Liefmans Gluhkriek

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

Ah, a nice way to kick off the Kerstbierfestival in Essen. It’s a dark ruby color with no real head. It has a nose of bing cherry and rum vapor... enticing. Flavor is like a blend of sweet and sour cherries, nudging toward the sweet side but not cloying. No carbonation whatsoever. Fruity and warm, tangy in the back. I’d take this over gluhwein any day of the week.

draught (hot) at Dresdens famous Christmas market Striezelmarkt. Amber-brown colour, lovely creamy head, slightly hazy. Very fruity and malty, lovely cherry flavours. Not sweet at all, fruity and malty, slightly hoppy in the finish. I think it is much better than Glühwein.

75 cL bottle. Pours clear reddish with a fully diminished white head. Cherry fruity and slight spiced aroma. Cherry sweet flavour, slight acidic. Finish is sweet and persisting cherry fruity.

Warm: sweetness steps far back in favour of spice and herbal note. Becomes very pleasant. Has a slight barnyard note and some mildness to it warm. Quite enjoyable.

Bottled. Ser ved warm. Pours a slightly hazy red-brown colour. Sweet soft cherry aroma with some spices and dark fruits. Good mouthfeel. Comfortable quite sweet cherrry dry and sour flavour. Well lasting sweet cherry sourish finish. Good warming brew!

Bottle. [Courtesy of yespr, thanks buddy] We started off serving this cold to get the full experience of this beer.

Cold serving: Small fizzy white head that mostly diminished. Clear flat looking body with a light brown almost reddish color. Spare lacework. The initial sniff gives the impression of Christmas spice, almond, fruit, honey, and raisins. Actually close to a Mead. Also heavy notes of cherry. Medium bodied with a soft carbonation. Light to moderated sweet fruity flavour with light acidic. Cherry like light sour finish. 7 / 3 / 8 / 3 / 15

Hot serving: A bit more foam. To my surprise the aroma had completely changed. The sweetness was goon with notes of barnyard and lots of spice. Over the palate I get the impression of elderberry soup, nice balanced fruity feel where the sweetness is not dominating. Only light notes of cherry and sourness. Medium bodied with what feels like no carbonation. Maybe killed by the heating of the brew. Light to moderate sweet notes with light sour feel. Spicy berries like finish. It was even better hot I thought. 8 / 3 / 8 / 3 / 16

Served cold. Good and strong one. Beautiful red color, the sour cherry dominate the flavour with a balanced, nice sourness and a little sweet-end.

Tasted 2007-11-03. 2006 version. Hot version: Pours reddish brown, semi transparent with light red head. Aroma is initially a bit harsh, but then it seems like the harshness leaves the glass, and left is a hot, burning aroma of cherries, cinnamon and flemish sour. Flavour is explosive of cherries and spices. Nice sourness. I will never drink glögg, as long as I have this in stock! Cold version: Same appearance but without the head (I thought it woud be the other way around). More pleasant aroma than the hot version, but the flavour is too mild in comparison. This is definately best served hot!

275ml bottle (Gallows Bird, Espoo, Winter Ales 2004) served hot. Sharp and sweet - a berry sweetness, and quite spicey. Alas the warmt takes away the freshness of the sharp sourness that would otherwise be welcome.