Liefmans Gluhkriek

Brewed by Liefmans (Moortgat)
Style: Fruit Beer
Oudenaarde, Belgium

Cork-1998. From Bottle

Dark pour. Aroma of cinnamon and apple, just like grandma’s homemade apple pie. Alcohol present in aroma, almost overpowering. Flavor of overpowering cinnamon, and alcohol. I got strong whiskey flavors from it. Sour aftertaste. I couldn’t finish. I really wanted to like this, but couldn’t.

Thanks to Slander for sharing this one at HWOH. Bottle 97-98. I think the wrapper said 98 and the cork 97 or vice versa. Either way, this was pretty old. Pours a slightly cloudy dull red/ wierd brown with no head. Aroma is spiced with lots of apple and cinnamon, ginger, and a cherry-pie like characteristic from the wild yeast and bacteria. Light lactic and acedic acid throughout the flavor, slightly oxidized wet cardboard, some old fruits, more spice, some soy sauce, and moderately sweet. Finish is a bit sour, but not too much, astringent and sweet but tart.

03.12.06 1997 bottle thanks to Slander at HW OH. I’m really impressed with how well this beer held up, although a number of noses were turned up when other folks tasted this brew. Spicy aroma like pie and cherries and potpourri. The body has mostly become still, but a nice oily feel is slick and coating, a nice combination with the spice. Sweet, still oozing delicious cherry. Quick, spicy finish. Only mild touches of cork and slight musty signs of age. I would love to try this again after another decade.

Evanescent and little dense head, of difficult formation. Dark red color, much intense and impenetrable one. Rich and sweetish scent with notes of candy, sour black cherry and cherry’s juice. Soft and lightly mellow taste; a lot balanced and perfumed even if excessive sweet on the end, nearly red fruit’s syrup.

Bottle. Dull brownish red beer with a cinnamon and fruity aroma and a cherry, spiced and cinnamon flavour. Overall an OK beer.

Bottled. Muddy cherry red. Aroma of cloves and cinnamon with plenty of cherries. Sweet and intensely fruity, served cold it reveals juicy fresh citricity, while warm the focus shifts to the spices and the alcohol. This is a really good beer, but surprisingly it falls slighty short in a comparison with the more intense copy Quelque Chose.

[bottle from Clockwork] Served hot. Bit aroma of cherrys spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon. full body, finish is dry and tart.

(bottle) Hazy and murky red colour with a very small off-white layer. Sugary, cherry-fruity and very spicy aroma with alcohol. Sweet flavour, non-artificial cherry-fruity taste with cloves, cinnamon and gingerbread and a warming alcoholic note in the lasting and slightly tart finish. Probably better than most Glühweins.