“Our Oude Kriek is a blend of old and young barrel-aged lambic in which 400g/l of cherries have matured. Bottle refermented, its cherry aroma is intense, the acidity sharp yet balanced by the roundness of the fruit.”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: What a thing of beauty. Pours halfway between mahogany and deep cherry with a short fizzy head which rapidly disappears. No head = no lace!

Aroma: Exactly what you’d expect from a high quality Belgian Oude Kriek; bursting with sweet yet tart cherry, dark fruits like blood plum and dates and a nice musty oak that’s integrated so harmoniously. Big funky and sweaty notes, yoghurt-like sourness with a flutter of red wine vinegar and citric acidity. Subtle red wine tannin running through it as well. Really high quality stuff.

Flavour: Pow! That’s close to eye-watering sourness…and we love it! It hangs on too, and doesn’t subside until well past the mid-palate. Alongside the intense sourness are heady notes of sour cherry, red wine vinegar and musty oak with some mild support from a somewhat Noble hop herbaceousness, manky/sweaty funk and eventually a sharp acetic finish which draws out nicely.

Mouthfeel: Sharp and acidic with a hint of minerality. Pucker rating is off the charts. Quite firmly bodied, sparkling Co2 and the 6.7% ABV is well buried.

Overall: Damn fine stuff. And one of the more affordable Belgian Lambics on the market too. Solid offering.

“Our Kriek beer is a refreshing blend of tart and sweet. We conditioned it for 6 months on 2 seasons worth or morello cherries that we grew right here in Traralgon, allowing the beer absorb the fruits rich complex flavours.”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: Pours a deep and bold ruby red with a fizzy one finger head which quickly fades. It settles to a fine collar but hardly any lace clings to the glass.

Aroma: It’s fascinating how different the make up of the same fruit can be depending on where it’s grown. We’re almost certain Cantillon (and a raft of other Belgian Sour breweries) use Morello cherries but the difference here is the Morello cherries were grown in Australia, under our climate conditions. The characteristics are much sweeter and milder and display more of a sarsaparilla-like quality. Also getting pink lemonade, strawberry and herbs.

Flavour: Hhmm a bit too medicinal for our liking. Not a whole lot of sourness to it either. There’s certainly fresh cherry notes along with sarsaparilla, dry wheat grains, red grapes and blood plum. It doesn’t really go anywhere from here unfortunately, it all gradually peeters out and finishes a tad dry with the faintest hint of cherry in the tail.

Mouthfeel: Fairly light on, mineraly texture. Vibrant Co2 and the 7 % ABV is well concealed.

Overall: We won’t be rushing out to get more any time soon. We think stating that it’s a “Kriek Style” Sour was a good move as it’s far from a traditional Kriek. We get they’re difficult beers to perfect but we were expecting more from this.

“Bacchus Cherry Beer is brewed using Bacchus Flemish Old Brown as a base. This cherry beer surprises with a slight touch of caramel from the roasted malt. Bacchus Cherry Beer offers a beautiful balance between the aromas of ripe cherries and the sweet and sour of the base beer.”

Appearance: Wow it hits the glass with a much darker complexion than expected. Almost a light brown to mahogany colour and a short fizzy head which quickly forms a collar. Minimal lace as we imbibe.

Aroma: Quite a strong medicinal character to it. Not the most pleasant of scents as it conjures up memories of being force-fed Benadryl cough syrup as kids. Nonetheless, it still has a lovely tart and tangy sweetness which lends a sweet oriental spice mix of cinnamon, star anise and nutmeg. Some nuttiness and candy to it as well.

Flavour: We’d be more inclined to say this was a Fruit Beer than a Kriek. It’s like a lovechild between Dr Pepper and Cherry Cola…just with a bit more sourness, almond and sweet spice fused through. Again, traits of medicinal/artificial syrup and cloying candy notes let it down a bit. Quite a disappointing and short finish as well.

Mouthfeel: Fairly light on, slightly watery but very crushable. Could do with a bit more Co2. The 5.8% ABV was well concealed.

Overall: Not our favourite Kriek by any stretch. Too artificial and medicinal for our liking. And not sour enough! Average.

“Beer of spontaneous fermentation. Lindemans Kriek is made from one-year-old oak-aged lambic and pure cherry juice. Red, slightly cloudy colour. Deliciously fruity with the fresh flavour of freshly picked sour cherries. Its sharp and full-bodied flavour gives way to a perfect balance between sweet and sour.”

Glassware: Teku

Appearance: Tis a gorgeous beer to look at…ruby red with a deep pink head which swells to a finger before slowly forming a collar. Laced well as we go.

Aroma: Definitely not what we were expecting! It’s very artificial with its dominant cherry sherbet and Dr Pepper-like sugary sweetness. It has hints of cola syrup at times as well. Picking up a slight musty-ness which is interesting as it’s not barrel aged. Kind of earthy deep down, minimal funk with just the slightest hint of aniseed. Weird. Don’t know if we’re digging it or not yet.

Flavour: Detecting a bit more tart cherry but still not getting much true and natural flavour of the fruit though. Again this Dr Pepper-like cherry cola thing happening is so unexpected and something we’ve never tasted in a Kriek before. It really doesn’t deviate a whole lot as it pretty much finishes how it starts.

Mouthfeel: Nice and spritzy with vibrant CO2. Light, aerated texture with the 3.5% ABV supporting that. Very approachable.

Overall: We don’t pretend to be Kriek guru’s but we’re pretty sure this isn’t your traditional representation of the style. Which is strange coming from such an esteemed and well established brewery. Tell ya what though it would go well on a stinking hot day but happy to give it a miss until that happens though.

“Kriek is a blend of sour red ales aged in oak wine barrels for up to 17 months with Bing and sour pie cherries. As one of Cascade Brewing’s earliest and most recognized beers, Kriek has been a staple in our portfolio of Northwest sour ales and continues to be a flagship project that represents the soul of our craft. Kriek 2016 features complex flavors of cherries, roast malts, oak and spice.”

Glassware: Stemmed Tulip.

Appearance: Light mahogany with burnt amber hues. Not much head produced as it quickly snaps back to a collar. Healthy lace despite the lack of head.

Aroma: Showing lots of vinous characters – red berries, cigar-like earthiness, spice and macerated dark fruits. Enter those heavenly cherries with their tart and juicy tannins. More than enough funk and sweaty barnyard emphasized by the old musty oak barrels and sharp lacto sourness. Phenomenal aroma.

Flavour: She comes on with extreme sourness…almost eye-watering in fact! Red wine vinegar, tart cherry and tannic acidity makes way for savoury spice, musty oak and gently roasted malts. Tasting that artificial sherbet-like cherry flavour before it finishes tart, fruity and musty with incredible length.

Mouthfeel: Sharp, acidic…very sour…so much so she scores a full 5/5 on the pucker rating. Nice body, good CO2. The 7.4% ABV shows a little but all in all it’s fairly well concealed.

Overall: Kriek is one of our favourite styles at the moment and this one, we can say with certainty, is spectacular. Deep, well rounded and complex yet insanely sour with excellent barrel characters to boot. Too bad it’s so damn exxy or we’d fill the cellar with it!

“It’s no secret that we take inspiration from Belgian Lambic brewers here at Alesong, and this quarter we’re sending a humble nod to their practices and releasing our own take on the classic Belgian Kriek.”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: Stunning strawberry red with soft pinkish hues. It constructs a short white head but it doesn’t take long for it to settle at the rim. Seeing OK lace despite the lack of head though.

Aroma: How good is Kriek?! It erupts with a kind of sweet yet kind of tart cherry. Loving the almost artificial berry sweetness which reminds us of either cherry or strawberry flavoured roll ups. Lots of tart plum and raspberry with more nuanced hints of cinnamon, vanilla and French oak barrels. Smells freakin amazing.

Flavour: Well tempered sourness initially which gradually moves in to the tart cherries and citric acidity. In and among all of that sweet and sour deliciousness is something a little earthy which really keeps it all nicely grounded. Not getting much from the oak barrels which is a real shame…just more cherry and raspberry in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Light spritzy kind of thing going on. CO2 maybe just a bit too lifted for us. Good acidity with a medium pucker – rates a 3/5. The 7.8% ABV is really well disguised.

Overall: Not the best Kriek we’ve tried but it’s still pretty damn good. The one thing that sets it apart from the likes of say, Cantillon is the depth and complexity. That is literally the only weakness here. Other than that it ain’t bad at all.

“Fresh sour cherries macerated in young lambic in oak barrels with fermentation in the bottle.”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Gorgeous colour…she pours a dark purple almost Ribena-like hue with minimal head. It forms a ring which leaves wavy lace clinging to the sides of the glass.

Aroma: It doesn’t even need to be close to our nostrils to smell it. Incredibly potent cherry notes alongside red wine vinegar, blueberry and walnut. Kind of has this grape flavoured bubblegum accent to it. A bit of that lacto astringency here but it’s softened by hints of fresh pear and apple. Brilliant.

Flavour: It comes on with vigorous pucker…boosted by super tart cherries, plum and astringent red wine vinegar. Quite salty, really gets the saliva glands flowing. A sharp acidity grabs the back of the throat but eases in to a tart, funky yet fruity finish which goes the distance.

Mouthfeel: Super sour! Our pucker-rating is a full 5/5. Mild-moderate body. 6.5% AbV showing through a little bit.

Overall: There’s one subtle yet crucial aspect that we totally ignored in this beer…and that’s the oak. It provides an essential balance, not to mention the soft woody aromas and flavours. Phenomenal drop which almost tuns to wine when it warms up. On par with Cantillon easily.

“3 Fonteinen (Oude) Kriekenlambik is the result of macerating hand-picked whole sour cherries on young lambic for at least four months, in a proportion of one kilogram of fruit per litre of lambic (and possibly blended with some more young lambic). Fruit intensity ranges from minimum 35% to 50%.”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Really deep maroon/burgundy pour. Much darker than the kriek’s we’re used to. It holds a wispy pink/purple head that weaves a wavy lace pattern down the glass.

Aroma: Somewhat dry with a musky funk. Lovely emphasis on the cherries though…very tart and juicy. The barrels play quite a big role here, there’s a prominent woodiness…we picture old cherry stained oak and sauna room. Something kind of floral as well like rose petals and violets. Quite a well layered nose actually.

Flavour: That tart and slightly sour cherry just washes over the palate. It’s not an insane amount of lacto but it definitely posseses a lot of pucker. It opens up on to a musty/woody oak with a gentle touch of lemon in the background which then presents those tart cherries and hints of blueberry and oak in the finish.

Mouthfeel: There’s a tart and tannic minerality. Light on, spritzy with a modest 5% AbV. Rather smooth.

Overall: It’s a very well polished kriek. Not overly sour and bursting with tart cherry and old oak barrels. A very fine offering.

” ‘Kriek’ starts out as a blend of one year old lambic-inspired barrels, combined with a mix of frozen tart cherries at a rate around 2 lbs per gallon. After two months of secondary fermentation and maturation the beer is sent to bottles and kegs for conditioning.”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Hits the glass with a cloudy strawberry red. It forms a short cap on top which leaves spotty lace as it ebbs. Looks good!

Aroma: Heady notes of tart cherry, lactic sourness, lemon/lime juice, red berry sherbet, red wine vinegar and musty wine cellar. Oak and subtle wine tannins also getting amongst it. It has just that right amount of manky character to it as well. Smells fantastic!

Flavour: Ooph she certainly has some pucker! The sharp lacto sourness hits with ferocity then gradually softens enabling the acidic lemon, tart cherry, red wine vinegar and mild oak tannins to come through. The true cherry flavour presents midway and rolls in to a funky/manky finish with lingering tartness on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Sharp and acetic with lively co2. The 6.4% AbV adds a bit of warmth as well.

Overall: She’d certainly benefit from a few years in the cellar that’s for sure. To be fair it is the 2018 vintage so it’s still expectedly bitey. All in all though it’s a damn fine Kriek.

“Kriek de Ranke is an unsweetened  cherry beer of mixed fermentation. It arises from a blend of old Flemish ale, lambic and 25 kilos of sour cherries/Hl.”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Kind of a crimson-ish colour, inclining to maroon. A finger of light pink head emerges then gradually settles to the rim. Seeing fine lace as it ebbs.

Aroma: Gorgeous! Brimming with red berry tartness, lacto acidity and crystallised sugary sweetness. There’s an absolute metric tonne of funk ranging from sweaty horse blanket to red wine vinegar and cheese cave. Quite the musty little number too, picking up a hint of old sauna room and damp wood. Complex and really well layered.

Flavour: It comes on tart, sour and dry with a hefty lacto acidity – mostly red wine vinegar, lemon and citrus peel. The delicious cherries and mixed red berry flavours come right over the top bringing the woody oak musty-ness and barnyard funk with it. The finish is nicely balanced and semi dry with lingering cherry and subtle funky notes on the rear.

Mouthfeel: Dry and nicely carbonated with a bit of pucker. Medium body. The 7% AbV was a nice surprise though, very well concealed.

Overall: Really the only thing separating this from Cantillon kriek is the lack of creaminess. Although to be fair this has an extra 2% AbV so it naturally offers a bit more bite. Nevertheless it’s a very fine offering.

“Cantillon Kriek is a 100% Lambic Bio brewed with Morello sour cherries from Turkey.”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Pours a gorgeous crimson with a deep pink hue. The head swells to about three fingers before gradually peeling off to a healthy overlay. Sort of a wet lace drag as we imbibe.

Aroma: Holy moly the amount of uplift on the nose is incredible. We get a nose full of sour red candy, strawberry cream, cherry, earthy spice, subtle lemon/lime juice and rhubarb jam. As far as we know this kriek is fermented in Stainless Steel tanks so that musty/oaky barrel character sits aside and let’s all the fruity and creamy notes do all the talking. Absolutely superb.

Flavour: Nice acetic lacto punch upfront. Strawberry, cherry and raspberry mingle with the acidic lemon and lime. A mild touch of earthy spice and vanilla adds another layer of depth and complexity. The middle is kind of dry, a little funky and a little cheesy with a touch of the candy-esque sherbet sweetness shifting in to the tart and fruity finish.

Mouthfeel: High in acidity, medium bodied with a fizzy texture – the medium-high co2 adding to that. Just leaves a nice coating on the palate.

Overall: Another excellent offering from Cantillon…still can’t beat the Saint-Gilloise though!