CooperSmiths Belgian Style Kriek Ale

Brewed by CooperSmiths Pub & Brewing
Style: Sour Ale
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

(Draught) Pours a clear amber body with a small off-white head. Aroma of vinegar, sour cherry, caramel, and lacto. Flavor of tart cherries, vinegar, earth, and light vanilla with a dry oak finish.

On tap at Coopersmiths(drank not crushed) poured a clear dark reddish brown with a small lingering amber head. Aromas of sour cherry, oak, light horseblanket and a hint of vinegar. Palate was light bodied and crisp with a dry tart finish. Flavors of sour cherry, oak, earthiness, light horseblanket and a hint of vinegar with a crisp dry lingering tart cherry finish.

Draft @ the brewery. Crushed with TARbra and Kevinbra. Deep purple brown colored body. Lacto, oak and black cherries in the nose, some pit, some skin and some strong vinegar-like acetic acid. Body is medium to light for the style, texture is prickly/fizzy/peppery, moderately acidic balsamic vinegar/black cherry flavor across the middle. Sharp and stinging in the finish. Comfortable and delicious, though perhaps a bit too much acidity for such a small body.

On tap @ the brewpub, served in a snifter. Clear copper with a one finger off-white head, fading to a thick ring and little island of foam. Lots going on in the aroma--red wine, oak, sour cherries and skins, light lemon, light leather, and faint wheat. The flavor adds more cherry skins and juice, and tones back a bit on the red wine character. The finish is all wheat after the acidity peaked @ a 6. Medium body with light prickly carbonation. A very pleasant surprise.

Tap @ brewpub - This was lovely. With a garnet ring and a ruby coloring with some purple hues. A really good looking beer. A bit of acidity and tang in the nose, with sour fruit notes. The palate is dry and not completely sour, has a light spiciness and some lingering woody notes into the finish.

On tap at the brewery. Waiter was super kind bring out a taste of this for me! Pours a lighter see through red with not much retention. Copper gold in there as well. Sweet up front moving into a very mild yet tangy sour blast that is swarmed with sour old cherry. A tiny hint of strawberry in there somewhere. Nice lingering finish mixing slight hop notes with strong sour resins. Pleasant surprise!

Bright ruby-red hue. Sweet (caramel-covered cherries) up front; refreshingly tart toward the finish. Bright and fresh flavors of cherries and apples. Sweet vanilla aroma in the background. Mild spices, earthy yeast, faint wood and a slight saltiness followed. Tasty and quenchy. One of the better Belgian-styled beers I’ve had in Colorado.

Clear red-amber with a white head, not much retention. Smells of vinegar and cherries. Tastes of vinegar and cherries. I saw some vinegar and cherries behind the bar. Light palate. Good. Maybe a bit overpriced.