Cascade Kriek Ale

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

Poured dark reddish brown, mildly tart cherries, little wood, little brown sugar, little yeasty.

750 ml bottle.

I was delighted to see this show up in Washington state, and despite the hefty price tag, immediately bought a bottle. Have to say that while I enjoyed drinking it, on the whole I’m a bit let down. It’s a nice kriek, not too sweet like many other American cherry beers (I was afraid it would be too New Glarus-like). But it ultimately lacks the depth, intensity and complexity of the better krieks I’ve had. Rather watery, neither powerfully sour nor heavily funky, sorta but not terribly dry.... So I guess I’m of mixed feelings about this one. I think it’s absolutely great that local breweries are experimenting with these styles -- but when they’re priced well above the imported benchmarks, it’s hard to justify repeat visits unless they can get close in quality. This one hasn’t reached that bar yet.

WeeHeavySD brought this by on Stuporbowl Scumday 2009, right at the cusp of everyone dropping off like flies. Tasty, tart, fruity and all that you would expect from a high quality kriek. Well received by everyone who tried it.

Bottle. Mild tart cherry aroma. Murky brown-red with a big lasting head. Tart up front, not very well-rounded or complex. Dry finish, boring. Drinkable but not great.

Big thanks to Pantanap for sharing this. Poured a dark red with a pink/tan head. Aroma was musty cherries. Taste was nice tart cherry, touch soapy, with a quick finish that lead to a lasting tartness in the mouth. I enjoyed this one quite a bit. Very drinkable.

Bottle at pauls. Pours a hazy red body with an white head. Light cherry nose, oak, vanilla, sweet with a hint of brown sugar, then lightly tart finish. Good one.

Bottle Pours out a mahogany/brown topped with a small head. Aroma of fruit and oak. Tast was of cherry and wine. It started to tast much better at it sat. Not bad as I took the last drink.

A dark and cloudy, reddish-chestnut colored body is crowned with a fleeting, foamy, tan colored head. Random, obtuse spots emerge from soapy sheeting to dry onto the glass. The aroma shows tons of fresh, new, American oak, the requisite toasty vanilla, sour cherries, lactose, and hints of balsamic vinegar. The flavor is aggressively oaked as well, the toasted wood lending a vanilla overtone to the lactic, sour cherries. There’s a hint of cola sweetness throughout, which lends balance. The substantial, well-carbonated palate starts out a bit syrupy, but finishes semi dry. This is an interesting, middle-of-the-pack sort of Flemish red.