You may remember a post I wrote some time ago about Boon Mariage Parfait, it was a beer I really liked from a stye that I sometimes struggle with.
Anyways some time after that, my good friend Mart Ridgeway, ( aka 6TownsMart ) kindly brought me the Kriek version back from one of his many ventures into Belgium.
At the time Mart mentioned it was “a bit special” and quite rare, but I hadn’t quite recognised just how special it really was, only being brewed in small batches every two years.
I popped it in the fridge before stumbling across the review below which includes the following quote:
“Exceptional indeed. It has a drink-by date of 2030, and I’m wondering if I should have put it down in the cellar for a few years first…” Andrew Stroehlein – 40 Beers at 40.
Unfortunately for me I’d already severely chilled mine before I’d read that or I too would have put mine aside for a a year or twenty.. Freakily, the only other person to comment on Andrews blog post was…
So anyways on a Sunday afternoon a couple of weekends back, whilst enjoying the last remnants of the extremely late British Indian Summer I cracked it open at last.
The beer poured a deep claret red with an initial lively pink head that soon died away to nothing. From the glass comes an amazing aroma of sour cherry and what I’d describe as a sort of rich Christmas spiciness.
As you take a first sip the taste is sharp but not screamingly so as with even some of the more fruitier lambics. Then as you swill it around the mouth to release the hidden character the flavours develop further, there is still some sourness, but it is balanced by a big old sweet hit of cherry pie fruit, there is a sherbet note too with a subtle but earthy oak backbone.
Quite fizzy on the tongue which probably accounts for the sherbet feel, but the finish is warm with alcohol and refreshingly dry. Very more-ish indeed..
It’s just the perfect beer for a hot afternoon and one that you could just keep going back to again and again as there is nothing sickly here at all, nor is it too lambicly acidic. Sadly due to it’s rarity not many of us are ever going to get that chance, but if you do come across any BUY SOME, it’s the law!
P.S Please get me a couple of bottles too… 😉
Cheers
Beersay 
I’m yet to try any kriek, lambic or gueuze beers. I read this and know that I should be giving them a go, so I pledge to buy at least one of the above on my next visit to the Ritz! or I could just ask Mart very nicely to get back to Belgium pronto!
What was the abv? – can’t quite make out the photo.
I’d definitely say Kriek,Frambosen or one of the other traditional fruit lambic beers as being a good starting point, this one might be tricky to get hold of but go for something like Mort Subite, De Ranke or one of Boons standard offerings.
Both Marriage Parfait beers are also really good, not TOO sour for a novice to the style (I consider myself in that category). I also really like Cantillon Iris whereas some their range is a little too much for me. Best to work in gradually… 😉
This one is 8% by the way, it doesn’t taste like it though. Cheers
looking forward to a bottle of this on thurs. I’ve drunk the regular kriek in lembeek
How was it Steve?