Cascade Kriek Ale

Brewed by Cascade Brewing @ Raccoon Lodge
Style: Sour Ale
Portland, Oregon USA

G.A.B.F. 2008: Hazy ruby with a creamy tan head. The aroma has tart cherry skins, molded wood, syrup notes and mild almond. The flavor has a nice tart cherry presence along with a sharp earthy funk- mildly cheesy with a touch of oak. There’s also malt subtleties giving it a toasted hint and brown sugar note. Tasty stuff.

GABF 2008. Their Cuvee wasn’t really to my tastes but the fruit sours from Cascade are phenomenal. I think this won a bronze and well done at that, though it wasn’t my favorite Cascade sour of the evening. A light cherry aroma on a murky brown pour. A solid cherry body with a nice sour finish.

(750ml bottle) Pours a hazy deep red body with a small beige head. Aroma of cherries, earthiness, oak, light chocolate, caramel, and a touch of smoke. Flavor of cherries, floral, and earthiness with a dry oak finish and moderate carbonation.

Thanks to Ron Gansberg for the tastes of this wonderful brew--Poured from a 750ML bottle a murky, crisp, amber-deep brown-purple body. Spotty beige thin head. Chewy. Spicy fruity and carbonic presence. More sour tartness rolls in upon more sips. Spry, spritzy, crisp and with a creamy yogurt lactic flare in the finish.

750 ml waxed and capped bottle purchased mail order directly from the brewery. Pour is a murky mahogany with a 2 inch off brownish-red head. Falls with decent lacing. Aroma of sweet floral perfume and cherries. Musty vanilla. Mild sourness. Wonderful, balanced and engaging nose. Taste is vanilla, oak wood, tart cherries and more of the soft floral sweetness. Everything is exceptionally integrated and balanced. The cherry is really fresh and brightly tart, not in your face sour, just beautifully melded with the rest of the flavors. Wow, this is really good. Palate is medium, clean and nicely carbonated. Aftertaste coats the mouth and lingers perfectly. This beer does not hit you over the head on any element, just beautifully crafted. Thanks for starting mail order, Cascade!

Aroma of some moderately tart cherries, oak, light vanilla, and a touch of sour. Pours a dark reddish tint with a beige head with red tones that last for the whole experience. Flavors of cherries, tart and fruity, oak comes through with some light woody tartness and vanilla, and a nice tart lactic finish. Not overly sour, but a nice thirst quenching finish. Medium carbonation. Well done.

750ml bottle. Cherry concentrate initially on the nose. Just a hint of funk... sweaty sock. Some creamy lacto tartness. Cherry pie. Not overly sour, and I don’t get a whole lot of barrel, either. Slightly similar, albeit a whole hell of a lot less complex than NG Belgian Red. Pours a dark ruby red with a thin pinkish white head. Flavor shows a bit more funk and barrel than the nose... Definite lactose creaminess. Slightly steely. Lacking any real barrel tannin. Mild tart cherry skin. Yeast pour yields a bit more residual sugar and earthy funk... but not much. Medium bodied. Lively carbonation with an abrupt, lightly tart finish. Had high hopes for this one, but really lacks in complexity. Highly drinkable and refreshing though lacking in any major flaws, just really simple. Thanks Steve!

Bottle from DarkElf. I love sour beers. I love cherry beers. I love sour cherry beers. Red amber color. Small mixed bubble head. Nice mild cherry aroma. Smooth, mellow. Super easy to drink. Low sourness. Sweetish. Excellent. Tried again at GABF. Same excellent rating.