Cantillon Kriekenlambik

Brewed by Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Fruit
Brussels, Belgium

Cask at Monk’s during Philly beer week. I’m amazed this stuff has been available for so long, I have a feeling they have more than they let on.

The waitress warned us that the beer was flat and tasted like vinegar; it seemed she really didn’t even want us to buy it. Fool! The pour was a gorgeous deep red, with the slightest touch of carbonation and head. The aroma was intoxicating, deeply funky, sweaty, horsy, sour, like a dead cherry tree growing in a sauna converted from a horse shed. Mmmm. Just begging to be drank. There was a touch of thinness and lack of complexity in the flavor, however the sourness and funk was deep and very enjoyable. Easy drinking, thick yet still light in body. Top notch.

On cask at Monk’s. Noses with a very tart, dry cottony Morello cherry pits and skins. Pie-like. Tangy and lemon-juice inflected. Pours a vibrant, bold, bold crimson-blood with pale rose finger. Flavor is rich, with a punchy mix of gueze and fruit. The flavor of the cherries isn’t so much dominant, as lifting the tart, skin-like dryness of the gueze to a different level. The cask presentation, I find, disconcerting, however. It really dampens the desirable profile of the style. I miss the prickly, bursting, carbonation of a well conditioned fruit beer, and instead find the softness of the cask presentation doesn’t meld well with tart, citric quality of the beer. Ends with a lightly sweet cherry-filling quality. All that being said, it’s still pretty freaking delicious.

Draft at Monks: had this a while back and forgot to rate, very nice dark red with a white head, sour aroma and taste. Good stuff.

Draft at Monks cafe. Beautiful look; a rich, deep crimson with a whimsical fluffy snow-white head. I took a few notable things away from this. First, the lack of carbonation, which normally bothers me but actually created a nice, soft feel, probably due to the hand cask. Next, there was a relatively low acidity level, allowing the fruit to shine in a well put-together, nuanced package. Subtle and refreshing. Not mind blowing though, Im kind of surprised at the recent high ratings for this one.

Cask at Monks. Pours one of the deepest dark violet reds of any Kriek. Mostly still with just a slight carbonation, no head, but the acidity makes up for the low carb and stays somewhat lively on the tongue. Aroma is of rediculously fresh cherry pulp, juice, and puree and low on the stone, almond and pitty character- light on the overall farmhouse funk as the cherry is dominant- has nice tart character in the nose though. Flavor is fresh dark almost tart black cherries with lots of tannic skin and some hints of pit and cyanide. Great sharp, yet not overpowering, lactic acidity which cuts through the big powerful cherry fruits. Smooth as hell on the finish with a nice astringency, and good acidity. So good, I had to buy another glass.

Deep red, hazy, nearly flat. Aroma of sour cherries and dust. Full mouth, fruits up front followed by sour driness. Very nice.

Cask at Monks. Pours a deep ruby red with a small bubbly lighter pink head. Aroma of this great red wine, oaky nose with wonderfully tart cherry notes. Also getting some wild yeast, various tropical fruits and vanilla. Floral and the nose in this is just amazing. Flavor of tart cherries, perfumey oak, wild yeast, vanilla, red wine, vineous. Smooth, tart and lightly sour. Thanks Monks!

Cask at Monks... Poured a lightly hazy ruby red color with no head or lacing. Aroma of fresh sour cherries, vanilla oak, leather, and wild yeast. Taste was amazingly fresh cherries, vanilla, wild yeast, lacto sourness, cherry pit, and a dry, oaky finish. Served at the perfect temperature from Monks cellar, with an oily, smooth mouthfeel. This was the best fruit lambic ive ever had.