Verhaeghe Echte Kriekenbier

Brewed by Verhaeghe
Style: Sour Ale
Vichte, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium

Beautiful ruby-purple beer with a frothy pink head. Prominent cherry aroma, warm spices (nutmeg, clove, cinnamon). Tannic and lactic acidic aroma. Flavour is nicely structured, a bit of lactic and acetic acid. Vineous quality. Cherry flavour, spice, with a nice tart and fruity finish.

Uh oh... could this be spoiled? That would really make my day... not like this little 33cl bottle didn’t cost almost $4. Let’s see... brown rust where the cap was held, tinny sour spoiled nose of foot sweat and tobasco sauce... oh man something here is wrong, but I can’t place it. There does seem to be a bit of a cherry presence in there, and being a sour ale an all I guess some weirdness is expected, but this thing could just as easily be interpreted as being massively spoiled or infected. When sour ales aren’t made well this is what happens... you just can’t tell. Has a massively burnt flavor of peanuts, chemicals and cherries, with a tinny rust flavored minerally body. Bleeeuuughhhh. Bad on so many levels. Someone said balsamic cherries, I think they’re right.

Bottle. It pours a lovely, clear, well-carbonated ruby red body with a lasting finger-thick pinkish white head. Cherryish, lemon-sourish aroma with hints of oak. Tart, yet sweetish flavor with cherries and some lemon. Medium, effervescent mouthfeel with palate-cleansing qualities. Cherries, lemon and some sweetness in the finish. So smooth and easy to drink, and wonderfully refreshing. Well hidden alcohol makes it a dangerous one. (080823)

Bottled: Dark amber coloured. Not much head. Sour cherry, some sweetness and a strange freshness dominate the nose. Grape, cherry, sweetness balanced by a light sourness makes a delightful flavour. Has a light cherrysweetness in the end, that again is balanced by a subtle and mild sourness.

RATING #900!!!!! ...and I think I may have poisoned myself... which is usually my initial reaction to a Flemish Sour, a style I admit to not understanding. This one’s pretty good. It pours a beautiful ruby red with a frothy pink head. The nose is all sour cherries. The flavor is at first like cherry cough medicine, but it broadens out to include vanilla, other fruits, a bit of earthiness... a fairly complex taste experience followed by a tart, puckering finish. Good brew.

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Draft at the Hopleaf (Chicago). Clear bright red color with a smaller pink head. Oak and cherry aromas. Light cherry start. Sweeter middle and a dry finish with a sweet linger. Almost lingers to thick.

Cherry aroma with some oak. Clear red color, white head with large bubbles (which I don’t like), fair lace. Light sweet, very cherry, light oak, nice sourness. Flat finish with cherry. Could use some body but a very good beer.

Bottle: Pours a lightly rosy mahogany color with light head and no lacing. The nose is toasty with sweet alcohol, light cherry and a rich sour cherry pop tart type note. The flavor is a bit sweet with a light thin body and a lingering tart note. A bit apple ciderish and vague, light vinegar and wood too. It’s not bad, but nothing is really talking to me like a good flemish sour ale would.