Verhaeghe Echte Kriekenbier

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

Distinctly red in colour. Not up to the standard of a lambic kriek in my view but, otherwise, just what you’d expect - woody, strong cherry character and some sour notes. Not too sweet. I just thought it fell away a little on the finish, which was quite dry and clean. A nice drink. Pump dispense at GBBF 2004.

Bottle. Poured reddish brown with a large frothy off-white head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate sour tart fruit aroma. Light to medium body. Medium sweet fruity flavor with a medium sweet finish. Smooth refreshing brew.

Cask conditioned - pumped by some method similar to a syringe? - GBBF 2004. A sour fruity smell to this deep red coloured beer with a good looking off-white head. The taste is suitably sour with good cherry notes. A long lingering aftertaste to this classy beer.

Deep ruby pour with medium, creamy, white head. Aroma of big tart cherries, some port and malt. Tastes tart cherryish, with a medium, fruity, smooth finish. Very nice!

Dark ruby brown, with little head. Light cherry aroma with some vinegar. Tart, clean cherry flavour.

A pinkish burgundy to brown ale with a thin white pinkish head. Very pleasant aroma of sweet maraschino cherries, light lactic notes. In mouth, a bit thin, but nice tart cherries and cranberries, not very acidic, some damp wood. Overall, still in good shape. Trade with JM in Port Coquitlam , early 2005, BB 26-11-05.

Sampled at the Brugse Biertje, November 2003. Head is initially small, fizzy, off-white, fully diminishing. Body is medium red. Aroma is lightly yeasty (horseblanket), with notes of sherry, cherry, raspberry, vinegar, vanilla, wood, red wine. Flavor is heavily sweet, moderately acidic. Finish is moderately sweet, moderately acidic, lightly bitter. Medium body, syrupy texture, lively carbonation. Reminds me of Rodenbach Alexander, and almost as nice.

11.2 oz bottle, courtesy of The Foodery in Philadelphia. Dark purplish ruby, little head, fully diminishing. Powerfully sour fruity aroma, hint of bitter almonds. On the tongue, surprisingly smooth and velvety at first...agressive sour, almost vinegary flavors develop, not entirely pleasantly. This is an over-the-top sour cherry flavor, potent and real but not altogether wonderful. Light almond nuttiness, vinegar and ammonia to finish...dry and woody and perhaps just a bit thin. I’m fascinated, but I just don’t know if I like it.