New Belgium Transatlantique Kriek

Brewed by New Belgium Brewing Company
Style: Fruit Beer
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

Thanks to durhambeer for schlepping this one back to me from Bruisin’ Ales. A fairly lively pour, cough-syrup red with a medium layer of foam and fairly notable carbonation for the style. A slight confection trait in the cherry nose, a hint of medicine and wood lending it a slightly disjointed character. Nice full mouthfeel for sure. But the taste, too, has something missing to me. Attenuated a bit, almost as if it’d been aged a year or two too long, with a residual cherry pit quality and a slightly dank finish. About on par with the Dark Kriek, alas.

Pretty steep price that has scared me off several times. Their whole Lips of Faith line is really intriguing for is it $15.00 intriguing? Well, at least for Thanksgiving it was. The beer pours out a beautfiul blood red body with a tight pink head. Reminded me in many ways of their Frambozen in terms of the color. Aroma has a sweet-tart like candy cherry aroma, ascorbic acid meets black cherry ice cream. Flavor has a nice blend of sweet and tart, again list a candy but the tartness level is ratched up a bit. Finishes a bit sweet but with a nice twang to it. A nice kriek to introduce someone to the style. Not overly acidic or tart, but not cloyingly sweet either.

Bottle or should I say bottles a 2004 vintage 12oz and a new 22oz lips of faith. I am don’t know how to rate this so I will just do a over view. new one first. Pours out red with a pink head. Aroma of light funk, cherries, and some tartness. Taste much the same. 2004 pours out more clear with a small head. Aroma was of sweet cherries and light tartness. Taste more of the sweetness and some wood. Thanks Toby and ditmier for the side by side.

Lips of Faith Transatlantique @Tampa Wkly Gathering-22oz bottle–Thanks seabass-pours an off white ring for a head and red color. Aroma is dry, yeasty, medium malt, cherry. Taste is tart cherry, medium malt, vinegar.

bomber 8% consumed 9/6/09. clear watered down cherry juice colored pour with a short lived white head. a sweet cherry smell sticks out in front of a musty basement-like stink... other notes include grass, wet wood, flowers and some spiciness. the palate is surprisingly dry throughout yet it shows a nice level of fruitiness. flavors of cherry, cinnamon-like spiciness, flowers, cream and must dominate. it is tart and dry but nowhere near sour. a dry herbaceous numbing quality keeps the flavor from becoming too one dimensional. medium bodied with a sharp mouth feel which smoothes to become creamy as it warms up. 7/3/7/3/14/3.4

Cask Stillage from the Jug at the GABF, Colorado Convention Center 24/09/2009 Fruity aroma. Copper red coloured a little sour and fruity with a little dryness in a crisp lasting finish.

The pour was brown with lots of red highlights. A short ring of off-white foam appeared and there was a touch of lacing. The aroma was vinegar, malt and cherries. The flavor was more vinegar and wood than sour cherry. Thin to medium bodied mouthfeel. OK. Became a bit laborious.