acid sourness), but the cherries are not easily pushed over and give a playful pseudo-sweetness. Leathery dryness on the end comes with more light brett notes of lime/lemon and a definite complement of juiciness from the cherries. One of the best krieks I’ve come across in that it is difficult to determine the line between the cherry sourness/tartness and the lambic sourness/tartness. It is wedded beautifully. Light, peppery cherry pits further dry the end. Strength of the aroma is high and lasting, with no alcohol noted.
Succulent, both juicy and tart, cherries ripen in the mouth, while a wash of brett flavors brings you back to the lambic. Lacto sourness is unadulterated, but not too aggressive, while faint oak notes blend with the cherry flavors in the background to give an almost wine-like reminiscence. Strong leathery/oily dryness builds up on the palate, but as in the aroma, the cherry acids keep things quite bright and cleanse the palate wonderfully. On the finish, a note that seems distinct to this vintage (beer?), black pepper-like phenols are quite apparent. Perhaps from the cherry pits, perhaps the barrel, but undeniably interesting, giving a robust (though still reserved, relatively speaking) spiciness, almost like a Shiraz or some such similar wine.
The unfiltered texture combined with the artful brewing lends a very substantial, almost cherry puree-like mouthfeel (though not quite as thick and gritty as cherry puree sounds). The tight, engaging carbonation and bright cherry and lambic acids artfully cleanse the palate, however, and the beer finishes supremely quenching and drinkable.
As a sidenote, it’s interesting that when the 2005 Schaerbeekse and this first came out, the Schaerbeekse was tremendously more tart/sour and intense overall. After a year, the schaerbeekse already is sagging in not just cherry flavor/tartness, but overall sourness and expressive lambic flavor. Not so with this one, it still seems to be going strong and, perhaps, improving.
MrChopin (172), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Sep 5, 2008 Primary red with a small pinkish-white head. Foams with movement and deliciously heterogeneous upon swirling. Nose is predominantly dust, stable, and leather with some minor sweet, creamy cherry to balance it out. The result is refreshingly spritzy despite such heavy brett elements. Flavor is quite acidic and dusty, yet the leather and long sour cherries give it a pleasent roundness. There’s a fruity bitterness too, like grape skins. Medium-bodied and quite dry, yet also a little watery. It becomes one dimensional with the fruit as it warms, but it is still a good beer.
illidurit (400), Santa Cruz, California, USA
Aug 25, 2008 750 mL bottle poured into a St. Bernardus goblet. Body is the color of black cherry skin, with a creamy pink-tan head. Aroma is black cherry yogurt/jam with an acetic sharpness. Flavor is very similar: jammy fruitiness like the chunks of cherry in Yoplait, and an even gueuze sourness for balance. Notes of maple syrup and citric acid. Medium-thin body with medium carbonation. Finish is sour and semi-dry. A nice kriek but probably not worth the $28 price tag.
TaxiDriver (480), Stadland, Germany
Aug 11, 2008 Bottle. Very strong smell of cherries, sweet and moderate acidic, very refreshing. Very small sparkling rose-colored head, dark red body. Heavy acidic start, later on a hint of sweetness shines through, average duration. Flat carbonation, very dry texture, medium body and a heavy astringent finish.
A nice Oude Kriek.
shadey (1327), Rochester, New York, USA
Aug 5, 2008 750ml bottled February 2005. 3.5 years old. The cork comes out with quite a pop, always a good sign. The pour is a candy apple red with a quickly diminishing head of pink tight foam. The initial aroma is potent. It tickles the nose and makes me cough. But it settles and becomes tolerable. Sticking my nose in the flute reveals obvious sour cherry smell but also a bright acidity. I’m desperate to detect some level of funk, but I almost feel like I’m imagining things. The flavor is much the same, with the acidity being a bit stronger. Simpler than I had hoped but obvious quality is what this drink screams. For the sourness and high level of acidity it is incredibly easy to drink. A pleasure.
GRM (830), Aylmer, Quebec, Canada
Aug 2, 2008 Green bottle, 375 ml, bottled on December 23 2003, Old Stock Tasting VIII at Dum’s on June 28 2008; eye: caramel with a pinkish hue, no effervescence, lightly hazy; nose: cherry, acidity; mouth: cherry, finale in cherry with a hint of caramel, average carbonation, mildly fruity, medium body; overall: fine
FRANÇAIS
Bouteille verte, 375 ml, embouteillé le 23 décembre 2003, dégustation Vieux Stock VIII chez Dum le 28 juin 2008; œil : caramel avec une petite teinte rosée, pas d’effervescence, légèrement voilée; nez : cerise, acidité; bouche : cerise, finale en cerise avec une pointe de caramel, carbonatation moyenne, moyennement fruitée, corps moyen; en résumé : bien
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