Belle-Vue Kriek

Brewed by Belle-Vue (InBev)
Style: Lambic - Fruit
Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium

Can. (5.1%ABV) Clear, candy-red with a large pink head. Hints of sourness in the aroma, but mostly cherries and sugar. The same goes for the flavor. Sticky mouthfeel and a finish that is mostly sweet, but also has some tartness. (060709)

Bottled at the Danish Beerfestival 2003: Dark red couled. Perfumed nose. Cherry and vinegar. Loads of cherry in the flavour. Vague sourness. Reminds me a little of "hubba bubba" chewing gum. Not bad at all.

(bottle) Dark red colour with frothy pink medium head. Strong sourish cherry aroma. Sweety taste with heavy cherry flavour with dry, sour and a little smoky finish. A bit perfumed. One of the better mainstream Krieks.

Bottle: This pours a deep ruby red with a tall, well-sustained head. The aroma is sweet cherries and a tartness that stems not from the fruit, but from the wheat. The medium bodied drink has a very fruity taste to it with the tart cherry and mild bitter flavors coming through in the finish. A tasty, fun drink.

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Although no Girardin Kriek or one of the other great real krieks I do however enjoy this one on a summer evening. Strong cherry aroma. Red color, pink head, good lace. Sweet, light sour, cherry, no wood however. Long cherry finish and a little dry.

Tap @ Popeye’s: Ruby red, light pink head, nose of full fruit and light tartness. Some chewy vanilla and light sweet cherry notes in the tail. Sweet, lacking the choice tart balance that are key in the great lambics.

Bottled in La Fleur en Papier Dore bar, Brussels. This is an unashamedly commercial rendition of the style. I'm not sure how much real lambic there is in this, but is certainly does taste of cherry in a rather medicinal cough-mixture type way. The problem from my perspective is that it is really rather unacceptably sweetened up. This is somewhat redeemed by a more authentic sharp tang at the finish. An acceptable, but uninspiring Kriek. September 2003.

As La Becasse Kriek. Dark red with an off-white head. Aromas are cherry drops sweets with hints of musty sourness. Flavours are sweet cherries followed by, er, not much. Its more factory than farmyard, which is a shame. Is this a real airbourne yeast fermented beer? It seems too sterile. As a sweet cherry beer it is OK, as a lambic, not.