Flossmoor Station De Zuidentrein Kriek

Great Taste 2008. How does this beer score only a 3.5 on our site? That’s insane! This has all the complexity and then some of New Glarus’ Belgian Red. Oh well. Onto the beer, notes of sour cherry and cherry pie filling lead into apple pie spices, plum, and Rainier cherry. Finish is fig and date with an oak and funkiness that reminded me of the best of the Jolly Pumpkin beers. Great stuff from Flossmoor once again.

New notes, June 4, ’08. Draft goblet at the bar. Either it’s because the beer has settled for another month, or my previous glass had passed through many hands, but this one has eased out of the big barnyard and cheese character I originally found. Now, we have a beer that’s still tart and tangy, with cherries and hints of cocoa. Goes down much more smoothly. Brown in color, very little head. Still very complex and eccentric and why are you still reading this; go have one.

Original rating, April 25th. Glass shared at FS’ pre-DLD party. Wow! This brew brings on the funk! I got a big cheesy hop smell right away, before it gives up it cherry tartness. Murky reddish brown in the glass, no head. But the taste is powerfully good. Tart, smoky dried cherry and barnyard funk, more of those cheesy aged hops; that sounds bad, but it’s really tasty, like the Belgian farmhouse lambic it aspires to be.

Tap at the pre-DLD party at Flossmoor, thanks Matt and Andrew for this:

Hazy red hue with a small head and spotty lace. The aroma has notes of tart cherry, slight lacto funk, oak, herbal hop, and dusty yeast esters. The taste has a nice balance of fruit and biscuity malt with a dry oak finish. A touch of wild yeast notes adds to the depth of palate. The mouth feel is slightly chewy, dry and a tad chalky. Overall it was a very drinkable brew, Mikey Likey!

I like the Frambozen version better (although I normally prefer Krieks), but this is yet another dandy from Matt & Andrew. It poured a hazy brownish-red with just small amounts of both head and lace. It had a fresh, tart dark cherry aroma, mildly funky, with a touch of oak and some earthy hops. A bit of cherry pit bitterness and a light fruity sourness are added to the flavor of this smooth & soothing ale. The finish is dry and fruity. Quite nice.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/events-detail.asp?eventID=6913>Pre-Dark Lord Gathering 2008 at Flossmoor Station, IL, 4/25/2008.<font size=-1>

on tap at GTMW ’08. pours a rusted amber with white head. nose is a bit chardonnay esque, tart white grapes, spritzy cherries, highly drinkable.