Girardin Kriekenlambik

Brewed by Brouwerij Girardin
Style: Lambic - Fruit
Sint Ulriks-Kapelle, Belgium

Served from a 10 liter bag-in-box. The box was filled at the brewery sometime during 15-16 August 2009. Sampling date: 2009-08-23. Ruby read, absolutely no head - just a few big bubbles that quickly disappear. Lots of cherries and some notes of cherry candy in the nose. A faint vinegary note, but nothing in the aroma suggests that this will be a very sour beer. Some other fruit aromas and a hint of funk. The smell is not very complex, but very interesting and different to say the least. The taste is surprisingly sweet with lots of cherry flavors and notes of cherry candy, grass and earth. The sweetness is far from the sugary artificial flavors found in some lambics nowadays, though. In the middle, the tartness kicks in, but doesn’t develop into a raging sourness. Instead, it’s rather manageable. Muted funky notes of barnyard and dirt. The finish is tart and dry with prominent notes of cherries. Surprisingly full body. It’s still in the moderate range though, but fuller than most other lambics. The finish is refreshingly dry. Absolutely no carbonation. D: What an interesting encounter this was. I really enjoyed to see what a lambic tastes like at this stage of its maturation. It’s not as refreshing or complex as some other lambics, but I really enjoyed if. Due to the lack of carbonation and prominent fruity flavors, it was somewhat reminiscent of a tart fruit juice. A very good beer which was very fun to try. Serving type: cask (bag-in-box) (Copy of old Beer Advocate review)

Bag-in-box from Ølbutikken. Spare head, flat hazy red body. Aroma of cherry, cask wood, wine, vinegar and basement. Yeasty. Light body, thin texture, flat carbonation and bitter finish. Moderate sweet and light/moderate bitter flavor.

Handbottled from a 10l BiB, kindly shared by yespr I think. Thanks anyway to whom ever it was. It pours a beautiful ruby body, clear and flat as a pancake. Almost sugary nose with hen manure notes, barnyard and lots of cherries. Sweet, sort of, flavor with cherries. Almost candy-ish. Medium body, quite low on astringency. Even though I think it gives a strange sweetish impression, it sure has it’s palate cleaning abilities left. Nice. 090821

10l bag-in-a-box @ Ølbutikken. Beautiful deep ruby, no head. Nose is mildy acidic canned cherries, very juicy and fresh. Similarly fresh flavor, tartish cherry juice, very low funk, some redcurrants. Pretty long finish with some earth. Nearly flat palate. Really refreshing and lovely, though there’s not much diversity.

From handbottle, via puzzl @ BCTC 09. Pours a mostly clear ruby body without any head at all. The nose is quite dry and funky with lots of horseblanket and sour cherry, some nutty cherry pit, almost wood-like notes. The flavor is quite funky as well with a nice not shocking acidity and lots of tart sour cherry fruitiness. A dry cellar cobweb type of funkiness, just a bit of oak. Mouthfeel is bone dry and acetic with pretty well zero carbonation, not sure if that’s the handbottle, or what it’s intended to be. Big thanks to puzzl for letting me have a crack at this one.

Slightly hazy red with a tiny white head. Funky aroma is dominated by horseblanket, with some wood and a touch of cherry. Dry and funky cherry flavour with wood. There is some tannin tartness, but it isn’t very sour, just a lot of funk. Really smooth drinking

Collected from a BIB and carried all the way from Copenhagen til Odense in an authentic Nestlé Ice Tea bottle. Thanks ChristianScheffel! Pours totally flat and clear ruby red coloured. Aromas of cherries, mint, wood, a bit musty, floral and red currants. Soft texture. Mildly sour flavour with bitter notes. Weak flavour, but very drinkable. Thanks again Christian!

Clear red body with a very small white head. Sweet cherries and light acid in aroma. Some wood also. The flavour is sweet cherries with some light acidic touch.