Arbor Brasserie Greff Kriek

Brewed by Arbor Brewing Company Pub & Eatery
Style: Fruit Beer
Ann Arbor, Michigan USA

750ml caged and corked bottle labeled bottled on 815 (I’m guesing Aug, 1st 2005 as I bought this at the same time as the Framboise that was bottled in ’05). Poured a medium and cloudy reddish/pinkish color with a smaller sized pinkish off white head. Aromas of cherries, woody, caramel, and trace of cherry pie crust. Aromas on the softer side. Tastes of tart cherries, peppery, woody, and berries. Nice tart, puckering finish.

Explosive bottle presents a very cloudy ruby-pink beer with an initially very large head consisting of big collapsing bubbles, ultimately receding to a well proportioned cover without lacing. Musty mushroom, tomatoes and old cellar nose that doesn’t spell glory through its rather chaotic organization. Enormous cinnamon is in great part responsible for this wreck as it joins the cherry aspects to give it a candy feel despite the beer being generally dry. Full of contradictions, unfortunately, but it might be getting old, having been bought a year ago at the brewery.

Any first impressions?
-A veil of microbubbles stands over the opaque, dull pinkish red.
-Obvious tomatoes and miniature strawberries propose a disenchanting aroma.
-Old strawberries from the bottom of the bucket watered down by faint citrusy dryness.
-The active, expansive carbonation goes awry in the meek mouthfeel.

What if you dig deeper?
-The flavor profile is covered in dust.
-Cinnamon spiciness and young tomatoes just don’t fit imho.
-The finish is barely tart, mostly empty dryness.
-Either this hasn’t aged well at all, or it’s yet another bad plambic attempt.

Bottle; from May 2004.

Bottle ala SoG. 8/05. A couple different looks to this one. One of the first pours was a slightly hazed pink amber, while a later pour (mine) was a heavily clouded light rust colored liquid. Pinkish off-white diminishing head. Tart nose with cherries and hints of herbal hops. Mild lemon and spices in the background. Tart cherries mixed with apple jacks cereal. A rather interesting combination. Mild attic dust and acid mix in the middle. Rather light and dry in the finish with strawberries and cloves. From looking at other reviews this looks to be a brew that is better fresher.

Bottle, Toronado, Dr. Bill tasting. Head is mostly diminishing. Body is hazy medium red. Aroma is lightly hoppy (herbs), with notes of cherry and raspberry. Flavor is moderately sweet, moderately acidic. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately acidic, lightly bitter. Light to medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. Very little aroma (very odd that I could smell hops), and the mouth experience isn’t too much more interesting. Wasn’t convinced with this sample, may try it again someday.

Curious and sweet aroma is overwhelmed by tomatoes with some underlying notes of flowers, cherries, ginger, cinammon and pepper. Opaque amber-brown body is topped by a low white head that recedes to ring. Full-on cinammon candy flavour is lightly peppery. Very mild acidity. Medium body is very dry with initially strong carbonation that does not last leaving a watery texture. Bottle (Bottled May 2004) sampled with MartinT, Olivier_MTL and Rastacouere.

750ml bottle, May 2004: Pours a nice bright ruby hue with a small fizzy but lasting pink head in my NB flute glassware. The aroma has notes of tart cherry, musty and farmhouse yeast esters, and oak. The taste starts tart and sourwith a solid undertone of yeasty characteristics. Leads to bone dry woody finish. Could use a bit more cherry flavor however and as others have noted, the fruit flavor seems to peak and then disappear below the yeast. The feel is refreshing and clean for the style. Overall, a well done p-lambic that will not bowl you over but doesn’t offend the Kriek lover either.

Poured a murky pink amber color, with a small, off white head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of light cherry, cork, light caramel, nuts, and wood. Taste of sour cherries, lacto, light cork, wood, some nutmeg, and a bit of black pepper in the finish.