It's not often that we take the time to profile individual beers here on the blog, but we thought this one was worth the mention. This week we received a shipment of one of the last batches of Kriekbier that Liefmans produced before their bankruptcy and subsequent buyout by Duvel Moortgat. We're still waiting for the new batches from the revitalized brewery to show up in our state, but in the meantime we have the chance to sample a bit of their history. This batch is from 2007 according to the cork and is tasting better than ever. Age has dried the beer out a bit and the tart smack of acidity allows the fruit to really shine.
Here's how the brewery described the beer:
"The Kriek is made with a completely different method from Kriek Lambic. It starts with old brown ale which is macerated with fresh, whole Danish and Belgian cherries [13 kg per 100 liters] in shallow, horizontal tanks for at least six months. Then it matures for about 1 year and afterwards is blended with Oud Brun and Cuvee Brut or Goudenband of different ages. Brewer's tasting notes: 'Light malting, superb fruit aroma, brandy-ish flavors, and delicate sweetness are balanced against subtle acidity.'"
