Liefmans Cuvée Brut (was: Kriekbier)

Brewed by Liefmans (Moortgat)
Style: Sour Ale
Oudenaarde, Belgium

Dark ruby pour with large chunks of sediment - complex aroma of cherry, nutmeg (and other "christmas-like" spices), raspberry, brown sugar - very sour up front, and in the finish, rounding out or "book-ending" the beer - in between is where the fun stuff happens - cherry and berries, followed by a doughy, spicy, christmas cookie-like flavor, a dash of cinnamon - there is some metallic/oxidized flavor in there somewhere, but that’s probably due to its age - a really neat beer.

Bottle: Dark rubi colour with a purple-red head. Aroma is very sweet and fruity. Taste is complex with red berries, nice malt presence all very well balanced.

Pours red-amber with a large white head with a light pink tint. Very pronounced sour cherry aroma. Lightly acidic and vinegary. Strong tart cherry flavor with little else. That vinegar is lurking in the background, but not to the point of unpleasantness. The full, oily mouthfeel is the strongest point, adding some substance that the simple flavor lacked. Sweet enough to be an alternative to Lindeman’s, but tart enough to be a good alternative.

1. On Tap at the Crescent, Salford 06/07/2001 Black and strong in alcohol. Cherry aroma and flavour. Slightly pale sour finish. 2. From the Bottle at the Falling Rock Tap House, Denver 26/09/2009 Big fruit aroma. Amber golden coloured sour and smooth on the palate with a cherry fruit flavour. A little dryness in a crisp and creamy finish.

375 ml bottle 2004 vintage poured a clear rusty red with a large, lasting pink head. Aromas of sour cherriesand a hint of vinegar. Palate was light bodied and tart. Flavors of sour pie cherries with refreshing tart finish.

Nice beer. Nice appearance, lovely dark red, opaque beer, with a nice head that lasts. Aroma is somewhat tart, hints of vinegar catch the nostril, not great, but nice cherries there. Cherries in the taste, refreshing. Very overpowering, nothing else but cherries, even though it’s a thick aftertaste like beer. Good all round refreshing beer.

One of those beers that is delicious but not a beer kinda way. In my opinion, it had more in common with a wine cooler than a beer, but that doesnt mean i didnt enjoy it. Both aroma and taste were full of tart cherries. Had a really smooth and fresh flavor. Not complaing at about the flavor at all, but don’t buy if you are in the mood for a real beer.

Another of the great beers we had at my niece’s 21st birthday party. A reddish-pink pour with a bubbly head. A sour cherry aroma. A sour cherry flavor with a bit of basalmic vinegar and not overly sweet but still really refreshing. A GREAT example of how a kriekbier is made.