Drie Fonteinen Kriek - Brouwerij Drie Fonteinen

putnam

Michigan

5/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I had just finished a glass of imperious Rhone wine when I pured this hoary, crimson liquid into a giant faux Sommelier Series Bordeaux stem.
Dense, pure, wild vanilla and white cola aromas present a firm, matte-finished force emerging purposefully from within. Aromas of honey-ripe tomatoes, teasingly seasoned with bouquets of tarragon and assorted fresh herbs. Curiously, strawberry is the red fruit dominant on the nose -- though sour red cherry and red currants are present as well. Add to that lime pulp. This is the most sexy, perfumed beer I have ever put to nose. Whose barrels do they use: Pavie's? Mouton's?
Palate-drenching acidity drizzels like honey on the very long finish which goes on for days.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2004 02:27:23 | More by putnam

marburg

Michigan

4.93/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

From BeerMaina in Brussels... A blood red color and a blood orange hue around the edges of the glass where the light slips through more easily. Practically no head. Strong cherry nose -- leftovers from cherry consumption, notably the stems and pits; truly bile-like in its pungent, ascerbic aroma; and almost dusty like sniffing around through a pile of shredded cardboard. Make no mistake about it, though -- tartness dominates the aroma and the taste. I mean, wow...just such a potent, flavorful beer. Acidic marathon, except unlike a marathon, this is fun. Flavors of sour cherries and unripe, tart plum. Pure sourness with a hint of pure fruit. Absolutely superb.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2004 03:35:40 | More by marburg

onecrazybreeze

Colorado

4.83/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark opaque red, almost burgundy. Smells sour, with sweet notes and mostly cherries. Head is thin, dark pink and sort of lasting with nice fast lacing. Taste is sour up front, almost so much it causes a pucker of the lips, finishes slightly sweet, mostly sour and tart with definite cherry notes throughout. Altogether one of the best krieks I've ever had. Definitely not an everyday beer, but a serious treat when you can get it.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2009 04:52:45 | More by onecrazybreeze

spdyfire83

Ireland

4.73/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

262nd Review
On draft - served in a small 3F glass

Enjoyed at the Drie Fonteinen Restaurant in Beersel (early June 2012).

A: Deep purplish red. Single (off-pink) fingernail head.

S: Smells of tart cherry, funk, oak, and soft sweetness.

T: Mostly cherry here with mild sweetness and oak. Lively tartness offset perfectly by lambic sourness. So refreshing and tasty! Honestly, I haven't enjoyed a better Kriek than this.

M: Light bodied with soft carbonation. Perfect!

O: Very drinkable and just an awesome experience enjoying this beer straight from the source!

Serving type: cask

08-03-2012 17:36:19 | More by spdyfire83

Fux

France

4.73/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On draft at the Drie Fonteinen Restaurant, paired with a Dame Blanche!
A: Dark purple in color, darker than the oude kriek, head is pink foamy and huge with quite a good retention.
S: Smell is fruity and mild tart with lots of red fruits, dark fruits and above all cherries.
T: Taste is even more fruity with lots of cherries, dark cherries, oak and also some chocolate. Very sweet, decadent, full and rich.
M: Medium bodied with a nice carbonation. Very drinkable, so juicy.
O: I felt ashamed while drinking this, this is a kriek with sugar added, all what I should hate, but this was actually one of the best kriek I've ever tried. It reminded me a lot of Rodenbach Alexander as a fat still juicy dessert bier. I will have it again for sure!

Serving type: cask

10-16-2012 20:48:51 | More by Fux

jibbyvonjibb

California

4.71/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Dark lollipop red, slightly hazy,. Aroma is fantastic. Macerated cherries. Woody character. This is authentic Kriek, nothing artificial here. Quite sour, more so than Oud Beersel. Slight tannic bitterness in the finish. Not as dense as Oud Beersel, yet more than Cantillon. Carbonation is fairly low.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 20:49:39 | More by jibbyvonjibb

MasterSki

Illinois

4.63/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Bottle thanks to bosse - bottled December 23rd, 2003. Served in an over-sized Duvel tulip. A decent pop when the cork was pulled.

A - The bottle says it's a mix of young lambic and cherries so I wasn't expected much in the way of carbonation. I got a dime of white foam that fizzled away pretty quickly and left a ring of foam at the edges of the glass. Murky orange-red color with a lot of bubbles at the bottom of the glass. I suspect it would have looked a little better in a flute glass.

S - Damn - the smell is explosively funky and tart, with tons of sour cherry. There's lots of horse blanket, apple cider vinegar, and mustiness - there's been negligible drop off compared to the Gueuze I just had in Brugge. There's some nice woody notes and fruity sweetness in there as well that balances things out. For a beer to smell this good after 5 1/2 years is incredible.

T - The taste is a little less explosive than the smell, although it's still excellent. Sour cherry, touch of graham cracker sweetness, some funk, tart and acidic, not sure what else you'd want from a kriek. The aftertaste has some great lingering tart notes.

M - Slight carbonation tingle, lighter body, super dry finish. I could have used a little more carbonation zing, but otherwise it was pretty nice. Nothing exceptional, but not bad either.

D - I'm kind of sad this was a 375ml instead of a 750ml. Super drinkable, without a palate-destroying aftertaste. Nothing to keep me from pounding this one other than extreme rarity.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2009 21:56:43 | More by MasterSki

DaPeculierDane

Wisconsin

4.63/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served from cask at Drei Fonteinen into a tumbler as all lambic seems to be served in Payotenland. Perfect match for a Guinea Hen cooked in this same beer.

Appearance: hazy, almost murky purple-red body with a surprisingly thick frothy pink head that slowly dissipates to bubbly lace.

Aroma: Huge cherry aroma, ample wood, touches of lactic acid, hints of plastic tarp.

Taste: This is the real deal! A pefect blend of tart fresh cherries, lambic sourness, lactic acidity that adds a wonderful creaminess, and tannic qualities that add depth and character. Currants and to a much lesser degree plums and strawberries are also found. Outstanding.

Mouthfeel: Rich, creamy, moderately sour but quite tart, bubbly, surprisingly dry.

Drinkability: A plus.

Serving type: cask

11-18-2009 04:21:42 | More by DaPeculierDane

mrkrispy

California

4.6/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My very generous friend Paul busted out an old bottle for us to try. Bottle date 18 Jan 2003.

Pours a hazy crimson, slightly brown.

Killer aroma of cherry and strawberries, twinge of vinegar.

Beer has a moderate body, mildly carbed. Lots of fruit... cherries, strawberry!, quite complex. Not appreciably sweet. Mildly acidic. Quite tart, but not overwhelming.

A fantastic beer, very complex. The fruit notes lasted all these years compared to domestic sours. This lambic is quite drinkable, so good. Too good, I want more!

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2009 17:55:42 | More by mrkrispy

paterlodie

Belgium

4.55/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Botledate 19-1-2002 so being in there for almost 3 years this one should be ready to drink. 3 fonteinen is one of the best examples for a geuze/kriek to me. This one again is! Head is not overwelming, but hardly see mighty heads on sour beer. Very nice rubin red colour and this being completly clear make it a great presentation. The smell is most a combination of cherries and dominating oak, further sour but creamy. Taste is that of sour cherries followed by a lot of (smoked?) oak. Woww this is good. Aftertaste starts sour again but ends what it started with in the nose oak and cherry. Can just say: Go for it!

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2005 20:04:17 | More by paterlodie

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.49/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

At Drie Fonteinen during last week’s Belgium trip. Reviewed from notes. Served in a Drie Fonteinen tumbler. Pours a very bright red with a two-finger, long-lasting pink head and some night lacing as it finally dies down. The nose was full of powerful cherries. Very tart with a bit of sweetness. The cherry character in this was quite amazing. Super fresh with a nice bit of acidity in the end. Slightly puckering throughout. The freshness of this one was unmatched and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit more than the regular Oude Kriek.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2013 14:26:50 | More by Thorpe429

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.48/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On draft at 3 Fonteinen. I enjoyed one of these while chatting away with Armand on a rainy day. Anyhow, the beer is ruby red with a thick purplish, pink head. The aroma is cherry juice and hints of yeast. Much sweeter than a standard 3 Fonteinen kriek. Sugary sweet cherries, cherry pie, pie crust with hints of tartness in the finish. Lingering fruity sugars. A tasty beer for sure, but I much prefer the regular, more tart, krieks from this awesome brewery. Absolutely worth a try if you are fortunate enough to make the pilgrimage here.

Serving type: cask

11-25-2012 03:00:36 | More by Huhzubendah

Travlr

District of Columbia

4.47/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cask at the source.
A: Deep ruby red, slightly cloudy, with a frothy pink head that settles quickly and leaves very slight lacing.
S: Wonderful fruit aroma with grapefruit and lemon. Not much funkiness.
T: Sour start to finish with obvious fruit, slight balancing sweetness that isn't present in the bottled version.
M: Light body.
D: Delicious, attractive, unforgettable.

Serving type: cask

01-08-2010 03:36:34 | More by Travlr

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.33/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle Date February 2005, Sampled July 2006
Pours with a frothy, pink tinged head that disappears fairly quickly to just a ring of wispy foam. The beer is a lightly hazy, striking red color. An immediate note of acidity hits my nose as I pour this beer, but it is backed by a complex woody, almost tannic note. Hints of urea join some initially phenolic, almost plastic like notes. A soft cherry character is here, reminiscent of cherry skins. Basically the aroma is devoid of any sweetness what so ever.

Ah, an aggressive sourness grips hold of my mouth as soon as I take my first sip. Completely devoid of any sweetness during my initial sips, this beer is quite dry. Again there are some healthy, woody tannic notes reminiscent of barrels. Joined by just a touch of cherry character, the combination of tannins and fruit make me think of cherry stones and puckering cherry skins that have been stripped of any sweetness. This is just an aggressively sour Lambic. It is not nearly as funky as some, in fact the funkiest that it gets is that plastic-like phenolic note that almost seems a bit like lacquer of some sort. The combination of the astringent wood notes and the sour acidity make for one mouth puckering experience, which I just can't get enough of.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2008 05:11:05 | More by Gueuzedude

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled 14 March 1999

Pours a deep rosey red color with a faint pint head. In the aroma, Tart cherries all day. In the taste, tart, small cherry presence, and not medicinal at all. A small tart bite and a lighter bodied mouthfeel, with a dry, small sour cherry in the aftertaste. Light cherry flavor, but a nice sour, and it aged very well.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 16:56:35 | More by OWSLEY069

orangesol

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I brought this one to ffej of july this year. A 375ml from 2003. Served alongside a recent vintage Schaerbeekse Kriek. Same bottle as in the picture.

A - Pours slightly murky ruby red with a small half finger tall white head leaving very little lace on the glass. Based on the pop upon opening the bottle I figured it would have more carbonation.

S - Smells of dense, wet funk and tart sour cherries. The funk is moderate initially only growing as it sits in the glass. Cherries are there throughout but the funk threatens to overrun them toward the end. Oak and some apple vinegar round things out.

T - Starts off with an intense sour cherry flavor that never fades very far from the forefront. The musty funk isn't as strong as in the nose would lead you to believe. Finish is pretty dry, lingering on the palate long after the finish.

M - Slick body with a ton of pucker and moderately low carbonation. It packs just enough cherry flavor to help break up the intense sourness.

O - This one has really aged nicely. Compared to the much fresher Schaerbeekse Kriek, the cherries have definitely left the party but there is still plenty to let you know what you are drinking.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 00:45:15 | More by orangesol